Kerry rips Dean claim in Iowa blitz (Attacks Gephardt too)

[Khephra]

DES MOINES -- Attempting to revitalize his presidential campaign, Sen. John Kerry lashed out at rival Howard Dean on Sunday for selling himself as a Washington outsider at a time when the nation cannot afford "on-the-job training" of its leader.

Kerry, who is trailing Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri and Dean in the most recent poll of Iowa voters, also blasted both men for seeking a complete repeal of President Bush's tax cuts. He said repealing tax-rate cuts for the middle class and reinstating higher taxes for married couples would hand the Republican president a ready-made re-election issue.

"What a wonderful message for Democrats, ladies and gentlemen," Kerry said. "Can't you imagine next summer the advertisements from Karl Rove: `Here come the Democrats. You get married in America, they think you ought to pay a tax for being married.' Well, that's the impact. That's what happens when you get rid of the whole tax cut."

Dean has proposed using revenues from the repeal of the tax cuts to pay for universal health care, homeland security and job creation. He also has called for a simpler and fairer system of taxation. Gephardt also would use tax-cut repeal revenues for health care and job creation.

more............

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0311170085nov17,1,7819447.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

[Khephra]

1. Isn't that wonderful?

Kerry cares what Karl Rove will do and say more than what members of his other party are saying.

It's time to be freeping unafraid of Rove. Rove will make shit up if he has too...or start another war.

But now I understand who Kerry has been listening to that has been giving him such horrible advice.

[sangh0]

5. More "Attack the critic, ignore the issue"

.

[Khephra]

7. Hey, it's worked for you

I grovel at the foot of a critic who outshines Ebert.

[Lorien]

2. My apolitical friends

who are classic "swing voters", WANT a Washington outsider and the tax cuts repealed! Even though they don't read the news, they know that those cuts haven't done a damn thing for them and will cost them down the road. They seem most pissed about that $87 billion for Iraq. I think Kerry is really moving in the wrong direction here.

[Options Remain]

3. Kerry is standing on the wrong foundation

I am an off and on volunteer for kerry in masachusetts. So dont take this as a candidate bash.

I feel that Kerry should NEVER have tried to set himself as the establishment candidate. SWING voters if nothing else HATE the establishement and the parties equally.

They recognise that both sides are equally complicit in our national stride away from government "for" the people and want "the outsider" to come in and knock heads and beat both parties into submission.

This was and is Kerry's greatest mistake and Deans greatest success.

TearForger

[chimpymustgo]

4. My apolitical triends who are classic "swing voters"

DON'T want a Washington outsider or all the tax cuts repealed - middle class ones - yes.

Everyone is pissed about the $87 billion for Iraq.

Kerry is moving in the correct direction. IMO.

[dave29]

6. oh yeah well my friends

who are swing voters think Kerry has funny hair.

This is going to be a fun thread

[Khephra]

8. Most of my friends

were too poor to get any sort of a tax cut, let alone $300.

[MaineDem]

10. To hell with my friends, I got no tax cut!

I think Kerry has a point about what Herr Rove will say. We all have to be very careful with our candidate. He or she needs to be able to stand up to the slimy dirty tricks that this administration will play. And, as far as I'm concerned, there's no question that Rove & Co will play really really dirty!

[Metrix]

9. If you will remember

even Clinton, coming in as an outsider, had a hard time dealing with Congress and getting anything done for a couple of years or more. And he was and is a consumately skilled politician. Howard Dean is not a skilled politician. He's more like an Internet stock. People feel like they're getting in on the ground floor of Howard.

It's hard to explain, but people tend to like narcissists when they are young.

[sandnsea]

14. Mine want Iraq fixed

And they want somebody who can do it in a hurry so we don't have anymore of those $87 billions sent to Iraq. Clark and Kerry are the obvious choice in their minds. And they sure don't want their taxes raised, they can barely afford to feed their kids as it is.

[helleborient]

11. So much for Kerry being upset with Dean...

For attacking other Democrats.

Thanks for the slams against Pres. Jimmy Carter and Pres. Bill Clinton, Sen. Kerry.

[mitchtv]

12. Shame on him

as a long time fence sitter , trending toward JK, I find myself trending toward the Dems who trash Bush, not other Dems. I hear this kindo of shit from any of them, and I see red.This is just not only JK, but any. I have already written JK's campaign about this, anf he appears to be getting worse, now I will probably vote for Dean,I am incensed about the double teaming of the DR.

[JNelson6563]

13. Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean!

I see Kerry is trying out a new strategy. :eyes:

Julie

[realFedUp]

15. Offensive moves?

I guess it works in football....

[Voltaire99]

16. Washington Insiders v. Vermont "Outsiders"

Khepra, why do you think it's unfair of Kerry to argue the merits of having a more experienced Washington insider as nominee? Kerry's nothing if not an insider, after all. Of course he'd argue as much.

Nowhere is it written in stone that the Democratic party abhors insiders and favors outsiders. Imagining such a thing would be to ignore the past quarter century of post-Carter party evolution (or deevolution, as the case may be). If you want real Democratic Party outsiders, you'll have to look to Feingold of Wisconsin or the late Wellstone of my Minnesota - principled, courageous leaders, both marginalized by their corporate-driven party.

Positing Dean as an outsider is a stretch. If he has any single accomplishment to recommend him as a presidential candidate, it's his experience mollifying big business while not sending moderates and the left shrieking in horror. He's a consummate insider, a blueblood, and a reliable friend of power with a touch of social conscience added to the mix.

I'm not against Dean per se, and may even vote for him. But romanticizing him I will leave to his fans.

[eissa]

17. He's slamming Gephardt now, too?!

Poor Dick. He thought by joining Kerry and Edwards in their gang-bang on Dean that he would be immune from the attacks, but nooooooo. Glad to see Kerry has a platform -- attack the front runners :eyes: