Kerry lights a fire under 1,000 firefighters

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John Kerry lit a fire under 1,000 firefighters Wednesday by daring President Bush to live up to promises he made after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"Two years ago, President Bush came to New York and stood at ground zero and gave firefighters his commitment," he said, challenging the president to return there now and ask firefighters if they're satisfied. "We should not be opening fire houses in Baghdad and shutting them in Brooklyn."

That and other parts of Kerry's incendiary address brought standing ovations from attendees at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Redmond Symposium for Health and Safety, at the San Francisco Hilton. The sea of firefighters wore gold-and-black "Fire Fighters for Kerry" T-shirts.

The 260,000-member IAFF endorsed Kerry, D-Mass., on Sept. 24, the only major labor endorsement given to anyone other than Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-Mo. IAFF President Harold Schaitberger said the Vietnam veteran embodies principles of service and duty that resonate with the union, and that he was endorsed "based on who has the best chance of beating George Bush."
http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10669~1686564,00.html

[blm]

1. That's a good report to hear.

Looking forward to more of the IAFF hitting the streets for Kerry.

Notice the news networks make sure the public doesn't hear much about Kerry and the fire fighters?

[Pez]

3. yep

hardly a peep about it-- i think the firefighters would feel dissed that they endorse someone and noone gives a rat's ass.

[blm]

5. The media know how powerful an endorsement it is.

They also know what a powerful indictment it is of Bush's leadership on national security. The press will NEVER talk much about this. They will stick to talking about Dean and Clark and Hillary.

[Pez]

2. bush is a *beep*beep*beepity*beepin*beep*beep*

when that !@%#~ bush came to nyc, stood at the wtc site and jibberjabbered his way through an OBVIOUSLY false display of concern and admiration, made a bunch of promises and pretended to stand for something (09.11 was his only chance to assume some kind of acceptable personality or depth in character) we were like, ok liar, let's see it, and by the way get out of my town, you *beep*.

"The 260,000-member IAFF endorsed Kerry" because they know honesty and conviction. go kerry, go firefighters, and go away bush.

*beep*

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. I hope no one got hurt!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. Someone did get hurt - Bush!

The nation has had enough of politicians who "are there when the bagpipes are playing but disappear when the flag returns to half-staff," Kerry said. He promised his administration would push legislation to hire 100,000 new firefighters nationwide, a bill he'd name in honor of Father Mychal Judge, the New York City Fire Department chaplain who died in the Sept. 11 World Trade Center collapse.

Kerry also repeated his vows to roll back the Bush administration's tax cuts for America's wealthiest; to invest that money instead in education, health care and public safety; and to close corporate tax loopholes that encourage U.S. companies to send jobs overseas.

Patriotism should be defined as "having the courage to do the things that make our country stronger and safer and more secure here at home," Kerry said, and that means keeping the faith with those who serve in uniform, abroad or at home.
http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10669~1686564,00.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. "Amen" to that.

Place the blame squarely where it belongs!

[blm]

8. I like when he prepares the public

to show the "courage" it will take for all Americans to commit to seeking alternative energy sources and giving up their oil dependency.

He hit that right. It DOES take courage to give up addictions.

[DrFunkenstein]

9. The Firefighters Are The "Doghunters" of 2004

They are the emblem of masculine credibility in post-9/11 America.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. In case you don't know what DrF is talking about

Vietnam veterans launch campaign offensive for Democrat

said John Hurley, an Army veteran and semiretired lawyer from Wellesley, Mass. "It's based on John's war record. John became very engaged with veterans as soon as he got back from Vietnam, and veterans in turn have become engaged with John."

While serving as an officer on a Navy gunboat, Kerry earned a Silver Star, three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Back home, he joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

Years later, when Kerry ran for the Senate in 1984, a Democratic rival suggested that Kerry was a hypocrite for fighting in a war he didn't believe in. During a debate, Kerry sought an apology from his primary opponent, Jim Shannon, who instead responded, "That dog won't hunt."

So began the Doghunters, a group of a dozen-plus Vietnam veterans who traveled through Massachusetts to make the case for Kerry. They've done it in every Senate campaign since and plan to travel to New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina to push Kerry's White House candidacy.
-- AP 5/1/03

[JohnKleeb]

11. Sounds like a neat group them doghunters

[blm]

12. I think that is why the media won't go near it, Doc.

It contrasts too much with the image Rove wants his presstitutes to adhere to in regard to the BRAVE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.