*UNOFFICIAL* Kerry Story Gawking Thread

[NashVegas]

Not to be a brat, but it would be nice to not have the entire top page be all about this stuff, like it was the night of the "Scream."

My own reaction: I'd prefer to wait for details and/or denials and/or confirmations to come in before I get too excited about anything, you know?

[seaglass]

1. so why'd you start another thread? n/t

[NashVegas]

3. Because ....

Gawking is exactly what we're all doing.

[Closer]

2. Folks around this

way are predicting this will be Kerry's ruin.

Today must be a very good day for Edwards and Dean.

[saracat]

28. Tom Harkin Reconsiders Dean

CNN Now! Tom Harkin to"reassess Dean Endorsement".Says time to face reality.I always thought it hypocritical of Dean to accept his endorsement as Harkin voted for the IWR and was no different than Kerry about whom Dean makes this a major issue.

[StopTheMorans]

4. wait for details you say? oh no, let's all believe everything

we hear from Drudge and spam GD with it ad nauseum! why people insist on giving credence to Drudge's allegations on a LIBERAL and DEMOCRATIC website is beyond me...

[MidwestTransplant]

9. Drudge is often not credible

remember the article of Sidney Blumenthal beating his wife?

[StopTheMorans]

11. i know, that's why it blows my mind that people on DU

are willing to further DRUDGE's allegations simply b/c their candidate is doing poorly and they're reaching for anything to bring Kerry down (just my two cents).

[NashVegas]

20. I Don't Think Anyone's Furthering It

They could be, I just haven't seen it. Lotsa questions, though, that's for sure.

[rodbarnett]

27. Google : Boston Globe to Probe Kerry Private Affairs

Their target now: Democratic fund-raiser front-runner Sen. John Kerry.

The Hill reports that the Boston Globe is planning an expose on the Massachusetts Democrat which will reportedly include an examination of an alleged sexual relationship the presidential hopeful had with a 25-year-old woman who later dumped him for a rock star.

"One story being examined for the upcoming series involves Kerry’s brief fling with a young British journalist working in Washington," The Hill reports.

The White House wannabe's sessions with the Brit scribe often began "late at night" after political functions, the paper said. "The woman soon tired of the arrangement and dumped Kerry for a member of Pink Floyd."

There may be more skeletons tumbling out of Kerry's closet, according to WRKO-Boston radio talker Howie Carr. In his own Boston Herald column last December, Carr recalled one long-ago episode where the presidential candidate attempted to woo "a luscious young gal pal" of a Boston nightclub owner.

"One night, they're all getting down, and among the guests is a four-sheets-to-the-wind Liveshot . The girl, who's up on current events, starts tearing into Kerry for his weathervane-like voting record, telling him he needs to make a 'commitment.'

"'Baby,' he finally says, swaying ever so slightly in the breeze, 'I am ready right now to make a commitment. To you.'"

With all of this sleaze circulating, we're wondering who is helping to get it into print? The Globe, after all, is owned by the Democratic Party's paper of record, the New York Times. As the Romans asked, "Cui bono?" or "Who benefits?"

Could it be an unannounced Democratic senator with the initials HRC who is deeply disturbed about the money flowing to Kerry and would like to cut him down a notch or two? We report. You decide.

[NashVegas]

35. Hey Cut That Out!

We aren't reporting, we're just gawking.

[Atlant]

12. Why not? Most everyone else will (believe). (NT)

[StopTheMorans]

17. so my question is: why do we have to further it on DU?

we're not the RW media, and we're not Drudge. What good does it do to spread false allegations without any sources or details on DU? It's shameful IMHO...

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. If the mainstream press doens't pick up on this

it will have little impact (unless Teresa decides to leave him).

[NashVegas]

6. Oh, You Know They'll Pick It Up

Look at all the threads about it right here ...

[Raster]

7. THIS IS ROVIAN BULLSHIT, PLAIN AND SIMPLE...

LET IT GO!!! LET IT GO!!!
DO NOT FEED OR ENCOURAGE THE TROLLS!!!

[Atlant]

14. So was "Howard Dean's Scream of Death". But that didn't stop anybody then.

(NT)

[StopTheMorans]

19. the scream was real and witnessed by everyone tho

I don't care how you say " the microphones wasn't the one they should have used", etc... it was a bad move on Dean's part, and it wasn't speculation that it happened, it DID happen. it would be different if drudge would have posted a story on his site saying "Dean screams" without any details or evidence, and then everyone posted it here. you can't even compare the two IMHO.

[LoZoccolo]

21. Yes the scream happened but that's not it.

The disingenuous notion that people here were perpetuating was that he had some sort of out-of-control fit. People don't begin an out-of-control fit smiling and laughing a few seconds later and snap out of it laughing and having fun afterward. People just kept insisting "oh whoah he's a madman!" Thanks a lot.

I warned back then that we had two things we could do: we could perpetuate Drudge's spin on it and keep the notion of what's an acceptable attack strategy this low all for a little temporary political gain in the primary elections, or we could refuse to give in to it, fight it, and maybe have a little bit better political climate for the general election. People didn't want to do this, but now they've got to realize it looks like Kerry's going to have to slog through it too now.

[StopTheMorans]

24. i don't want to get back into a debate on "the scream"

but as I watched Dean's speech (right after he rolled up his sleeves and handed his overcoat to his man-in-waiting Tom Harkin) I turned to my housemate (a Dean supporter, I actually got him interested in Dean a half a year ago) and saw "the scream", I turned and said to him "Dean's campaign is effectively over. It doesn't matter how the media handles this, he played into the stereotypes that have been perpetuated about him, and he should have known better". it was a bad move either way...

[LoZoccolo]

25. The question was what were we going to do with it.

Yes, the spin was there shortly after his speech. The question was whether or not we would fight it, run from it, or actually actively participate in it as many people did here. The problem with not fighting the spin machine is that today it's us, tommorow it's you. And today it's Kerry.

I'm not going to gloat over it though; I hope he recovers because we do not need this as an issue when there are this many problems in the world. It used to be considered taboo for a journalist to cover a politician's affairs as long as they were consensual. We need to make this into not a big deal as far as the election is concerned. Even if it did happen, it pales in comparison to the lies that left thousands of Iraqis and Americans dead, the damage done to our diplomatic ties, the damage done to our social welfare, and the damage done to our national security as a result of the leak. I'm asking all supporters of other candidates to not make attacks you would not want to see made on your candidates.

[redqueen]

8. If it doesn't get picked up by mainstream media now

look forward to hearing about it again this summer

:(

[JVS]

10. Where can I get the lurid details?

[NashVegas]

13. Drudge

drudgereport.com

[Atlant]

15. If she turns out to look like Jane Fonda back in "that" picture... (NT)

[NashVegas]

18. You Are BAD!

Seriously, though. Someone in another thread floated this as Rove's way of taking Kerry's vet status out of the contest (and Shrub's shirking TANG in the process). Quite possible, but who knows?

[Atlant]

26. What can I say; I liked "Klute". >:-) (NT)

[charlie]

16. All I'll say is

that it had BETTER NOT be true. Any Democratic candidate with a lick of sense knows the harm that can be done to himself and the party's electoral chances from this sort of stuff. Our sensation-driven media is a monster with boundless appetite for the tawdry, and will happily shred him -- and us.

I hope it's not true.

[no one in particular]

22. Since we're talking unreliable sources...

Supposedly Rush just claimed this "woman" kept letters from Kerry. Didn't hear it, but that's what I've read.

Of course, the Freekers are whacking off over it right now. I didn't want to start a thread about this, so I thought I'd add it here.

Methinks they're gonna choke on their penis-fixation.

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. Great idea.

I just counted 16 front page threads dealing with this directly, and a few more indirectly lol.

[NashVegas]

29. Well, I Tried

To get it in early, but ..

anyway, now I'm wondering WTF is up with the Clark endorsement/non-endorsement.

I mean, I assume that was leaked in order to distract the press from this story, so why didn't he endorse today? Why did he hedge?

[Atlant]

30. Wouldn't you? :)

> Why did he hedge?

Wouldn't you, given all the bru-ha-ha?

Atlant

[NashVegas]

34. No Idea

It just plays out so oddly, you know?

First he predicts Kerry will implode.
Then he drops out.
Drudge leaks.
Then someone in his camp (I assume his camp) tells the press he's going to endorse the guy he previously said would implode.
Then he goes on TV and teases everyone?

I can't wait to see what TDS is going to make out of all this.

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[saracat]

32. Drudge

I just read the Drudge Report and boy is this unsubstantiated tripe. It is totally without merit and doesn't contain even the usual treacle of truth he twists out of proportion. I wrote to Drudge and told him what I thought of this piece. I suggest you all do the same.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

33. Welcome to DU saracat!

I am impressed with your critical reading skills!