Dispatches from DNC: Lautenberg, Spitzer Remarks on Cheney/Halliburton
Sep 1, 2004
http://www.democrats.org/news/200409010014.html New York - The following are excerpts from remarks by U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg and New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer at the DNC Convention Response daily press briefing:
Lautenberg:
It's fitting that the Vice-President will be speaking on the Republican Convention's Land of Opportunity, because the last four years have been a "Land of Opportunity" for his former employer, Halliburton.
For Halliburton these four years have been mission accomplished — to the tune of a $7 billion no-bid contract in Iraq, which the Vice-President's office coordinated — after initially denying any involvement.
I have called for the Senate to investigate whether the Vice-President's conduct was illegal – because there is no doubt it was wrong. But right and wrong are shades of gray in Dick Cheney's land of opportunity.
Spitzer:
For the last four years people like me have had to protect the public – because George Bush has not. So tonight, when Republicans talk about a "Land of Opportunity", we must ask: Opportunity for whom?
Under President Bush, there have been opportunities for the big power companies — but not people who breath the air and drink the water they pollute. There have been opportunities for drug companies, not patients; opportunities for insurance companies, not policyholders. For DeGrasso. For Enron. For MCI WorldCom. For Halliburton: mission accomplished under George W. Bush.
But Halliburton isn't just a special interest, it is Dick Cheney's special interest. Just a few weeks ago, Halliburton agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle an SEC probe into Cheney-era accounting practices. The Justice Department, the Treasury Department, and the SEC are all investigating Halliburton for Cheney-era actions.
It seems that while the Vice President served as Halliburton's CEO, the rules didn't apply.
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Sep 1, 2004
http://www.democrats.org/news/200409010011.html Democrats' One Word Response to Cheney: Halliburton
Democrats Launch New Ad, Unveil New Video, Hold Round Table with Battleground Voters Who Voted For Bush in 2000
New York City - With Vice President Dick Cheney scheduled to address the Republican National Convention; the Democratic Convention Response Team shifted their attention to Halliburton, saying the issue was "emblematic" of how Bush often sides with the special interests at the expense of the middle class. DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe was joined at the daily morning press conference by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, and Congressman Bob Menendez.
"We are focusing on Halliburton today because it is emblematic of how this administration governs," said McAuliffe. "Halliburton is a proof point of how whenever Bush is faced with a choice he sides with the special interest at the expense of the middle class."
Senator Lautenberg unveiled a new DNC web video, which highlights a series of clips where Cheney is seen praising and defending Halliburton. The video asks why Cheney often stands up for Halliburton and ends by pointing out that as Vice President, Dick Cheney has received more than $2 million in payments from his former company.
In addition, Vilsack announced a new DNC ad, which will air in battleground states and on national cable networks. The new 30-second ad, which will run the day of George W. Bush's speech to the Republican Convention, highlights Bush calling Iraq a catastrophic success, saying the war on terror is "unwinnable," and admitting that he miscalculated in Iraq. The ad will be available at www.democrats.org later today.
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, Marine Corps Veteran and New Jersey Congressional candidate Steve Brozak, and General Merrill "Tony" McPeak joined Americans from all over the country who voted for Bush in 2000, but who traveled all the way to New York to explain why they are voting for John Kerry this year. (Bios included below)
Round Table Participants
WA Businessman and Republican to Bush: Mission NOT Accomplished
Although he supported George Bush in 2000, Bill Weiss of Duval, WA is a Republican for Kerry. Bill was a member of the Bush Catholic Task Force in 2000. Bill served his country in the military and is disturbed by the direction George Bush is taking this country. Bill is concerned about the impact that Bush's reckless financial decisions have had on the nation's ballooning budget deficit. Bill also knows firsthand about Bush's failure to address the problem of rising health care costs, because he is a small business owner and struggles to afford health care coverage for his wife who was recently diagnosed with a blood disorder.
Ohio Veteran to Bush: Mission NOT Accomplished
Mike Meklemberg is a Vietnam Veteran who was a Bush supporter until November when he realized the President's economic policies are running our country into the ground. Mike got laid off earlier this year and is now struggling to make ends meet. He believes George Bush is squandering the Social Security surplus to give tax breaks to his rich friends while middle class people are struggling.
OR Republican to Bush: Mission NOT Accomplished
Tom Ethridge of Corvallis, OR is a lifelong Republican who is voting for Kerry, because he is gravely concerned that Bush, by alienating our allies, has made America less secure. Tom works for a high-tech country and has seen many quality, high-paying jobs shipped overseas and is troubled the administration support for tax incentives that encourages companies to outsource good jobs.
LA "Republican of the Year" to Bush: Mission NOT Accomplished
John Brocato of Mandeville, LA is a lifelong Republican who won the National Republican of the of the Year award, is supporting John Kerry. Brocato was appointed by the Bush administration to the Small Business Administration National Advisory Council of the United States and has seen firsthand how the Bush Administration is gutting important programs that keep small business alive. John is concerned that Bush's policies would force many small businesses into bankruptcy. He believes that John Kerry and John Edwards have an economic plan that will allow small businesses to thrive.
NC Veteran and Republican to Bush: Mission NOT Accomplished
Louis Dishman of Reidsville, NC is a registered Republican and served America in the armed forces. He is also the Vice President of the local UNITE union. Louis is supporting John Kerry because he is disenchanted with Bush's economic policies. In his community, many have lost jobs and have no way to support their families. He believes John Kerry and John Edwards have an economic plan that will inject new life into our sluggish economy and put the country on the right track.
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The Dems Fight Fire by Firing Back
Edited on Thu Sep-02-04 12:59 AM by bigtree
NEWS ANALYSIS
By Alexandra Starr
The Dems Fight Fire by Firing Back
Party bigwigs were out in force in the Big Apple to offset GOP attacks on John Kerry. "Consumer fraud" at Cheney's Halliburton?
Democrats are catching plenty of flak at the GOP Convention in New York this week, but they aren't taking the broadsides lying down. Prominent Democrats like New York Representative Charles Rangel and New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg have been firing off daily countersalvos. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has deluged the air waves with new ads taking Bush to task for saying the war on terror may be unwinnable. And Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards has kept up a rigorous campaign schedule -- a break with the tradition of taking a down week while the opposition conducts its convention. Advertisement
In the hours before Vice-President Dick Cheney took the stage on Sept. 1 to lambaste John Kerry, the Dems fired first. The theme of the day was Halliburton (HAL ), where Cheney was once CEO. Accused of trading on its connections to the Bush Administration for contracts in Iraq and overcharging the U.S. government, the company has become synonymous in the Democratic lexicon with corporate graft.
AT THE GARDEN, AGAIN. Playing off President George Bush's declaration last year that the war in Iraq was a "Mission Accomplished," Senator Lautenberg said at a New York press conference that "for Halliburton, it has been a mission accomplished alright." He pointed out that it has seen its stock price increase about threefold since 2002. New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, who has vigorously prosecuted Wall Street firms for cheating shareholders, charged that Halliburton's actions amounted
"Tonight we're going to hear from a guy who obtained five deferments ," Retired General Tony McPeak, former U.S. Air Force chief of staff said, referring to Cheney. Attorney General John Ashcroft obtained seven deferments, McPeak added. "That's about a dozen between the two of them," McPeak said. "Where are the 12 guys who went to Vietnam in their place? Maybe some of them didn't come back." Red meat, anyone?
More:
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/sep2004/nf2004092_9553_db038.htm 
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