07-06-2004 

QUOTABLES:

“The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not "insurgents" or "terrorists" or "The Enemy." They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow — and they will win,” said Michael Moore.

"I don't want to lead a party that loves jobs and hates the people who create them," John Kerry told the Wall Street Journal.

“It is no wonder that Kerry has been trying to get closer to business -- with the pick of Edwards it is all but a declared war against them.” – writes Roger Hughes, Iowa Presidential Watch.

BUSH BEAT

 Just POlitics

It’s John & John

[John Kerry’s email announced his vice presidential pick is Senator John Edwards (N.Carolina). The following is Kerry’s e-mail:]

Dear Friend,

In just a few minutes, I will announce that Senator John Edwards will join me as my running-mate on the Democratic ticket as a candidate for vice president of the United States. Teresa and I could not be more excited that John and Elizabeth Edwards will be our partners in our journey to make America stronger at home and respected in the world.

You are the heart and soul of our campaign. You've shattered records and expectations every step of the way. Every time someone said you couldn't do it, you proved them wrong. Because of your incredible grassroots energy and commitment, I wanted to make the first official announcement of my decision to you -- more than one million online supporters at johnkerry.com.

I want you to know why I'm excited about running for president with John Edwards by my side. John understands and defends the values of America. He has shown courage and conviction as a champion for middle class Americans and those struggling to reach the middle class. In the Senate, he worked to reform our intelligence, to combat bioterrorism, and keep our military strong. John reaches across party lines and speaks to the heart of America -- hope and optimism. Throughout his own campaign for President, John spoke about the great divide in this country -- the "Two Americas" -- that exist between those who are doing well today and those that are struggling to make it from day to day. And I am so proud that we're going to build one America together.

In the next 120 days and in the administration that follows, John Edwards and I will be fighting for the America we love. We'll be fighting to give the middle class a voice by providing good paying jobs and affordable health care. We'll be fighting to make America energy independent. We'll be fighting to build a strong military and lead strong alliances, so young Americans are never put in harm's way because we insisted on going it alone.

I can't tell you how proud I am to have John Edwards on my team, or how eager I am for the day this fall when he stands up for our vision and goes toe-to-toe with Dick Cheney.

This is the most important election of our lifetime, and a defining moment in our history. With you by our side every day of this campaign, John and I will lead the most spirited presidential campaign America has ever seen and fight to lead our nation in a new and better direction.

Thank you,

John Kerry

Kerry chooses two nations

Analysis by Roger Wm. Hughes

Sen. John Kerry chose the candidate who opposed him for the Democrat nomination by stating that there are two Americas, John Edwards. Edwards comes from the anti-business wing of the Democrat party, the trial lawyers. Much of the media acclaimed that Edwards was capable of bringing class warfare into politics without it being called class warfare, Mark Shields.

It is no wonder that Kerry has been trying to get closer to business -- with the pick of Edwards it is all but a declared war against them.

Kerry’s efforts of getting close to business has paid off with the signing on to his campaign of Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs and Lee Iacocca who have given him their endorsements. A Washington Post/ABC poll released last month showed that the public trusts Kerry to do a better job handling the economy than President Bush by a margin of 5 percent.

Now, Kerry has picked another Lyndon Johnson as his running mate. Johnson was the creator of the welfare state bureaucracy security program. Like Johnson, Edwards envisions a new "Great Society."

The following info is from the archived files of Iowa Presidential Watch during Edwards’ failed attempt to win the nomination:

Edwards’ Two Americas 

"We really live in two Americas: one America for the powerful insiders and the privileged few, and another America for everybody else," Edwards said. "And no one on the outside suffers more than 35 million men, women, and children who live in poverty. Millions work 40 hours a week, millions more work less because they can't find a job, and still the American dream is out of their reach. They aren't looking to their government for a handout, but some help up and out of despair and into the middle class."

Edwards: Nation divided  (1/13/2004)

Sen. John Edwards continued his class warfare message while campaigning in Iowa. His two America theme is running heavily in his TV ads as well. The message is mixed with the constant theme of Howard Dean’s anti-Washington message. With Edwards, the code phrase is ‘Washington insiders.’

Edwards message in Sioux City, Iowa, was that America is divided into two countries -- one populated with those who have easy access to anything they want, the other with those who have to work hard for everything. Edwards said the rich and the government insiders shouldn't have a tax code, public school systems or health care plans that are unavailable to hard-working common people like those in Sioux City.

"This democracy does not belong to that crowd of insiders in Washington. It belongs to you," he said to applause.

Edwards like Kerry in the early going said that he would repeal Bush’s tax cuts. One can only imagine that he will slide to the same position as Kerry and repeal the tax cut for those making over $200,000.

Edwards’ damage control

Edward’s campaign became stalled again during the primary. However, questions about his failed house deal with a Saudi Arabia representative when the Senator was investigating that country’s involvement in the 9-11 event never were fully exposed. Edwards issued the following statement regarding the incident:

"The Edwardses put their house on the market because they wanted to move to a more child-friendly place for their young children. They signed a contract to sell the house to Michael and Wendy Petruzzello for far less than the asking price. They didn't know the buyers and they didn't know where they worked. They knew he was a businessman with a letter from a bank saying he could afford to buy the house.

"Many months later, as the Edwardses became concerned that the Petruzzellos were going to back out of the contract, someone mentioned to the senator that Mr. Petruzzello owned a public relations company and that one of his clients was the Embassy of Saudi Arabia. They never discussed Saudi Arabia.

"It's absurd to suggest that every senator has an obligation to investigate the clients of potential purchasers when they want to buy their homes, which is why Senate ethics rules don't require it. It is bizarre and outrageous that a contract dispute with a total stranger would become a source of wild speculation and international intrigue. Only in Washington." 

Edwards vote to not fund troops  (12/29/2003)

Edwards like Kerry voted not to fund our troops and said that if his vote meant not funding troops he would have voted the same way:

Edwards told "Fox News Sunday" his vote was meant to tell the Bush administration that its policy of going it alone in Iraq was not working and needed to be changed. And he says he would have voted that way even if the measure's passage depended on him. Such a scenario, he said, would have brought administration officials back to Congress with a more detailed plan for Iraq's future. He also said the Senate could have then forced them to involve other nations in a broader international effort.

"This was not a show vote," said Edwards, who represents North Carolina. "I did what I believed needed to be done to change this administration's policy in Iraq. And it did then, and still does now, needs to be changed.

Edwards and Kerry seem to have a lot in common. However, we are not ever really sure where Kerry really stands with the real deal anti middle class and above Edwards.

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