John Kerry

excerpts from the Iowa Daily Report

January 2003

On KERRY, “John KERRY has been a national political figure since he was one of the organizers of Vietnam Veterans Against the War in 1971…KERRY came to the Senate with a reputation as a strong liberal. He has a similar voting record to fellow Senator Edward Kennedy, but there are differences of nuance and interest…he was apparently one of the two finalists for the Democratic vice presidential nomination and was obviously disappointed when Al Gore chose Joseph LIEBERMAN.” (The Almanac of American Politics, 2002)

Re GRAHAM: “His hope is to win the early South Carolina primary, followed by an impressive showing in other Southern primaries. But how can he get by Iowa and New Hampshire? He might be able to skip the Iowa caucuses, hut he could not finesse the New Hampshire primary as well. With New Hampshire virtually conceded to John KERRY from neighboring Massachusetts, GRAHAM would have to aim for second place there. No easy task.” (Evans & Novak column, Human Events, 1/13)

  CNN’s Jonathan Karl: “But, privately, senior Democratic aides are aiming some fire at John KERRY and John EDWARDS and warning, as one person said: This is a harbinger of things to come. We are facing critical votes and these guys are off campaigning for president.” (Jonathan Karl report, Inside Politics, CNN, 1/17)

During a January trip to Dubuque, the Telegraph Herald reported: “Concerning civil rights, KERRY lamented Attorney General John Ashcroft’s ‘complete misunderstanding of the Constitution of the United States…There are people in prison today whose names we don’t know and who have no access to attorneys.” (thonline.com, Dubuque Telegraph Herald, 1/21)

“If Massachusetts Sen. John KERRY were elected to the White House in 2004, he would be American’s richest president in more than a century.  KERRY…has listed assets worth between $196 and $688 million on his latest financial disclosure forms, and has publicly said that he has not ruled out using some of this wealth to run for president. While President George W. Bush is thought to have a political advantage in campaign finance, KERRY has more than 20 times the reported personal capital of the incumbent president and leads all other likely candidates, according to a Center for Public Integrity study of recent financial disclosure forms.” (“Buying of The President – 2004,” The Center for Public Integrity, 1/27)

“Sen. John KERRY, D-Mass., was looking a little glum Tuesday night. Last week KERRY gave a speech saying, ‘Mr. President, do not rush to war!” Rush to war? We’ve been talking about this war for a year. It’s been three months since KERRY duly recorded his vote in favor of forcibly removing Saddam Hussein… Indeed, a surprisingly large number of Democrats voted for the war resolution in October. But as soon as the November elections were over, Democrats like KERRY began aggressively attacking the very war they had just voted for.” (“War-Torn Democrats,” www.anncoulter.org, 1/29)

On the campaign finance front, “A few of the Democratic presidential hopefuls offered a look at their fundraising. Among them, Massachusetts Sen. John KERRY reported $3 million in his presidential fund as of Dec. 31, about $2.6 million of it from his Senate campaign. (Former) Vermont Gov. Howard DEAN had about $157,000 on hand as the year began.” (AP, 1/31/2003)

“Democratic divisions weaken party in Iraq debate…KERRY says his war vote won’t muzzle him: He blasts Bush’s ‘clumsy’ and ‘inadequate diplomacy.’ With 2004 rivals GEPHARDT, LIEBERMAN and EDWARDS also war backers, students are ‘flocking’ to former Vermont Gov. DEAN’s side in Iowa and New Hampshire, says an unaffiliated party strategist.” (Washington Wire, The Wall Street Journal, 1/31/2003)

“Is Sen. John F. KERRY (D-Mass.) trying to have it both ways on Iraq? Of all the Democratic presidential candidates, KERRY seems the most tortured about the possibility of a military confrontation with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein…KERRY says his position has been consistent – he’s argued that the United States should seek as broad an international coalition as possible to confront Hussein, but not foreclose the possibility of acting alone if necessary.” (Ronald Brownstein, Los Angeles Times, www.latimes.com, 1/31/2003)

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