Nasty Letters To Crooked Politicians

As we enter a new era of politics, we hope to see that Obama has the courage to fight the policies that Progressives hate. Will he have the fortitude to turn the economic future of America to help the working man? Or will he turn out to be just a pawn of big money, as he seems to be right now.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Bush's Kerry Comments Go Unchecked (Another FUCKING LIE from your COMMANDER IN THIEF)

http://www.fair.org/activism/bush-kerry-afghanistan.html
ACTION ALERT:
October 26, 2004

George W. Bush's new claims about Kerry "flip-flopping" on the war in Afghanistan quickly moved yesterday from the campaign trail to the nightly news.

But some journalists who repeated Bush's charges made no effort to examine the truth behind Bush's claims-- claims which turn out, like many other Bush lines of attack, to be deceptive. Bush charged that while Kerry now criticizes how the administration managed the search for Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora, Kerry made comments at the time that were much different. "In the fall of 2001," Bush charged, "on national TV, he said this about Tora Bora: 'I think we've been doing this pretty effectively and we should continue to do it that way.'

At the time, the senator said about Tora Bora, 'I think we've been smart. I think the administration leadership has done it well, and we are on the right track.'

"But Bush is taking Kerry's words grossly out of context.

Both comments he cited came from an appearance on CNN's Larry King Live (12/14/01). When a viewer asked "why they don't use napalm or flame-throwers on those tunnels and caves up there in Afghanistan,"

Kerry replied: "Well, I think it depends on where you are tactically. They may well be doing that at some point in time. But for the moment, what we are doing, I think, is having its impact and it is the best way to protect our troops and sort of minimalize the proximity, if you will. I think we have been doing this pretty effectively and we should continue to do it that way."In other words, Kerry was suggesting that napalm and flame-throwers might be ill-suited for the mission to find Osama bin Laden.

Bush is incorrect (A FUCKING LIAR*) in saying that the other quote was "about Tora Bora" ;in fact, that comment came in response to this question from host LarryKing: "Senator Kerry-- and this is for all of you-- how goes it so far in Afghanistan, in your opinion?" A moment's thought reveals the absurdity of comparing one assessment of the situation in Afghanistan-- made shortly after the capture of Kabul, when it was believed that bin Laden was surrounded and would soon be captured-- with an assessment made later, after bin Laden had slipped away to parts unknown.

Unfortunately, some journalists covering the Bush campaign appearance passed along his allegations, but failed to inform viewers about their accuracy. CNN's John King (<---FUCKING IDIOT*)(10/25/04) talked up the Bush campaign strategy, noting that "another part of their strategy to keep voters moving from Bush to Kerry is to make the case that Senator Kerry has been inconsistent on Iraq."

As evidence, King explained that "as part of that message today, one of Senator Kerry's arguments on the campaign trail has been that the United States military let Osama bin Laden away at Tora Bora-- let him escape from Tora Bora, Afghanistan. Senator Kerry says that isproof that Mr. Bush has mismanaged the war on terrorism. President Bush today in his speech is quoting something very different Senator Kerry said back in the fall of 2001."

He then quoted from Bush's speech, but failed to provide the context of Kerry's statements, made on his own network. NBC Nightly News correspondent David Gregory (10/25/04) also failed to challenge Bush's claims, opting instead to explain Bush's strategy to NBCviewers: "The president also took aim today at one of Kerry's main attacks, that the administration let Osama bin Laden get away during the war in Afghanistan. Today, the Bush campaign tracked down an interview Kerry gave at the time, praising the effort to find bin Laden at ToraBora. The president quoted Kerry's words." Unfortunately, Gregory did not compare Bush's description of Kerry's words with Kerry's actual remarks.

ACTION: Please contact CNN and NBC News and remind them how critical it is to check the accuracy of charges made in the closing days of the presidential campaign.

CONTACT:CNN, Wolf Blitzer Reports mailto:wolf@cnn.com

NBC Nightly News mailto:nightly@nbc.com
Phone: (212) 664-4971 As always, please remember that your comments have more impact if you maintain a polite tone.

Please send a copy of your correspondence to fair@fair.org

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