Well, you probably missed it...I almost hope you did...This morning on SeeNotNews, while talking about the "problem" Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mekong Delta)faces in "dealing" with "charges" about his military record and anti-war activism in the Vietnam era, the cable news network's "senior political analyst" Bill Schnooker said that there are "serious questions" about the incredibly shrinking _resident's National Guard service during Vietnam and that they would have "caused him problems IF they had been known during the 2000 campaign." Of course, they were known. But the "US mainstream news media" and its propapunditgandists refused to beat the drum on the issue as they have quite willing beaten the drum now for the Bush cabal and against JFK...It's the Media, Stupid...A few weeks ago, the incredible shrinking _resident had his "service record" released. All it really told us was that he had some dental work done in Alabama (and it wasn't even done to remove scrapnel from his gums), but hey, as the incredible shrinking _resident enjoys saying about his tax cuts, "it's your money."
Terry McAuliffe: "Why should we believe a word Dick Cheney says about John Kerry - especially when it comes to defending our country? For four years, Dick Cheney hasn't been straight with the American people. Why would he start now?
"You remember Dick Cheney. He's the guy who took a year to finally admit to America that the Bush Administration had sent our troops to war in Iraq without the body armor they needed.
"You remember Dick Cheney. He's the guy who told us there was "no doubt" that Saddam Hussein possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction and that he "knew" Saddam Hussein had ties with Al-Qaeda. We now know neither was true.
"You remember Dick Cheney. He's the former head of Halliburton who rewarded his old buddies with over $7 billion in no-bid contracts to rebuild Iraq. But his old buddies rewarded America by overcharging us for gas and rewarded our troops by skimping on basic services like clean working conditions and safe food.
"You remember Dick Cheney. When John Kerry was risking his life for his country in Vietnam, Dick Cheney was getting deferments because, in his words, he had "other priorities than military service." And he feels qualified to tell us that John Kerry won't do whatever it takes to defend America?
Cleanse the White House of the Chickenhawk Coup, Show Up for Democracy in 2004: Defeat Bush (again!)
http://www.democrats.org/news/200404260001.html
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Apr 26, 2004
DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe delivers speech on Vice President Dick Cheney's record
"I understand it's been a difficult few months for the Republican Party.
"This week is no different - the Bush Administration faces more questions from the 9/11 commission, the Supreme Court case on Dick Cheney's secret energy task force, and the anniversary of George Bush standing on an aircraft carrier behind a banner that read "Mission Accomplished."
"After a year without a primary opponent, a $100 million war chest, and one of the most intensely negative ad campaigns we've ever seen, our friends at the Bush-Cheney campaign thought they'd be on the road to victory by now.
"Instead, they're on the run. They've wasted $50 million on an ad campaign where truth was the first casualty and it hasn't even made a dent in the polls. They refuse to change course on almost every problem facing America, leaving our troops alone, our country in debt, and our middle-class working harder and harder for less and less. And, with each day that passes, they give more Americans fewer reasons to trust what this President says.
"The Republicans are desperate to hold on to power. And we all know that when it comes to the Republican Party, desperation is usually followed by distortion and distraction.
"Last week, we saw the Republican attack machine go back to their favorite playbook when they criticized John Kerry's tour of duty in Vietnam. Apparently, two tours in Vietnam, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and Three Purple Hearts weren't good enough for the folks who never miss a chance to say that military service shouldn't be an issue in this campaign. Just today, they are trying to attack John Kerry for protesting the Vietnam War when he came home. A protest, even John McCain said he had the right to make.
"They had attacks, but we had the facts, and we released them for all to see: John Kerry is a decorated war hero who risked his life trying to save the lives of others. His records say so, his superiors say so, and the band of brothers he served with say so. End of discussion.
"But for the Republicans, twisting the truth into distracting attack is like a bad habit they just can't break. That's why today, Dick Cheney, the Bush Campaign's Attack Dog-in-Chief, is kicking off a week-long ad campaign that will question John Kerry's commitment to defending the country he risked his life for.
"The American people deserve better. And that's why I'm calling on Dick Cheney to call off the Republican attack dogs' attempts to smear John Kerry's service to America and his commitment to defending it as President.
"What's really amazing about today's attacks is this: while I know that the Republicans have had a tough few months, I didn't know that things had gotten so bad over there that they feel the need to keep using Dick Cheney to attack John Kerry's record on defense.
"Why should we believe a word Dick Cheney says about John Kerry - especially when it comes to defending our country? For four years, Dick Cheney hasn't been straight with the American people. Why would he start now?
"You remember Dick Cheney. He's the guy who took a year to finally admit to America that the Bush Administration had sent our troops to war in Iraq without the body armor they needed.
"You remember Dick Cheney. He's the guy who told us there was "no doubt" that Saddam Hussein possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction and that he "knew" Saddam Hussein had ties with Al-Qaeda. We now know neither was true.
"You remember Dick Cheney. He's the former head of Halliburton who rewarded his old buddies with over $7 billion in no-bid contracts to rebuild Iraq. But his old buddies rewarded America by overcharging us for gas and rewarded our troops by skimping on basic services like clean working conditions and safe food.
"You remember Dick Cheney. When John Kerry was risking his life for his country in Vietnam, Dick Cheney was getting deferments because, in his words, he had "other priorities than military service." And he feels qualified to tell us that John Kerry won't do whatever it takes to defend America?
"Finally, with the latest set of misleading attack ads beginning today, I hope you'll remember this about Vice President Dick Cheney:
"When he was Secretary of Defense, Dick Cheney consistently proposed massive cuts to weapons programs that our troops are using right now in Iraq.
"In fact, Dick Cheney tried to kill over 81 weapons programs, and tried to gut the Army's M-1 tank, the B-2 bomber program, the AH-64 Apache Helicopters, and the F-16 aircrafts.
"He called for the closure of 72 domestic military installations, and the reduction of 500,000 active-duty military personnel and 200,000 reservists. Time and time again, he has voted to cut funding for the Veterans Administration, forcing our Veterans to fight for the health care and benefits they earned and were promised by this Administration.
"Our friends at the Republican National Committee have not been shy about telling us that the weapons systems I just mentioned were crucial to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Yet, as Secretary of Defense, Dick Cheney wanted them cut. John Kerry stood tall against no-bid contracts for Halliburton - Dick Cheney cut funding for weapons programs CRUCIAL to our troops' success in Iraq today.
"Why did Dick Cheney propose all these defense cuts over the course of his career? We may never know. Perhaps he had "other priorities" those times too.
"But what we do know is this: George Bush has sent Dick Cheney to kick off a misleading ad campaign attacking John Kerry's commitment to defending America. And Dick Cheney is still able to stand by with a straight face and watch these attacks unfold.
"With all that time Dick Cheney spent in that bunker and in those secret energy task force meetings, sometimes it's hard to remember all the tall tales he's been telling. But we remember Dick Cheney - and he's the last guy who should be lecturing John Kerry about how to defend America and keep the faith with those who wear the uniform.
"It's time for Dick Cheney to call off the Republican attack dogs. The American people have better things to do with their time than listen to more misleading attacks from a man who has been misleading them from the day he took office.
"We saw what the Republican attack dogs did to Senator McCain in 2000. We shockingly saw what they did to Max Cleland in 2002. We remember how their ads put his face next to Osama bin Laden's and told America that a triple-amputee who fought in Vietnam would not defend the security of his country.
"That was outrageous. That was wrong. And it will not happen again.
"We will not let this multi-state, muilt-million dollarsmear campaign triumph over the truth. The issues facing America in 2004 are too important.
"If the debate is who can best keep this country safe and secure, we will remind every voter that John Kerry served as a Naval officer, faced combat, was wounded multiple times in Vietnam, saved lives and was awarded three purple hearts, a silver star and a bronze star for his service.
"If the debate is who can best keep this country safe and secure, we will remind every voter that following September 11th, the world was united with us in fighting terror.But this President pushed that good will aside and dropped an Iron Curtain between America and the rest of the world. His policies have made us more isolated, more vulnerable, and less secure than before — and Dick Cheney's misleading attacks today and this unprecedented smear campaign are nothing more than a desperate attempt to distract us from that central fact.
"But we won't let them attack to distract. We won't let them run from their record. And this November, we will help John Kerry lead a stronger America in a better direction."