Kerry's Debate Prep

Here is an article I just published at the American Prospect about the ten things Kerry can do in the upcoming debates to put himself over the finish line on election day.

The Real Truth

Kerry has been completely and totally consistent on Iraq. Bush, on the other hand, is the race's biggest flip-flopper.

Bush & Dictators

RHETORIC:

“It's hard to imagine a candidate running for President prefers the stability of a dictatorship to the hope and security of democracy.”
- George W. Bush, 9/20/04

REALITY:
	“My friend, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.” - George W. Bush, 6/10/04
	“I'm pleased to welcome my friend, Hosni Mubarak, to my home. I always look forward to visiting with him.” - George W. Bush, 4/12/04
	“I want to welcome the President of China to our ranch, and to Texas.” - George W. Bush, 10/25/02

Fox News' Latest Hypocrisy

As Fox News attempts to blame the Kerry campaign for the CBS News document controversy, they are also claiming CBS has a “liberal” bias/conflict-of-interest because a producer apparently told a Kerry aide about the documents. But a look at the record shows Fox has a far more pronounced bias and conflict of interest:

ROGER AILES GIVES SECRET POLITICAL ADVICE TO THE BUSH WHITE HOUSE: According to Bob Woodward’s book Fox News executive Roger Ailes, who formerly served as a GOP political operative, gave White House political adviser Karl Rove a confidential memo after 9/11 that advised the President on how to consolidate his power. “[Ailes] back-channel message: The American public would tolerate waiting and would be patient, but only as long as they were convinced that Bush was using the harshest measures possible" in response to the terror attacks, Woodward writes. The move was so brazen, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson told PBS “Roger Ailes is the editorial chief of fox news, and this gives the appearance of partisanship. This is sucking up to power."

FOX CORRESPONDENT JOKES ON CAMERA ABOUT HIS WIFE WORKING FOR GEORGE W. BUSH: Fox News was so openly close with the Bush campaign in 2000 it allowed Carl Cameron to cover the George W. Bush, even though Cameron’s wife was working on the Bush campaign. As the New York Observer reports, the movie Outfoxed has camera “footage showing Mr. Cameron pandering to George W. Bush in a sit-down interview on July 19, 2000: Mr. Cameron tells Mr. Bush that his wife, Pauline Cameron, was campaigning with Mr. Bush’s sister, Dorothy (‘Doro’) Bush Koch. This delights Mr. Bush.” One source familiar with the situation, who declined to be named, told NYTV “that Mr. Cameron had attempted to get his wife a job with the Bush transition team.”

FOX PUTS BUSH COUSIN IN CHARGE OF ELECTION NIGHT; CALLS BUSH 5 TIMES TO CONSULT: Fox News put John Ellis, President Bush’s cousin, in charge of its election night projections in 2000. Fox became the first network to call Florida for George W. Bush – even though the data did not support the call. AP later reported that Ellis “spoke five times with his cousin, George W. Bush” on election night.

FOX PUSHED SWIFT BOAT ADS WITHOUT CONFIRMATION OF TRUTH; NEVER GAVE APOLOGY: Fox News has criticized CBS for supposedly wanting to influence the presidential election. Yet it was Fox News that continued repeating all of the allegations of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth against Sen. John Kerry, even though there was no factual evidence to prove them. Fox News has yet to issue an apology.

FOX AIRS 20% MORE OF GOP CONVO THAN DEM CONVO; ALL OTHER NETWORKS KEPT PARITY: A study immediately after both political conventions concluded found that Fox News devoted 20 percent more air time to covering speeches at the Republican National Convention than speeches at the Democratic National Convention. The other major networks aired equal time of both conventions.

Gov. Arnold (R-Economic Girlie Man)

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) has referred to his opponents as "economic girlie men." But a look at Schwarzenegger's recent actions show it is he who deserves that label. See the news reports:

"A bill that would have increased the minimum wage and another that would have made it more difficult to build large retail chain stores were vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger...nearly 50 economics professors signed a letter urging Schwarzenegger to sign the [wage] bill into law [saying] the bill could save California taxpayers more than $2 billion in money that would otherwise be spent on social programs for low-income households...[The chain store bill] would have required cities or counties to complete an economic impact report before allowing a Wal-Mart-style superstore to be built...Supporters said the bill would have helped small businesses that are often overmatched when large retail complexes are built."

Who is the economic girlie man - courageous legislators who are fighting to make sure Californians get paid more than the poverty rate and who want to protect the state's small businesses, or the governor who bows to pressure from his corporate buddies vetoes legislation that would have helped help millions of Californians?