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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
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To: PROLIFE who wrote (632850)9/26/2004 8:59:29 AM
From: John Carragher  Read Replies (1) of 769670
 
Kerry Taps Controversial Elian Attorney

The Elian Gonzalez controversy was the single most critical factor giving George W. Bush the presidency in 2000.

It may prove to be a critical factor this year as well thanks to John Kerry who just tapped a key figure in the Elian controversy for his campaign.

Kerry must have forgotten that after the Elian brouhaha record numbers of Cuban Americans in Florida voted against Al Gore, ceding the closely contested Florida race and the presidency to George Bush.

The Miami Herald reported Saturday that "a lawyer unpopular with many Cuban Americans for his role in the Elian Gonzalez case will help prepare John Kerry for the upcoming presidential debate to be held at the University of Miami."

That lawyer's name is Gregory Craig, a well-connected Washington attorney who represented Elian Gonzalez's father.

Craig worked closely with the Cuban government and Attorney General Janet Reno to gain custody of little Elian.

In the end, armed federal immigration officers stormed the home of Elian's uncle and seized the boy. With the help of Reno and the Clinton White House, Craig successfully returned Elian to Castro's custody.

Now, Craig has been tapped by John Kerry's campaign to prepare him for his first debate with President Bush, which is scheduled for Sept. 30 in Miami.

Craig will also reportedly play the role of President Bush in a series of mock debates with Kerry.

Craig's new role in the Kerry campaign underscores Senator Ted Kennedy's strong control over the Kerry effort.

Craig has been a longstanding Kennedy operative, and the Herald noted that Craig had "served as a top foreign policy advisor to Sen. Edward Kennedy . . ."

Superlawyer Craig also served as Bill Clinton's lead impeachment lawyer.

The Craig appointment is in keeping with NewsMax Magazine's recent cover story "Teddy's Back!" Go Here Now.

Authored by best-selling author Richard Poe, the report reveals that Ted Kennedy is the driving force behind the Kerry campaign and that Kennedy operatives - including Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill and political adviser Bob Shrum - are calling the shots.

But the selection of Craig will be seen as a major slap in the face to Cuban American voters - a voting bloc Kerry has been trying to woo.

Kerry has sought to outflank Bush by claiming Bush has been too soft on Castro and Venezuela's Marxist dictator Hugo Chavez.

Just this month the Kerry campaign even opened a campaign office in Miami's Little Havana and began broadcasting radio ads in Spanish attacking Bush's Cuba policies.

But Kerry's efforts in Miami may be for naught with the Craig appointment.

Even the Herald noted Kerry's error, calling the Craig appointment a "misstep, signaling a campaign that is still learning its way around Florida -- and Miami's -- complicated mix of politics, six weeks before the election."
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