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Politics : THE 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: calgal who wrote (1311)	2/17/2004 11:45:32 PM
From: calgal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2164

Anything goes in the Senate Robert Novak (archive) February 16, 2004 \| Print \| Send WASHINGTON -- Democratic Whip Harry Reid of Nevada, who each day roams the Senate floor protecting the minority party and pummeling George W. Bush, showed up Wednesday carrying a paperback book. It was David Brock's "Blinded by the Right," and Reid used it as a blunt weapon against President Bush's choice of Judge Laurence Silberman as Republican co-chairman of the bipartisan commission to investigate Iraq intelligence failures. Reid cited at length Brock's screed against the author's erstwhile conservative colleagues, including his former mentor, Judge Silberman. Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, another Senate Democratic leader, on cue showed up to join the auto-da-fe. They accepted as gospel Brock's accusations against Silberman, who is now in senior status on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. While Silberman describes Brock as "an unmitigated liar," Reid used the book as justification for calling on Bush to withdraw the judge's selection. Republican senators were as feckless as ever. Not one of them rose to speak in defense of Silberman. Not since Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy's attack on Gen. George C. Marshall half a century ago has the Senate been such a cockpit for calumny against a distinguished lifetime public servant. Harry Reid is certainly no Joe McCarthy, but he is not the soft-spoken, deferential young lawyer first elected to Congress 22 years ago. Caught up in today's coarsely partisan ethos, Reid is intent on using the Iraq war as a political weapon against Bush. Silberman's co-chairmanship of the intelligence commission is seen by Democratic senators as an obstacle to that plan. In the Senate of 2004, anything goes. When the semi-retired judge was named co-chairman (along with a Democrat, former Sen. Charles Robb), Brock's book came out of mothballs. A right-wing hit man turned left-wing hit man, he leveled unsubstantiated accusations against Silberman that within 24 hours of the Bush commission's unveiling were repeated around Washington. Brock was cited as a principal source in a Los Angeles Times article published Wednesday that questioned Silberman's impartiality. Reid took the floor that afternoon armed with the book and the newspaper. He read the LA Times's quote from Herman Schwartz, a liberal law professor from American University who sees a conspiracy to pack courts with conservative judges. This combative critic designated Silberman as "fiercely partisan, pugnacious and very political." Reid agreed, calling Silberman "one of the most partisan people in all of America." Dorgan, chairman of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, chimed in to call Silberman "a very strident, aggressive, partisan supporter" of Bush. This verbal abuse has been heaped on a throwback to The Establishment's heyday, when prominent citizens sacrificed significant income to devote themselves to the nation. Silberman served as a Labor and Justice department official and ambassador to Yugoslavia before being named to the second highest federal court. He is a conservative Republican but stubbornly independent. At the Labor Department, he differed with the Nixon White House. He threatened to quit as deputy attorney general if the Justice Department did not pursue a corruption case against John B. Connally. His pro-choice views on abortion probably kept him from a Supreme Court nomination. Silberman has six times been confirmed by the Senate without a dissenting senator, but those votes were cast in a very different institution than exists today. The current minority whip accepts the word of a journalist, whose veracity often has been challenged, over a distinguished public servant. On Wednesday, Reid went on the Senate floor to repeat Brock's claim that the judge gave him "a specific tip involving the president's (Bill Clinton's) sex life to pursue." This allegation is totally false, Silberman said, adding that he knew nothing about Clinton's sex life. This, he said, is part of a book that is "laced with fiction." "Here is a man," Reid told the Senate, "who is violating the canons of judicial ethics and responsibilities that judges have." Which canon? This column got no answer from the senator's office. There is no canon about judges expressing political opinions privately. They cannot talk politics publicly, and Silberman never has. Such nuances are lost as total war is waged in the Senate. ©2003 Creators Syndicate, Inc.

To: calgal who wrote (1311)	2/17/2004 11:50:02 PM
From: calgal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2164

The Democratic candidates and a strategic vision Herbert London (archive) February 15, 2004 \| Print \| Send As I listened to the Democratic candidates discuss their foreign policy positions, which invariably translate into an attack on President Bush’s war in Iraq, I’m struck by the lack of a strategic vision or any analysis which offers credit to the policy makers in this administration. It should be clear – but obviously isn’t – that there were geopolitical goals associated with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq which too often are overlooked. Defeating Al Qaeda meant from the outset challenging this dispersed organization in the area from which it derives support. The U.S. did not have the means to induce behavioral change in every Middle Eastern state, but Iraq bordering Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Iran was and remains the single most strategic country in the region, and, as a consequence, the place from which pressure can be exerted. Even if one concedes the maladroit way the war was presented to the American people, the strategic value in the occupation of Iraq should not be underestimated. Even if the U.S. government did not anticipate the intense guerilla resistance, it is foolhardy to ignore the nascent shift in regional behavior due, I should hastily note, to the presence of U.S. military forces in Iraq. Consider the following developments. Despite attacks against American troops in Iraq, the guerrilla movement is contracting. In fact, the major issue is the transfer of political power, not military inadequacy. The Saudis have been put on notice that support for Al Qaeda will be regarded as war-like actions against the U.S. It is not coincidental that the royal family has curtailed most financial and institutional support for radical Islamists around the world. The gushing spigot of assistance is being reduced to droplets. The Iranians are discussing – primarily in private – collaborative efforts with the U.S. in an effort to bolster its increasingly fragile regime. The Libyan government has renounced its weapons of mass destruction program and the Syrians have actively sought negotiations with Israel over the Golan Heights, a matter that fell into desuetude for years. Most significantly, the predictions of an inflamed Islamic world has not come to pass. Rather than the passive and acquiescent view of the Clinton administration, Islamic societies view a determined and vigorous Bush team intent on seeing the war through to victory. Without much fanfare, the United States is securing, through diplomacy and military presence, the Middle East from the Nile to the Hindu Kush. Has nirvana arrived? Not by a long shot. Conditions are still volatile and unpredictable with a fall of the Musharaf government in Pakistan and the royal family in Saudi Arabia the wild cards. Second, while Al Qaeda has been hurt, it hasn’t been dismembered. It is still capable of a lot of mischief, including a terror attack on the U.S. mainland. Perhaps the most notable concern is a loss of will by an administration unwilling to pay the price in blood and treasure to defend our interests. If Howard Dean, or another of the Democratic candidates who opposes the war in Iraq, emerges as the party’s nominee and, unlikely as it seems, becomes president, the determination to fight and prevail could be undermined. This is the hope of the extremists and the fear of the centrists. In his State Of The Union address the president argued that this is a moment when willpower is tested. He is right. All issues are subservient to this matter of determination. As I see it, we must secure the peace for our children by fighting a war today. Already the deployment of forces in war is bearing results. The dominoes are falling in our direction. Peace is certainly not at hand, but Americans are far more secure today than they were before 9/11. It would be refreshing if a Democratic candidate could acknowledge that fact. Of course, I’m not holding my breath. Herbert London is president of the Hudson Institute and John M. Olin professor of humanities of the New York University, publisher of American Outlook and author of "Decade of Denial," recently published by Lexington Books. He's reachable through www.benadorassociates.com. ©2003 Herbert London

To: calgal who wrote (1311)	2/17/2004 11:51:00 PM
From: calgal	Respond to of 2164

Roller-Coaster Primary Day for Edwards Feb 17, 11:37 PM (ET) By MIKE GLOVER (AP) U.S. Sen. John Edwards greets supporters at the American Serb Hall in Milwaukee, Wis. Tuesday, Feb.... Full Image MILWAUKEE (AP) - John Edwards and his campaign raced through the full range of emotions on a Wisconsin primary day that dawned with them on the brink of extinction but ended with an energized campaign itching to fight on. Strapped for money, Edwards did virtually no independent polling so his campaign arose Tuesday facing only the evidence in the public polling. Virtually all those surveys spread gloom in Edwards' camp, suggesting that front-runner John Kerry was about to enjoy yet another primary blowout. Tired of answering questions about how long he could survive, Edwards' aides simply released a post-primary campaign schedule and sheltered the North Carolina senator from reporters for most of the day. But by day's end, the candidate was telephoning reporters to gloat. Kerry held on for a narrow win, but the surprisingly strong showing gave Edwards new fuel in his bid for the Democratic nomination. "I think the voters of Wisconsin made it clear they want a real choice," Edwards said in an interview with The Associated Press. "They responded to my message of optimism and bringing change to America." "Two days ago every poll showed me behind 25 to 30 points," he said, vowing to press ahead to the next round of contests, a 10-state showdown on March 2. Even as the results were being tallied, an upbeat Edwards spoke to hundreds of cheering backers in a community center on Milwaukee's blue-collar south side. "The people of Wisconsin spoke loudly and clearly," Edwards said. "They want a debate, they want this campaign to continue." The mood wasn't that way as Tuesday dawned. Edwards blew through a round of handshaking at a Milwaukee diner in about 10 minutes, shrugging off questions shouted by reporters. "We're not doing press now," he muttered as he was hustled off. At the University of Wisconsin, Edwards sprinted through the student union for another quick round of handshakes and autographs before pleading, "I need every one of you," to the knot of assembled students. He spent all of 11 minutes in the building before the 90-minute ride back to Milwaukee to await the primary results. But the mood began to lift as word of his surprisingly strong showing began to trickle out. And in a round of satellite interviews with 11 TV stations in New York, Minnesota and California, he dismissed efforts by Democratic Party leaders to bring a quick end to the nominating season. Edwards was flying back to Washington late Tuesday. A series of events came together to give Edwards a significant boost in the closing days of the campaign. Throughout the primary season, Edwards consistently has gotten solid reviews for a polished and relentlessly upbeat campaign message, which he built on during a debate Sunday in Milwaukee. Exit polls suggested that six of 10 voters made up their minds in the last week and ratings numbers showed heavy viewership of the debate in the state's major population centers, seeming to give Edwards a boost. The surveys said three-fourths of his supporters decided on a candidate in the last week - half in the last three days - with voters tuning in just as Edwards hit his stride at Sunday's debate. Edwards also was endorsed by newspapers in Madison and Milwaukee, largest in the state. While avoiding the relentless attacks of his rivals, Edwards sharpened his message in the days before the primary to challenge both Kerry and Howard Dean on trade. He stumped relentlessly among workers who lost their jobs to overseas competition, warning that both Kerry and Dean backed the North American Free Trade Agreement. The exit polls, conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks, said jobs and the economy topped the list of voter concerns, and three-fourths of those questioned said the nation's trade policy is costing jobs. Wisconsin has lost 74,000 manufacturing jobs since President Bush took office. More than half of Edwards' voters said the economy and jobs were the top issue. While Kerry won 2-to-1 among Democrats, Edwards easily won among independents and especially among the one in 10 voters who were Republicans. That bolsters Edwards' claim that he's the better candidate to face Bush in the general election. Three in 10 of Edwards' supporters said a positive approach to the campaign was appealing. In addition, only one-third of Edwards' voters said they were angry with Bush, compared to half of Kerry's backers.

To: calgal who wrote (1311)	2/17/2004 11:51:30 PM
From: calgal	Respond to of 2164

GOP Turnout Heavy in Wis. Democratic Vote Feb 17, 11:11 PM (ET) By JULIET WILLIAMS (AP) U.S. Sen. John Edwards greets diners at the Brady Street Pharmacy Cafe in Milwaukee, Wis. Tuesday,... Full Image MILWAUKEE (AP) - An unusually heavy Republican turnout and a late surge in support from independents helped John Edwards to a surprisingly close second-place finish behind John Kerry in Wisconsin's Democratic primary, an Associated Press exit poll found. In an open contest on a day with a nonpartisan primary for mayor in Milwaukee and a referendum on casino gambling in Madison, one in 10 Democratic primary voters described themselves as Republicans - and Edwards won as many of their votes as did Kerry and Howard Dean combined. The Republican turnout was the biggest of any Democratic primary so far this year. Three-quarters of Edwards voters said they'd decided to back him in the last week. More than half the Kerry supporters said they decided to vote for him before the past week. Within the past week, Edwards picked up two newspaper endorsements and got good reviews for a Sunday debate. Of independents who said they made up their minds within the last three days but not Tuesday, two-thirds voted for Edwards. Edwards' edge was a little smaller among voters who decided Tuesday. Nearly one in five voters said the most important candidate quality in their decision was that "he has a positive message," and Edwards won about 60 percent of them. Jean Lohr, 40, and her husband Bill Lohr, 50, of Sun Prairie, were two of them. "He's got a good heart. Kind of like Bill Clinton got us rocking," Bill Lohr said. Added Jean, "Either one of them (Kerry or Edwards) is going to do a better job than Bush has been doing." The results were from a sampling of 2,238 voters conducted for the AP and television networks by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International. Results were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, higher for subgroups. Dean, who finished a distant third, suffered numerous defections, the exit poll found. One in four voters said they had planned to support Dean at some point during the campaign but wound up voting for someone else. The Dean defectors split evenly between Kerry and Edwards. "(Dean) came across better in the last couple of days but I'm afraid he shot himself in the foot early on," said Barbara Chamberlain, 79, of Milwaukee, who voted for Edwards. Three in 10 voters described themselves as independent, and they favored Edwards over Kerry, but not as strongly as Republicans did. Still, Kerry won about half the votes of the six in 10 who called themselves Democrats. Edwards, Kerry and Dean campaigned heavily in Wisconsin leading up to the primary, focusing on job creation, health care and taxes at stops around the state. Four in 10 voters said the economy and jobs was the most important issue in their vote. That group favored Edwards over Kerry by more than 10 percentage points. About two in 10 picked health care and Medicare, and about as many cited the war in Iraq. Kerry won both of those groups easily. "It's time to put the money back in our country and focus a little less on fixing the world's problems," said Chris Seramur, 42, of Milwaukee, who voted for Kerry because he thought the Massachusetts senator had the best chance of ousting President Bush. One-third said that in deciding how to vote, they were more focused on finding someone who can oust President Bush than backing a candidate who agrees with them on major issues - similar to results in exit polls in the earlier 2004 primaries. Of those who said an ability to beat Bush was the top candidate quality, seven in 10 voted for Kerry. Edwards, meanwhile, got half the votes of those saying they wanted a candidate who cares about people like them. A quarter of those surveyed said the most important candidate quality was that he stand up for what he believes; these voters divided their support among the top three candidates, with Kerry slightly behind Edwards and Dean.

To: calgal who wrote (1311)	2/17/2004 11:51:39 PM
From: calgal	Respond to of 2164

Kerry Says He Will Win the Nomination Feb 17, 11:15 PM (ET) By NEDRA PICKLER (AP) Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., gestures during an election night... Full Image MIDDLETON, Wis. (AP) - Despite winning a squeaker in Wisconsin Tuesday night, John Kerry said he was confident he would be the Democratic nominee for president and publicly ignored the chase from rival John Edwards. "We're going to win the nomination," Kerry said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm elated." Speaking to supporters after his win, Kerry spoke as a champion without acknowledging the narrow margin of victory. He contrasted himself with President Bush and didn't mention Edwards or his other Democratic rivals. "I want to thank the state of Wisconsin for moving this cause and this campaign forward tonight," Kerry said. Advisers said Kerry is the only candidate running a national race and racking up the delegates needed to win the nomination. "We play everywhere, unlike John Edwards and Howard Dean and anyone else in the race," said Steve Elmendorf, Kerry's deputy campaign manager. "The problem these other candidates have is they are not competing in a serious way to get enough delegates to get the nomination." Kerry had a commanding lead in polls of Wisconsin voters, but Edwards narrowed the gap to make it a nail-biter. "I said I never trust the polls," Kerry told the AP. "I said I'd fight for every vote." Most of Kerry's supporters had been with him for more than a week - six in 10, according to exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International. Conversely, Edwards' voters decided late - three-quarters in the last week and half in the last three days. Edwards got good reviews for a Sunday night debate performance, when he warned Kerry that the race isn't over yet. He also picked up two Wisconsin newspaper endorsements and outspent Kerry by about 40 percent on advertising in the state. Meanwhile, Kerry ignored Edwards and his other Democratic rivals in recent days, focusing on Bush with all the confidence that he would be in the nominee. The Bush campaign struck back, posting a video on the Internet that cast Kerry as a tool of the special interests he regularly denounces. "We underwent a lot of Republican attacks the last week," Kerry said in the AP interview. "Notwithstanding those attacks we showed we can fight back." Rumors that Kerry had had an affair - he flatly denied them - circulated on the Internet and became the focus on late-night television comedy. While Kerry campaigned for Nevada's caucuses on Saturday, Edwards and Howard Dean were camped in the state. Edwards criticized Kerry's support for free trade agreements in the state, which has lost more than 70,000 jobs in the past three years. Edwards and Kerry tied among voters who said trade with other countries takes away jobs in their state, with both getting slightly more than one-third of the voters who felt that way, according to exit polls. Kerry led Edwards among those who picked health care and the war in Iraq as the most important issues. He trailed among those who picked the economy and jobs. Edwards led among independents by more than 10 points, and especially among the more than one in 10 voters who were Republicans - more than 10 points, while Kerry led by almost 20 points among Democrats.