Not Your Sweetie

(#161) (Rated 5.00/4)

by markusd (markusd@forclark.com) on 02/12/2004 02:18:48 PM EST

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Interesting...
moderateindependent.com
RIGHT-WING CLAIM: KERRY HAD RECENT AFFAIR WITH INTERN. ANOTHER LIE BY THE BUSH/LIMBAUGH MACHINE?
FEBRUARY 12, 2004 - So a while ago one of my favorite Republican sources said there was no way Kerry could beat Bush because he was a philanderer, like Clinton, and it would come out during the election.
We never report pure rumor like that.
Not so for Matt Drudge, who is once again leading the right-wing charge.  Just as predicted, the second General Wesley Clark withdrew from the race, the all out assault on John Kerry was launched.  They built him up, now they need to tear him down quickly so they can have - as always planned - Dean as the candidate they run against.
So today at drudgereport.com, there is the big headline: CAMPAIGN DRAMA ROCKS DEMOCRATS: KERRY FIGHTS OFF MEDIA PROBE OF RECENT ALLEGED INFIDELITY, RIVALS PREDICT RUIN
The rumor - and it is only that at this point, as we do not consider Drudge a reliable source - is that Kerry may have had a recent affair with an AP intern, and that the press knows about it and is investigating it, and that the Democratic candidates know about it and that is why Howard Dean changed his plan to drop out after Wisconsin.
Even more, the report explicitly claims that General Wesley Clark knew about it, and even spoke of it.  Drudge reports:
 "In an off-the-record conversation with a dozen reporters earlier this week, General Wesley Clark plainly stated: "Kerry will implode over an intern issue." [Three reporters in attendance confirm Clark made the startling comments.]"
Now it is hard to believe that Clark knew about this and yet dropped out of the race anyway.  And, as mentioned, Matt Drudge is nothing but part of the right-wing hate and smear machine - remember, he is the one who began the spread of insidious rumors about General Clark right before the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries began (see www.moderateindependent.com/v1i18rightwing.htm) which turned out, as we debunked, to be entirely nonsense.
So, dear M/I readers, please do not take this report too seriously at this point with regard to its factual content.  But do take it seriously as a clear sign of what we told you would happen - that the press that had taken Kerry from the gutter to the castle for the sake of driving Clark out of the race now have the hit on for Kerry.
The number one issue so far this election for voters has been electability - indeed, most of Kerry's support has come from people who think he is the most electable.
And so the right-wing goes right at Kerry's strength, putting a rumor out there that - even if not true in the end - will circulate and spread and, they hope, cause shock and quick doubt about Kerry's... you guessed it, electability.  This is not about policy or anything out - it is targeted at the one thing Kerry has going for him, that people think he can win.
And let me repeat clearly, we were told months ago by a Republican source that this line of attack would be used against Kerry, that he had had an affair, that it would be brought out during the election, and so he had no chance of winning. And basing it on the source we heard it from, this one may not be entirely bunk - but for now, consider it entirely to be so.
If General Clark actually knew about this, why would he have dropped out of the race?  He, like Edwards and Dean, would have seen that 80% of the delegates are still out there and stayed in, knowing this would come out.
So for now we take the story to be entirely uncorroborated and nothing but rumor - all parts of it, including the supposed comments by General Clark.  And only Drudge is reporting it, as he is calling it a "World Exclusive," so please, don't give it credence yet in any way, shape, or form.
However, if it turns out to be true, the Democrats are in deep, deep trouble.  Edwards is too inexperienced for people to choose him over Bush, Dean... not a chance.  Sharpton?  Kucinich?
There is only one thing we at The Moderate Independent can say if this whole thing is true:  General Clark, report back for campaign duty IMMEDIATELY!