Kerry launches site to fight Obama rumors
(CNN) - Four years after finding himself the target of a scathing campaign-year book from a conservative author during his own campaign, former Democratic presidential contender John Kerry is launching a Web site to discredit the writer’s latest work, which takes aim at 2008 presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
The move comes amid news “Obama Nation,” the latest book by author Jerome Corsi, has secured a berth atop New York Times best-seller list. Corsi previously co-wrote “Unfit for Command,” a book highly critical of Kerry’s military record during the Vietnam War.
Kerry’s new Web site, “Truth Fights Back” – which will be funded by the Massachusetts senator’s political action committee - resembles the “Fight the Smears” site Obama’s campaign launched earlier this year, and uses similar methods: a list of responses to existing rumors about the presumptive Democratic nominee, a form to report new attacks, and a request for supporters to add their names to an e-mail listserv that will direct activists on rapid response to future attacks on Obama and other Democratic candidates.
“We want people to know that truth, and that doesn't just mean the truth about the candidate being smeared, but also the truth about the smear machine,” says a message on the site. “We don't just want to ‘debunk’ rumors and smears; we want to show people what these smears are all about so they can recognize smears in the future. We want to educate people on why these are used and by whom.”
Kerry has expressed regret over his own response to attacks from Corsi and other critics during his own White House bid, telling reporters that he did not think he had responded swiftly or strongly enough.
"You can't just play defense against smears, pointing out how they aren't true,” said Kerry in a message to supporters Wednesday. “You've got to play offense, too, exposing the whole cynical game for what it is: an attempt to keep us from talking about the real issues and ultimately changing our country for the better.”
From CNN Politics
- The mask decision that will haunt Trump's reelection bid July 6, 2020 08:33 pm
- White House refuses to denounce Confederate flag as Trump bemoans NASCAR's ban July 6, 2020 07:37 pm
- Fact check: Exaggerating again, Trump claims four non-record economic figures are records July 6, 2020 10:41 pm
- International students may need to leave US if their universities transition to online-only learning July 6, 2020 10:19 pm
- Covid relief went to hair salons, restaurants, law firms -- and some members of Congress July 6, 2020 10:46 pm
- Biden VP speculation turns to Tammy Duckworth July 6, 2020 07:57 pm
Hurm... .is someone trying to find some coat tails to latch on too?
Great! They need strong offense because as of now we feel that the negative attacks are having an impact. Keep your main message positive senator Obama.
Truth fights back?
Greetings from the swift boat crew !
Thanks Sen. Kerry! Finally someone who wants the truth to be heard and not lie after lie after lie after lie. Oh yeah, McCain, your experience is like lightning in a bottle. Obama's judgment is a breath of fresh air! We have the best trained military in the history of mankind! But C & D students making the decisions on where they go and what they do.
GREAT! A lie can only go so far. The truth always come out in the end.
Obamanation '08
YES WE CAN!
Swift boats have no effect on McCain, he bombs!
Most Republicans are Christian – why all the smearing?
It certainly is interesting that the "religious right", presumably a group that views lying as something God wouldn't want us to do, actually does the bulk of the lying in campaigns like this. Hypocritical, ignorant people.
What's up with CNN? Why not link to the site? Jeez this is the age of information isn't it? Get with the program CNN!
How can you people sit there and write disgusting things about Sen. Kerry's military career. He won a purple heart, and those are not easy to come by. My whole family was in the military from my grandfather to my father and all of his brothers, and we all find this type of thing completely disgusting and dishonest. Sen. Kerry put his life on the line and fought for this country. What is unpatriotic about that? All the people on here who write these ridiculous remarks probably never served in the military, and have never fought for a cause greater than themselves. Just because someone disagrees with the war, doesnt mean they still didnt go out there and fight in it. ALL OF YOU PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASHAMED, AND YOU SHOULD ALL CRAWL BACK UNDER THE ROCK FROM WHICH YOU CAME!!!
It won't matter. These sites just make them look butthurt and like they're trying to cover something up.
What a loser John Kerry is. He had to be the worst choice the Democrats could make – and they're really good at making bad choices.
Obama is the Democrats' most recent "shoot yourself in the foot" choice, and he makes Kerry look like a winner!
Obama is making up for his lack of "creds" by doing the Hitler routine – 60 thousand brainless robots winding up to scream at the local arena.
How stupid can people be? This is nothing less than Kerry's retribution. He launces a s,ear campaign of his own purportedly to fight smears against Obama. That gives him a free ride to say whatever he wants siting a rumor. And you people are too dumb to see it. Kerry is a has been loser. Barack Obama is quite capable of fighting for himself, and if he isn't we sure don't need him as our President. If he can't handle criticism from Americans, how will he stand up to Putin or Iran's leaders?
I bet some smearing did occur, it is really expected sadly. I however believe that he is a dishonest man, and I would never vote for him. I think very little of him and what he has done in my state as a senator.
Kerry is a loser.
Good for you Kerry! They will throw everything that they can and see if anything sticks.........very low road politics. But what should anyone expect? They are getting desperate.
All the Republicans have is smears. Unfortunately, there are enough fools that that's often enough.
How lame is this I ask you? Wait until the repubicans swift boat your boy Obama. Ha, ha, ha!
Dear Arden,
I find it highly amusing, and more than a little ironic, that someone that cannot handle the complexity of commenting to a news story on the internet is calling the President, who has one of, if not the single, most complex positions in the world, a "moran".
Nicely done.
"You can't just play defense against smears, pointing out how they aren't true,” said Kerry in a message to supporters Wednesday. “You've got to play offense, too, exposing the whole cynical game for what it is: an attempt to keep us from talking about the real issues and ultimately changing our country for the better.”
OK... feel free to talk about the real issues and ultimately change our country for the better any time you want.
, Obama needs a lot of help twisting the truth–and none better to do it than John Kerry!
The McCain camp is stooping to such lows! WHY did they feel the need to bring up Paris HIlton and Brittany Spears??? What does that have ANYTHING to do with their policies and the future of this country! When McCain attacked Omaba and labeling him as a "celebrity" ...he lost respect with many Americans.
We need maybe 15 thousand more of these websites to stop the Republican Spin/Smear/Lie/Recount machine. Sadly enough, John McCain, doesn't know how to use the internet so he won't see these sites and realize he's misinformed. I think what happened is a whopper of a smear that Al Gore claimed to have invented the internet, which we can all remember w/pride in American Politics, was probably believed by John McCain. Not just that Al said this (which he didn't) but that Gore DID invent the internet, after which Johnny refused to look any further into these high fangled computer ma bobs. What zombie has the GOP foisted on us now...?
HAHA this wouldn't help, Kerry, Obama made more mistakes than you already!
great. one failed presidential candidate supporting the current failure we have as a presidential candidate!