Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Chambliss-Cleland Joust On Message
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC staff: Sen. Saxby Chambliss ventured Wednesday into the heart of what is — for this week, anyway — Max Cleland Country.
The Republican senator from Georgia was part of a Republican “truth squad” that held a press conference across the street from the FleetCenter, where the Democrats are holding their convention, to counter their political message and screen a video detailing Sen. John Kerry’s alleged “flip-flops” on the Iraq issue, with the theme from the TV show “Flipper” in the soundtrack.
At the Democratic veterans’ caucus Monday, Chambliss came under heavy fire from Democratic strategist James Carville for the way he conducted the 2002 race in which he unseated Cleland.
But Chambliss said that’s not the reason he’s in Boston.
“I’m not running for the Senate and my former opponent is not running for president,” Chambliss said “We’re talking about Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry and I’m very proud of our president’s support of veterans.”
Chambliss said, as he has in the past, that he never questioned Cleland’s patriotism, just his voting record.
“And we’re going to talk about Sen. Kerry’s voting record, as we’ve done today,” said Chambliss.
Cleland was asked about Chambliss’ visit a few minutes later, as he fielded interviews between bites of a late-morning breakfast. He stuck determinedly to the campaign message.
Cleland said. “We’re not about the past, we’re not about negative campaigning, we’re not about character assassination. We’re not about the politics of fear, we’re all about the politics of hope.”
AJC staff: Sen. Saxby Chambliss ventured Wednesday into the heart of what is — for this week, anyway — Max Cleland Country.
The Republican senator from Georgia was part of a Republican “truth squad” that held a press conference across the street from the FleetCenter, where the Democrats are holding their convention, to counter their political message and screen a video detailing Sen. John Kerry’s alleged “flip-flops” on the Iraq issue, with the theme from the TV show “Flipper” in the soundtrack.
At the Democratic veterans’ caucus Monday, Chambliss came under heavy fire from Democratic strategist James Carville for the way he conducted the 2002 race in which he unseated Cleland.
But Chambliss said that’s not the reason he’s in Boston.
“I’m not running for the Senate and my former opponent is not running for president,” Chambliss said “We’re talking about Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry and I’m very proud of our president’s support of veterans.”
Chambliss said, as he has in the past, that he never questioned Cleland’s patriotism, just his voting record.
“And we’re going to talk about Sen. Kerry’s voting record, as we’ve done today,” said Chambliss.
Cleland was asked about Chambliss’ visit a few minutes later, as he fielded interviews between bites of a late-morning breakfast. He stuck determinedly to the campaign message.
Cleland said. “We’re not about the past, we’re not about negative campaigning, we’re not about character assassination. We’re not about the politics of fear, we’re all about the politics of hope.”
