PUT UP OR SHUT UP
By VINCENT MORRIS, NY Post
March 16, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - The White House yesterday all but called John Kerry a liar, daring the Massachusetts Democrat to name the foreign leaders he claims want President Bush defeated.
With Kerry again refusing to back up his claims, Team Bush turned up the heat to raise further doubts about Kerry's credibility.
"Either he is straightforward and states who they are, or the only conclusion one can draw is that he is making it up to attack the president," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
McClellan, who three times repeated the charge that Kerry was "making it up," spoke on day after Secretary of State Colin Powell called on Kerry to identify his foreign friends.
Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking at a fund-raiser in Arizona, noted that at a campaign event Sunday in which a heckler challenged Kerry to produce names, the Democrat declined, saying, "that's none of your business."
"It is our business when a candidate for president claims the political endorsement of foreign leaders," Cheney said.
"We have a right to know what he is saying to them that makes them so supportive of his candidacy," he added.
Kerry dismissed McClellan's challenge, arguing that the administration was trying to change the subject from jobs, health care and other issues.
"They don't have a campaign so they're trying to divert it," he told reporters.
Over the weekend, Kerry continued stonewalling and insisted he's not going to name any names.
"I'm not going to betray the confidences of those conversations, but I have had conversations with leaders. I've also had friends of mine who've met with leaders," said Kerry on Sunday.
Kerry added that business leaders also are concerned that Bush is costing America money with his approach foreign policy.
"There are business people who will tell you that because of the way the U.S. is viewed around the world, in certain parts of the world, we're losing business, we're losing contracts. People don't want to do business with us," Kerry claimed, refusing to offer any specifics.
The dispute started March 8, when Kerry said publicly that he talked to foreign leaders who were pulling for him to defeat Bush in November so he could create a new foreign policy.
Anger with Bush over U.S. policy in Iraq is well documented, with France, Germany and Russia among those nations refusing to back the war.
In a conference call yesterday organized by Bush's re-election team, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) demanded that Kerry cough up the names and told reporters that North Korea's government-controlled media broadcast Kerry's speeches. Coleman, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it was "reckless" of Kerry to hint at opposition to Bush.
He said he's also "skeptical" that such comments were ever made, adding, "You put up or you shut up. You don't make reckless charges."
Separately, Bush yesterday e-mailed supporters with a note asking for money and slamming Kerry for being a flip-flopper.
By VINCENT MORRIS, NY Post
March 16, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - The White House yesterday all but called John Kerry a liar, daring the Massachusetts Democrat to name the foreign leaders he claims want President Bush defeated.
With Kerry again refusing to back up his claims, Team Bush turned up the heat to raise further doubts about Kerry's credibility.
"Either he is straightforward and states who they are, or the only conclusion one can draw is that he is making it up to attack the president," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
McClellan, who three times repeated the charge that Kerry was "making it up," spoke on day after Secretary of State Colin Powell called on Kerry to identify his foreign friends.
Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking at a fund-raiser in Arizona, noted that at a campaign event Sunday in which a heckler challenged Kerry to produce names, the Democrat declined, saying, "that's none of your business."
"It is our business when a candidate for president claims the political endorsement of foreign leaders," Cheney said.
"We have a right to know what he is saying to them that makes them so supportive of his candidacy," he added.
Kerry dismissed McClellan's challenge, arguing that the administration was trying to change the subject from jobs, health care and other issues.
"They don't have a campaign so they're trying to divert it," he told reporters.
Over the weekend, Kerry continued stonewalling and insisted he's not going to name any names.
"I'm not going to betray the confidences of those conversations, but I have had conversations with leaders. I've also had friends of mine who've met with leaders," said Kerry on Sunday.
Kerry added that business leaders also are concerned that Bush is costing America money with his approach foreign policy.
"There are business people who will tell you that because of the way the U.S. is viewed around the world, in certain parts of the world, we're losing business, we're losing contracts. People don't want to do business with us," Kerry claimed, refusing to offer any specifics.
The dispute started March 8, when Kerry said publicly that he talked to foreign leaders who were pulling for him to defeat Bush in November so he could create a new foreign policy.
Anger with Bush over U.S. policy in Iraq is well documented, with France, Germany and Russia among those nations refusing to back the war.
In a conference call yesterday organized by Bush's re-election team, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) demanded that Kerry cough up the names and told reporters that North Korea's government-controlled media broadcast Kerry's speeches. Coleman, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it was "reckless" of Kerry to hint at opposition to Bush.
He said he's also "skeptical" that such comments were ever made, adding, "You put up or you shut up. You don't make reckless charges."
Separately, Bush yesterday e-mailed supporters with a note asking for money and slamming Kerry for being a flip-flopper.
