SURVEY: KERRY A FLAMING LIBERAL
By BRIAN BLOMQUIST
February 28, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - Democratic front-runner John Kerry was rated the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate in an independent survey yesterday - a distinction the Bush campaign will spread in coming months.
The rating for Kerry comes at a bad time - just as he has nearly clinched the Democratic primary contest - largely a battle for liberal votes - and is beginning to look ahead to the general-election campaign against President Bush, where moderate and independent voters could make the difference.
Kerry was rated most liberal senator on the basis of his voting record in Congress last year for abortion, against tax cuts, in favor of spending and other issues, as scored by National Journal, a distinguished independent policy journal.
"This proves the point that John Kerry's record matters, and John Kerry has a lot of explaining to do about his voting record," said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Christine Iverson.
Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said, "The rating speaks for itself."
The National Journal put Kerry well to the left of the other Democratic senator from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy, a liberal stalwart for decades. Kennedy came in 11th place in the "most liberal" category.
Kerry will be hard-pressed to make the claim that last year's rating was a complete aberration.
Elected to the Senate in 1984, Kerry scored among the most liberal senators in 1986, 1988 and 1990, but in his second term, he cast a more moderate voting record.
In 2002, he was rated the ninth most liberal senator, and the year before, he was ranked the 12th most liberal senator.
On social issues, Kerry did not vote with conservatives once out of 138 votes scored by the National Journal.
"Anyone who knows John Kerry knows that this label doesn't fit," Kerry campaign spokesman Chad Clanton said.
"He's a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, a former prosecutor and a deficit hawk that's opposed his party and voted to shrink the deficit."
In rating senators' votes in 2003, the National Journal looked at 62 votes in the Senate and 73 votes in the House. Kerry, who campaigned much of last year, was absent for 37 of those votes.
But he was there for some of the key votes, including to fight against money for Iraq, the budget and tax cuts, and the prescription-drug benefit. He voted against all three.
FOUR MORE YEARS!
By BRIAN BLOMQUIST
February 28, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - Democratic front-runner John Kerry was rated the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate in an independent survey yesterday - a distinction the Bush campaign will spread in coming months.
The rating for Kerry comes at a bad time - just as he has nearly clinched the Democratic primary contest - largely a battle for liberal votes - and is beginning to look ahead to the general-election campaign against President Bush, where moderate and independent voters could make the difference.
Kerry was rated most liberal senator on the basis of his voting record in Congress last year for abortion, against tax cuts, in favor of spending and other issues, as scored by National Journal, a distinguished independent policy journal.
"This proves the point that John Kerry's record matters, and John Kerry has a lot of explaining to do about his voting record," said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Christine Iverson.
Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said, "The rating speaks for itself."
The National Journal put Kerry well to the left of the other Democratic senator from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy, a liberal stalwart for decades. Kennedy came in 11th place in the "most liberal" category.
Kerry will be hard-pressed to make the claim that last year's rating was a complete aberration.
Elected to the Senate in 1984, Kerry scored among the most liberal senators in 1986, 1988 and 1990, but in his second term, he cast a more moderate voting record.
In 2002, he was rated the ninth most liberal senator, and the year before, he was ranked the 12th most liberal senator.
On social issues, Kerry did not vote with conservatives once out of 138 votes scored by the National Journal.
"Anyone who knows John Kerry knows that this label doesn't fit," Kerry campaign spokesman Chad Clanton said.
"He's a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, a former prosecutor and a deficit hawk that's opposed his party and voted to shrink the deficit."
In rating senators' votes in 2003, the National Journal looked at 62 votes in the Senate and 73 votes in the House. Kerry, who campaigned much of last year, was absent for 37 of those votes.
But he was there for some of the key votes, including to fight against money for Iraq, the budget and tax cuts, and the prescription-drug benefit. He voted against all three.
FOUR MORE YEARS!
