February 13, 2004
PRODDING ALLEGED
Matt Drudge reports:
A frantic behind-the-scenes drama is unfolding around Sen. John Kerry and his quest to lockup the Democratic nomination for president, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal.
Intrigue surrounds a woman who recently fled the country, reportedly at the prodding of Kerry, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
A serious investigation of the woman and the nature of her relationship with Sen. John Kerry has been underway at TIME magazine, ABC NEWS, the WASHINGTON POST, THE HILL and the ASSOCIATED PRESS, where the woman in question once worked.
Drudge also has this: "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.'"
UPDATE. Instapundit has a whole bunch of scandal-enriched Kerry links. The Independent mentions the story in passing, and the Telegraph reports:
Bill Buck, the national press secretary for the Clark campaign, said: "We do not respond to Right-wing internet postings in any way, shape or form."
Two hours after the report first appeared on the internet, Gen Clark's campaign rushed to his aid, indicating that the retired general would endorse Mr Kerry today.
Drudge claimed that several prominent news organisations in Washington have been investigating the rumours. But some of those named denied this.
The Drudge Report said the allegation explained why Howard Dean, the former frontrunner, was now vowing to fight on, having earlier pledged to bow out if he lost the next big contest on Tuesday.
Diehard Dean supporters exulted on internet forums at the news that the man who usurped their hero's position as favourite was at the centre of his own media storm.
Deaniacs remain bitter at what they perceive as the media's destruction of their candidate, who only a month ago led the polls. Last night Mr Kerry's campaign internet forum for activists was seething with accusations of Republican dirty tricks.
Atrios writes:
Anyway, I don't care who Kerry is boinking, frankly, but if this is a) true and b) recent as in "after his decision to run for president" then he ain't too bright.
But, any "respectable" (hah) media outlet that reports this without getting some sources other than Drudge should be ashamed.
I don’t know why. Drudge’s record on Democrat intern stories is pretty good.
UPDATE II. Andrew Sullivan worries that Republicans are behind this story, and Tim Dunlop blames Bush. But it appears that it emerged via a Clark operative.
Also, The Corner links to this Washington Post item on Teresa Ketchup Kerry:
Posted by Tim Blair at February 13, 2004 03:40 AMHer views on marital fidelity: "I don't think I could have coped so well" with a mate's philandering as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has. "I used to say to my husband, my late husband, 'If you ever get something I'll maim you. Not kill you, just maim you.' And we'd laugh, laugh, laugh." Heinz adds that she has never had any reason to suspect either of her husbands. "Not for one day, because what I expect of them, they have a right to expect of me. Maybe I'm into 18-year-olds." At which Heinz's campaign handler, former political journalist Chris Black, cautioned bleakly: "That was a joke."
Well, until Sen. Kerry comes forward and releases all of his sexual records to the public, I guess we have no choice but to assume he's guilty.
Posted by: Josh at February 13, 2004 at 03:46 AMThis allegation will broaden Kerry's support among Clinton Democrats, assuring both his nomination and defeat in the general election.
Posted by: Joe Parana at February 13, 2004 at 03:52 AMGosh, I wish this story would have broke after he got the nomination ...
Posted by: Bill at February 13, 2004 at 03:55 AMoff-the-record conversation with a dozen reporters
General Moonbeam indeed.
Oh, and "imploding over an intern" . . . is this not evidence of a horrifying sexual dysfunction?
Posted by: dazed at February 13, 2004 at 04:17 AMThe Dems won't care. It's just about sex, right?
And after the Clinton years, it's hard to imagine anything that would shock these people (unless it was committed by a Republican).
I bet it's Chris Lehane - all the way. It had to be.
On another note, I happened to notice this very unfortunate Wash Post/Banner Ad combination for Mr. Kerry a few minutes ago.
I had to preserve it.
Posted by: Mike Krempasky at February 13, 2004 at 04:28 AMWhen the Patriots won the Super Bowl, President Bush called to congratulate the team.
Al Gore called the Carolina Panthers and told them that they got robbed.
And Bill Clinton called Janet Jackson...
Posted by: Roger Bournival at February 13, 2004 at 04:48 AMKerry Lied! Interns Died!
Okay, that's unfair, and I should apologize - it's only the Kennedys who end up killing young women...
Posted by: Percy Dovetonsils at February 13, 2004 at 04:49 AMOh goody. I haven't had my minimum daily requirement of intern sex scandals since Clinton left office. That's been a real deficiency in the Bush administration. Good to see the Democrats are still trying to emulate their hero JFK.
Posted by: Randal Robinson at February 13, 2004 at 04:59 AMIf the late night comedy shows latch onto this, Kerry is toast. All his attempts to paint himself as more trustworthy and loyal will go spinning down the toilet.
Posted by: Scott Harris at February 13, 2004 at 05:02 AMAfter trying to pump-up phoney scandal after phoney scandal to smear Bush, the Democrats look like they will get caught up in a real one of their own.
HAHAHAHAHAHA
Get ready for a Hilary/Edwards ticket
Posted by: Junkyard God at February 13, 2004 at 05:19 AMSince Dennis Kucinich needs a contest to even get a date, he might end up being the last man standing for the Democrats.
Posted by: Randal Robinson at February 13, 2004 at 05:23 AMNo doubt it inolves a ketchup bottle and a condom - you know that old urban myth of the guy turning up to a hospital wearing a raincoat hahaha!
Posted by: Rob at February 13, 2004 at 05:55 AMTheresa Hienz isn't the kind of woman who takes well to public humiliation (like Hillary). I've got $10 that she'll go postal, either on her husband or on some dumbass reporter who hasn't heard about her reputation.
Posted by: LB at February 13, 2004 at 06:06 AMRemember Al gore invented the Intern-net for Clinton's personal use.
Posted by: Rob Read at February 13, 2004 at 06:17 AMNothing wrong with Edwards.....he's probably the best Presidential material the Democrats have. And possibly with the best chance of beating The Man.
Posted by: Easycure at February 13, 2004 at 06:27 AMI had to get myself a coffe after reading the first few lines.
Oh please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Peter Bismire at February 13, 2004 at 07:13 AMKERRY PRODDED!
INTERNS PLODDED!
Wait, that sucks. What rhymes with "prodded"?
Posted by: Jeepster at February 13, 2004 at 07:14 AM...trodded?
modded? (like quake or half-life)
lauded?
caudad? (toward the tail or posterior end)
crawdad?
nodded?
rodded?
And this is sweeter than a whole five-pound box of Valentine's Day candy!
Ya think he's gonna be saying "Bring! It! On!" when this one breaks in the mainstream media?
Posted by: BarCodeKing at February 13, 2004 at 07:40 AMI heard absence makes the heart grow Fonda. Or was it absinthe? Whatever. Do hope it's toxic.
At least Clinton exploded over an intern. J.F. Kerry might be trying to be like his predecessor with the same initials in more ways than one, and going by some of his statements I think he's already been shot in the head.
Posted by: Habib at February 13, 2004 at 09:55 AMWow. An intern-prodding, Fonda-hugging, extreme liberal senator-hippy war protestor against an ex-alcoholic, drill-skipping, Sammy Soza-trading, born-again Christian War President bent on bombing anybody that looks at us funny.
If you like mudslinging politics, it just doesn't get any better.
of course Drudge failed to report today's huge USAToday feature on Bush's National Guard records, complete with blacked out segments ala some Roswell alien dossier.
Regardless, if Kerry did bang an intern Hillary has to be the VP candidate. The content would be endless and oh so fun.
Posted by: Tim Blair at February 13, 2004 at 11:18 AMFoxnews is reporting that Clark has apparently put all intern implosion concerns aside, and will endorse Kerry.
Went to Weather.com for my weather report today. Somehow the site failed to mention DEVELOPING SEX SCANDALS ON THE HORIZON JUST IN TIME FOR THE ELECTION YAY.
Please, God, kill everyone.
Posted by: Andrea Harris at February 13, 2004 at 12:28 PMWell, folks, I guess now we know what the "F" stands for in John F. Kerry's name . . . . .
Posted by: Lewis at February 13, 2004 at 12:40 PMKerry boinked, intern oinked.
Kerry mounted, intern shouted.
Kerry drops pants, intern pants.
Intern kneels, Kerry squeals.
After prostate surgery:
Kerry tried, intern sighed.
Posted by: perfectsense at February 13, 2004 at 12:42 PMTO: Tim Blair
RE: The Woman
If they find her alive, it'll be a miracle. Unless she's got herself a little blue dress she's stashed with her mother.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Posted by: Chuck Pelto at February 13, 2004 at 01:09 PMKerry wasn't giving her a lift home from Chappaquiddick, perchance?
Posted by: Habib at February 13, 2004 at 01:23 PMI have but two words for those fellow Republicans who once again seem overly eager to pounce on the alleged sexual pecadilloes of a Democratic candidate as a campaign issue:
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Not nearly enough? How about a few more words:
Neil Bush. Adultery. Hookers who appear at door of hotel room, anonymous sex, China, influence peddling with White House. Divorce, messy, lawyers, depositions.
Or how about these -- Philip Giordano, Connecticut GOP Senate candidate, two pre-teen girls, statutory rape, sexual predator.
And by all means, let's not forget these: House Speaker Newt Gingrich, married, girlfriend on House payroll, accusations of immorality against President Clinton, hypocrite, resigned.
It seems that some Republicans didn't learn the most important lesson from the 1998 Clinton-Lewinsky fiasco: the American public doesn't really care for blatant double standards in politics -- especially when it comes matters involving sex.
So, unless our candidates are truly squeaky-clean in that respect -- or for that matter, all of us as well -- let's not even begin to go there.
Posted by: Island Guy at February 13, 2004 at 02:00 PMAs a bona fide fellow Republican I don't give a rat's derriere whom our Honorable Senators/House Members and Other Elected and Unelected Officials are boinking, as long as the parties involved are of age, and the relationship is consensual.
In my book, most politicians are bottom-feeding animals, among whom honor, duty, selflessness, fidelity and loyalty are quaint notions, perhaps heard of once, but disregarded as hindrance to achieving political goals. I find it hard to get my expectations up over anybody.
Nevertheless, being a weak human, I find this situation rather amusing.
Entertainment value of this Democratic primary is getting better every day.
Wonkette points to this comment by Kerry's wife:
"I don't think I could have coped so well" with a mate's philandering as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has. "I used to say to my husband, my late husband, 'If you ever get something I'll maim you. Not kill you, just maim you.' And we'd laugh, laugh, laugh." Heinz adds that she has never had any reason to suspect either of her husbands.
At least Kerry won't wind up DEAD.
It really doesn't matter whether he bonked her recently or not. If it was in his political life, that's bad. If he's sent her overseas to hide out for the campaign, that's fatal.
Posted by: ABC Al at February 13, 2004 at 03:08 PMI hope the genii isn't too far out of the bottle, as far as Kerry is concerned.
It will be much harder to bust up Edwards if he is nominated.
I have reams of things to bust Kerry on.
"I used to say to my husband, my late husband, 'If you ever get something I'll maim you. Not kill you, just maim you.'
Oh dummy me,I thought it was Botox. Dayyum,Theresa is good with knives and scalpels,huh?
Posted by: Fly at February 13, 2004 at 04:46 PMI'm ashamed of all of you.....just because one of the Democrats may have not had sexual relations with that woman, is no reason to gloat.
She might be a lovely girl for all you know...to John she's the most beautiful woman in the world,... to his wife..........
Let us be glad for John, let us take pleasure from John.....................................
.....................Sorry I had to go to the John I was feeling a bit iffy.......but I digress...
John be a man.....on second thoughts be another man......
Don't let me catch anyone sniggering at this fine upstanding man. John Kerry is the salt of the earth.....only problem is, is when he comes in S.A.L.T will hit reverese with such speed your 7/11 will be selling nukes at $999.00 this week only and only to you because we like you.
In closing what can one say about John that hasn't already been said about Piles.....shit is that the time....
Posted by: Traps at February 13, 2004 at 04:46 PMIf it's true, then Kerry's only hope is that the "off the record" source is Robert Novak. We already know no-one would ask him to break a confidence.
Posted by: Miranda Divide at February 13, 2004 at 05:00 PMHillary/Edwards? WTF? You lot are obsessed with that woman. If Kerry goes down over this (which I doubt) then Edwards has the nomination wrapped up and will probably take Wes Clark or Evan Bayh as VP.
Posted by: Stewart Kelly at February 13, 2004 at 09:00 PMThere may be a lot of people who think casual sex is just fun, fun, fun, but there are more who think adultery is a betrayal and will take it out (no pun intended) on Kerry at the polls.
Posted by: Theodopoulos Pherecydes at February 13, 2004 at 09:46 PMMaybe this will put an end to the absurd meme being propagated by the Right -- you know, "a vote for Kerry is a vote for Islamo-fascism."
Bush, on the other hand... well, he doesn't screw around (as far as we know), his wife is so timid that she might as well wear a burqa, and he doesn't drink.
Hmmmm.
Posted by: vaara at February 13, 2004 at 10:00 PMvaara if you are going troll post at least try to make sense.
Even if you accept that the right has been running "a vote for Kerry is a vote for Islamo-fascism." how in hell will Kerry banging his intern put an end to that criticism.
Posted by: Robin Wade at February 13, 2004 at 10:30 PMPerhaps I should have preceded my post with a tag. Would that have helped?
OK, so the right hasn't actually come out and said that being pro-Kerry is tantamount to being pro-Islamo-fascist. It's actually a bit more like "if Kerry becomes President, the Islamo-fascists will be very pleased." See: Steyn, Lileks, et al., ad nauseam.
As for the relative moral merits of Kerry and Bush, doesn't Kerry's behavior (as reported by the distinguished journalists at the National Enquirer) strike you as slighly less "Islamic" than that of our upstanding, teetotaling president?
Posted by: vaara at February 13, 2004 at 10:54 PMrats!
that was supposed to read, a [ lighthearted _ banter ] tag. I guess angle brackets are not our friends.
Posted by: vaara at February 13, 2004 at 10:55 PMA commenter elsewhere stated that he thinks Andrew Sullivan has jumped the shark. I'm inclined to agree.
Setting aside his relentless focus on the gay thing, with this he prints a prolonged screed by a (self-described)Republican ready to quit the party over outrage of it's possible complicity in these Kerry allegations.
'Scuse me? How brilliant a political analyst do you have to be to see that this is neutral to damaging to Republican efforts? I think the GOP actually has Kerry's number (on other issues). They'll simply half-heartedly attack him until the Dems are in too deep to go back, and then unleash full bore.
Contrary, for criminy sakes, WHY in the world would the GOP NOT hold onto this damaging info until the Fall, or at least long into the primaries when it's release would wreak havoc in the Democratic party?
If the charges against kerry are true, the Democrats have time to recover, and whoever leaked this is doing them a favor. To charge Republicans while the Dean and Edwards blogs practically crack champaigne and dance jigs is utterly asinine, and I have to wonder about the intellect of those accusing the GOP of complicity.
Shamelessly stolen from Acidman:
I believe it.
Sen. John Kerry, recovering from prostate surgery, was told it would be six weeks before he could be sexually active.
Joe Lieberman called to wish Kerry well.
Al Sharpton called Kerry to offer prayers.
Howard Dean called with a get well message.
Richard Gephardt called with encouragement on recovery.
and finally...
Bill Clinton called Mrs. Kerry.Posted by: Ernie G at February 13, 2004 at 11:57 PM
Well, obviously any material putting Democrats in a bad light is a Republican smear, while carping about Republicans is merely searching for the truth. No double standards here. I don't give a gerbil's fart for who Kerry was boinking. I do care that he is, in general, a lying, opportunistic bastard.
(I'd say he's two-faced, but as Lincoln said when accused of same, "If I had two faces, would I be using this one?")
Posted by: JorgXMcKie at February 14, 2004 at 12:03 AMKerry poked,
Clinton smoked,
The Dems choked.......
Sounds like John Kerry might want to wear some protection to bed in the form of an iron-plated jockstrap unless he wants little Johnnie tossed out of a car window somewhere one of these nights.
Posted by: Randal Robinson at February 14, 2004 at 12:29 AMSounds like Hillary was paying attention in Secret Master school...
Posted by: mojo at February 14, 2004 at 01:52 AM"Andrew Sullivan worries that Republicans are behind this story"
Now, really!!! If this is true, Sullivan is surely having a "blond moment". Republican dirty tricks won't start until the Democrats HAVE ACTUALLY SELECTED A CANDIDATE!!!!
(Andrew, can you say "D'oh!"?)
This has the fingerprints of Kerry's fellow Dem's all over it.
Posted by: nofixedabode at February 14, 2004 at 02:44 AMI find it remarkable how democrats like Don Imus hate Bush so much they are willing to suspend their journalistic instinct, hell, their journalistic duty asking questions to a man who wants to be president. Why is he constantly talking about being a war hero, when he joined Hanoi Jane in protesting against the war? Why are liberal media giving him a free ride?
Posted by: Ricky Vandal at February 14, 2004 at 03:01 AMNot to mention that Kerry awarded "himself" his heroic jewelry, then ran as fast as he could once he had concocted his third "band aid" Purple Heart.
Directly to the anti-war camp, to give first hand testimony of all the American atrocities he witnessed, from the deck of a ship off the coast of south east Asia. Since he was the commander of the 'swift-boat'it was his duty, no his obligation to posterity, to record all his heroic deeds. Said heroic deeds were only edited when John opened up on the occasional Viet bank fisherman & family. These things happen. No sense letting them bring you down.
The definition of a self made man.
Obviously a strategum of the Kerry campaign to jazz up their boring candidate.
Posted by: George at February 14, 2004 at 04:10 AMTeresa Heinz Kerry is no innocent bystander. She is interested in influence & power. We are far from the days when John F. Kennedy’s infidelities were the potential occasion for blackmail by the mafia, the KGB, etc. This is like Bill & Hill, only worse. To the extent that John F. Kerry’s infidelity actually happened or is believable, Teresa gains extra power to politically blackmail her husband to give her own pet leftist & islamist causes a place at the table. It’s worse than Bill & Hill because Teresa’s causes are so extreme. And it’s a clear & present danger. I’m assuming that John is not 100% sympathy with her causes.
See “Teresa Heinz Kerry: Bag Lady for the Radical Left,” by Ben Johnson
FrontPageMagazine.com, Feb. 13, 2004 at
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=12187