Liberal Brushwork
In early 2003 the RNC Research Department produced extensive fact sheets on the Democratic candidates.  The first of these --"Who is John Edwards?" -- appeared on Jan. 3, 2003 and contained a full ten pages of quotes from various news sources as well as details of some of his votes.  Edwards was pictured as "An Unaccomplished Liberal In Moderate Clothing And A Friend To His Fellow  Personal Injury Trial Lawyers."  In subsequent weeks the RNC issued fact sheets on the other Democratic candidates.  From the Republican viewpoint, the Democratic field consists of a variety of liberals -- unaccomplished, ultra-, out of touch, and flip-flopping.

RNC: Democrats in Depth

Who is...?
Jan. 3, 2003 - John Edwards: "An Unaccomplished Liberal In Moderate Clothing And A Friend To His Fellow  Personal Injury Trial Lawyers."

Jan. 10, 2003 - Howard Dean: "An Ultra-Liberal On Social Issues Who Is Out Of The Mainstream And Wrong For America."

Jan. 13, 2003 - Joe Lieberman: "Situational Ethics: Joe's Journey from Populist, to Moderate, to Moralist, and Back Again"

Jan. 22, 2003 - Dick Gephardt: "An Ineffective Leader And Traditional Liberal Democrat Who Is The 'Keeper Of The Liberal Flame For Organized Labor And Party Activists.'"

Jan. 23, 2003 - John Kerry: "A Massachusetts Liberal Out Of Touch With America."

March 2, 2003 - Carol Moseley-Braun: "A Controversial Liberal Who Was Rejected By Her Own State"

March 3, 2003 - Al Sharpton: "A Liberal Democrat Out Of Touch With America"

March 4, 2003 - Dennis Kucinich: "A Flip-Flopping Liberal Extremist"
 

Copyright © 2003  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action