RNC Press Release
                                                                        

For Immediate Release  
Contact: Press Office
Monday, November 1, 2004



Statement from RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie


Washington, DC – RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie made the following statement today about the Democratic National Committee making fraudulent phone calls claiming that Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf has endorsed Senator Kerry:

“We are seeing the last gasps of a desperate Democrat campaign whose only hope for success is to fool voters by misrepresenting the intentions of Gen. Schwarzkopf.”



DNC Press Release

DNC RESPONDS TO FALSE RNC ACCUSATIONS

In 11th Hour Gambit, RNC Tries Hoodwinking Press: Splices DNC Call and Makes False Accusations

Washington DC - Today, the Republican National Committee tried to falsely accuse the Democratic National Committee of claiming the endorsement of General Schwarzkopf.  In fact, the RNC spliced a DNC recorded telephone call by General Merrill "Tony" McPeak, urging voters to vote for John Kerry, and attempted to peddle the doctored audio file to the press.

In response, DNC Communications Director Jano Cabrera issued the following statement:

"This is a desperate, pathetic, 11th hour dirty trick by the Republicans.  In an effort to gin up a last minute media controversy and smear the Democrats, the Republicans intentionally spliced a recorded call by Four Star General 'Tony' McPeak and tried to peddle it to the press.  This type of dishonesty is a fitting end to George W. Bush's failed Presidency, a Presidency that unfortunately for the American people, was also defined by deceit and deception."

General McPeak’s recorded telephone call is available for download at:

http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v003/democratic1.download.akamai.com/8082/audio/20041101_mcpeak.wav

Transcript of General McPeak’s call:

Hi, I'm General Tony McPeak and as Chief of the air force during the first Gulf War, I worked closely with Colin Powell and Norm Schwarzkopf.  In 2000, I voted for George W. Bush.  This year I'm voting for John Kerry.  George Bush took his eye off the ball and the war on terror and took us into a poorly planned war in Iraq, letting Al Qaeda, the people responsible for September 11th attack on us, regroup.  John Kerry has a real plan to make the military stronger and to go after the terrorists wherever they hide.  On November 2 we need to vote for change, a vote for John Kerry.