Looks as though the Democrats still need to get a spine!

DNC: Don't bash Bush: Kerry wants Dems to tone down criticism
By David R. Guarino and Andrew Miga
Monday, July 26, 2004

Democrats are scrambling to tamp down former Vice President Al Gore and firebrand Howard Dean [related, bio] before they step to the convention podium, worried they may embarrass John Kerry [related, bio] with red-meat anger and excessive Bush bashing.
    The Democratic National Convention and Kerry campaign staffs are working feverishly to rewrite, polish and tone down speeches submitted in advance of today's convention opening bell.
    Party leaders, including Kerry, said they know the four-day fete has to play in Peoria, not just on the FleetCenter parquet.
    ``Attack wins in some cases, but you don't win presidential elections (with it) because people are tired of it,'' Sen. Edward M. Kennedy [related, bio] said on ABC's ``This Week.''
    Kerry himself told The New York Times yesterday he doesn't want his convention to offer Americans only a reason to vote against President Bush [related, bio].
    ``I do not want it to be that,'' Kerry said. ``I want this to be a positive affirmation of why I'm running for president and what I want to do as president.''
    Attention - and fear - is mostly focused on Gore, who kicks off the convention with a primetime speech tonight but has rankled some party leaders with his recent conversion to throaty, vicious attacks on Bush.
    Gore rankled Kerry when he endorsed then-front-running Dean early in the primary season. Gore, who remains bitter after losing the hotly contested, controversial 2000 presidential race, is one of Bush's harshest critics.
    But Democrats also concede they are concerned that Dean, who rose to prominence by attacking Bush and the war in Iraq, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich [related, bio] or the Rev. Al Sharpton [related, bio] could all embarrass the Kerry-Edwards ticket.
    The Kerry camp is putting on a full-court press to keep speakers such as Gore and Dean on message - reviewing speeches for any over-the-top anti-Bush rhetoric or partisan invective.
    Democrats are aiming for an upbeat convention that echoes Kerry's ``Stronger at Home, Respected in the World'' themes.
    ``This is going to be the most harmonious convention we've had in years,'' New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said on the ``Fox News Sunday'' show.
    Even DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe seemed suprised so many Democrats are falling in line.
    ``It's not normally how this party operates,'' he said.
    For speakers, the memo went out - literally - weeks ago.
    Kerry convention organizer Jack Corrigan wrote speakers a three-page memo outlining the ``clear message'' Kerry wanted to send from the convention.
    All drafts were submitted for review, changed and rewritten with the no-negative rules heavily enforced. Among the guidance offered: ``Criticism of Bush is allowed, but only as a subtle or indirect dig when comparing Kerry's vision to Bush's record. Red meat won't be served at this convention.