# Any Truth to This Story about John Kerry and Pres Bush? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 3, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516 "2010-09-03T18:42:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/1 "2010-09-03T18:42:42Z")
I just read this little story and was curious if there was any truth to it: > [@](#): > > When I am asked as a conservative how my beliefs on taxes are different than those of the liberal mindsets. I use a story to explain the differences. > > It was Columbus day, 2004, the last major holiday before the Presidential election between George Bush and John Kerry. Both were in Columbus, Ohio. > > George Bush was walking down the right side of the street when he approached a young man. George asked the young man to take out his billfold and give him $100.00. When the man gave George Bush the $100.00, George waved the money in the air and told the crowd that if he is re-elected, he would insure that this $100.00 would remain in this mans’ billfold and not be sent to Washington to be wasted on a worthless spending program. A Kerry spy was following the Bush team and the spy went back to the Kerry team and told them that George Bush had taken some money from one of his followers. > > John Kerry thought that would also be a good idea so he walked up to a man and asked for a $100.00. The man gave John Kerry the money, but Kerry was not sure what to say. He spotted a young women with her two children, walked up to this woman and gave her the $100.00. He then said that if he is elected to the office of the President, he will insure that this woman and others will be getting their fair share of the taxpayers money. The liberals cheered, all but the man who now is short $100.00. It is easy to take other peoples’ money and give it away. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/2 "2010-09-03T18:46:48Z")
Seems rather obviously to be a made up story to illustrate a point. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/3 "2010-09-03T18:49:01Z")
Would you mind telling us where you read this story? edited to add: Because I can’t seem to find it on the net. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/4 "2010-09-03T18:53:08Z")
It is another right wing fabrication. Neither event happened. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/5 "2010-09-03T18:55:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Would you mind telling us where you read this story? > edited to add: Because I can’t seem to find it on the net. Hannity message board. So is the consensus that the story is completely made up? ---
**Author:** ![FREQ\_FORCE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@FREQ\_FORCE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FREQ_FORCE)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/6 "2010-09-03T18:55:19Z")
It reeks of something that belongs on Snopes. Is there some sort of office at republican party headquarters responsible for maintaining the circulation of ridiculous and completely fictional chain emails? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/7 "2010-09-03T18:57:03Z")
To me, the most likely outcome of someone asking if they could borrow $100 from a voter is that they’d be told they didn’t have it. And wouldn’t _that_ be a great opening line for making a political point? I couldn’t see either politician even asking the question. A better tack would’ve been to _give_ the guy $100, then assure them that they’d be able to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/8 "2010-09-03T19:03:41Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > Would you mind telling us where you read this story? > > edited to add: Because I can’t seem to find it on the net. > > Hannity message board. > > So is the consensus that the story is completely made up? That’s my take on it, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/9 "2010-09-03T19:04:06Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > Would you mind telling us where you read this story? > > edited to add: Because I can’t seem to find it on the net. > > Hannity message board. > > So is the consensus that the story is completely made up? I think the consensus is that anonymous and obviously made up slander doesn’t really belong in Great Debates in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/10 "2010-09-03T19:09:59Z")
Do you really think it’s even possible that a Democratic Presidential nominee would do something that moronic, or that even if he did, the media wouldn’t have been all over it? Not only is the story compltely fabricated, but so is the characteristic that it’s trying to critcize. It reflects absolutely no poltical, philosophical or ideological position ever propounded by Kerry. I sometimes wonder if the idiots who make these kind of email forwards up are aware that bearing false witness is prohibited in the Ten Commandments. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/11 "2010-09-03T19:10:21Z")
Well, I don’t know, does Hannity actually vouch for this story? Given his spotless reputation for strict candor, and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/12 "2010-09-03T19:11:42Z")
But this story does make a valid point. > [@](#): > > When I am asked as a conservative how my beliefs on taxes are different than those of the liberal mindsets. I use a story to explain the differences. It illustrates how some conservative beliefs are based on invented fantasies presented as truth. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/13 "2010-09-03T19:13:51Z")
And thank you for reprinting the story here-it can now be found via Google. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/14 "2010-09-03T19:15:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And thank you for reprinting the story here-it can now be found via Google. And it’s the first thing that shows up! At least now it won’t get asked in GQ… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/15 "2010-09-03T19:16:16Z")
> [@FREQ\_FORCE](#): > > It reeks of something that belongs on Snopes. > > Is there some sort of office at republican party headquarters responsible for maintaining the circulation of ridiculous and completely fictional chain emails? [Now that you mention it, yes.](http://www.thenation.com/article/new-right-wing-smear-machine) (Though not actually an office in the party HQ.) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/16 "2010-09-03T19:26:45Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > I just read this little story and was curious if there was any truth to it: This isn’t BBQ Pit so I apologize if I’m rude, but … I’m curious whether any Doper reading this would have had the slightest suspicion that any other Doper could possibly have imagined that there was any truth in it whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/17 "2010-09-03T19:33:41Z")
A lovely little bit of rightwing smear. I especially like: > [@](#): > > A Kerry spy was following the Bush team and the spy went back to the Kerry team and told them that George Bush had taken some money from one of his followers. > [@](#): > > The liberals cheered, all but the man who now is short $100.00. It is easy to take other peoples’ money and give it away. Those evil, stupid liberals. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/18 "2010-09-03T19:33:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But this story does make a valid point. > > > [@](#): > > > > When I am asked as a conservative how my beliefs on taxes are different than those of the liberal mindsets. I use a story to explain the differences. > > It illustrates how some conservative beliefs are based on invented fantasies presented as truth. I don;t think that the belief that liberals are more fond of redistributive government than conservatives is “based” on this story as much as the story is an illustration of it. I seem to remember a certain amount of talk after the National Guard memos had been shown to be forged, that even though this particular story was false, it was still important because Bush was a deserter or AWOL or somesuch. Perhaps this story could be considered in the same light. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/19 "2010-09-03T19:38:35Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I’m curious whether any Doper reading this would have had the slightest suspicion that any other Doper could possibly have imagined that there was any truth in it whatsoever. Some people fall for anything. Dopers have expressed a belief that Bush had started drinking again, that the Bushes were getting divorced, that there was election fraud in Ohio in 2004, and that Bush was going to cancel the elections. I grant you that it would have to be an anti-Bush story to trigger that level of gullibility, but I suppose it could happen on the other side as well. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516/20 "2010-09-03T19:42:18Z")
President Bush and Senator Kerry were in the same place on Columbus Day, 2004. However, it was not Columbus Ohio – it was New Mexico: [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec04/campaign\_10-11.html](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec04/campaign_10-11.html). Given that small detail is wrong, why should we trust anything else? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-truth-to-this-story-about-john-kerry-and-pres-bush/552516.md?page=2)