AP: DNC faking endorsements in New Jersey

Via AP:

GOP charges dirty politics in fake Schwarzkopf campaign call

By DONNA DE LA CRUZ
Associated Press Writer

November 1, 2004, 5:56 PM EST

TRENTON, N.J. -- Lifelong Republican Richard Bonnet pays attention to politics, so when he found a message on his answering machine from Norman Schwarzkopf saying he was voting for John Kerry this year, he was momentarily stunned.

"I thought I saw Bush down in Florida, with Schwarzkopf standing on the stage next to him," Bonnet, 69, of Howell Township, said Monday. "So I called up the Monmouth County Republican headquarters and they said he was a Bush supporter."

On Sunday, the retired general gave Bush a strong endorsement in Tampa, Fla. Schwarzkopf's spokeswoman, Lynn Williams, said Monday that the recorded message was totally fake.

The taped message begins with a man identifying himself as Schwarzkopf.

"In 2000, I voted for George W. Bush, but this year I'm voting for John Kerry." The man goes on to say that Bush took his eye off the ball when it came to finding the people responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, which killed nearly 700 New Jersey residents.

"John Kerry has a real plan to make our military stronger and to go after terrorists wherever they hide," the man says on the tape. "We need a vote for change, vote for John Kerry."

A voice then says the message was paid for by the Democratic National Committee. A call to the DNC was not immediately returned Monday.

Brian Nelson, spokesman for the New Jersey Republican State Committee called the tape dirty politics and said Republicans were trying to find out who was behind it.

Bonnet said he was disgusted by the tape.

"Schwarzkopf is such a great American and a great general, and this defames him," said Bonnet. "He's one of our proud citizens of New Jersey."

Schwarzkopf was born in Trenton. His father, Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, was the head of the New Jersey State Police when Charles Lindbergh's son was kidnapped. He led that investigation.

Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press

How pathetic can you be, super-lame-o D-N-C?