The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> STILL THE WINTER SOLDIER br> Signs that the national press continue to give Sen. John Kerry a free pass that they didn't give former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean have been playing out throughout the campaign season. The most obvious one occurred during Kerry's campaign swing through California a couple of weeks ago. /p>

Kerry stood by and applauded and laughed as a string of celebrities and lesser political lights attacked President Bush and Republicans in general on everything from the war on terrorism to Iraq to Social Security policy.

Perhaps the most outrageous scene took place at a breakfast fundraiser in a San Francisco hotel, where state assemblyman Mark Leno introduced Kerry.

Leno, with Kerry standing next to him, led the crowd in a question and answer intro in which he asked questions and the crowd responded, "John Kerry."

One of the questions was, "Which candidate will not only summarily fire but will bring criminal charges against Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and John Ashcroft?"

The crowd screamed "John Kerry," with Kerry laughing and clapping as he prepared to take the podium.

Despite the enthusiastic response, some at the event complained to the state Democratic Party and the Kerry campaign about the over the top introduction. But no one was making an effort to clarify Kerry's apparent "Al Gore moment."

According to a California Democratic Party staffer, Leno's intro was cleared by the Kerry campaign with few if any changes. "They seemed to like the introduction, anyone who says otherwise is just ass-covering."

topics:
Social Security, Books, Iraq, NATO, Oil, Unions