Bob Kerry Takes Back "Welfare Rancher" Smear

 

 

“Bob Kerrey knows that Nebraskans are overwhelmingly rejecting his blatantly false and offensive attacks on Deb Fischer and her family. Now that Bob Kerrey’s smear campaign has backfired, he can’t backtrack fast enough.”
LINCOLN, Nebraska, August 15, 2012 - Today, Bob Kerrey said that attacking Deb Fischer as a “welfare rancher” was a “bit of a stretch.”

“We asked Democrat Bob Kerrey if he believes Fischer is a Welfare Rancher.
‘I think that’s a little bit of stretch, I would say, but I’m not a Carpetbagger either,’ Kerrey responds.” (Brent Martin, “Senate campaign smear: Welfare Rancher vs. Carpetbagger,” Nebraska Radio Network, 8/15/12)

Kerrey also offered Fischer a truce:

“I’m certainly willing to say to her, ‘If you’re willing to say I’m not a carpetbagger, I’m willing to say you’re not a Welfare Rancher,’ Kerrey says.” (Brent Martin, “Senate campaign smear: Welfare Rancher vs. Carpetbagger,” Nebraska Radio Network, 8/15/12)

Kerrey’s comments are astonishing considering the fact that he and his staffers have been constantly attacking Fischer as a “welfare rancher” for the last several months.
In fact, it was Kerrey himself who coined the term “welfare rancher” at the Nebraska Democratic Party Convention on June 23, 2012:

“Democrat Bob Kerrey ratcheted up his criticism of Republican Deb Fischer on Saturday, accusing her of being a ‘welfare rancher’ who dislikes big government except when it’s subsidizing her own family and its ranching operation.” (Robynn Tysver, “Kerrey slams Fischer over grazing fee ‘welfare’” Omaha World-Herald, 6/24/12)

“Bob Kerrey knows that Nebraskans are overwhelmingly rejecting his blatantly false and offensive attacks on Deb Fischer and her family,” said Fischer campaign spokesman Daniel Keylin. “Now that Bob Kerrey’s smear campaign has backfired, he can’t backtrack fast enough.”