Beatty Blog

The American Spectator, a conservative magazine focused on news and politics, published an article in the "Campaign Crawlers" section of their website last Friday. In "Beatty the Odds," W. James Antle III discusses the campaign from the Ogonowski days, remarking how it seemed "far-fetched to believe that the GOP could pick up a seat in deep-blue Massachusetts. In fact, practically no one does believe it -- with the not insignificant exception of Jeff Beatty, the homeland-security expert who is Sen. John Kerry's scrappy Republican challenger this fall."

If you've been following the campaign for awhile you know that we have been the underdog from the outset, yet have consistently beaten (or "beatty-ed") the odds to come out ahead of our Republican challenger and be named the presumptive Republican candidate, while continuing to chip away at John Kerry's lead and close in on him with every poll. No, I wasn't "supposed" to get this far, but I did. So what does that tell  you about how I'll work in Washington?

Antle quotes me as citing "$1.3 million raised, 35,000 individual donations, and 2,000 volunteers as evidence that [the] campaign is firing on all cylinders. But [my] greatest assets [...] are [my] experience and the unpopularity of both Kerry and Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick."

The article goes on to enumerate how the odds, and the Democrats, are stacked against us. Antle, like many, is less than hopeful that Massachusetts can pull for a Republican candidate. But, by his own admission, he was betting on Ogonowski, so you never know.

Read the full article here to get an idea of what we're up against, and show your support by donating to the campaign through my website.

Boston Globe writer Matt Viser covered my criticism of Senator John Kerry using our troops to further his personal political agenda and exploiting veterans in a recent TV ad. The full text of the article appears in the Friday, August 22 2008 edition of the Globe, on their website at Boston.com and below.

Candidate to Kerry: Stop using vets as props

Republican also denounces senator for Iraq War vote
by Matt Viser

Republican Jeff Beatty, an Army veteran who is hoping to unseat US Senator John F. Kerry, criticized Kerry, who also is a veteran, for airing a campaign advertisement featuring veterans.

"I am extremely dismayed by John Kerry's continued use of our veterans as political props, and I'm calling on him to stop," Beatty said yesterday in an interview. "These guys deserve to be respected and not find themselves in a tug-of-war in a political contest."

Kerry launched a television ad last week that highlights his support for war veterans.

The 60-second spot, called "Fenway," highlights the story of Sean Bannon, a veteran of the war in Iraq who was helped by Kerry in his wish to receive his Purple Heart at Fenway Park. He also got to throw out the first pitch on Patriots Day. The ad has been running on all Boston and Springfield television stations, as well as on cable.

"This right-winger must have studied the Karl Rove playbook long and hard if he thinks it's acceptable to insult [Private First Class] Sean Bannon," said Brigid O'Rourke, Kerry spokeswoman. "No senator cares more personally, or has done more for veterans than John Kerry. Jeff Beatty owes our veterans an apology if he believes they don't have a right to speak their mind."

Beatty also said yesterday that he opposed going to war in Iraq, and he criticized Kerry for his 2003 vote to authorize the war.

Kerry is running for reelection and is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Gloucester attorney Ed O'Reilly. The winner of the Sept. 16 primary will face Beatty in November's general election.

Watch the John Kerry "Fenway" ad featuring Sean Bannon here...

Yesterday we released a press release urging John Kerry to stop using our troops as campaign props. PolitickerMA.com picked up the story and has been covering all the Beatty/Kerry news regarding the troops and how I perceive Senator Kerry to be using the United States military to push his personal political agenda.

Beatty accuses Kerry of politicizing veterans

PolitckerMA's article on my statement explains that "republican U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Beatty criticized U.S. Sen. John Kerry Thursday for what he said was politicizing veterans." The article goes on to cite Kerry's use of veterans in his ad campaign, a flagrant example of exploitation, and explains how "Kerry has used soldiers as "collateral damage for his political ambition" without working to increase their benefits."

Read the full text of the article here...

Kerry camp responds, says Beatty owes vets an apology

After the press release and PolitickerMA article came out on my side of the story, John Kerry's campaign quickly responded to "Jeff Beatty's claims that U.S. Sen. John Kerry has politicized veterans [...] by saying that Beatty's remarks are insulting to veterans." PolitckerMA covered Kerry's side as well, stating that Kerry, through spokesperson Brigid O'Rourke via email, asserts that "no Senator cares more personally, or has done more, for veterans than John Kerry[...] whether it's better health care for vets, pay increases passed over George Bush's objections, body armor or improved benefits for our military, John Kerry has walked the walk."

Read the full text of the article here...

Beatty Gear is now available online, exclusively through this website! Our online store is now open and offering Jeff Beatty for U.S. Senate bumper stickers, lapel stickers, rally signs and more! Celebrate your Republican pride and support the campaign by buying some Beatty Gear for yourself, or give the gift that will keep on giving and buy some for a friend. You'll not only be showing them you care, but you're supporting the campaign as well.

Check out our online store and please spread the word to all your friends.