Hesiod (www.counterspin.blogspot.com (sorry about the written out link. IE 5 on the Mac won't upload the HTML) has an entry up linking article in The Hill (www.thehill.com/news/012804/kerry.aspx) in which a fellow tells his story about John Kerry basically ripping off his cookie store franchise idea twenty years ago.
Apparently, Kerry visited him under the pretense of opening a franchise within his chain to learn the ins and outs of his operations. They guy didn't hear from Kerry again, but six months later, Kerry had opened a virtually identical cookie store in Boston.
This has all the hallmarks of truth and as an entrepreneur I find it pretty damning. I am a Dean supportor, and I am absolutely committed to helping whoever becomes the Democratic nominee. However, this story makes me much more opposed to Kerry in the nomination.
If you have ever been in the position as an entrepreneur of trying to get a business of the ground, you know that one of the biggest challenges is overcoming the prisoner's dilemna with possible collaborators. Do you trust them or not? Many of your most valuable secrets are not 'intellectual property' but are more along the lines of the understanding you have worked to get to build a unique business model to satisfy a particular market niche you have discovered.
It is an absolute ethical rule, in my opinion, that if an entrepreneur shares their confidences with you as a collaborator, you do not rip their ideas off. Many people do not understand this, but entrepreneurs live in fear of people like this.