So John Kerry Wants To Be Viewed As A Military Hawk!

Kerry Comes Under Fire for Stance on Iraq

By Matea Gold and Michael Finnegan, Times Staff Writers
Los Angeles Times
May 9, 2004

His guarded response to prisoner abuse cost him an opportunity to show leadership, critics say. Backers defend actions as justifiably measured. In a speech nine days ago in Missouri, Sen. John F. Kerry laid out his case against President Bush on Iraq, saying the administration had left America dangerously isolated from the rest of the world.

But the presumed Democratic nominee did not mention the brewing international furor over the mistreatment of Iraqi detainees by U.S. soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison, an issue that seemed ready-made to bolster his critique.

The Massachusetts senator's initially guarded response to the scandal underscores the delicate balancing act he faces in calibrating his reactions to developments in Iraq.

Though setbacks for the U.S. may strengthen Kerry's assertion that Bush is mishandling the conflict, any criticism he makes of the military effort threatens to undermine the Democrat's portrayal of himself as a national security hawk who unflinchingly backs U.S. troops, political experts said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-kerryiraq9may09,1,5588099.story?coll=la-home-politics


We have to appeal to George Bush's base .... get those flag waving patriotic conservative Republicans to vote Republican lite. Republicans For Kerry! The liberals and progessives can be taken for granted. You know. ABB. Now just sit back like a marginalized democrat and be happy you will be permitted to vote for Kerry ..... and if you raise one iota of criticism you'll be charged with being some kind of right-wing Naderite!]

:)

There was a lot in that post, much of which I totally agree with.

He will be accused of using it for political reasons. It's so hot and destructive, it will do it's own damage.

He should use it for political reasons! If he and his campaign consultants can't figure that out should he even been running? It's very hot and destructive for Bush. Will Kerry let Bush slide on this?

ON THE IRAQI PRISONER SCANDAL: "I was appalled, amazed and saddened for our country. Most of our military, I think everyone knows, lives by higher standards and we're grateful for their service to our country, but this is a black mark of unbelievable proportions on the United States of America. It's a very sad moment. This Sunday, the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff went on television and he hadn't even read the executive summary of this report. The day that Donald Rumfeld went up to Congress he knew that there was a report coming out on "60 Minutes" about it and he never told the Senate. I think this administration has once again been slow, they've had a tin ear about what it means and it has cost us. And it may have cost additional terrorism. It certainly will cost us in terms of hatred and recruitment and our reputation . And it may put our troops at greater risk. But even before this, because we are occupying Iraq almost alone, because this President has really refused to do the hard work of diplomacy to bring other people to the table, Americans are paying billions of dollars more than they ought to be. And it comes at the expense of healthcare, education, jobs, all the things we need."

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0506b.html

Solidarity my ass. Liberals and progressives will be well rewarded by a Kerry victory. We won't get everything we want, that would never happen anyway. But we will get a chance to realign the Supreme Court away from the right wing fanatics for a generation. We will get some environmental protection. We will preserve a woman's right to choose. We will bring back some fiscal sanity to the government. We will get a chance to improve our country's standing in the world. We will get an administration that will at least work for lower and middle America and not just those at the top.

But that's not enough is it? We've got to bitch and whine because Kerry isn't pure enough on Iraq. Give me a friggin break. Solidarity my ass.

seems devoted to who has the most balls.

And it HAS been sickening.

And people seem to be promoting others for VP that will make the ticket the most war-like, or show we are strong or the ticket can take Bush on or some of the other euphemisms for "ATTACK, STAY THE COURSE IN IRAQ, WE CAN SHOW THE REPUGS THAT WE ARE MILITARY WIZARDS,

hEY AN aggressive campaign that puts forth GOOD POSITIVE IDEAS is one thing. This "We are the baddest kids on the block" is something else.
Kerry ought to be SHOWING HOW DIPLOMACY WILL WORK...AND HOW PEACE WILL WORK...

And backing Sharon is despicable!!

going to bed now. Flame me. Will catch the thread in the AM.

Edit: He needs to reduce the damn defense pork budget too!!

and is also a distinguished diplomat. You wouldn't be referring in any way to him, I hope.

As for Kerry, he spoke at a commencement this weekend and suggested that young adults consider the Peace Corp as one means of helping repair America's tarnished image and got lambasted by DU'ers for that idea.

You know, young people volulnteering to help to build schools and such.

But I guess that's not how peace works....

"in this time of terror." HIS EXACT WORDS.

And Kerry is doing a good job of using Clark's popularity.He just will not admit that Clark was right, we should not have gone into Iraq.Still wants to give contracts to countries that provide troops. Still doesn't want every single soldier out of Iraq. On the contrary, we gotta increase the authorized strength of the Army by 40,000, because our Guard and Reserve are taking on too much.If that's his idea of "PEACE," it stinks.

And playing the media/Bush game of "I'm badder than you because I got medals" far too long.

VERRRY DISAPPOINTING. hEY, abb.

Well, whoever you are, you won't be voting for KERRY anyway.

On Edit: It is AMAZING how the MOST LIBERAL member of the Senate just CAN'T BE Liberal enough and is smeared as "Repuke LITE". (I'll be hitting Alert sometime tonight.)

John Kerry the most liberal? Hardly. Check the voting records and check out what Senator Byrd and others have said and done on issues like the war in Iraq and Patriot Act. Compare their thoughts and deeds to those of Kerry and tell me who is the most liberal and consistent opponent of the Iraq war and defender off our civil liberties.

Will you also be hitting alert if someone criticizes Joseph Leiberman? He is Republican lite .... don't you agree?

don't make for "Repuke Lite". If you call JK "Repuke Lite" I don't know of ANY Dem that would meet your standards for who-knows-WHAT.

It's up to the Mods.

Did you know that? Do you know ANYTHING about Byrd? He is not in a million lightyears more liberal than John Kerry. He voted for partial birth abortion, bankruptcy bill, doma, energy bill, against CAFE standards, sexual orientation discrimination, expanding hate crimes definitions, and even aids research. He's a good Democrat on alot of issues, but to think he's more liberal than Kerry is just ludicrous.

..to those like you. Two issues...

But I think it is you who needs to check Kerry's senate voting record on his liberalness.

Kerry's voting record is generally liberal, similar to that of his more senior colleague, Edward Kennedy. Americans for Democratic Action, a liberal political group, gave Kerry an 85 percent rating in 2002 and a 95 percent rating in 2001. Kennedy, by comparison, got 100 percent in both years.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/candidates/kerry.ht ...

The same group gave Kerry a 93% lifetime rating, Ted Kennedy got 88%

Don't let the facts stand in your way...

...pass after pass for the last three years. If that's the way a liberal democrat behaves, then who the hell needs republicans?

Yes I did. From that and Kerry statements and actions regarding the Iraq invasion and occupation.

Isn't it obvious to you that Kerry cannot campaign as the anti-war anti-Bush candidate if he trys to outBush Bush? That's my read on it and it seems other folks here think the same thing.

I'm all for solidarity against the occupation of Iraq and solidarity with our troops by demanding they be brought home now.

Can't we all unite behind that and can't John Kerry help us to achieve a united movement of solidarity in support of bringing our troops home from Iraq?

Kerry can defeat Bush easily in this election .... it would be a landslide and I think that you understand how that can be done.

I just don't think he will do it. I hope I'm wrong ..... so go alert me if you can't stand democratic debate and discussion here.

if certain people vote AGAINST him.

and there are posters here on DU who want to goad fellow DU'ers into attacking Kerry.

Oh. We certainly don't want John Kerry attacking George Bush. Heaven forbid! Someone might think he is running for President against Bush! Since we shouldn't "go negative" do you think Kerry should "go positive" on Bush or remain in "neutral"?

Hope Kerry takes it real easy on Bush in any debates! Guess we should leave it up to Ralph Nader to challenge George Bush.

Kerry can easily win the election by a landslide. He just needs to do one thing and do it soon!

Kerry Says He Would Demand Accountability

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20040506/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_prisoner_abuse

Kerry Hits Bush's Commander-In-Chief Performance

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&ncid=696&e=1&u=/nm/20040506/pl_nm/campaign_kerry_dc

Kerry: Peace Corps Can Help Heal Iraqi Abuse Damage

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&ncid=696&e=5&u=/nm/20040508/us_nm/campaign_kerry_dc

A Kerry message starts to break through

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/05/09/a_kerry_message_starts_to_break_through?pg=full

But he is failing to challenge the occupation of Iraq. And that is the real issue. The question isn't how to more effectively manage or run the occupation .... the question is the occupation itself.

John Kerry does not come across as the anti-war candidate who wants to bring our troops home. Not one bit. Why is that? Because he does not honestly stand for that and favors staying the course in Iraq. That's what he has said. I believe him. And that will make it possible for George Bush to win the election.

George bush - wants it all to himself, British Petroleum, and Halliburton.

JK wants to truly internationalize the transition and get out ASAP. He has already said on MTP that US may have to live w a theocracy rather than "Jeffersonian Democracy" This is far from Bush position.

Can we leave tomorrow as you are suggesting? . . .NO! Bush destroyed Iraq's infrastructure etc; we have to fix what we destroyed.


ON edit. . .add some stuff I forgot

...for continuing the PNAC agenda in the ME. WMD? Passe. Liberation? The Iraqis aren't buying that one. Preventing terrorism. Right.

But we have to continue the occupation so we can "fix" Iraq....

When your child breaks something in a department store, you are responsible for it. It doesn't matter that you told the child to not go into the store. The child did. The child broke something. And you have to buy it.

I thought you couldn't be manipulated by the media!?!?!?

To me this piece has Karl Rove fingerprints all over it. . .divide and conquer baby!

ON EDIT: clarify title, clarify body

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=542151

with many colorful epithets for the "reporting" of these "reporters"

Politically speaking , of course.

I really don't understand the political "logic" here. This is the best possible time! The Bush government is between a rock and a hard place now on Iraq. People's minds are opening!

That they would vote for someone that could be portrayed as weak on defense. Not politically realistic, in my opinion, at this time in our history. Why should yourself in the foot if you don't have to???

Too many in each state to secede but a Revolt is likely.
Will someone please pass the tea?

Weak on "defense" or strong on "offense"?

He's been quite clear on where he stands. I'm sure you'd like to see Kerry call Bush a war criminal, but Kerry is interested in being President of country that can be united after he's elected. He's doing a great job of positioning himself to be the statesman as compared to Dimson's obvious incompetence in both domestic and foreign affairs.

Relax, Kerry is doing exactly what he needs to get elected and still be able to build a consensus to make the necessary political changes in the next Congress.

"I'm sure you'd like to see Kerry call Bush a war criminal"

No I wouldn't. That would be stupid.

I would just like to see him identify with the GI's and their loved ones by saying he will bring all of our soldiers home from Iraq if he is elected President. That's what the GI's want. That's what their families want. That's what most American people want. That's what most posters on DU want.

Do you really think that is "out of the mainstream" and far too radical? I don't. The alternative is for Kerry to maintain his position in support of the continued occupation of Iraq.

doing. He's been critical of the policies while respecting the men and women who are tasked with fighting in this unwinnable war. He knows that this will be the millstone that sinks Bush, but he won't give the RNC ammunition to make his opinion the distraction Bush would like to shift the focus away from his failing policy.

So it really boils down to the level of rhetoric that Kerry is using. Personally, I think he's made his position clear to anyone who wants to read and understand it. And I fully expect that he'll escalate his criticism as the campaign moves forward.

...anything to hang John Kerry with.

I'm through trying to reason with such people.

The logic displayed in some of these anti-Kerry posts astounds me.

He is just distinguishing himself from the YELLOW-BELLY COWARD who hid away in the TANG and the other coward chickenhawk repugs. That's all. Kerry is not trying to be viewed as a hawk. He doesn't have to primp himself up like chickenshit Bush.

That is right even the CNN corporate whore web:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/05/06/kerry.abuse/index.html

Just no one is listening. I guess not even my fellow Dems.

He did this before he waited for the Repuke self-destruct and then began bashing Bush on the war when things got hot.

That is what he does all the time.

Calm down people. The fire is there but everyone has put the wet clothes over their eyes.

+

That's what real leaders do when they CARE about the regular guy stuck in the actual arena.