Kerry Plans His Own Photo Op aboard an Aircraft Carrier

From CBS News' Washington Wrap. Although I'm a Dean supporter, I thought this was a pretty cool move on the part of Sen. Kerry.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/02/26/politics/main502099.shtml

As President Bush wraps up a combination policy/$2 million fund-raising trip and heads back to Crawford, one Democratic candidate plans to use a famous photo op against him.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is trading Charlestown, Mass., for Charleston, S.C. for his campaign kickoff announcement in a week and a half. He’s decided to pass on using the USS Constitution in Massachusetts as a backdrop and instead will use the aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown, in South Carolina, reports the Boston Globe.

"I have worked with aircraft carriers for real," the Navy veteran Kerry said, mocking the president's photo-op landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln.

go Kerry!

(from a Dean supporter)

If he could land on there with a jet, it'd be perfect!

I especially like this line ""I have worked with aircraft carriers for real," Absolutely classic!!!:D

From a Clark supporter, KUDO's to Sen. Kerry.

But I cannot resist. . .who needs an aircraft carrier?

http://www.esquire.com/features/articles/2003/030801_mfe_clark_7.html

Excerpt:

"In August 1995, the general—three stars, working as J-5 for the Joint Chiefs—went to Bosnia as part of the negotiating team Ambassador Richard Holbrooke had put together to end the civil war that had resulted in the massacre of as many as eight thousand Muslim men and boys at the town of Srebrenica the month before. In Belgrade, Clark had met for the first time Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic, who was sponsoring the Bosnian Serbs. Now the team had to travel to Sarajevo. Told that the airport in Sarajevo was too dangerous to fly into, the team decided to drive and asked Milosevic to guarantee its safety on a road held by Bosnian Serbs. Milosevic did not, and so the team wound up taking a fortified Humvee and an armored personnel carrier on a pitched, narrow, winding mountain road notoriously vulnerable to Serb machine-gun fire. Clark and Holbrooke went in the Humvee, the rest in the APC. In his book, the general describes what happened this way: "At the end of the first week we had a tragic accident on Mount Igman, near Sarajevo. were killed when the French armored personnel carrier in which they were riding broke through the shoulder of the road and tumbled several hundred meters down a steep hillside.

It is not until one reads Holbrooke's book, To End a War, that one finds out that after the APC went off the road, Clark grabbed a rope, anchored it to a tree stump, and rappelled down the mountainside after it, despite the gunfire that the explosion of the APC set off, despite the warnings that the mountainside was heavily mined, despite the rain and the mud, and despite Holbrooke yelling that he couldn't go. It is not until one brings the incident up to the general that one finds out that the burning APC had turned into a kiln, and that Clark stayed with it and aided in the extraction of the bodies; it is not until one meets Wesley Clark that one understands the degree to which he held Milosevic accountable."

…
The possibility of killing innocent civilians haunted Kerry. With many of the South Vietnamese waterways in ''free fire zones'' - meaning that the US Navy was authorized to shoot anyone who was violating a curfew - the likelihood that innocent villagers could be killed was high.

Kerry said he was appalled that the Navy's ''free fire zone'' policy put civilians at such high risk. So, on Jan. 22, 1969, Kerry and several dozen fellow skippers and officers traveled to Saigon to complain about the policy in an extraordinary meeting with Zumwalt and the overall commander of the war, General Creighton W. Abrams Jr.

Within days of the Saigon meeting, he joined a five-man crew on swift boat No. 94 on a series of missions in which he won the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and two of his three Purple Hearts. Starting in late January 1969, this crew completed 18 missions over an intense and dangerous 48 days, almost all of them in the dense jungles of the Mekong Delta.

The most intense action came during an extraordinary eight days of more than 10 firefights, remembered by Kerry's crew as the "days of hell."
…
http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061603.shtml

quit giving him credence!

Please advise.

Kerry is mocking him.

I swear this idea was suggested here at DU, I'm so glad he's doing this.

I hope he has a banner "Mission not accomplished."

from the ?W galleries. link below!

They need to do something to energize their campaign and this might just be the trick. It is bound to get a lot of national attention. Also, that chance of a Nader sign showing up is slim.

Also, moving it to South Carolina will give him a lot of press in state.

It's beginning to get fun. Can Kerry fight back the Dean team? I think the full fight starts on the aircraft carrier.

Just smack * to the deck.

just look thru this thread - Kerry is a smart warrior.

I hope it plays well with the rest of America, but I think it's just stupid. It's just a childish game of one upmanship.

I would have much preferred the historic USS Constitution which would have been a wonderful opportunity to remind America of New England's Patriotic history and help squash some of that northern liberal bullshit.

Whatever. I hope I'm wrong and it comes off better than it sounds on paper.

Rove probably caught wind of it and tried to one up Kerry in their own pathetic little way. That rush to get their photo op will certainly backfire on Bush BIGTIME.

Will he be wearing a flight suit like his mentor? Or just do the "support our troops" tapdance while waving the flag.

Pathetic.

Kerry is mocking Bush, not emulating him.

But, I guess we're supposed to overlook that. After all, it only cost a few thousand Iraqi non-voter lives.

was my first reaction.

And the kneejerk boys get the juices going about their tough soldier boy act trying to outdick smirk while our kids are dying in the desert heat.

What an idiotic asshole.

And in SC. That means there are enough decisionmakers in the military who aren't stumping for Bush.

Going after Bush in SOUTH CAROLINA. That's brilliant.

anything to do with this. Though I bet the Navy would accomodate one of their own if possible.

http://www.state.sc.us/patpt/

Located on historic Charleston Harbor, Patriots Point is home to USS YORKTOWN (CV-10), the Fighting Lady. The first USS YORKTOWN (CV-5) sank at the battle of Midway on June 7, 1942. Onboard the decks of this famous World War II aircraft carrier, you can relive a momentous time in America's history. The Fighting Lady contains all the evidence of her past; one can see, touch, feel and smell the past, where young Americans fought and died to turn the fortunes of war in the Pacific.

http://www.state.sc.us/patpt/york1.htm

Commissioned on April 15, 1943, "The Fighting Lady" was named for USS YORKTOWN (CV-5), sunk at Midway. She played a leading part in the war in the Pacific, receiving a Presidential Unit Citation and 11 battle stars for her service in World War II. Naval aircraft launched from her flight deck helped sink the largest battleship ever built, the Imperial Japanese Navy's Yamato. Converted for jet use by the addition of an angled flight deck in 1955, she served as an anti-submarine carrier in Vietnam.

Before she was decommissioned in 1970, YORKTOWN also played a historic role in the space program, recovering the crew of Apollo 8, the first manned mission to orbit the moon in 1968. Click here for the detailed story.

Yorktown in Hawaii 1968.

Kerry continues to pander to the military and is trying to win right wing votes. Maybe he and his pal duh-duhbya can sing a duet of "God Bless America" while dressed in matching flightsuits.

Kerry has no shame.

Get current. Kerry is planning some SMART cuts in the military budget.

It won't play well in Peoria. It's a lead ballon. It is the epitome of "Bush-lite." Don't let him do it.

They are taking back the word patriotism. They will expose Bush as the FRAUD that he is.

It's bigger than Kerry. It's Bush and the GOPs stranglehold on the military and defense issues being BROKEN...permanently. The veterans aren't stopping with this announcement. They are in it for the ENTIRE campaign till Bush is OUT.

.

Perhaps ambition? Cynicism? Opportunism? Self-deception? A long list of possibilities none of which have anything to do with honesty or integrity.

Did y'all notice this:

"The Sun-Times also reports that Moseley-Braun will receive her first endorsements next week from two women’s groups: the National Organization for Women and the National Women’s Political Caucus."

So, NOW is endorsing Moseley-Braun? How idiotic. She doesn't have a chance in hell of winning. Why would they do that? Just because she's a woman? I thought the point of the feminist movement was to establish equality between men and women. Which would mean not relexively selecting someone for a job just because of that person's gender.

. . .by backing Braun, even though she has not shot of winning, NOW sends a message to the rest of the candidates that they will not be taken for granted. It would be wise of the NAACP to back either Braun or Sharpton as well. Its only symbolic but the right people get the message.

I'll bet you all the money in my pocket they will be endorsing her for her record on women's rights issues, and not for just being a woman.

Do you think her record on women's issues is substantively different from that of the other candidates, save perhaps Gephardt and Kucinich, who have at times in their careers opposed a woman's right to choose?

So yes, no matter how hard a man tries, he doesn't know what it's like.

It would be really nice if one day we had 50% representation in our government. I can dream, can't I?

Men, put the shoe on the other foot - say you wake up tomorrow and all prior presidents had been women, and 90% of the government representatives were women. Men could not realistically even run for president. And you had this little men's organization that, after a long history of men not being able to vote or own property or control their own bodies, had been set up. Along comes a male candidate who supports their ideas. Maybe you'd want them to throw the man some support, eh?

Good work! But Kerry is still unlikely to win my primary endorsement.

Kerry's campaign is officially over.}(

I like Kerry, but if he does this.....goodbye nomination.

I hope the dumbya AWOL story gets out too.

Probably has an old army tank he could lend him, if they don't let him land on the carrier. hehehehe

he he he

He could end up putting someone's eye out with the thing.

And Kerry will be ridiculed by the pundits.

Stupid like the damn flag one-upmanship is getting to be.

Love to see a candidate with the balls to appear with one simple flag.

To commments of being nasty and trying to embarrass the President, but I do hope it works better than it sounds to me.

Kerry's idea to give a speech from a carrier is good in that it will provide more opportunities for him and other Democrats to talk about Bush's pathetic and questionable military record. And that's a good thing!

Will he actually take it? No chance in hell.

Kerry Knieval

That way, he will have literally and figuratively jumped the shark.

:evilgrin:

The USS Yorktown is one of the most famous ships in American
history, with the first captain JJ Jocko Clark, to its service
in Korea and Vietnam, it is truly a monument to all of those brave
people.


JOHN KERRY PRESIDENT 2004

Good location too -- South Carolina.

Somebody talk some sense into this guy.

People who see the Lincoln incident as anything but pathetic posturing need to be berated at close range. This is well in keeping with the appeasement of the forces of darkness.

If you're going to do it on an antique like a WW-2 Essex class carrier, why doesn't he just go to Charlestown and do it on the U.S.S. Constitution?

Maybe he can get that little beanie helmet from Dukakis so he can look truly silly. Yes, he's a war hero, and a REAL one at that, but this is like some kind of Frat-boy drinking contest.

Aaaaaaaah!

I first learned of it on Hardball. After Tweety's segment on it, in which he showed footage of Kerry saying "landing on an aircraft-carrier does not end a war" (paraphrased closely) and then reported Kerry's announcement plans with the end comment of "nice consistency Senator". At first I thought the usual "Matthews you're an asshole" but then, after another look I realized, thanks to him, exactly what the reich-wing press will do with it.

It looks like an attempt to imitate, regardless of when this was originally planned. If anyone thinks this will spot-light the Simian's AWOL story, and make some sort of difference, I think they are mistaken. The masses seem impervious to that bothersome fact.

I think it is a very, very bad idea.

Julie

Kerry using ship in campaign kickoff

Democratic contender
had criticized Bush landing
on Lincoln

Aug. 22 — Democratic presidential contender Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts will make the formal announcement of his candidacy on Sept. 2 in front of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in Charleston, S.C., news that quickly drew scorn from rival Democratic presidential campaigns. Kerry and other Democrats criticized President Bush for using an aircraft carrier as the venue for declaring an end to major combat operations in Iraq on May 1.

KERRY ATTACKED Bush for landing on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, an event that was broadcast live on cable television news channels and which was filmed for use by the Bush campaign in TV ads.

On July 16 in a speech to firefighters in the Bronx, N.Y.,
Kerry declared, “Words, no matter how tough, are not enough. A flight to an aircraft carrier, no matter how well staged, does not end a war.”

Dag Vega, a spokesman for the Kerry campaign, confirmed a Boston Globe story that first reported Friday that Kerry would use the carrier USS Yorktown as the backdrop for his formal announcement.

more....................

http://www.msnbc.com/news/955969.asp

again and again and again. Oy!! They are going to do a Dukakis on him free of charge to the GOP. Nothing like handing it to 'em on a silver platter.....

Julie

Veterans for Kerry are going to make sure that this country learns about Bush and his ACTUAL record of service and his ACTUAL treatment of the military and its veterans.

Then again, will it change the mind of any swing voters? The reality is that on the superficial level, it looks like an attempt to outdo the commander-in-chief with some outdated naval vessel that's even older than Kerry himself. There's nothing clunkier than low-budget action pictures...

To the vast sweep of society, the facile is all that'll be seen, and that facile message is: "I'm a lame-o copycat".

If it stimulates discussion about and debunking of the reality of Junior's swaggering adventurism, then fine, but remember this with national politics: follow your instinct. My gut tells me this is silly.

This is the big FUCK YOU to Bush and the GOP chickenhawks who went after both McCain and Cleland. Why else would he do this in SC and Georgia, two big military states? They are going after Bush on his perceived strengths. Don't assume that the vets are going to drop the ball on this. They are going around the country, into every state and VFW hall and vet organization to tell the truth about Bush and his fraudulence.

I always wanted the dems who served to be more upfront about it so this would be a good thing - but can't our guys be a bit more creative?

So let's put it this way...

I dislike Kerry even more now after reading this....

And lets drop it at that.

I don't know who is advising Kerry on his campaign, but Kerry should can his or her ass for this idiotic suggestion. Using the military as props for politicians is wearing very thin. Do we need to be reminded of Susan Estrich's brilliant idea of having her candidate, Michael Dukakis, ride atop an M1 Abrams tank while wearing a helmet 2 sizes too large?

Between Bubba and the wonk
Thursday, July 01, 1999
By Brian O'Neill

First, the diminutive Dukakis rode in a tank while wearing a dorky helmet. How this came about, few can recall, but he looked like a boy who had been pulled reluctantly from his piano lesson so he could pose with a tough friend's toy. He did not look like anyone's commander in chief.

George Bush ran that image in commercials until Republicans were laughing so hard they had to change pants.

http://www.post-gazette.com/columnists/19990701brian.asp

W is the Dukakis now.

W is the one who looks silly.

Kerry is the true veteran. The veterans respect Kerry. Even a hardcore military man, ex-POW and Republican like John McCain likes Kerry.

Take the fight directly to Bush. Show him what a true patriot looks like.

Kerry may have come from wealth and privilege but (unlike Bush) he CHOSE the correct path in life.

His service in Vietnam not only gives him credibility on national security, it shows that Kerry put his life on the line in a poor man's war. Kerry was willing to die next to all of the poor souls who didn't have the privilege he had. Not only that, Kerry opposed the same war. He was out there on all fronts looking out for the common man, which is what Kerry's entire career has been about, IMO.

For all the reasons stated above. This will summarily end his campaign.

I've toured that carrier before. Five hours away...hmmmm. Tuesday?! Well, I suppose it would have to be during the weekday newscycle (can I get away from work?). September?! Let's hope that no Saudis (Saudis, not Iraqis) upstage him.
________________________________________

Dear friends in Georgia,

John Kerry is coming to South Carolina to set forth his vision for America, and he would like you to be there. The Kerry announcement tour hits Charleston on September 2nd with a rally at Patriot's Point. Our own Max Cleland will be introducing Kerry as he makes this historic announcement.

We hope to see you there!

When:
Tuesday, September 2, 2003, 9:00 am

Where:
Patriot's Point, Mt. Pleasant, in front of the USS Yorktown

#1 brings up shrubs AWOL record

#2 reminds the ADD public that kids died for a photo op

#3 reminds that same public these criminals never did have a plan or a clue

If it puts these facts in peoples faces again, rock on, John.

I think its risky, but the potential payoff is huge.

And, let's face it, folks...the Dems have to do something to get covered by the media because the media is not covering them. I had suggested they stand naked on the steps of the Capitol and sing the Star Spangled Banner......and they may soon have to. I don't think the repukes would be wise to start poking fun because every time they open their trap they risk the words AWOL, AWOL, AWOL being thrown at them and they don't want that ringing across the land. And, I'm sure these repukes know that GI Joe/Jane and their families are starting to turn against the liar who is putting them in harms way. It's a great backdrop to talk about the direction of this country----what would you prefer?--one of those idiot screens they put behind Bush with stupid slogans on it??

He isn't going to be "limoed" onto it like a newborn baby...chimp.

This is a total Slap at Bush and DUers should view it as aggressive. Isn't that one of the things they've been calling for Dems to do?

If he uses it to attack W, that will be good. If he uses it to bash other candidates or the left in general, I will be pissed off. This visit seems risky, but candidates are supposed to take risks. But DUers don't need to be told what is or isn't agressive. We'll be able to judge the nature of this when we see it.