Kerry Rings True On Southern Values of Honor, Duty, and Service

This is the sound of Kerry hitting all the right notes.

John Kerry Responds To Draft Dodging GOP

We were part of a special band of brothers in the U.S. Senate, Max Cleland, Bob Kerrey at one point, John McCain, Chuck Hagel, Chuck Robb, myself, and I'll tell you seriously that those of you who have served in the military, in particular those of you who've been in combat that share this sentiment with me, it's as close as men who don't throw the word around easily can get to loving another man in the most connected, personal, and extraordinary way.

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Five months ago here in Georgia, Max Cleland's position on national security, known to all his colleagues, was deliberately distorted, and that was particularly outrageous given the kind of sacrifice and service that he has given this country. There is something very wrong in America when a hero like Max Cleland who has made his contribution is subjected to the worst in American politics.

He ought to be in the U.S. Senate today. And let me tell you, every day in the course of my race for the presidency of the United States I will be motivated -- and I ask you to help me be motivated -- to hold them accountable for what they did to Max Cleland.

I think that Max who served with me and many who have served share with me this belief: I don't need any lessons in patriotism or caring about America from the likes of Tom DeLay and the right wing, whose motivations can be questioned ...

Tom DeLay, hear me loud and clear: I speak out for America, not for politics, and as long as I have air in my lungs I will continue to speak my mind ...

Here in the South -- perhaps more than in any other part of this nation -- service, patriotism, and duty aren't buzzwords. They're a way of life. I believe we need national leadership that sees service that same way -- not as a slogan and rhetoric, but as a cause and a commitment.

Nothing flies in the face of the values of duty and service more than what this administration is doing when it comes to fulfilling our obligation to our troops, our veterans, and their families. We can do better -- and our soldiers deserve no less.

Just as we wouldn't think of sending our military into battle without the uniforms and equipment they need, we shouldn't neglect to care for our troops and their families before, during, and after the war. Yet, 20 percent of our Reservists and their families don't have healthcare coverage.

Yet, two months ago, this administration announced it would suspend enrollment in the healthcare system of at least 160,000 qualified veterans. And now they want to deny another 230,000 veterans the healthcare they deserve.

And I say to Tom DeLay, one thing I know about America is that in the face of war there are things more important than cutting taxes and it is wrong to reward the wealthiest Americans before we fulfill our solemn obligations to those that have served.

Tonight, our thoughts are with all the prisoners and all the families of those held, lost, or fighting -- let us go home and say a prayer that he and all the troops are safe at home soon. But we need to do more than think and pray -- we need to vow that they'll come home to an America that keeps its promise to them, not one that turns its back on those who served.

And let's make sure they come home to an America that is moving forward -- where Democrats are fighting for them and for what's right.

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http://bushalert.com/news/95/

As a follow up, check out "One-year gap in Bush's National Guard duty."

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/campaign2000/news/One_year_gap_in_Bush_s_Guard_duty+.shtml

One connection they do not follow: during his "service," Bush repeatedly refused to take a drug test. One the same note, Bush refuses to answer questions about cocaine charges. Hmmm...

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Kerry is going to announce his official candidacy in front of an aircraft carrier. What kind of bombs do you think he might drop? If he talks about honor, duty, and sacrifice, then starts dropping words like "chickenhawk," "AWOL," "Cocaine," "Harken," "Halliburton," and "other priorities," there is going to be a media firestorm.

Kerry should take this attack to the southern states in support of him.

Dean gets the nomination...We get four more years of idiotboy!

Thats what every poll Deanling with electability states. That nominating Dean is the same thing as electing Bush for another 4 years,and then ensuring his brother another eight years.


No matter what the poll, no matter how many people are polled, even if the poll puts Dean ahead of Kerry, or Gephardt, if the question is asked, who do you think has the best chance of beating Bush, no matter what, Dean has the least chance of beating Bush. In the latest polls in New Hampshire, when this question is asked, ony 17 percent of New Hampshire Democrats beleive that Dean can beat Bush.

The problem is that among independents in New Hampshire, when given the choice between Bush and Dean, 71 percent of N.H. independents favor Bush.WIth Kerry, the odds are much closer to 50/50.

The Democratic Party will lose in 2004 no matter who they put up. The important thing is to break the hold of the current leadership of the Democratic Party who have driven the party into the ground.

for the Dem party? Let's see...it was Howard Dean wasn't it? Yep...they really put an outsider in charge of that.

Dean was full on with the establishment, and he only fostered this populist discontent shtick of his over the last 7 months.

Who is the DLC supporting today? Today? Yep.

I have an idea, RIF...let's pretend Dean was NOT an establishment DLCer for 11 years. oops, I'm sorry...that's YOUR idea.

that this early in the election cycle this is nothing but name recognition....many people are not even aware of the candidate's stances on issues and it is only natural for the national politicians to get noticed first....and before you start about how close NH is to Vermont....consider that independents are the least informed members of our society on the issues...

that would be another group of polls by the way, that seek to establish just how much a respondent knows...BEFORE YOU ASK WHO THEY SUPPORT...which is something not done in every major poll conducted for US surveys....seems people get pissed off when they can't answer the questions...so they hang up the phones....and it costs more to call more people...so save money and ignore the ignorant....

things could get might toasty for the smirking one. That speech was great. Does either Kerry or Cleland give any credence to the idea that the Georgia voting machines were fixed? After all, Cleland led in the last polls taken before the election. Yet somehow, he lost the election on those shiny new touch screen machines. Hmmm.

chuck hagel won an all Black district in Omaha, Nebraska that he didn't even campaign in! It's just too swamy. There's too many blatant upsets that we are just suppose to sit back and take. :grr:

Mostly heard them talking about what slimeballs the new breed of Republicans are these days for impugning the patriotism a triple-amputee war veteran.

proferred as to why Cleland suddenly "lost" after having a pretty good lead going into the elections.

How dare this pinko oppose Homeland Security after Bush took the time to write it himself, or at least gut a huge chunk of the labor laws governing federal employees...

LOL. I'll see if I can't find the radio program transcript where I heard about this.

I'm not sure if they have that specific clip (I taped the Iraq special, so I can see it whenever I want!), but here is the archives for Stephen Colbert (the name sounds a little, how shall one say, French to me. Nes pas?).

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http://www.comedycentral.com/tv_shows/thedailyshowwithjonstewart/videos_corr.jhtml?p=colbert

Stewart: What should the media’s role be in covering the war?

Colbert: Very simply, the media’s role should be the accurate and objective description of the hellacious ass-whomping we’re handing the Iraqis.

Stewart: Hellacious ass-whomping? Now to me, that sounds pretty subjective.

Colbert: Are you saying it’s not an ass-whomping, Jon? I suppose you could call it an ass-kicking or an ass-handing-to. Unless, of course, you love Hitler.

Stewart : I don’t love Hitler.

Colbert: Spoken like a true Hitler-lover.

Stewart: Look, even some American generals have said that the Iraqis have put up more resistance than they were expected to.

Colbert: First rule of journalism, Jon, is to know your sources. Sounds like these “generals” of yours may be a little light in the combat boots, if you know what I’m saying.

Stewart: I don’t think I know what you’re saying.

Colbert: I’m saying they’re queers, Jon. They’re Hitler-loving queers.

Stewart: I’m perplexed. Is your position that there’s no place for negative words or even thoughts in the media?

Colbert: Not at all, Jon. Doubts can happen to everyone, including me, but as a responsible journalist, I’ve taken my doubts, fears, moral compass, conscience and all-pervading skepticism about the very nature of this war and simply placed them in this empty Altoids box. That’s where they’ll stay, safe and sound, until Iraq is liberated.

Stewart: Isn’t it the media’s responsibility in wartime …

Colbert: That’s my point, Jon! The media has no responsibility in wartime. The government’s on top of it. The media can sit this one out.

Stewart: And do what?

Colbert: Everything it’s always wanted to do but had no time for: travel, see the world, write that novel. I know the media has always wanted to try yoga. This is a great time to take it up. It’s very stressful out there – huge war going on. Jon, hear me out, it was Thomas Jefferson who said, “Everyone imposes his own system as far as his army can reach.”

Stewart: Stephen, Stalin said that. That was Stalin. Jefferson said he’d rather have a free press and no government than a government and no free press.

Colbert: Well, what do you expect from a slave-banging, Hitler-loving queer?

Your sense of humor reminds me alot of Sedaris. I was just reminded of him when I remembered that his sister co-wrote (and starred in) Wigfield with Colbert.

If you haven't read him, you are very lucky. Because his books are freakin' hi-larious.

I'm a Dean supporter now, but I can easily switch to the Kerry bandwagon if he gets the nomination.

Let's all pile on Bush any chance we get and let the best person win our primary. We all have one common goal here at the end of the day.

I will be proud to help Kerry unseat Bush if I have the chance.

I can say that if Kerry is nominated he will have my wholehearted support. I respect both men and either can defeat George W. Bush.

Kerry's not my top pick right now, but that's a damn fine speech and it's exactly the kind of message we need to shouting from the rooftops regardless of who the candidate ends up being.

but, few noticed. They prefer to believe that Kerry sits quietly by. The media won't promote what Kerry says because it HURTS their masters too much.

Kerry's been fighting Bush and co and I think just because of his war vote many put him off and thats a shame because hes been doing this for a while, and Dean no offense to his supporters just literally comes out of no where claiming to be the heir representive to Wellstone's democratic wing, Kerry and Kucinich more so belong to that wing than Dean. I really hate being critical of Dean, but its like he literally came out of nowhere to be the anti Bush, when in fact in the past as governor on some things him and Bush were simliar, not social issues folks but economic and while I disagree with Kerry's patriot act vote, I think Dean would have voted for it, and yet some Deannies put Kucinich off, yet dont acknowledge he actually voted against the war, spoke at anti war rallies, and most important of all voted against the patriot act and will be trying to repeal it soon. Kerry is no Paul Wellstone but he is a great guy who would make a fine president.

Anyone could have claimed the mantle of "anti-bush" well before now and run with it. And had a lot of people following along.

And I also think that is part of Dean's message. Don't cry about how Dean is the anti-Bush like it's not fair. Be the anti-Bush yourself!! That's one of his criticisms, fair or not, about some of the other candidates.

To beat Bush, to provide alternate leadership, you've got to actually oppose him. Fearlessly. Consistently. Constantly.


Let go. Be the Anti-Bush. Let it flow through you.

No, not Jeb.

Dean is more like an evil twin brother to Bush than his opposite. They both tap into same strain of political populism. I'm sure Dean gets darn good intelligence, too. Probably the major difference is Dean has a wicked sense of irony (from being a doctor, my guess). Bush wouldn't know irony if it bit him in the ass.

:)

Well Dean well I share his frustration, I am just as frustrated as you all are, but I want something I havent seen before in my life, and something inspiring, Dean well he is likable for some, just doesnt have the brilliant ideas Kucinich has, I wont vote green if DK doesnt get the nod but I just think Dean isnt the hero some of us make him out to be, keep in mind and I dont wanna be an asshole but I know most Dean supporters would support Wellstone if he were in the race. I dont hate Dean but I dont find him the best in the race.

look, we could talk about how crummy the media is all day. They won't give most Democrats a fair shake. But the media has its handles and pushbuttons too, and they can be made to sit up and jump a bit if they are handled correctly.

When someone says that Kerry seems like he is quiet (well, honestly I don't know what other people are thinking - let me start again).

When I say that Kerry seems quiet on an issue, it doesn't mean I don't think he is on the right side of the issue, that I think he isn't sharing his opinions with people. It's that he is not playing the media and effectively getting his word out.

When Kerry lowers the boom or whatever it is he's got planned, I'll be clapping and cheering for him - the harder he nails Smirky to the wall, the better. If he starts really testifyin' and getting the media to dance to his tune, it will be a great day for all Americans.

I'm waiting for that. Bring it on, Kerry!

I would be proud to support Kerry in the general election. As Democrats, however, we cannot blame our lack of work ethic on the big meanie republicans, corporations, the "stupidity" of the voters we represent, the media, et cetera. That is a path to loserdom.

While the corporate media also has it out for Dean, the doctor turned weakness into strength. If a guy who started with 150K and 7 staffers can make some waves, a career Washington Senator can do it too.

he wants the American people to focus on what he has to say. He has determined that their focus will sharpen come September.

He has done quite well for remaining lowkey. Don't disregard what Carville said about Kerry that when he speaks out he does so the most substantively and it hurts Bush the most.

You think Dean's strategy of attacking Dems because the media LIKES it whenever they can pile on Dems is a good one?

Dean and the media are doing Rove's work. And now Lieberman is helping.

on what they had to say too. The American people don't focus too well.

It's simplicity itself. And, while Kerry will never "take" the South, it just might him win him a few blue states.

Kerry will be helped enormously by Clark or Graham as his VP. It will complete the narrative of Kerry as the man with gravitas up the wazoo.

story out there? we all know it is true, but the media has hushed it up. If he actually started banging on that drum, it would be awesome, but he would have to repeat it and repeat it and get nasty. It would make my day, but I don't think Kerry could really get down and dirty like that.

I'm not even sure Dean would have the guts (fighting spirit? nastiness?) to really wake this country up about what a deserter this guy is.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (news, bio, voting record) had a tough night with a hoarse voice. He has generated a lot of interest from SEIU and another large, powerful union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and is the likely candidate to deny Gephardt the AFL-CIO prize.

He told the union officials and other Democrats why he thinks he has the best chance to beat Bush.

"I cannot wait to stand up and remind him that having a skilled Navy pilot land you on an aircraft carrier in a borrowed suit does not make up for losing 3 million jobs," said Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran.

-Obviously, he wasn't very explicit, but I suspect this fall it will look more like this:

Senator John Kerry, a decorated Navy veteran of Vietnam, said Bush should be scrutinized because he ends every speech by raising his hand, taking a mock oath of office, and pledging to restore honor and integrity to the White House. ''How is it that someone who's supposedly serving on active duty, having supposedly taken that oath, can miss a whole year of service without explaining where it went?'' Kerry asked the crowd.

http://democrats.com/display.cfm?id=132

but still too polite for the average American to get fired up about (imho).

Remember when the GOP was trying to beat Clinton by calling him a draft-dodging, pot-smoking, commie-loving adulterer?

Kerry should try these phrases on for size:

"Bush went AWOL and deserted his post for a year!"

"Some instances of deserting your post like Bush did during wartime are punishable with prison!"

"Bush dodged the draft, then skipped out on his commitment to this country!"

"Bush was an admitted alcoholic until he was 40, and left his post in the TANG because he wouldn't take a drug test!"

Who cares if we can't prove them true? Let Dubya PROVE they aren't true. He and his campaign deserve nothing less.

Like I said, referring to it slyly and asking "questions" about it are not really going to do the trick if he takes that tactic. Too many Bush supporters will just ignore it. Again, I think he takes it for granted that many people already know or feel or assume what a scum Bush is. He has to take the evidence right to their faces and make them see it.

I'm not sure who has the guts to really go that route, but Kerry shouldn't pussyfoot around about it if he decides to.

You think Kerry has learned nothing over the years?

You think all of a sudden he shies away from gunfire? Thugs from the CIA? Corporate thugs? He's handled them all.

He's running HIS race, not Dean's, not yours. He's running to win and he WILL win.

Keep in mind that when Kerry was gunning for VP in 2000, he attacked Bush bitterly on his 1) AWOL (Gore and McCain served), 2) Cocaine charges (Bush attacked Gore for pot use), 3) Harken (the story no one wanted to cover).

And Kerry already has experience duking it out on a Presidential level from 1996. Joe Klein describes the battle this way:

The 1996 Senate campaign between John Kerry and William Weld was the rarest of events in latter-day American politics: a civil, closely contested, intelligent, and wildly entertaining brawl. "Both candidates were incredibly popular," the Kerry consultant John Marttila said. "Both had sixty-per-cent favorable ratings, and negatives in the twenties. And they maintained their popularity throughout the race."

Both were Brahmins, but Weld, with a shock of strawberry hair and irony to burn, seemed an honorary Hibernian-once again, Kerry was faced with an opponent bound to be favored by the reportorial romantics at the Boston Globe. "We were both comers," recalls Weld, who had just been reelected governor, with seventy-one per cent of the vote. "We were both at the height of our powers. If I'd won that race, I was going to turn straight around and run for President in 2000. I think he was, too-although I guess he eventually decided that Gore had too big a head start."

The campaign began with a remarkable agreement to limit campaign spending, negotiated face to face by the two candidates in Kerry's Beacon Hill mansion. They also agreed to a series of eight debates, some of which would be Lincoln-Douglas style, with the two candidates questioning each other directly, without a mediator.

The last four debates were fabulous political theatre-two very smart men having at each other. "John's at his best under pressure, when he's being seriously challenged," Paul Nace, an old Navy friend, says. "He gets really cool, very calm. He really is a warrior-he just loves it. I took one look at him as he was walking into Faneuil Hall for one of the last debates and I thought, Bill Weld has no idea what's about to hit him."

Weld-who calls the debates a "bloody draw"-says that Kerry successfully attached him to the national Republican Party. (Weld had said some embarrassingly positive things about Newt Gingrich two years earlier.) "The turning point came when he asked me if I'd vote to keep Jesse Helms as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That was a killer."

I asked Weld how he responded. "I ducked it, of course," he said, with a smile. "I mean, I hated Jesse Helms. But what could I do?"

Kerry won the election by eight percentage points. "John has always been underestimated politically," Marttila says. "But that race had the quality and intensity of a Presidential campaign, and he won. I don't see how they can underestimate him anymore, but they probably will."

http://www.johnkerry.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6197&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=-1

Leave it to Teresa to get to the point. I love a woman that speaks her mind.

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She's a great spokesman (sic) for the total moral collapse of the Grand Ole Party.

a woman or minority

Powerful stuff from Max on Moyers:

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http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_cleland.html

WASHINGTON, July 25 (UPI) -- A member of the independent commission set up to investigate the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks has accused the Bush administration of deliberately delaying publication of an earlier congressional inquiry into the attacks.

Former Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., told United Press International that the White House did not want the report made public before launching military action in Iraq. He said the administration feared publication might undermine the administration's case for war, which was based in part on the allegation that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had supported Osama bin Laden -- and the attendant possibility that Iraq might supply al-Qaida with weapons of mass destruction.

"The administration sold the connection (between Iraq and al-Qaida) to scare the pants off the American people and justify the war," said Cleland. "There's no connection, and that's been confirmed by some of bin Laden's terrorist followers ... What you've seen here is the manipulation of intelligence for political ends."

Cleland accused the administration of deliberately delaying the report's release to avoid having its case for war undercut.

"The reason this report was delayed for so long -- deliberately opposed at first, then slow-walked after it was created -- is that the administration wanted to get the war in Iraq in and over ... before (it) came out," he said.

"Had this report come out in January like it should have done, we would have known these things before the war in Iraq, which would not have suited the administration."

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030723-064812-9491r

I have always respected Max Cleland, I remember as a young kid my grandmother bringing what happened to him up. Max really is one of the good guys if he were from a more northern state I think he would still in office and more progressive but he still was a great guy.

it was during this same time period when Max was telling this story all over the media that I heard him interviewed on an NPR show, where they introduced it by saying he had lost the vote because of some group (who didn't show up in the pre-election polls for some reason) suddenly must have come out of nowhere and voted against him.

That struck me as incredibly fishy. But I can't find the interview. Rats.

I am proud to be a member of a party that can filed such fine men and women for the office of president!!! I love watching the debates when all are present....and i'm looking forward to tonight....

Can't wait to see Bush's smoking carcas after the dem candidates get through with him by March!!!!

:evilgrin:

I am also supporting Dean, but I also like some things about Kerry. I'd like to see more of these postings from his supporters and less bashing of Dean.

This man can kick Bush's ass all over America!

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Note: They are also making fun of the disparity between Rumsfeld's old grandma style of talking and the Apocalypse Now reality of being a soldier in an occupying army.

He's been doing this all week and last week. Great stuff.

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I totally forgot he was a freakin' cheerleader!

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Actual picture!

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I thought those were American values, and how old is this thread?
I think it started in 1990

Or you'd realize why I said Southern instead of American. Secondly, I didn't see the point in clogging up the forum with what was an extension of a previous thread.