Does Anyone Actually Like Kerry?

Off Topic
81

RightSideUp,

You have just tossed out a bunch of innuendo! Not only have you not proven any particular point-You have not even mentioned one fact! (And I am not much smarter as I am going to take the time to show you where you went wrong-How is that for bored?)

“Gore won in 2000 because there was some funny business at the supreme court level.” Well, that’s nothing that you would hear on a bar stool at 11PM! WOW.

“Bush is not qualified. I have a problem when our system allows an imbecile to lead the country.” I guess graduating from Yale and Harvard-And being a successful two term Governor of Texas is not qualification enough-especially when the liberal media calls you an idiot. Ahh yes.

“He’s slimy, knowing of his broad range connections, family and otherwise.” Wow, would you care to elaborate on Bush’s “slimy connections?” I, and the rest of the forum would love to read about all of them. What exactly are you alluding to? Do you even know?

“Dick Cheney, the man behind the man-more big business.” Do you think we should start drawing our political leaders from the ranks of the "Save the Whales Foundation? He is called the “Vice President.” You see… every President has one…The fact that he was a two term Congressman, a former Chief of Staff (Ford administration), and Secretary of Defense (Former Bush administration), has a bit to do with why Bush made this tremendous choice!

And you top your half hearted piece of rheteroic off with a masterpiece: “I don’t mind paying taxes. what the freak is the big deal? I do not need a tax refund-and didn’t get one because I didn’t earn enough.” Ahh, the truth comes out! You feel taxes are no “big deal” because you have not been paying them (or even been alive) for over 25 years. Well, (son) come back and talk to me in 20 years or so. I assure you, if you ever make any money at all (and I hope you do), you will be tired of paying more of it than you should to the federal government (that however is another issue)!

“I am smart enough to know where I can and where I cannot speak and I try not to overstep these boundaries.” To late you overstepped!

Now here is something that we can both agree on, you state:

“I acknowledge my ignorance regarding various particulars.” I wish you had even one “particular.” Just one!

I beg you not to post back to me unless, or until you have at least some idea of what the hell you are talking about! (please).

82

Man, fuck Kerry. He was in Vietnam where he received 3 Purple Hearts for minor injuries (blisters, scrapes, etc.), while most other men had to endure horrible injuries to be granted the Purple Heart. After that, he was given the option to go home and he did it. He pussed out. Now he wants to be the one who is gonna make the decision to send other people to war (if he has the fucking balls). Fuck that. Bush is definitely in my eyes a T-man who doesn’t put up with any shit from anyone. He’s kickin ass and takin names, and I want him to keep doing it for another term.

83

HAHAHAH. That rant reminds me of the line from “So I married an Axe Murderer”

“Why its a widely known fact that the World is run by a group called the Pentaverate. The queen. The vatican. The Getty’s. The Rothschilds. AND Colonel Sanders before he went heads up! Oh, I hated the Colonel with his wee BEADY eyes! and that smug look on his face, 'Oh! You’re gonna buy my chicken, OHHH!”

84

McCain is not the person heading the investigation into failed intelligence. Try again.

Is George Bush not qualified to be president?

Well, he can’t pronounce “NUCLEAR”. Would you accept a president who couldn’t pronounce a common word like “ASK”?

Before he was selected president, Bush had never been to another country, except Mexico.

The guy should be an inspiration to losers everywhere… YOU TOO can become president someday.

85

Lumpy, I thought McCain was the head. Who’s the head?

BTW, Jimmy Carter couldn’t pronounce “nuclear,” and he was a nuclear scientist! And black people tend to say “aks” in place of “ask,” so according to you, they shouldn’t be elected President?

86

Even if Carter couldn’t pronounce “nuclear” hes written 17 books, exactly 17 more than shrub has read.

Positive Kerry traits? He had more than 10 yrs of foreign policy experience in the military & in DC while Bush was still racking up DUIs and supporting Columbian chemistry.
By now Kerry has almost 30 yrs more experience.

Kerry has guts, and saved lives both here through his Vietnam testimony and abroad. This while dubya was shitting his pants at the prospect of going to Vietnam and having daddy arrange his “service”.

Bush a T-man? Now I thought TC had mentioned something along the lines of T-men NOT being those willingly ignorant with a narrow range of knowledge, not to mention mind.

87

Kuri, I was not dissing Jimmy Carter for his pronounciation, I was defending Bush against a superficial criticism!

I’ve never argued that Kerry doesn’t have foreign policy experience, or has less than President Bush! “Having experience with foreign policy” is clearly different from having a “coherent and formidable foreign policy”

“Kerry has guts,”

In my personal opinion, his mercurial policy record shows the opposite: a complete lack of courage and conviction.

“and saved lives both here through his Vietnam testimony and abroad.”

You may want to modify that. Kerry’s accusations against the soldiers were sometimes fictitious. And millions of people died when we left Vietnam the way we did.

“This while dubya was shitting his pants at the prospect of going to Vietnam and having daddy arrange his “service”.”

Is this what you’re going to repeat over and over during the campaign?

“T-men NOT being those willingly ignorant with a narrow range of knowledge, not to mention mind.”

Um, Kuri…

88

From the New York Times:

Mr. Winer, the former aide, who worked with Mr. Kerry on terrorism and many other issues, described Mr. Kerry’s complexity as right for the times.

“Between the moral clarity, black and white, good and evil of George Bush that distorts and gets reality wrong,” he said, “and someone who quotes a French philosopher, Andre Gide, saying, `Don’t try to understand me too much,’ I’d let Americans decide which in the end is closer to what they need in a president, in a complex world where if you get it really wrong there are enormous consequences.”<<<<

In the New Republic, Noam Scheiber (Democrat) notes:

“Isn’t that basically Kerry in a nutshell? He’ll never be too wrong–and, oh yeah, he can quote Andre Gide! They should put this on a bumper sticker …”

89

Zeb,

I can never compete with your arrogance.

Stick to chins!

90

Another take on Kerry, from the always entertaining James Lileks:

http://www.lileks.com/bleats/archive/04/0304/031104.html
(if you like to the whole thing, scroll down about half way, past the personal stuff and into his political take)

?Kerry, the Democratic nomination well in hand, is moving to engage Bush, and the president is returning the favor. The Massachusetts senator said Bush has resorted to personal attacks at an unprecedented early stage in the campaign.

“George Bush is running on the same old Republican tactics of fear ? and they’re already getting tired,” he said. “But we have something better than attacks, we have the facts and we have the truth.”

Okay: what are the personal attacks? Criticizing someone?s record is not a personal attack. ?My opponent is a sad half-man who licks laudanum off the bellies of toothless syphilitic doxies? is a personal attack.

Let me put it this way: People say all sorts of things in elections. The underlings and infantry fire the cheap shots, and let the big dogs lope along the high road. But when the top officials of the party start slinging the slander, we?ve entered a different era. And no one seems to notice, because the story becomes the charge, not the nature of the accusation.

In my strange odd cramped world, I think accusing one?s opponent of treason is a personal attack. Eh? No? Okay, well, that’s just me then. (Reminder: ramp back. Eight months. Kinder. Gentler.) But recall how Al Gore accused Bush of ?betraying this country.? Reasonable people could say he misled the country, or misruled the country, and make the argument to support the assertion, but ?betrayed? is a word that has a special quality when talking about the President of the United States. I?ve heard General Wesley Clark question the President?s patriotism, and insist that his religious beliefs were misguided, because the Democratic Party is the party that truly hews to Christian doctrines. (Note to Hewitt: you HAVE to put that tape up on your site.) And of course we heard Governor Dean insert the ?Bush was warned? meme into the body politic.

There?s nothing comparable on the other side. Nothing. I mean, the Bush team runs an ad that has a second of 9/11 footage, and his opponents pitch a carefully staged fit ? because that?s all they have.

I?ll contribute $100 to the Heifer Project if Bush accuses Kerry of betraying the country. Another $100 if he accuses the Kerry camp of being corrupt liars. Oh, Kerry meant the GOP machine! Okay: $100 if Bush accuses the DNC of being corrupt liars. Oh, but he meant talk radio! Okay: $100 if Bush accuses the new liberal talk radio network of being corrupt liars.

I can imagine my mail already: Klymer! Clinton! Yellowcake! Plastic turkey! So I ask: imagine, if you will, that we?re at war. (Just pretend.) A Democrat president is attempting to pacify Krepistan, which has been shooting at American planes for a decade. The Republican candidate says he?s been in contact with foreign leaders who really want him to win, and is caught on tape telling a supporter he thinks the current administration is made up of crooked liars.

Think the New Republic might write a disapproving editorial or two?

Probably not. After all, didn?t the Democrat president note that his opponent failed to grasp the strategic importance of Krepistan? Tit. Tat.

Kerry?s said some amusingly tone-deaf things lately ? wanting to be the second Black president, for example. I called it Senatitus in a Newhouse column ? a condition characterized by an unnatural belief in the unimpeachability of your every utterance. Twenty years of saying anything in a room full of rich guys who aren?t really listening has to have an effect on one?s ego. No one ever stands up and shouts Balderdash! Poppycock! Fatuous twaddle, sir, and if you persist in this infantile display of specious drivel I shall ask for you to meet me on the field of honor at dawn. No one ever says ?Hey, Bobby Byrd. Put a sock in it. Or put a hood over it. Whatever.? This might be why so few presidents have emerged from the Senate lately. Governors have to deal with state legislatures, whose composition ranges from the canny to the truly gruesome; they have to deal with local TV reporters. They have to deal with locals, period. Senators occasionally walk among the mortals, but they often have a hitch in their gait as through their robe snagged while descending Mt. Olympus.

One last thing: Kerry said this:

Though he always has opposed the death penalty, Sen. John Kerry said Tuesday that the Sept. 11 attacks made him realize that he would want to “blow Osama bin Laden’s brains out.”

And I agree wholeheartedly. So can we drop all the hand-wringing about Bush?s ?Dear or alive? remark? We were told that this struck sensitive ears as ?cowboy? rhetoric, after all. But you know, it?s more like the words of a sheriff who draws up the reward poster. Cowboys were not known for demanding the apprehension of criminals dead or alive. Wanting to ?blow someone?s brains out? sounds like the words of someone who has the temperament of Paulie from the Sopranos.

And that is a personal attack. Sue me.

91

Rightsideup,

Please take a critical look at your previous post. There is not one fact in the entire thing! Better you learn here in anonymity, than actually put those views forth in a face to face conversation.

I helped you, you should thank me. Perhaps you are the one who is arrogant!

92

First off I would like to say this is my first post on the Forum. I have read the Forum for the past year and have found some of the topics very humorus some very informative. Also, as to be expected many of the posters I have found to be intelligent and funny, some close minded and intolerant to say the least. I would like to give a little background on myself before I get to the crux of my post. I grew up in a middle class home, I served four years in the Navy during the first gulf war in Naval Intelligence as an imagery interpreter. I am also a life long hunter who very much stands by the right to keep and bear arms! I also am a life long Democrat because that is the ideology that most agrees with my philosophy or views regarding this life in the USA. I do not claim to be an expert on every piece of foreign policy or article that was written on the economy (okay B Smith) or world affairs, but I have been a regular reader of the news magazines and shows for the past twelve years since my time in the Navy. There are a few points I would like to bring up, number one I believe basically that Democrats and Republicans have a difference in ideology and though my views lie to the left I can respect a person from the opposing view if they present them in an intelligent respectfull form of communication.As far as the whole Bush vs Kerry debate I have this to add and I will preface it with this It is only my view point from my experiance in life. First my view point of Bush must begin with my view point of his father Bush Sr, though I did not agree with his ideology I had some respect for the man due to his honorable WWII service and his lifelong dedication to the political arena that he stands for. As far as his son goes I cannot say the same to say the least. Dubya the way I see it was born into a silver spoon kind of life and never really had to work for anything in his life. I mean really who on this earth cannot see how he had advantages that most in fact the great majority of us do not have. I think it is appaling that one man can be drafted and sent to a war to die where another because of his luck to be born into wealth can have strings pulled to put him into a situation where he can play golf, drink beer, and snort alittle coke. My god if Dubya had been a democrat you right wingers would have been on that like a hobo on a ham sandwich! A President with a DUI whoever would have imagined that. How, I ask how do you consider him a regular guy you could have a beer with! Has he ever had to struggle to pay his bills bust his ass sweating in a wharehouse for a twelve hour shift I think not! I am well aware that Kerry comes from wealth also and I am not trying to portray him as a common man but I am sick to death of hearing how you could go have a drink with dubya, I personally would not want to! Again I do not have the articles at hand to spout off (B Smith) but I have read and heard many times that dubya never would have been a Yale or Harvard grad by his own merits he didn’t have the grades for it. I have heard his own people say he admittedly does better in speaking engagements when they are scripted for him rather then when he has to answer questions on his own such as with Tim Russert on Meet the Press. While by god who wouldn’t do better in a scripted situation. Is not a measure of a mans intellect his ability to speak on his own two feet. I mean really If dubya had been a democrat after seeing his performance on Meet the Press I would have been thinking we are really in trouble now! As stated earlier I was in the military during the first Gulf War and followed the developments of Iraq in the following years. My first observation Iraq was pretty much castrated after the first war.They did not have any kind of power to do any harm to us and further more knew we had the power to annihilate their ass if they did anything to us, as we have done!True Saddam was a terrible man a real piece of shit but no threat if anything he wanted to protect his power in his little corner of the world which translates to not fucking with the US! I might not have agreed with them but I would have had more respect for this administration if they would have said this action fits in with what we believe will be good for the US in the future instead of lying to us treating us like children and basically playing the fear card manipulating you and saying we have to go get the boogey man before he gets us! In reality we are no safer for going into Iraq then if we had not. If anything we have bred more hatred for us with the radical muslims then even before. I am continually amazed when I hear how many people believe Saddam was the one who orchestrated 9/11 excellent propaganda by the current administration. Another thing I find funny is how the right wing nuts continually say the democrats are peace loving hippies and are afraid of war but when you look at the facts the only one in the current administration who did any active duty time (I don’t count champaign unit time) are Rummy and Powell. When you look at the democrats John Kerry Vietnam vet, Bob Kerry Navy SEAL Vietnam vet, Al Gore Vietnam vet, Max Cleland Vietnam vet. Decorated Navy SEAL does not seem like a tree hugging hippy to me! I wish Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, could go do a short tour in the combat zone in Iraq, I wonder what their feelings about the war would be then. I live in Colorado near one of the major Army bases and count a couple of the Green Berets from there as sometime drinking buddy’s heres what one the Sergent First Class had to say “lets see John Kerry Purple heart recipient combat veteran, George Bush questionable duty in the non-combat Air National Guard, I vote for John Kerry over Bush anyday”, The other SF soldier just says he can’t stand Bush. Well I am sure I am going to catch a boatload of flak from the neocons on this board now and for putting it it out there I asked for for it but that is the great thing about America we can express our ideas and opinions and for that I would gladly be the first in line to defend it! Also please excuse the puncuation and spelling I know its not that hot.Thanks

93

Elkhrtn1,

I wanted to read your post, but to tell you the truth I had to pass it up. One word: Paragraphs!

94

I just realized my post is one long run on. Rookie mistake I will learn the format and it won’t happen again. sorry!

95

good stuff man

96

Indeed. Welcome elkhntr.

97

Elkhntr1,

Welcome to the forum. I read your entire post. I have spent some time reflecting upon what you have said. I hope you return the courtesy.
By way of a political introduction, I consider myself a political moderate. I take pride in my ability to understand both sides of a particular issue. I read “Right/Left Wing” and what I consider moderate websites, magazines, and newspapers. I am also a regular watcher of what I consider “pure,” uncensored politics, CSPAN. I meet with a group of 10-12 friends at least twice a month. These people are from both sexes, many races, many ages, and hold many different political viewpoints. During an election year (as you might imagine) the political discussions can be quite heated.
Elk, you wrote, “I think it is appaling that one man can be drafted and sent to a war to die where another because of his luck to be born into wealth can have strings pulled to put him into a situation where he can play golf, drink beer, and snort alittle coke.” Let me tell you how I would respond to this if one of the four “hard-core” Democrats in our group said this. I would say, did you vote for Bill Clinton? Elk, I can make the reasonable inference from your lukewarm “endorsement” of George Senior that you, Elk, voted for Clinton twice. Therefore, your argument is invalid by way of extreme hypocrisy. Bill Clinton showed far less personal courage than George W. Bush. When Clinton was CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY, he refused to report and sent that infamous letter from Oxford. He didn’t join a National Guard Unit. He most certainly didn’t receive rave reviews as a pilot of one of the most unstable jet aircraft of the era.
The drug use issue is also one where you cannot reasonably attack George W. Bush because you voted for Bill Clinton. You know what I mean without me spelling it out.
Again, I pride myself on being a moderate. I must tell you that I have been stunned that the Democrats selected John Kerry as their candidate. I refer you to Boston Barrister’s web addresses. This illustrates what is becoming an increasingly obvious pattern concerning John Kerry. He may have illustrated personal courage in Vietnam. However, his record since then shows little or no political courage. Worse, his political convictions seem very superficial.
Finally, I must tell you, I live in a Democratically voting state. As of last week, every one of our three moderates (including myself) are going to vote for George Bush.

98

Elkhntr1,
I can’t wait to see whether your opinions will be as closed-off as the box of text you posted.

B. Smith
(the guy with the articles)

99

Just to FYI, while its current:
Today, Greenspan said the jobs are coming.

Two weeks ago, he told us to keep the Bush tax cuts.

While in general I think supply-sidism is wrong-headed, according to Greenspan (who has shown he likes a small deficit), Bush’s economic policies are the right ones for this difficult point in time.

…Maybe Greenspan is a neo-con.

100

To adress the thread title:

“Rather than dealing with President George W. Bush and hawkish officials in his administration, Pyongyang seems to hope victory for the Democratic candidate on November 2 would lead to a softening in U.S. policy towards the country’s nuclear-weapons program” according to London’s Financial Times, which said that Mr. Kerry’s speeches are being broadcast on Radio Pyongyang and reported in “glowing” terms.
“The mullahs in Iran probably don’t care to have Bush in there because he won’t suffer terrorists or the country’s that harbor them,” said Mr. Allen. “I want a president who cares about what’s right rather than the U.N. protocols.”
And a poll taken by Andres McKenna Polling and Research found that Americans overwhelmingly believe “the terrorists would prefer” Mr. Kerry to win the election.