WP: Democrats Vow to Hold Bush Accountable

[kskiska]

Wednesday, November 10, 2004; Page A07

Congressional Democrats returned to Washington in a defiant mood yesterday, making no apologies for the campaign in which they lost congressional seats and the presidential race and vowing to hold President Bush accountable for his handling of the deficit, the Iraq war and other issues.

In his first public comments since conceding defeat to Bush, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) did not rule out a bid in 2008 and promised to keep pushing the issues he championed this year.

"Let me tell you one thing that I want to make clear," Kerry said in a brief meeting with reporters in the Capitol. "Fifty-four-plus-million Americans voted for health care, they voted for energy independence, they voted for unity in America, they voted for stem cell research, they voted for protecting Social Security. We need to be unified, and we have a very clear agenda. And I'm going to be fighting for that agenda with all of the energy that I have and all the passion I brought to the campaign."

Asked about his brother Cameron's comment, published in yesterday's Boston Globe, that it was "conceivable" Kerry would run for president again, the senator quipped: "I was intrigued by it. I called him up and said, 'Where did you get that?' " He added: "It's inconceivable to me that anybody is even talking about that stuff right now."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37999-2004Nov9.html

[jrthin]

1. Yeah, they also promised

to have every vote counted.

[Flammable Materials]

2. I agree. I'm not holding my breath.

Although I wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised.

[Javaman]

42. You will turn blue before they actually do something...

Once again politicians making promises they will or can't keep. I'm so disgusted.

[arikara]

This is what they are saying...

The Ohio Democratic Party shares Sen. John Kerry's insistence that every vote be counted.
Here is where we stand in Ohio:

After the Unofficial Results reported Nov. 2 - _{George Bush} leads John Kerry by 136,483 votes.

Provisional ballots will be counted.

155,000 provisional ballots have been cast and not yet been counted.

County Boards of Elections have until Friday to verify the eligibility of those who cast a provisional vote. Counting will begin, Saturday, November 13. County Boards have until Dec. 1, 2004 to certify their vote totals and report them to the Secretary of State.

<snip>

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/111004V.shtml

[BayStateBoy]

14. Right. L.O.L. We Don't Keep Our Promise about Counting Votes n/t

[DELUSIONAL]

16. Oh that will make a difference to the idiot boy king

He doesn't care what we think.

And I don't that the Democrats in Congress give a damn about our concerns. If they weren't willing to fight for a paper trail -- they are just about worthless -- they might as well pack their bags and go home.

[Seabiscuit]

44. Yup. JK has exposed himself as an empty blowhard.

Don't expect *any* "fight" from these spineless DLC dems in Congress. Empty rhetoric followed by total cave-ins on every vote.

[Tamyrlin79]

3. Puh. Leeze.

"It's inconceivable to me that anybody is even talking about that stuff right now."


We are now leaderless and Kerry is wondering why people are talking about who is going to be leader, now and in '08? Please. I praise his bid to fight for many of these issues in the Senate. Good luck to him. Perhaps he will achieve something through his resistance in the Senate.

However, as for grasping the ramifications of this election, he obviously just doesn't get it. If he did, he'd be doing things a bit differently right now. He withdrew and then its all over for him. But it isn't over. We cannot fall in line with this administration, elected or no. There is more at stake here than he seems to comprehend. They must be resisted at every possible step. We need someone who can lead the way forward, not just fight for issues in the Senate.

[reprobate]

13. I agree we are leaderless. Dean is looking better to me.

In fact, the thought occurred to me that perhaps Kerry was the Manchurian candidate.

I know the flames will come from this, but I just have to say this. I was not a Dean supporter originally, but his candidacy was killed by the media in what I consider truly partizan acts. Kerry was way behind Dean at the time. All of a sudden Kerry is the front runner according to the media without his doing anything to deserve it. In fact, the nomination was over as before Deans body stopped twitching.

The other thing that sticks in my mind (what's left of it that still functions) is the fact that Kerry's campaign was probably the worst I've seen since I first voted for Johnson in 1964.

There was essentially NO difference between him and * in their answer to what to do about iraq. Why would anyone vote for an unknown when he does not differentiate himself from the known, no matter how bad the known? Oh, I know that the * campaign depended on lies and distortions, but Kerry did nothing to dispell them, or if he did it was too little, too late.

Bush had trouble putting three words together to make sense, but at least he did it with emotion. Everything Kerry said made sense, but stirred no emotions with people. People follow leaders with charisma, they don't follow policy wonks.

I keep thinking how different things might be today if Edwards had been the presidential candidate and Kerry his VP. Edwards has the fire in his belly that people want to follow. People LIKE him. No, I'm not advocating he run again, just that he had charisma an BALLS. He would not have let the other side get away with the lies. And Nam would not have been an issue, which means the swift boat liars wouldn't have said a word.

If this was the best candidate and best campaign my party could field maybe it's time to shovel the dirt in its face and clone a new democrat party with new leadership from the ground up. And no more members of the power structure in charge.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

[saracat]

18. I adore Edwards but face it. He couldn't even carry his home state

and he didn't help with the south at all. But even so we may not know that for a fact if the machines are wrong!

[reprobate]

20. I only pointed to edwards as an example

of the kind of leader that we need. A charismatic speaker would not allow the other side to even get any traction with the lies * used.

We need someone who would use the "best defense is a good offense" idea, and instead of defending turn their attacks around and use them against the evil empire.

That's the only way to win politically now. Act as if you are right and the other side is always lying. That's how * convinced everyone he won.

[saracat]

22. You are absolutely right.

Carville and Begala talk about that in their book. Too bad the DNC didn't read it!

[Zhade]

32. "That's the only way to win politically now."

Unfortunately, as long as the rigged voting machines are allowed to stand, there's NO way to win, period. Dems will forever be a minority party, ballot initiatives will be fucked with (who knows, maybe some of those 11 gay marriage bans weren't actually passed by the votes cast), and we will never overturn Republican-cum-fascist rule.

Unless Kerry and all Dem leaders speak out on this, they are doomed. They will be targeted and destroyed.

[Ima]

35. More thoughts.

" I adore Edwards but face it. He couldn't even carry his home state

and he didn't help with the south at all. But even so we may not know that for a fact if the machines are wrong!"


Just a quick comment about this. No we didn't win the south. The most important thing to remember is Edwards was not running the show, Kerry was. Edwards had to stay within Kerry's guidelines.


Remember before Kerry named his VP, that we were told Kerry had all the staff already in place for his VP choice. I had two thoughts on this. The first being "Kerry really had his act together".

Then I thought, WTF Edwards had loyal staff, why replace them? Had all this control led to a victory, is one thing. The fact that it didn't is worrying.

[Carolinian]

53. Don't judge Edwards on that. You don't know what NC is like.

[Ima]

23. reprobate

I think we would have won with Edwards. Remember after the debate when he held up both his little kids, and waved to the cheering crowd? That was a Kodak moment! The crowd went wild. He connected to people with family's, like 'we have to make this a better place for our children'. We all have fond memories of the Kennedy kids and their antics.


Edwards was down to earth, one of us, and fought his way up in a modest family.

Edwards may have taken some southern states IF he was the presidential candidate.

[reprobate]

34. Ima, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Connecting with people.

Edwards has that ability, I believe because of his background. Picking people who never had to scratch for the rent money seperates us from the masses of voters. Not that Kerry is anything but a good man, but he does represent the elite power structure in this nation. The working slob does not identify with him.

That's why my original question. Was he the Manchurian Candidat? It seems to me that the leadership of the party has become so much a part of the elite that either the leaders can not identify with anyone of the other caste, or they picked him BECAUSE he would lose. I think a reflection of this is that bush is so hated by so many that, without cheating, Kerry almost won. A good candidate would have beat bush hands down, with such a majority that any cheating would have brought the people to the streets. Kerry would not have created that kind of emotion.

[Ima]

36. reprobate

It is a given that you destroy your strongest challenger first. That would have been Dean.

You try to manage things to the point, that you run against the weaker candidate. That is what was done.

There was a terrific amount of ABB. Let's be honest, most of us would have voted for any candidate our party gave us.


Sure, we found plenty to like with Kerry. But it's beginning to become reality that he was not the man for the job. I'm still reserving some comments, waiting for Kerry to 'pull the rabbit out of the hat'. If he doesn't even try...............That will answer volumes.

[saracat]

43. But he didn't do so well in the South during the Primary!

[Ima]

58. saracat

Just out of curiosity..how bad did he do?

We could still have won the election without the south.


I just think he had a better public persona.

[ever_green]

27. I feel this way as well

It's very fishy. I find it very hard to trust anyone these days. Anyone with power that is.

[Seabiscuit]

46. That's why today the only people I trust are Dean and Edwards.

Dean lost the primaries and is doing his best to take back our party from the DLC'ers who perverted it (see democracyforamerica.com) and Edwards is now jobless taking care of his wife who is now suffering from cancer.

They're both powerless unless we, the people, give them our power with our support of the principles they fought for.

[Seabiscuit]

45. We all "praised his bid" to fight for every last vote, too.

And look where that got us. He stole all our money that we contributed to that vote-count fund. He's not just a lying wimp. He's also a thief. He STOLE OUR MONEY!

[54anickel]

4. Shrubco accountable? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! So far this mal-admin

has been accountable for nothing that has happened on their watch. The torture of Iraqi prisoners - a few bad apples, no one at the top knew or condoned. The economy in the toilet - the "inherited from Clenis" recession and 9/11. The lies for going to war - bad intel.

And NOW they think they'll hold him accountable? They won't even LOOK to see if he stole yet another election. Come to think about it, they never looked into the first theft.

Hold Shrub accountable - yeah, right.

[0rganism]

30. We'll hold him TWICE as accountable as last term!

200% Accountability! Double Secret Probation! Yowza! We really mean it this time!

[Seabiscuit]

47. You got it - 200% of nothing is still nothing.

[radfringe]

31. accountable --- bwaaaaaahaaahaaahaaa

4 years later -- bush* is still blaming the economy on Clinton
3 years after 9-11 -- bush* is still blaming terrorism on Clinton
basically -- bush* blames everything on Clinton

so Noooowww -- they want to hold bush* accountable? for what --everything is Clinton's fault <end sarcasm>

meanwhile -- the dem rhetoric is to work in a bi-partisan fashion to "heal the divide" -- yet bush*'s rhetoric indicates he will only work in a MY-HIGHWAY-Partisan fashion (my way or the highway)

so how does rolling over and playing dead, (please pass the rubberstamp) hold bush* accountable for anything? I'll believe it when I see it

meanwhile - speculation has it that Scalia will be the next Chief Justice -- what will the Dem's do? Make some noise, get accused of being unpatriotic and partisan -- then roll over and play dead

[olddad56]

5. as if we still lived in a Democracy.

[Malva Zebrina]

6. The clubhouse has re-opened

and that is all it seems to be.

[jayctravis]

7. Yay!

We know he can debate Bush. This may be an interesting four years.

[BeatleBoot]

8. I would vote for him again and I would work my heart out for him again

But, hey, that's just me...

I'm a Democrat.

[geomon666]

9. You know I would vote for him too

but don't tell me you're going to hold * accountable when you haven't in 4 years! That just insults my intelligence.

[BeatleBoot]

12. Its kind of hard when Repukes have owned all branches of government

So, I wouldn't take it as an insult at all.

You just don't get it.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

10. just how the Democrats held him 'accountable' for the past four years.

:eyes:

[Stinky The Clown]

11. I'm feeling like I'm from Missouri ....... Show Me

[bling bling]

15. Oh boy oh boy. The democrats are going to fight for us.

Somehow I don't feel any better.

[AlCzervik]

17. Chimpoleon is teflon coated in crisco

good luck to that holding him accountable business.

[xxqqqzme]

19. Kerry got someone

2 write comedy 4 him. He could have used some about 3 weeks ago.

[Dr Fate]

21. I hate to join in this cynicism...

...so I wont.

I'll give DEMS a chance to follow through. I'd love to see Kerry do it...

Kerry actually is in a very good position to capture the imagination of Democrats-he would need to kick some very serious butt to do it...

And fuck people who say "...its too early..."- it's never to early to plan ahead.

I'd love to be the only right one in this thread right now!!

I'm supporting Dean as head of the DNC, btw...

[justa]

29. I have to be an optimist too.

Cant help it to much cynicism makes me depressed. Kerry has a good chance and a platform as long as he is in the senate. Besides what does he have to loose. He won't get the nomination again unless he does something dramatic.

We just need a leader at the DNC. something that has been lacking for a long time.

[sendero]

38. Any planning ahead..

... that involves Kerry running again isn't getting any support from me. Gore was closer to a win and he wasn't given another chance.

I respect Mr. Kerry but he had his shot and was found lacking. That we could lose against such an easy target is beyone me still.

I hope he does well in the senate, but with his negative coattails I doubt there is much he can do but bluster.

[PATRICK]

39. Can't do worse

Listening to the ideology litmus of the deep end of the pool they certainly aren't looking for competence, charisma or new ideas, but a representative of retreat. That is the polar opposite of dean and hope itslef. In between we need someone shrewd and able to whip the details together. Someone who can speak without becoming "out there" or milktoast.

The pors fighting Dean aren't very credible at all, screw the ideology. The game is up and out the window anyway. Poltics in a rigged system automatically removes the DNC.

[Skittles]

24. HA HA, HA HA HA HA

PLEASE

[JSJ]

25. the democratic party is history- weight of it's own gop-like corruption...

...has caused it to collapse.

[ever_green]

28. yep.

'fraid so.

[Seabiscuit]

48. Skinner may someday have to change the name of DU to IU

- "Independent Underground". Democracy within the current makeup of the Democratic Party is dead.

[Protagoras]

26. I'm feeling pretty skeptical that now...

with even a smaller number of seats, the democrats in congress are suddenly going to do what they have so completely failed to do for the last 4 years.

Perhaps if we do a better job of Holding our DEMOCRATS responsible they'll feel more obliged to do their job and actually check the pugs.

We'll know soon enough with the judicial appointments, and constitutional ammendments...oh and that lil Iraq thing :(

[Triana]

33. I'll believe it when I SEE IT... (n/t)

[hippiechick]

37. oh blah blah blah ....

'scuse me if I don't really give a rat's ass what they say anymore.

Howard Dean ?? HIM I'll listen to.


:hippie:

[Sleepless In NY]

40. healing or heeling? I'll believe it when I see it

Kerry didnt even stand up for Massachusetts, when bush bashed it. When I read this article, it really pissed me off... Walking the walk on family values http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped... / Not to mention our sevice men & women who hail from there. He never responded to bush's flip flop ads by running one on bush's, didn't respond to the swift boat liars, didnt call bush out on his negligence before 9/11 or call for the release of the CIA report before the election. I like the guy, dont get me wrong, but I dont understand his definition of "I will fight for you" really means.

[Seabiscuit]

49. JK's meaning of "I will fight for you" means "hand me your money".

That's all.

[Seabiscuit]

50. BINGO!

:toast:

[thedailyshow]

41. oooooh, all talk, and where's the action?

[DemCam]

51. I am grateful for JK in the senate.

I am also grateful that he did not expose us to further ridicule by this hostile "majority" in the media and the country about making a stand to count what votes did not add up to one single change in any of those states.

He is no fool and I am not going to join those who seem to prefer fiction and fantasy.

So far I have not seen any convincing evidence that we could oversome either the popular vote or the electoral vote.

I've been down there watching the counting and I just can't see it.

[struggle4progress]

52. THAT would be a pleasant change. eom

[killbotfactory]

54. What the fuck were they waiting for?

color me skeptical.

[merh]

55. They said this in 2000!

They also said that they would be sure every vote was counted and every vote counts! Well ...

[stlsaxman]

56. ha ha ha yes!

me think this funny!

all talk these jelly fish.

make me vote them!

bush run crazy now!

me think them funny.

bye now land me love.

[Prez49Vrai28]

57. Wouldn't Republicans Be Screaming?!!!

Hello,

I know that a handful of Democratic Congressmen have sent a petition to the GAO to look into the election, but doesn't anyone think that if the Exit Polls had shown Bush way ahead, and he ended up losing in the actual vote... don't you think think we'd be listening to Republican "Screaming Heads" everywhere we turned?

How can it be that the Exit Polls are just... wrong?