Kerry on Meet The Press S-W-I-N-G

[DJcairo]

He was put under many tough questions and defended them and promoted his agenda with flair and toughness. Anyone else whatch it this morning. Kerry people over on his blogwere really excited by it. We will all be doubling our efforts to to build on the momentum Kerry has gained this week and after his announcement.
-Eric

[XanaDUer]

1. Go Kerry!

Kerry has been in the game a long time, and can handle himself.

[roberthall10]

2. I Didn't Like It

Kerry spent as much time attacking Dean as he did Bush. He used a lot of alarmist language about National Security, reinforcing the view that liberals cannot be trusted with it. I basically like Kerry, but did not like his performance today.

[George_Bonanza]

5. Even RUMMYisFROSTED says that Kerry was fair against Dean

Who's a big Dean supporter says that Kerry was fair in the inevitable Dean questions. It's not like TV was going to let him steer clear from him. I haven't seen it yet, and I look forward to doing so.

[Egnever]

9. Have to dissagree

I think russert was looking for kerry to dis Dean he certainly led him with enough questions on dean and kerry for the most part avoided the oportunities to go after Dean. His criticism was very light from my perspective.

However he blew chunks when he said that came from his campaign and not from him and that he didnt like it. Considering its his campaign manager doing it I think its fairly obvious he does like it. Its politics and I expect it but im sooooo tired of politics.

[DrFunkenstein]

19. Like Blaming Trippi For What Kasey Does

When he asks her if she would rather be dead or vote for Kerry.

<>

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

21. Seriosly

why does that silliness of the dog bother you so much? I thought it was lighthearted humor, something sorely lacking in politics today. Three months later you are still bringing it up, after having brought it up more than a few times already. Get over it.

[DrFunkenstein]

31. Get Over It

That was my point.

I love Kasey. I personally think the Pets for Dean is a great idea. My point was that you need a thicker skin in politics. You have to accept that politicians aren't always best buddies and get over it.

[Egnever]

71. sounds like good advise!

How could you not love this

[Egnever]

24. did dean blame trippi for that?

If so i havent seen it. Did he condemn him for it? again i havent seen it.

If he did then its wrong for him to have done so.

Like i said its politics it doesnt suprise me. But its also complete bullshit.

[DJcairo]

26. So why dont you move to China

They dont have politics there. If you're tired of it, go live under communist rule.
Sorry but this is part of democracy. Perhaps you'd prefer Dean just be elected by his 90,000 meetup supporters and have it left at that.

[Egnever]

34. Rofl

Yes sir packing my bags now sir.

I prefer they lay off the bulshit and speak up for what they suposedly stand for. I didnt see that in kerry today.

[DrFunkenstein]

36. What Does He Stand For, But Is Secretly Hiding?

What secret agenda do you detect beneath the web of lies he is weaving? I would like to know before I make a big mistake in supporting him.

[Egnever]

41. Thats a difficult question

He seems to be trying to stand for everything. There were a few questions he answered where he did awsome.

Tim asked him a few things in a row and he gave yes or no answers. Very clear stances. I loved it! Followed by a huge dissemblance on the following question.

I know your heart is in Kerry Funk and I know you just write me off as a Dean goon. Thats ok by me.

Turth is though I want Bush out more than anything I want in the world right now. IMHO the face kerry put on TV today wont beat bush for a variety of reasons.

I was hoping he would be great! Honestly I think he did well overall. He came off very personably and i actually like him more on a human level than I did before the interview. Before this i had concerns that he was too stiff or aloof and i didnt get that feeling from him today. However on the issues I think he got nailed to the cross especially on the IWR vote. In my opinion because of that one short video of kerry before the vote kerry has no way to stand against bush where he is weakest. I dont think it will hurt him so much in the primaries but when it comes to the real show its one less weapon he will have to take the shrub down.

I want the shrub taken down the kerry I saw today cant do it. But he could possibly pull off the nomination.

Just my opinion take it for what its worth.

[DrFunkenstein]

54. On The Video - See Post #29

IMO, Kerry has much more to worry about Dean than Bush. There is not a single issue where Kerry does not clearly present the better position. Bush's tenure has been one long litany of tough talk followed by no walk. Kerry will run circles around Shrub on the economy, on Iraq, on a comprehensive foreign policy, on the environment, on any issue.

Kerry's big problem was defining himself against Dean (who is very similar). Up until this point, the main difference has been the IWR. Now the main issue has become the middle-class tax cuts, which I think is in Kerry's favor. And, I think in the months to come, you are going to see the match-up become "Take America Back" vs. "Take America Forward." It will be up to the American people to decide which vision they prefer.

[molly]

42. It seemed to me that he has his platform firmly in place

he has great advisors and has spent his time thoroughly studying the issues and coming up with plans to FIX THIS COUNTRY!!!!

[DJcairo]

53. what did you hear Kerry say then

What he wasn't standing for? Come on, how much more clearly does a candidate need to say it when he says 1) Yes on more troops from more countries 2) Yes on spending what it takes to win in Iraq 3) no on middle class tax hike 4) yes on raising takes for the rich and reinstating the inheritance tax 5) health care available for all

Or maybe he should have gone on to MTP and used a bull horn and screamed into the TV. "Here is what I am for, ready america, got a pen and paper. Because, I know lots of you out there who support Dean will say after I've told you what I;m for that you don't know what I'm for. So write it down."

Don't play dumb.

[Egnever]

67. I heard him say

He stood for the Iraq war vote. I heard him say he was for campaign finance but that he wouldnt hold to it either. I heard him say he was for raising the age on social security but has since changed his mind. I heard him say bush was a great guy!

[Andy_Stephenson]

83. Kerry is for a continuation of the

occupation of Iraq. Which was illegal by international law. Kerry should be tried for war crimes right along with Bush*.

[Nicholas_J]

57. O.K.

TELL me what Dean stands for, among the many differnt stances he has had one can find:

I would not normally cite the National Review, as they are definitely not known for fair and balanced reporting, but Jim Geraghty has the most complete list of Dean's recent statements on Iraq, and why some describe him as incoherent:



On January 31, Dean told Ron Brownstein of the Los Angeles Times that "if Bush presents what he considered to be persuasive evidence that Iraq still had weapons of mass destruction, he would support military action, even without U.N. authorization."

And then on Feb. 20, Dean told Salon.com that "if the U.N. in the end chooses not to enforce its own resolutions, then the U.S. should give Saddam 30 to 60 days to disarm, and if he doesn't, unilateral action is a regrettable, but unavoidable, choice."

But a day later, he told the Associated Press that he would not support sending U.S. troops to Iraq unless the United Nations specifically approves the move and backs it with action of its own. "They have to send troops," he said.

Four days later on PBS's News Hour with Jim Lehrer, Dean said United Nations authorization was a prerequisite for war. "We need to respect the legal rights that are involved here," Dean said. "Unless they are an imminent threat, we do not have a legal right, in my view, to attack them."

http://www.topdog04.com/000071.html

There are literallly hundreds of similar examples of Dean taking whatever stance was necessary for the audience he was speaking to.

Dean has flip flopped on every issue from Social Security to Cuba, but when it is done by Dean is it noble "EVOLVING" that is the reason cited.

Sorry, dean is a glib and craven politician who will say ANYTHING. HE is a slave to his own ambition, and slowly, his lack of spine and character is beginning to show, especially with the Washinton Post now looking at those flip flops. This will keep coming and will not stop. One major lie is all that is needed for Dean to be caught in and his campaign is over. And I do not doubt that this lie will be found before the primaries.

[DJcairo]

25. 1/2 show was on Iraq 1/2 half was on Economy/domestic issues

He mentioned Dean only once at the beginning because Russert asked him repeatedly about him. Kerry rejected his campaigns characterizations of Dean

[clar]

3. he did a fine job

and although I'll enthusiastically support him if he's the nominee, his vote for the IWR cost him my support in the battle for the nomination. I've never been a one issue voter, but this was/is a huge issue. I didn't find his explanations this morning credible. The "I was deceived by the President" line, makes me see red. I don't buy it. Neither did 23 Democratic Senators.

[DJcairo]

50. Ask yourself

Is it really just Iraq or are you against wars for any reason? Did you support the first Gulf war, did you support Clinton's wars?
My feeling is many Dean supporters are anti-war which is a valid point but certainly hurts a candidate who needs to look tough and credible on the issue of war and terrorism.

[clar]

81. you have a point

I was against Gulf War I. However, I supported intervention in Bosnia. I certainly would have supported intervention in Rwanda. I am not invariably anti-war. Each case has to be judged independently.
Gulf War I and Bosnia were UN sanctioned. Gulf War II was not.
The latter is such an obscenity, and was so clearly part of the agenda to remake the ME that I can't just "get over" the Senator's vote for it. So, yes of course, if he's the nominee I'll vote for him. He's infinitely better than Bush, but Senator Kerry helped get us into this mess. Saying it was the best way to have some say on the matter, as blm has oft repeated, is ridiculous. He shouldn't have done it. How on earth he could have been against Gulf War I and for Gulf War II, is beyond me.

[virtualobserver]

82. very well put ....

as for the "against Gulf War I and for Gulf War II" it smells political. He couldn't vote twice against war.

[HPLeft]

4. He was quite good IMHO

I thought he was quite convincing, and answered all the questions anyone might have about him - including those about the consistency of his position with regard to Iraq. Different people will have different reactions to his view that having already scrambled the eggs, we need to stabilize Iraq, and not simply walk away.

I am curious to see how the other candidates will respond to that crucial question.

I personally don't see how we can now just walk away, not without creating the same kind of dangerous scenario that was created in Afghanistan after the ousting of the Soviets.

[clar]

6. They've already responded

at least some of them have. I believe that Graham, Edwards and Gephardt have all recognized that walking away from Iraq is not an option. Dean has repeatedly stressed the need to stay and greater UN involvement. I don't know about the others.

[HPLeft]

38. Good to Know

It's the only responsible position in the aftermath of Dubya's Dubious Adventure. Ideally we can get as many non-US troops in there as possible, and as many US soldiers as possible out.

[Egnever]

49. Did you see the polls?

I found those disturbing. I cant imagine what would hapen if we just pulled out of iraq. But I am quite sure it wouldnt be pretty.

The fact that so many americans seem to be advocating we do just that scares the hell out of me

[DJcairo]

62. And "all those Americans" are the ones that support Dean

Scary indeed...

[Egnever]

64. Hah where do you get that?

Dean is pretty clear he doesnt think we can pull out of Iraq at this point.

I am a dean suporter and if he said anything aproaching puling out of Iraq I would rethink my suport.

It is perhaps one of the biggest reasons I dont support kucinich.

[DrFunkenstein]

7. Kerry Was Razor Sharp This Morning

Now that's how you perform on Meet The Press! Kerry has clearly gone into warrior mode. Russert threw the book at him and he fired right back everytime. Kerry's not feeling things out anymore. He's got his agenda firmly in place now, he's got his message, and he's delivering it. Russert threw a bunch of Dean questions at him, and Kerry did not hesitate to answer them. He didn't attack Dean, even complimented his campaign, but clearly and forcefully distinguished himself on two issues - foreign policy know-how and keeping the middle-class tax cuts in place.

I was most impressed by how he laid to rest questions about his position on Iraq. It was a total vindication of everything I've been saying for months. He supported holding Saddam accountable, but was appalled by Bush's sheer incompetence at every stage of the game. He also called Dean out about the presence of WMDs. I had hoped he would have mentioned Dean's "misled" quote from the ex-Governor's MTP performance, but you can't get everything.

Clearly Kerry is ready for the months ahead. He is focused, on message, and clearly differentiating himself from the pack. Color me impressed.

[Egnever]

8. I cant help but think we watched different MTPs

Thought he came off very likeable....

However he was nailed to the wall by russert. It did not go well for him at all.

I had hoped for a better performance but I am afraid that kerry sank himself with this interview.

[DrFunkenstein]

14. I Have To Agree With You

It was on NBC. I'm not sure what station you were watching.

Egnever, I have to doubt both the sincerity of your hope for a "better performance" and your fear that Kerry "sank himself."

Go back and watch the Dean performance and you'll see the difference. Dean will most certainly be on again, and he is going to have to match Kerry's performance. Dean is much more at home on the stump than he is in front of a hard-nosed interviewer. He didn't even do all that well with Charlie Rose, who is hardly the hardest of noses.

Kerry was thrown difficult questions and quotations, and he remained in total command of his performance. You may disagree with him on the issues, but he did an excellent job of articulating where he stands.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

22. Articulating where he stands?

He speaks in tongues of elites I guess. I couldn't find a straight forward answer in the first 30 minutes (save when Russert specifically asked him to be direct, and he answered 3 questions with yes or no answers). He needs to get over his extensive story-telling and just answer the questions without explaining everything. If he would be straight, he wouldn't have to go back to explain when he said or did.

I liked him much more the second half of the show when he actually did answer questions directly. If he did more of that I think he'd have a lot more support.

[Egnever]

23. dont confuse the issue

I am not saying Dean was better than kerry on MTP I am saying this went badly for kerry.

I didnt actually see the Dean MTP but i heard it went badly. I believe it. Dont doubt it for a second.

I am not comparing performances here. I think kerry scored points with me at least as a person as a likeable guy etc... But he lost badly when it came to answering the questions and quite possibly comited suicide on the IRW

[molly]

39. I must have watched the same MTP that you did

:shrug: when does the transcript come out?

[Egnever]

43. of course you did

indeed when does it come out.

[Nicholas_J]

56. Dean is only at home

In an environment he can control.

He is far more controlled and less NASTY, when he has to play with other candidates. He cannot cope when he must deal with one person, head on, in which HE is not in control of the environment, which is wht if you compare Deans statements on international affairs with Russert and Kerry's, Kerry does much better than state, "I will get a bunch of good advisors". Kerry doesnt need the advisors.
he is improving, but when he has to goe to to toe with Kerry on international affairs, Deans lack of knowledge will becom OBVIOUS, and his lack of EXPERIENCE show him to simply be a bad choice.

No matter how they try to spin Dena has had NO in depth experience dealing with international affairs or international leaders.


All the B.S. about him traveling to many countries and such doesnt cut it. Thats just being a tourist, he wasnt trying to sell maple syrup to Gabon or Israel.

[DJcairo]

27. It was a far cry from Dean's capitulation on MTP

Kerry is much more capable to be President becuase he is able to sit and take heavy quesitoning and answer every question ina clear way. That's the kind of person we need to be president. Not one who flip flops and can't remembr his positions under heavy questioning.
I can't wait for the debate. Bring it on!

[Egnever]

30. Whats with

the nyah nyah nyah dean did worse BS?

I am not saying dean did better, I didnt get to see the Dean MTP so I cant really comment on whether or not dean did better or worse nor do I want to. Hell having not seen Deans performance I will concede he did worse.

The point is I think this went very badly for Kerry. He did a great job of trying to put a good face on his waffling but he came off as an incredible waffler just the same.

Add to that the IRW video and quotes and I think it was horribly damamging for him.

But hey thats just my opinion.

[Larkspur]

13. "called Dean out about the presence of WMDs"?

What does this mean?

Where are those WMD's, John Kerry? So far the US has drawn blanks searching for WMD's.

[DrFunkenstein]

15. Dean Said Several Times That He Believed They Were There

Although lately he seems to forget that.

[George_Bonanza]

16. I recall that too

It was either on some radio interview or MTP, I forgot. Dean blatantly said that he believed that WMDs were in Iraq. And remember, for all of you people that think Kerry was a moron to give Bush even an inkling of trust, remember that Dean also said that he did too. Where was it, MTP again? I forgot that too.

[DrFunkenstein]

18. Let Me Remind You

Russert: ...and I'll show it to you. You said in January, Governor, "I would be surprised if (Saddam) didn't have chemicals and biological weapons."

Dean: Oh, well, I tend to believe the president. I think most Americans tends to believe the president. It turns out that what the president was saying and what his administration's saying wasn't so. We don't know why that is. So...

[Egnever]

32. yes he did

but he was not privy to the reports that kerry was and many dems at that time were coming out just like kerry did saying that the inteligence was solid. Even though it was not. Maybe he should blame that statement on kerry legitimizing Bushes BS

[Larkspur]

20. So did Al Gore in his Sep 23, 2002 speech

Al thought that Saddam had WMD's, the bio-chem kind, but that was still no reason to unilaterally invade Iraq. Gore had said in that speech that a unilateral invasion would more likely put Saddam's bio-chem weapons, assuming he had them, into Al Queda's hands and that would be a DISASTER for the USA.

So Howard Dean was in good company in his assumption that Saddam had WMD's or the core samples to reconstitute them. It's much easier to store core samples of bio-chem weapons than nuclear ones.

[DrFunkenstein]

29. That Sounds Oddly Familiar...

Tell me which part of this you disagree with. This is the part of the text that Stephen Zunes creatively cherry-picked phrases to distort Kerry's words.

"According to the CIA's unclassified report released last Friday, Iraq has chemical and biological weapons as well as missiles with ranges in excess of the 150 kilometer restriction imposed by the United Nations in the ceasefire resolution.

Although Iraq's chemical weapons capability was reduced during the UNSCOM inspections, Iraq has maintained its chemical weapons effort over the last four years. Evidence suggests that it has begun renewed production of chemical warfare agents, probably including mustard gas, sarin, cyclosarin and VX.

Intelligence reports show that Iraq has invested more heavily in its biological weapons programs over the last four years, with the result that all key aspects of this program - R&D, production and weaponization - are active. Most elements of the program are larger and more advanced than they were before the Gulf War.

Iraq has some lethal and incapacitating agents and is capable of quickly producing and weaponizing a variety of such agents, including anthrax, for delivery on a range of vehicles such as bombs, missiles, aerial sprayers and covert operatives which could bring them to the United States homeland.

Prior to the Gulf War, Iraq had an advanced nuclear weapons development program. Although UNSCOM and IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspectors learned much about Iraq's efforts in this area, Iraq has failed to provide complete information on all aspects of its program.

Iraq has maintained its nuclear scientists and technicians as well as sufficient dual-use manufacturing capability to support a reconstituted nuclear weapons program. Iraqi defectors who once worked for Iraq's nuclear weapons establishment have reportedly told American officials that acquiring nuclear weapons is a top priority for Saddam Hussein's regime.

According to the CIA's report, all US intelligence experts agree that Iraq is seeking nuclear weapons. There is little question that Saddam Hussein wants to develop nuclear weapons.

The more difficult question to answer is when Iraq could actually achieve this goal. That depends on is its ability to acquire weapons-grade fissile material. If Iraq could acquire this material from abroad, the CIA estimates that it could have a nuclear weapon within one year. Absent a foreign supplier, the CIA estimates that Iraq would not be able to produce a weapon until the last half of this decade.

Nevertheless, Saddam Hussein's quest for nuclear weapons and his proven willingness to use weapons of mass destruction underline the very serious threat that the Iraqi regime could pose to the United States and others in the international community if left unchecked."

http://www.johnkerry.com/news/speeches/spc_2002_1009.html

[valniel]

10. Kerry Was Great on Meet the Press

Cool, collected, concise, compassionate, knowledgeable, or any other positive attribute that you would want in a candidate for President of the U.S.

I think that he did himself a lot of good. Just hope that a lot of voters watched!

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

11. He talks in circles

I thought the second part of the interview went much better than the first. He (finally!) began answering questions directly. He had some straight forward rhetoric regarding taxes. But the whole half hour before the commercial break he answered few questions directly. He has a way of speaking with such eloquence that it's hard to determine he's not actually addressing the question. I found that within the first 2 sentences he'd be so off the question that I had to struggle to remember what it was he was supposed to be answering.

Maybe he needs to practice making concise statements. His message seems to get lost in his verbosity. Or maybe I have ADHD. Who knows? :)

[DrFunkenstein]

17. What Was The Middle Part Again?

Don't call me stupid!

<>

Sorry. Big "Fish Called Wanda" fan...;)

[DJcairo]

28. Sort of like how Dean forgets his stands?

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

33. Nope

Dean doesn't forget his stands, he changes them when he gets new information, instead of hanging on to an idea because awhile ago it may have been a good one. BTW, Kerry waffled (if you want to call it that, I call it reevaluated) on the matching funds issue, saying that he would consider taking matching funds (same as what Dean said). Kudos for Kerry! It's just plain stupid to get new information and NOT reevaluate your position.

[DrFunkenstein]

40. How Do You Like Them Waffles?

Kerry never committed to matching funds, and he certainly didn't say he would take to task anyone that failed to. It would be stupid to take a stand without the foresight that you might have to change your position. Dean stepped in a pile he himself had dropped. But you are free to call it reevaluating if you want.

Everyone knew as soon as McCain-Feingold was signed that Bush would raise hundreds of millions in contributions. It was idiotic to commit to matching funds, but Dean thought it would make him look more saint-like (when he didn't think he was going to make the money). Instead, he looks like a hypocrite as the front page Washington Post article clearly points out.

[Egnever]

44. you could certainly see it that way

So what?

Hes clearly doing the smart thing now by thinking about ignoring them. As is kery!

Add to that that yes everyone might have thought Bush could but no one figured the democrats would be able to except possibly kerry who could exceed it by spending his own money. In fact wasnt what was going on at the time Dean made his remark on campaign finance everyone running arround saying how kerry was the candidate partly because he could keep up with bushes spending?

kerry just made the exact same waffle today. Im commited to campaign finance but....

[DrFunkenstein]

48. I Always Said Dean Was Smart To Change His Mind

But dumb to make a moral issue out of it earlier. Secondly, I never really took him for a straight-shooter, so I wasn't very surprised when some of his claims began to fray.

I'm not sure why you keep repeating that Kerry committed to public financing. He did not. Perhaps you are misunderstanding what it means to "commit" in this case. Dean actually signed a contract - which, fortunately for him, had a backdoor escape clause. Kerry never signed such a paper, nor claimed that he planned to. He always said that he would leave all options on the table.

Which is what Dean should have said if he wasn't so politically naive.

PS - As far as I know, Ms. Heinz is still free to spend her money on (ahem) "issue ads" on television (by far the most expensive aspect of campaigning).

[Egnever]

55. Ohhh i see

What you are saying is because dean appllied for and was first to qualify for matching funds, that he is breaking his promise to take them. were as Kerry hasnt applied for them let alone be able to qualify for them yet so he isnt.

Thats great spin! :yourock:

but thats all it is man and you know it. Or maybe your to fervant to realize it but somehow i dont think so.

Kerry just today said hes comitted to campaign finance unless......

Same thing different spin.

I dont hold it against either of them.

[DrFunkenstein]

68. What The Hell Are You Talking About?

I explained it with perfect clarity for you. Where is the spin? Dean signed the contract, Kerry didn't. Dean said he would attack candidates that didn't. Dean reneged. Which part is spin? The "Kerry didn't" part?

Kerry has always said, and said today, that he is keeping all his financing options open. He is not trying to fool anyone.

The only spin I see is Dean supporters claiming his hypocritical waffle as some sort of moral victory. I think its good politics, but hardly a cause for celebration.

[Egnever]

70. Spin right here!

"Kerry has always said, and said today, that he is keeping all his financing options open. He is not trying to fool anyone."

I think what he said was closer to he is commited to campaign finance reform but if Dean decided to forgoe public financing he would consider doing the same.

Cant wait for those transcripts cause we saw two different things for sure

[Nicholas_J]

58. Dean has flip flopped

On every issue so far that I am willing to be his underwear is in a snarl.

Social Security, attack Iraq unilaterally/not attack. He keeps changin hisstance on thr Partiot act, Cuba. Whatever is likely to make an audience cheer, is what Dean is most likely to say.

But a president has to have sense of direction, and clealt Dean has a broken compass, or one that only points in the direction of his ambitions, truth be damned.

[Nicholas_J]

59. His wife

Is also free to spend money on documentaries about the war in Vietnam, and what it took to get a deferrment, about what might happen if the Bush tax cuts to the miuddle class were repealed and hire nobel prize laureates to do the documentary.

To put it more succinctly, she can pay for programming that tears apart one candidates ideas, while enhancing her husbands, without ever mentioning a candidates name, Just when another candidate is heard spouting those ideas, people will say "didnt I just see something on TV stating that this was a bad idea?" Ang then they look for the person who the nobel laureates said had the best ideas.

His wife is connected to major media, newpaper and television though the advertisiing end of the busiess she was once related to.

You do not think the Washinton Post has taken up to examining Deans changing stances on their own do you?

A few weeks ago, Kerry stated that Dean has changes his position on Iraq at least six times, and lo, a few weeks later, an article appears in one of the major U.S. papers citing Deans continual changes in stance. This is the nature of political influence.

Kerry will do what Dean appears to do. Stay personally above the fray, by refusing to let people like Russert goad him about Dean.

Dean of course will attack the other candidates when goaded, and the comparison between the two become even more noticable.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

47. Yeah, I guess

that's what can happen when you are a straight talker, you sometimes have to explain to the ideologues why you are reevaluating your position. It must be nice to talk around issues so you aren't nailed to something specific. Definitely a problem for Dean.

I'll still take the straight talk and occassional change of heart to the circumventing of issues.

[DJcairo]

51. How is it straight talk if it is not true?

If he changes his position than it wasn';t straight talk in the beginning. I don't understand your argument.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

60. Changing positions

It is bad if you change your position when there is no new evidence presented. If, on the other hand, you get new evidence that causes you to look at your position and then see compelling reasons to change, that is a good thing. Getting new information and not even considering it because you refuse to 'go back on your word' is stupid. I'm afraid of anyone unwilling to think they may have made an error and out of pride refuse to reevaluate a situation.

When Dean said he would definitely take matching funds, he was a nobody, clearly an underdog, and could never have predicted he would be where he is today. But today, he sees that there is a very high chance he could get enough money to compete with Bush's trough, and would only hurt himself by taking matching funds. Dean saying he will consider (read: he has not decided one way or another, nor will he until Sept. 30th at the earliest) forgoing matching funds is a smart move.

[DJcairo]

61. However his flip-flopping is not limited to campaign finance

What about his ever "evolving" positions on SS, Cuba and Iraq? He did earlier state that he believed Iraq had weapons and thought Saddam should be contained. He supported the UN's effort which only happened because the United States could offer a credible threat of force backed up by Congress to get Saddam to comply. It was Bush's decision and Bush's decision alone to press for War. The president is the only one who has power to declare war. The vote for the Iraq War Resolution was a vote to jump start the UN inspections, not for Bush to go to war. How naive we all were, not knowing Bush would plan so poorly and rush so eagerly towards war. However, unlike small-time governors, Senators are forced to take bold stands and do what they think is right to protect America based on the evidence they are given and the political will of the United States voters - all of whom belived Saddam was a threat and wanted him gone. It is too bad that Dean finds himself thwarting that will.

[Egnever]

63. Sry but

a vote for biden lugar was a vote to jump start UN inspections. The IWR vote was a vote to get the subject off the table before the 2002 elections.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

65. Ummm

You said "The president is the only one who has power to declare war"

Go read your high school gov't book. Congress has the sole power of declaring war.

Yes, Dean did and still does support UN involvement on the Iraq issue. Where has that changed? The vote by Congress may have been veiled as a way to get Bush to go through the UN, but anyone with half a brain could see that Bush was looking for any path to invade Iraq. Dean was against the US going in as a unilateral force, although he does and did say that Saddam needed to be contained. That should have been the UN's role.

You said "However, unlike small-time governors, Senators are forced to take bold stands..."

What is bold about giving the president a blank check to invade Iraq? The bold Senators were the ones who voted AGAINST the IWR, not for it.

You seem pretty confused about the whole Iraq thing.

[DJcairo]

46. Kerry said he woudln't disarm

and let him be steamrollered by a bunch of Deaniacs giving away all the money they have to a guy who most people think can;t beat Bush.

[JI7]

12. kerry kicked russert's ass

again, for the third time he has been called on as a candidate for democratic nomination for president. i hope to see more.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

35. kerry kicked the Russert Potato's Ass back to...

FReeperville where it belonged!!!!


:kick:

[molly]

37. Kerry was FANTASTIC and made me proud to support him!

that's it - he's not a robot or a computer - nor does he change his stance every time he feels it would benefit him. His interview indicated that even though he may make mistakes - he admits them and moves on. Being a strong leader - as he said - is the ability to lead - not to waver and hmmmmm and hawwwww.

[DrFunkenstein]

45. He Defined The Word Leadership Several Times

And why he has it, and Bush doesn't. He did an especially good job after seeing the polls showing people wanting a withdrawal from Iraq. He made it clear that he isn't poll driven, but single-mindedly focused on what the right thing to do would be.

Looking at his foreign policy, that is what comes to mind most - leadership. He sets out a progressive path that goes far beyond anything the anti-war journalists I read have suggested. Katrina vanden Heuvel is like a God(dess) to me, but Kerry takes her ideas and goes much further and with much more depth. He embodies the ideals that The Nation sets out for America's future. I am sorry that some of them cannot see past his IWR vote, but that's the way it goes.

Dean has the right sentiments, which is why he is my #2 choice, but he just doesn't have the know-how to play the global chess game, especially in the dangerous world of stateless terrorism. Kerry, on the other hand, is truly a chessmaster. He actually wrote a book on how international terrorism is organized, and how money is funneled to fund them. He knows how to deal with nuclear proliferation in the former-Soviet states. It's not just words to him. It's what he has been doing for 18 years.

[Nicholas_J]

52. Kerry

Basically has been developing the idea of progressive internationalism for well over a decade, and was responsible for writing the Hyde Park Declarations section on this concept in August of 2000. Kerry was among the original signatories to this document which is the founding document of the New Democrats and was written as a democratic counter to PNAC. Kerry was at the forefront of setting democratic party policy to oppose George W. Bush while another candidate was still getting Republicans to support their re-election.

[Andy_Stephenson]

66. build on the momentum Kerry has gained this week

Look at zogby. The momentum for Kerry is clearly downward. Especially in New Hampshire.

[Monte Carlo]

69. This is an endurance race, and it's far from over.

Dean may have a sizeable lead in NH polls thus far, but it's too early to count anybody out for good. Kerry has consistently polled well for a while now, and I don't think you should dismiss him so easily.

[DJcairo]

72. Except that Kerry's internal polls are telling a different story and he kn

[unfrigginreal]

77. Sounds like Kerry better get some new pollsters...

especially seeing that CBS came out with a poll today that shows that Kerry has dropped from double digits to 5% in a national poll.

[virtualobserver]

79. it is hilarious watching Kerry supporters try to spin that.....

as they contort reality.

They should work for Cirque du Soleil

If it was my candidate, I would be so depressed.

[phegger]

73. For what it's worth

I was not impressed. Granted, I only saw part of the interview, but it irked me that Kerry seemed to be wanting to have it both ways. I still don't really know what his position on the war is. Bush lied, and he's clearly against THAT--thank God--but "anyone who thinks taking on Saddam was a bad idea should visit one of his mass graves". So the invasion is justified on those grounds? Look, the point is not that Bush lied--except that it gives us something easily identifiable as WRONG to hang him with--but that he lied in order to lead us into a war that should never have happened, period. OK, so Kerry is against lying-I should hope so--but is he against the war?? I still don't know.

And what was that about Cuba? We should travel there but not trade...we should have some kinds of contact but not others. Look, either end the embargo, or don't end the embargo. Stop trying to have it all ways. Maybe I'm just too dumb to understand nuance, but it seems to me that this kind of equivocating is exactly why so many people are so justifiably pissed off at the Democratic party.


ph :mad:

[unfrigginreal]

74. And a W-H-I-F-F!

Granted, I was glad to see him finally go after Bush. But he still came across as a calculating politician in my eyes.

I take it from this interview that Kerry feels that the US was right in making a preemptive war on Iraq. I heard Kerry screech that Dean and Gephardt would be "raising taxes on the middle class" by eliminating Bush's muti-trillion dollar tax cut...I then heard him chastise Russert for claiming that Kerry would be "raising taxes on the wealthy" with his tax proposals, according to Kerry he would only be rescinding Bush's tax cut, not raising taxes...HUH?

After all of the Kerry supporters raising hell about Dean's once upon a time thought process that could lead to advancing the eligible age for SS, we find that Kerry had the same thoughts.

Seems that Russert dug up plenty of other contradictions in the Kerry arsenal...but of course I'm just one of those bad Dean supporters that trashes Kerry...thankfully, we know that the Kerry folks never attack(cough).

[virtualobserver]

75. the "raising taxes" attack from Kerry was unforgivable.....

once again playing into the traditional Republican strategy of labeling Democrats as "tax and spend"

I had so much more respect for Kerry before he started this campaign.

Serves him right that Russert accused him of "raising taxes on the wealthy".....he played right into Repub hands with that strategy.

I could live with a calculatng politician if hadn't voted for the quagmire.

It shows that foriegn policy experience is worthless without common sense.

[unfrigginreal]

76. Unforgivable but not unexpected from Kerry...

he loves to use GOP and Freeper talking points. That's why we've heard him utter...Get over it...The last guy to claim he invented the internet didn't do so well...and now, Dean and Gephardt are "raising taxes" by eliminating Bush's tax cut.

He's quite the opposite of Dean who will tell you what he thinks is right for you whether you like it or not...Kerry will decide what is right for him to get elected.

[virtualobserver]

78. Fortunately, the political positioning isn't working anymore.....

and Kerry still doesn't get it.

[polpilot]

80. Kerry's desperate and the SHAMEFUL 'raising taxes' mantra ends any

respect he had. Slimy...slimy comment.

Dean '04...

[George_Bonanza]

84. Oh now the rove has moved on

From attacking Kerry for his "pro-Bush" sentiments, because they just found out that their own candidate articulated those feelings EXACTLY before.

I don't know anything about taxes, but your claim that Kerry lied has been refuted by a Kerry blogger:

"Kerry was wrong. Dean actually would raise taxes by *MORE* than 20 times.

try it:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/common/taxcut2003.asp

enter $40,000 for adjusted gross income

select married filing jointly

enter 4 personal exemptions

zero dividend and capital gains income

two children under 17

Estimated 2003 tax bill before tax cut: $1,178
Estimated 2003 tax bill after tax cut: $45

thats 26 times more taxes after Dean rolls back middle class tax cuts."