Oooh, Kerry vs Reid dustup in the WaPo

[TayTay]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10395-2005Mar5?language=printer

Good stuff. This is what you should be having heated duscussions over, how hard to hit * and over what issues. Excellent!

It's the job of the press to stir up trouble, then report on the alleged 'bad feelings' between pols. (They could be reporting on the actual issues and how they impact real Americans, but that is 'hard werk' and kind of expensive, so we get inside baseball stuff instead.) Once again, the news according to pundits is different from actual news.

I saw Kerry and Reid at the SSI panel in NY and they seemed fine together. Kerry corralled Reid at the end and was having some sort of heated discussion with him, maybe it was actually about this. Good for them.

Ah, now I'm happy.

[JI7]

1. this pic comes to mind

[karynnj]

22. Why is the post printing this now

It seems weird that they're printing something that occurred behind closed doors from 2 weeks ago and that the Globe printed the article implying that Kerry might be the odd man out in a MA triangle of Kennedy, Kerry and Romney. (Did Romney get invited to Kennedy's birthday party?) Is the theme Kerry can't get along with anybody?

Seeing that Kerry is out talking on SS with the other Democrats and actually had a run of positive press - the Kennedy award, the Jackie Robinson thing and the legislation to keep the teacher in this country, you wonder why 2 papers are printing what amounts to gossip.

[JI7]

23. the Washington Post has sucked for a long time now

it's not the same paper as the one when Nixon was in office.

they do their election year endorsement of the Democratic candidate to keep their democratic leaning readers. but their reporting is horrible and they are pretty right wing leaning.

anything they print should be suspect. the fact that it starts out by comparing what Reid said about Greenspan to whatever happened with Kerry just shows they are trying to make a huge thing out of something which is probably common among Senators.

[cestpaspossible]

24. Dan Balz has a GOP agenda.

[elshiva]

29. Is that Rummy hogging the spotlight AGAIN?

[ginnyinWI]

30. haha-no it's not rummy, elshiva

That is Harry Reid, sitting next to JK at the Jackie Robinson award ceremony! No I believe Rummy's best days are behind him, and he'll be out before too long.

edit: I think if Rummy sat that close to JK, it would be like matter and anti-matter colliding!

[elshiva]

31. Oh no! Mistook Reid for Rummy how terrible!

Reid you rule, I'm sorry I mistook you for a war criminal.

[ginnyinWI]

32. that picture reminded me of something from that ceremony

While JK was speaking, they showed the audience, and near the front was a woman gazing up at JK with a dreamy look on her face and a little smile--like a cat on catnip! I was thinking she'd feel right at home on this forum!!

[elshiva]

33. LOL!

Look everyone at the honeys in my signature! Dems are so sexy!:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

[CBHagman]

2. It sounds as though they're both tough birds.

Just so long as they harness that energy and work together, this could be just what we need. Conflict can be cleansing if it's handled well.

Reid is interesting. He looks so meek and mild, like Wally Cox or Mr. Rogers, and then he comes out and kicks the stuffing out of Bush. Could get interesting.

[JI7]

3. sadly the typical ones are taking this as another reason to bash Kerry

i liked your response on the LBN thread TayTay. the argument was about strategy to reach the same goals. that should be a good thing.i understand both sides though. Harry Reid is the Senate Democratic Leader so he has to take into account what all the Democratic Senators want or are doing and this includes those who are still considering compromising with Bush.

but what Kerry is saying we need to do is a good thing. if anyone other than Kerry had said it people would probably give them credit. but just because it's Kerry they bash him.

[TayTay]

5. In the real world, adults at work fight over stuff all the time

I can't imagine that, behind closed doors, the Senate would be any different. They confront really pressing issues that they tend to care about deeply. Differences get magnified, tempers flare, then they work it out. Like thinking adults.

Hey, Kerry and Reid both showed up in New York at the SSI discussion. They both spoke passionately and well. Then they talked together afterward. (I saw it on my TV.) Guess they settled their differences.

What gets me is that the same people who disdain the MSM, believe everything they write when it's about internal Dem conflict. What happened to the cynicism? What if the MSM got it wrong. (Heavens, that could never happen.) What is they exaggerated it to stir up conflict and enhance a fight that is relatively minor? (That could never happen, could it?) Honestly, can't anyone around here think positively anymore?

[Pirate Smile]

6. The real dust-up seems to have started further down in the thread

I don't think somebody likes Harry.

[TayTay]

7. It's junk reporting

Who cares? Both Kerry and Reid should be vehemently debating what to do to stop * from destroying treasured programs that actually help people. I wish a few more Sens would have heated arguments over it. Shows that Dems care.

Somebody 'dropped a dime' on this fight and I would like to know who. Who stands to benefit from blowing this up to 'in-fighting' among Dems?

[Pirate Smile]

9. I was talking about the person trashing Reid.

It wasn't about the Kerry/Reid stuff which is quite insignificant.

[Firespirit]

14. Well, Kerry *did* come out strong against lazy reporting in the media.

Maybe somebody didn't like it and took advantage of the fact that this debate took place to get a bit of revenge.

:tinfoilhat:

No, I don't have a particularly high opinion of the mainstream press either.

[Firespirit]

11. I think probably much of it is exaggerated by the MSM

We know they're a *bit* sensationalistic. Just a bit. :eyes: And that sort of thing is more interesting when it's magnified.

[politicasista]

8. Sadly, I agree too.

I am tired of the media always making Kerry (and Momma T) out to be bad people. At least they haven't killed thousands of people.

[Pirate Smile]

4. I like that Kerry is pushing him to be tougher. I worry about the

vulnerable red state Senator's pushing the other way.

[Hans Delbrook]

10. I don't mean to hijack a serious thread

But is anyone else turned on by the thought of Kerry with a sword?? :loveya:

[JI7]

12. i think he did take up fencing in college

[muse]

13. Yes

:)

His mighty sword.

[Firespirit]

15. I wondered how long it would take.

Didn't want to post the first reference myself, though.

Yes, I am VERY MUCH turned on by the idea of Kerry with a "sword."

:evilgrin:

[Hans Delbrook]

16. That's it

I think I must go wake my husband up. :evilgrin: He just better not ask what brought this on.

[TayTay]

18. I am rather vulnerable to this image myself.

Let's get them both up to the Higgins Armory http://www.higgins.org/Research/swords_exhibition.shtml and have them choose weapons.

Ahm, okay, now I got the vapors again. Sigh! (Oh dear lord, I could do ten posts on just the types of swords that are available for use. Stop me now before I write what I can't take back.) Damn it. I am not a Romantic, I am a fan of the Age of Enlightenment. (Oooh, big broadswords, those things weigh a ton and are difficult to swing, but deadly when used right.) Enlightenment, not .... (Oooh, sword fights, love them.) Sigh!

"Let this be the hours when we draw swords together." LOTR:TTT

"My sword is always ready to serve you, my Lady"
"I need your sword in my service, NOW!" Xena:WP

Not catnip: this is pure LLL :evilgrin:
:evilgrin:

[Hans Delbrook]

21. Have you ever been to Toledo, Spain?

Man, that place is sword heaven. Every kind imaginable - custom made if you want. Not just swords but full suits of amour, and anything else you can imagine - knives, battle-axes, maces.

And yes this is LLL and I like it, I like it. :evilgrin:

[ginnyinWI]

26. Here's one for you: I picture this when I think of Kerry the fighter

The noble warrior, fighting for a just cause:

<img src="" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

Aragorn was the true king fighting to vanquish Evil; Kerry is the true president doing the same.

edit: hopeless romantic, the Pisces in me I guess!

[TayTay]

27. OK, I agree this is a worthy image

That I am completely helpless to put away.

This is just sad. I have participated in countless sessions that analyzed LOTR from every aspect possible, from it's Anti-Enlightenment tendencies to it's treatment of women to why there should be a Hobbit Communist Party. (I'm not calling you Master ever again and do your own friggin gardening, you parasite on the working men and women. Long live the, ah, Hobbit Proletariat.) I love that stuff, just love it. But, but, but....

The image of the hero endures. Because we need heroes and always will. And heroes will always be up there on the pedestal, fulfilling the quest and overcoming the last impossible obstacle to claim a prize that always seemed too difficult to claim. So, you got me, I am also a hopeless romantic and I just dreamily adore the whole hero thing. (Sigh!)

That said, my favorite scene in the whole LOTR movie is when the four hobbits are at the coronation of the King and Aragorn tells them they don't need to bow to him. "My friends, you bow to no one." Then all the noble folks bow to these rustic folk. Ooh, gets me every time in my Democratic heart. Triumph of the Common Man. Ahm, I also have a soft spot for Sam. (No, it's not gross. He is the hero of the adventure anyway, the whole thing is about him.)

[ginnyinWI]

28. ah yes. the true hero is also full of humility,

willing to share the credit with everyone who has been on his/her team! Never lords it over them. He who would lead must first be a servant, etc. Sigh. You're right,TayTay, we need heros. We need to believe that there are those in this world who do not live only for themselves, but for the good of all, and I do believe many Democratic leaders are those kinds of people. They are the "good guys" like the old man at the Dem Policy Committee thing on Friday said!

And I also think Democrats are the true optimists, because we are not willing to give up on our ideals and hopes for a better tomorrow! The other side are the cynical ones--and maybe why some of them considered JK to be a phoney--like anyone who had a lot of money just couldn't really care about the middle class.

I know what you mean about LOTR, but I am willing to cut Tolkien a lot of slack; he came of age during WWI, and we know how invisible women were then. And as JK said in his Jackie Robinson speech, minorities and women had to fight all the way to get where they are today--nobody handed anything to them. And now we have, and had Tolkien written his stories now, they would certainly be different. He was a product of his generation. I'm about to tackle the Silmarillion--can't get enough! :)

[elshiva]

34. LOL! Actually, Kerry was a part of the

Yale fencing team:

[karynnj]

35. I wonder if Yale's newpaper ever had a photo of him fencing

[TayTay]

36. OMG

I just might explode. :evilgrin:

Oh Shit! That would be the balls!

[elshiva]

39. Probably did...but never seen one

[karynnj]

17. Also, they say this dust-up occured two weeks ago

I watched the SS panel also and they seemed ok - and they do seem to be fighting the SS issue very well. I wonder if this is more an attempt to split democratic unity.

I resent that the reporter wants to turn what seems to have been a passionate argument about issues and strategies into a fight.

Years ago, while working in a research group at a major company, I went to a group meeting where a consultant was trying to help us deal with the Marketing department. The main observation was that our group consisted of mostly people placed in the analytical introvert quadrant, and while the marketing group had more of a mix of the 4 possible groups, their dominant category was feelings, extrovert.

She described how in our internal meetings,a heated technical disscusion would end with everyone leaving the room, talking to each other about random things - no animosity. The discussion, if good, was actually fun. Our problem was when we went to Marketing meetings, we would make our technical points in the same way, but we would leave the impression that we didn't like them - which was not intended. Our disention would at some level be taken personally as for them it was important that the meeting end with everyone agreeing. Although knowing this didn't make for major changes, the observaton seemed somewhat true.

[merh]

19. Rawstory's discussion and link!

Kerry, Reid face off behind closed doors over direction of party in the Senate

A quiet turf war is going on behind the scenes, the Washington Post will assert Sunday. According to the Post, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), the party’s 2004 presidential nominee, faced off at a labor meeting. Sen. Kerry is said to believe Democrats aren’t doing enough to fight the president’s agenda.

The Post’s article echoes comments made to RAW STORY Friday from a senior Democratic strategist, who said Democrats needed to find the “courage” to press issues, such as the access given to discredited conservative correspondent “Jeff Gannon.”

“We’re living in the post-Jeff Gannon era where the left can finally show we know how to fight back and hold the media accountable,” the strategist told RAW STORY. “The right wing spent 30 years telling America about the liberal media, it’s time Democrats found the courage to set the record straight.”

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=152

[merh]

20. Its not about infighting - its about Kerry standing up for what is

right and wanting to hold the weed accoutable. Hell, I am tired of folks seeing him as weak and a flip-flopper, quitter! If I read one more skull & cross bones post that he was a plant to give up and not win, I will :puke:!

That being said, I will gladly provide them this link to prove that Kerry wants to fight the weed's agenda and the other dems are not too fond of the idea!

I love John Kerry - he is my president and he is willing and able (and anxious) to fight for this nation! Fight on JFK, fight on! :loveya:

[politicasista]

25. I didn't even bother reading this in GDP

Too nauseating.:mad: :puke:

[TayTay]

37. You know, I didn't read that story right at first

The WaPo story said this happened 'two weeks' ago. Well, hell, after this argument/heated discussion/whatever the Dems went on to organize the Road Show. So maybe Sens. Reid and Kerry sat down and worked it out. Sure seems like it.

[ginnyinWI]

38. oh, I'm sure they did work it out.

Neither wants anything personal to get in the way of their shared objective of having a strong and unified party. Just a little friendly head-butting. They are exactly the same age, if I remember correctly; each wants the other to remember that they are there! JK was one of the ones in favor of Reid becoming leader, after all.
Someone couldn't resist leaking it to the press, but that's ok, no harm done, in my opinion.