Kerry Says U.S. Deserves Truthful Leader

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=716&e=2&u=/ap/20040326/ap_on_el_pr/kerry

WASHINGTON - John Kerry (news - web sites) said the country deserves leadership that "tells the truth" as he took over the mantle of the Democratic Party at a unity dinner Thursday with Presidents Clinton and Carter and some of his former foes.

"Never has the Democratic Party been more united than it is today," Kerry said in prepared remarks. "And tonight, not just as Democrats, but as Americans, we are united in the belief that America deserves better than a debate full of attacks and distortions."

Carter, Clinton, 2000 Democratic nominee Al Gore (news - web sites) and most of Kerry's primary rivals attended the celebratory dinner that raised more than $11 million for the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites).

"We now have a standard bearer of the Democratic Party," said DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe.

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[Renew Deal]

1. Vote it up

Go

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[NNN0LHI]

3. That battle has been fought already

Time to get on with it.

Don

[BeatleBoot]

4. No shit

This time, its too important.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BeatleBoot]

6. "YES SIR!!!"

Dismissed.

[mobuto]

7. You're absolutely right

John Kerry is the Democratic standard bearer. And he's carrying that standard forward into battle. You can follow, as Democrats will, or you can desert and hope for the best. Either way, its your choice.

But please, we really don't want to hear you whine about it.

[drhilarius]

10. let's be nuanced

there's desertion (zell miller...lets face it he's a repug in dem clothing), and there's dissension. Yes, Kerry's the candidates. Yes, it's probably more than a good idea to support him. However, if we advocate just blindly following a candidate, then aren't we just following the mentality of the automatons we're trying to oust? We must hold all politicians (even if they're on our side) accountable, that's why dubya has gotten away with everything he's done so far.

[Voltaire99]

8. Kucinich and Braun sat it out

Who can blame them? When your new standard bearer wants to cut corporate taxes and send more troops to Iraq, a $25,000-plate dinner is a bit hard to swallow.

As polls show Kerry and Bush running about even, Kerry accused the president of misleading Americans in a rush to war with Iraq.

Er, yes and no. Yes, Bush was misleading. But only the gullible were misled. Nobody, least of all John Kerry, can claim not to have had ample access to the disputation of experts who said the war was a criminal folly, Iraqi WMDs nonexistent, and Saddam's ties to Al Qaeda illusory. These claims informed a vast worldwide peace movement.

So, yes, hammer Bush; but for fuck's sake, Kerry, stop supporting the war if you're upset about Bush's lies! If it was wrong to invade, knowing the dishonest basis for this farcical war makes it doubly wrong to stay there.

[Zhade]

9. "These claims informed a vast worldwide peace movement." A-fucking-men!

You said it all, my friend.

Viet Nam: The New Iraq. Kerry: The New LBJ...?

God, I hope not.

[tlcandie]

11. Yes we do!!!!!

If that is Kerry yet remains to be seen...I will vote for him, but I do reserve the right to be wary; state my concerns; and not be in the mode of,

"You are either with us or against us."