Walter Cronkite: Open Letter to John Kerry

[Manix]

<snip>

When the National Journal said your Senate record makes you one of the most liberal members of the Senate, you called that "a laughable characterization" and "the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life." Wow!

Liberals, who make up a substantial portion of the Democratic Party and a significant portion of the independent vote, are entitled to ask, "What gives?" It isn't just the National Journal that has branded you as a liberal. So has the liberal lobbying group Americans for Democratic Action. Senator, check your own Web site. It says you are for rolling back tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, for tax credits to both save and create jobs, for real investment in our schools. You've voted, in the words of your own campaign, for "every major piece of civil rights legislation to come before Congress since 1985, as well as the Equal Rights Amendment." You count yourself (and are considered by others) a leader on environmental protection issues. You are committed to saving Medicare and Social Security, and you are an internationalist in foreign policy.

What are you ashamed of? Are you afflicted with the Dukakis syndrome -- that loss of nerve that has allowed conservatives both to define and to demonize liberalism for the past decade and more? You remember, of course, that it was during the 1988 presidential campaign that George Bush I attacked Democrat Michael Dukakis both for opposing the Vietnam War and for stating he was a card-carrying member of the American Civil Liberties Union. Both proved, Bush said, that Dukakis was a liberal. Dukakis responded to that as an attack on his patriotism. He defended neither liberalism nor the ACLU.



Full Text

[tobius]

1. deja vu all over again.

take a stand and stick with it for a while.

[Avalux]

2. Thanks Walter.

I'm in, no Dukakis syndrome here. I'll be damned if the conservatives are gonna win this time. I'll hold my head up high and be proud to be a LIBERAL.

[Seldona]

3. I could not agree more.

I saw that exchange, and was horrified at his response.

What a way to reinforce the negativity that has been applied to the word.

Well I am damn proud to be a liberal.

I FIRMLY believe in liberal principles a majority of the time, and no right winger is going to make me feel bad about that.

I take pride in it. And I damn sure wish John Kerry did to.

I will vote for him, but I think progressives are going to have their work cut out for them keeping him real.

Just my 2 cents.

[mazzarro]

4. Pray that our hopes don't get deflated yet again by pussy-footing

Unfortunately we will be damned if "liberals" continue to allow conservatives to denigrate liberalism. If our nominated and elected leaders are scared of strongly defining and defending liberalism in contemporary context, then how can we expect to convince the independents of our cause let alone convert the other side. IMHO Kerry's response is the outgrowth of the continued and pervading influence of the DLC and I detest that group immensely.

[question everything]

6. Agree, which why I think that Kerry's ad should have

his definition of liberal, not the derogatory use by Bush-Cheney.

Something like: being liberal is thinking of the future

being liberal is thinking beyond the narrow selfishness of one's own

being liberal is taking care of the weakest in society: children, elderly, the sick and the poor

being liberal is govern responsibly, and more...

[mark11727]

5. You can always tell who the liberals are...

They're the ones who insist on telling the truth,

cleaning up other people's messes,

and ensuring that the Constitution actually receives more than lip service from those elected to preserve it,

all while trying to help people who can't do a damn thing for them in return

(unlike the quid pro quo compassionate conservatives).

Ya gotta love 'em.

And if, God bless you, you are a liberal, be proud of it.

[minkyboodle]

7. thank you walter cronkite

When Kerry was asked this in one of the debates I cringed as he refused to attach the liberal label to himself. Granted the question was bullshit and meant to paint him but man... when did the L word become such a tar. We have to take it back, its not a dirty word.
Scott

[NuttyFluffers]

8. it's this double standard of politeness.

So often when I or others, or god forbid, media guests respond to amoral, illogical, baseless slander and lies from conservative reactionaries the final ender is "liberal."

And then there's this expectation of politeness that "you never get down to their level...," "everyone has opinions and is entitled to them, even if they are baseless and undefendable...," the list goes on.

I don't buy this argument. It's as if we are to behave in some sort of upper-crust soiree in our best behavior while mud is being flung at us. When in polite company, true, it's tasteless to retort to such argument. But all of life isn't this. Sometimes there's a limit; when things get to a "slugging match" it's only the fool or the martyr that doesn't defend themself.

And you know what, American politics has never been the "polite socialite party" but the "knock-down drag-out sprawling brawl" it's always been.

I believe that if you cannot defend your (non-faith based) statement with facts then you have little credibility and should, if you are truly logical and wise, consider changing opinions, a la the scientific method. It's something that many people in the Western tradition died for. And to let faith-based nonsense be spewed into scientific, or otherwise measurable, aspects of issues is disingenuous and should be ruthlessly squashed at the quickest opportunity.

To let such attacks upon your character go unchallenged and let such baseless opinions stand as fact is a cowardice I cannot brook. Speak quietly yes, you shouldn't be a belligerant brute, but carry a big stick/dictionary, so should you be forced to defend yourself you can pummel to the very dirt any 'idjit' who tries ad hominem to discredit and marginalize you. Ugh, I cannot stand that!

There's a time for war and there's a time for peace. The time for a war with words (with real anger and facts!) is now. The time for peace repairing a deeply divided country is now. Tolerate no compromise here, for after this there'll be no other opportunity.

*whew* i feel better now, blood pressure is probably stabilizing now.

[struggle4progress]

9. Political debate will be better when ...

people stop using labels like "liberal" and "conservative" and start talking about the real issues.