Kerry exposes Bush, Delay and Frist in USA Today!

[wisteria]

Did you see the ad in Tuesday's edition? It was great.Pictures and all. Nearly a full page and you couldn't miss seeing it. I just got mine in time. It was the last copy left in the store.
It brings attention to all the sleaziness going on in Washington right now and calls out the Repubs as being the perpetrators. And, as an added bonus Bolton's name is mentioned as UN/US security nightmare.

It goes on to state our Democratic values and requests that we give voice to those same values.

These ads just keep getting better!

[cestpaspossible]

1. I missed it

where can I see the ad?

[LittleClarkie]

4. Here it is on Kerry's site

Though it was bigger in USA Today. I bought a copy, and I almost never read that paper.

http://www.johnkerry.com/action/usatoday/usatoday5131.php

[cestpaspossible]

13. Hard hitting

I like they way it manages to get so much across in so few words and pin it all on Bush, DeLay and Frist.

[LittleClarkie]

18. Much better than their first try

I'll admit the first ad was kind of non-impactful. This is very good.

[Jo March]

49. I agree. I was a bit disappointed with the first one

I really loved this one. Those pictures of *, Delay and Frist were worth the donation. It showed them for their evil selves.

Delicious!

[0007]

81. Great great advisement!

Perhaps this will wake up a few sleepy heads?

[ClassWarrior]

80. They could use the help of an ad professional, Clarkie...

B-)

NGU.

[cyr330]

2. Hmmm

I'm still furious with John Kerry because of his gay bashing and can't say that I would vote for him for president, but this certainly makes me feel a little bit more positive about him.

[Dr Ron]

8. The recent bashing of Kerry has been unwarrented

See my most recent reply to the Kerry bashing, and distorting of his statements, at:

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=871

[bear425]

91. Excellent reply. TY - I'm sick of the Kerry bashing, too.

John Aravosis of AmericaBlog.com also got on the Kerry bashing bandwagon. It makes one wonder about his intentions:

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/05/john-kerry-needs-to-go-away.html

[Jo March]

30. Sigh. Kerry has not "bashed" gays

He said that he did not believe in gay marriage (which I disagree with btw & fwiw) but he did not bash gays. Falwell, Robertson, et al - they bash gays.

bash ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bsh)
v. bashed, bash·ing, bash·es
v. tr.
To strike with a heavy, crushing blow: The thug bashed the hood of the car with a sledgehammer.
To beat or assault severely: The police arrested the men who bashed an immigrant in the park.
Informal. To criticize (another) harshly, accusatorially, and threateningly: “He bashed the... government unmercifully over the... spy affair” (Lally Weymouth).

v. intr. Informal
To engage in harsh, accusatory, threatening criticism.

[Jo March]

64. Okay, Kerry has NOT bashed gays!

This is the definition of bashing:

bash ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bsh)
v. bashed, bash·ing, bash·es
v. tr.
To strike with a heavy, crushing blow: The thug bashed the hood of the car with a sledgehammer.
To beat or assault severely: The police arrested the men who bashed an immigrant in the park.
Informal. To criticize (another) harshly, accusatorially, and threateningly: “He bashed the... government unmercifully over the... spy affair” (Lally Weymouth).

v. intr. Informal
To engage in harsh, accusatory, threatening criticism.

Kerry has not bashed gays! Good grief. The fristians bash gays. The ignorant and uninformed bash gays.

Kerry simply said that he does not support gay marriage. That is not bashing gays. As he is a Catholic, I'm not surprised that he doesn't support gay marriage.

I'm greatly disappointed in his stance but saying that you don't support gay marriage is a hell of a long way from bashing gays!

[electropop]

73. Are you a Cyr?

My Mom's a Cyr, so I'm 1/2 Cyr. :-)

[hedda_foil]

3. Sorry, I can't get all excited.

Considering the fact that he's spending the money WE donated for the 2004 election that he DIDN'T spend to beat *.

[LittleClarkie]

5. What facts?

1. This is Friends of Kerry PAC money, and as such must be fresh money, not leftovers from the campaign. The call went out a week or so ago to donate for the ad, and several did. It ain't your money.

2. The money he DOES have left over was from the primary season, because he couldn't spend it once the general election season started. And if it was donated during the primary season, I presume it was donated by folks who wanted Kerry for Prez as opposed to the other candidates. As such, it wasn't ABB "we didn't donate to you, we donated to get rid of Bush" money.

Criticism is one thing, but please try to criticize with your facts straight, if you would.

[magellan]

24. How about the GELAC fund?

(I hope that's the right acronym.) The money contributed to pay for any legal battles over the '04 election? How much was used, what remains, what's being done with it, any idea?

[Jo March]

32. I don't think that the money raised for legal defense

can be used for the type of things that Kerry is doing now.

I understand that all of these fund "buckets" can be confusing but it's really a common sense thing. Money raised for certain purposes goes into a bucket. If one bucket runs out of money, you just can't simply take another bucket and refill the empty one.

It doesn't work that way.

So, money raised for legal defense cannot go to pay for an ad pertaining to the filibuster. Make sense?

[magellan]

98. Yes, makes good sense.

So what will be done with the GELAC fund then?

[LittleClarkie]

100. Is there seriously anything left in it?

Some have said that was what the 17000 lawyers were paid with. I dunno. Do candidates have to cough up all their paperwork at some point?

And have these kind of questions always been asked of our candiates? Did anyone ask what Gore had done with his money?

[magellan]

110. I don't know

I didn't contribute to Gore's campaign (although I voted for him). I did contribute to Kerry's GELAC because I didn't want to see 2000 repeated if it came to a court battle. As it is it didn't get that far, though I believe it should have.

The money I contributed was very little and is not the issue. It's the principle of the thing. I'm sorry if you don't think I have a right to ask what happened to the GELAC fund, but I think I do.

[LittleClarkie]

111. Hrrr?

I asked a bunch of questions. Why do you think I don't believe you have a right to ask? Personally, I never paid that much attention before. I was asking honest questions. Is this normally an issue after national campaigns? I dunno. And you said you didn't either. Well, alright then.

As I say, someone mentioned they thought the GELAC fund went to pay back the lawyers that were spead around the country. That's the closest I can come to an answer. Unless someone has seen an article I haven't or has inside info as to how this stuff works.

[magellan]

112. Apologies if I read you wrong

I just sensed a little defensiveness when you wrote, "And have these kind of questions always been asked of our candiates? Did anyone ask what Gore had done with his money?" That's why I said I believe I have a right to ask. Again, sorry if I misread you!

As to whether it's usual for questions to be asked about funds after a campaign/election, according to the NPR article I just read, it depends on how much is left. It was the Democratic campaign people who first raised questions about the $15 million left over by the Kerry campaign. (Some of that was GELAC, but I haven't been able to find breakdowns.) Being left with loads of money like that is bad form in campaigns...most especially when the candidate loses -- for obvious reasons, now I've read that particular complaint.

Back to the GELAC. I only ask because it still annoys me. (As if that weren't already obvious!) Some of it may well have gone to pay for the 10,000 lawyers the Kerry campaign put in place in anticipation of a 2000 redux. The problem is those lawyers weren't used as advertised in Mary Cahill's "Please donate to the Kerry GELAC" letter.

But this is old ground, and it's not my intention to start a futile argument with anyone about it. I just wondered if anybody knew what the final disposition of the GELAC was. From the article above, I think the answer is that the money may have been folded back in to cover general campaign/administrative costs.

[Crunchy Frog]

26. Actually, and I hate to I hate to be disagreeable, but

The official primary season lasted up until the the Convention at the end of July. This, even though Kerry clearly had the nomination wrapped up by early March. This means that there was a period of nearly 5 months when it was "officially" the primary season, even though it was absolutely clear that Kerry would be the nominee. Therefore, a large proportion of donations that he recieved during that period, would have likely been from people who had preferred a different candidate.

I myself donated $200.00 to his campaign after it was clear that he had the nomination wrapped up, but well before the DNC, and I very definitely preferred somebody else in the primaries. Just speaking for myself, the money was "donating to get rid of Bush" money.

This is not intended as a slam at Kerry. Just to point out the fact that there was a period of nearly five months when everyone knew that Kerry was the nominee, even though it wasn't official, and it was still technically "the primaries". I was on his mailing list, as I am sure were many other people for whom Kerry was not their first choice, and was recieving solicitations for donations, right up to the very last day of the Convention. Supporters of all the other candidates donated generously during that five month period and that fact needs to be recognized and respected. We were all pulling together for the defeat of Bush, whether we were ABB, or whether we truly believed in Kerry.

I think there is some feeling among some people that more of that money could have been spent more effectively prior to Kerry's official acceptance of the nomination, to build infrastructure, to supply local party organizations with pins and bumper stickers and yard signs and brochures and other supplies. And after the Convention, to help out other Democratic candidates.

That's all water under the bridge now, but I think it needs to be acknowledged that all Democrats who desparately wanted Bush out of office donated to Kerry during that period, and have a right to express some legitimate concerns about whether the best possible use was made of that money.

Don't want to argue with you or contribute to any sort of rancour. But I did want to set the record straight on donations to Kerry during the "primary" period.

I am very happy about this add, and that Kerry is speaking out so forecefully, but I do still have real concerns about how the money that I donated to his campaign was used.

[Jo March]

33. The money that Kerry had left over - for whatever reason - is NOT

being used for this endeavor. He cannot use campaign money in order to save the filibuster.

I understand that many folks want to know 1) why there was money left over and 2) why the money wasn't better spent.

I think John Edwards summed it up pretty well when he said, "Don't listen to Mary Beth Cahill."

The funds that Kerry is using now are FRESH funds raised for a different purpose - helping preserve the filibuster, helping enact child healthcare legislation, etc. The campaign funds cannot be used for those types of things.

[Crunchy Frog]

34. I apologize for giving the impression that I was suggesting that.

I was responding strictly to the claim made that donations to Kerry in the "primary" period were mostly from people whose first choice for the nomination was Kerry.

I was disputing that claim with the evidence that I posted above, and wasn't trying to make any suggestions about where the funds came from for these other endeavors.

I apologize if there was a misunderstanding. I do applaud Kerry's latest initiatives, although I'm still feeling a little too burned right now to contribute financially to them.

[Jo March]

39. :) No worries. I am all about clarification

Things on the internets always get a bit mangled. Just like folks who say that Kerry is bashing gays. I try to clarify things, is all.

I am financially strapped but I kicked in a few $$. If we lose the filibuster, we are all royally screwed.

Thanks for the nice, non-flaming reply! :hi:

[Crunchy Frog]

94. Thanks for understanding.

People on here are so used to getting flamed, I think we're all on bit of a hairtrigger.:hi:

[Mass]

35. Most of the left over money was given to the DNC

(more than 50 millions) as well as Senatorial and Congressional Committees to help them during the races.

Since the election, this money has been used to help the DNC, the Congressional races, ... However, I think I read somewhere that this money could not be transferred to Kerry's personnal PAC (though I am not sure why ).

[Jo March]

40. It has something to do with how the laws are written

LOL, if it was Delay with those excess funds, he would have bought a few more hot tubs, taken a few trips, bought some hookers...

:evilgrin:

[LittleClarkie]

96. Good point, though

I don't know how it works either. I know certain facts about the PAC money, and that the leftover money was from the primary.

I think some folks are assuming the worst though, when it isn't necessarily warrented. Would we be talking about it even if Donna Brazille hadn't brought it up. It felt like a political move from her, considering that Gore even had money left over.

[WildEyedLiberal]

9. No, that isn't how campaign finance laws work, sorry n/t

[wisteria]

12. Actually, that money can't be used for this ad.

"Friends of John Kerry" paid for it. I even gave a little donation.

[SoCalDem]

28. AMEN.. Too little too late.. Where was this BOLD Kerry in AUGUST 04?

To be bold NOW is easy..because few people are even paying attention .. Michale jackson's on trial, there's a devastating SEX SCANDAL on American Idol, summer vacations are coming up, and Survivor's almost down to the final 4:(

[Jo March]

44. You would prefer he do nothing, then?

I'm curious as to why he should quit fighting and roll over for *, Delay and Frist.

"Too little too late"?

I can understand your frustration but Kerry does us no good sitting back in Massachusetts with his tail tucked between his legs, cowering. I know that's what some folks would like simply because seeing him reminds them of the painful outcome of the election.

I prefer my Dem leaders to be out on the road and using a more "in your face" style. I think that they are all waking up to what the * team is trying to do and they are beginning to get angry and fight back.

Imagine if all of them just shurgged and said, "It's hopeless. Whatever I do now will be 'too little, too late' so I'll just do nothing."

Nope. I think that Kerry is right on. I think that Dean, Boxer, Conyers, Clark, Edwards and others are doing the right thing, right now to stand up for us.

[emulatorloo]

58. Kerry said many BOLD THINGS in 04! However TV didn't show it

They cherry picked Bush's best soundbites, they cherry picked Kerry's worst soundbites.

Or even better, they showed Kerry and poorly summarized what he said -- saying things that had almost no relation to Kerry's actual speeches.

There were plenty of barbs against Bush regime. . .you just never heard them unless you saw JK in person.

[Jo March]

86. LOL! The press was like, "Kerry who?"

They ignored him, dismissed him, ridiculed him, slandered him and outright accused him of just about everything under the sun.

A bit on the same thing:

I listen to a radio station and it has a syndicated show. If they mentioned Kerry at all, it was to make fun of him, call him Lurch, etc.

Well, they are now bitching because of the stricter FCC regulations and how they can't say what they want to! They complain about it constantly!

Serves them right.

[marions ghost]

89. To be bold now is not easy

in the constrained and cut-throat world of politics. An ad like this in USA today is powerful and I'm glad to see that John Kerry is behind it. "They Think It's all about Them" -- great line-- they are SO arrogant and selfish, and even some of their former supporters are starting to see that.

[blm]

103. Only regular Cspan viewers saw the Kerry corporate media edited out

.

[acmejack]

54. No, people like me paid for that ad!

If you would like I will attempt to find that email and redirect it to you. I guess I will always have a warm (soft?) spot for Kerry for what he did with the VVAW. He is providing a modicum of leadership right now. That said, I am furious about the REAL ID Act and wrote a long letter to the DSCC demanding their rationale for capitulating on this issue 100-0.

[Mass]

69. You are right to be furious

but why dont you use the threads already treating this subject rather than this thread. When you look at DU and Dkos, it really seems that people do not care about the subject at all as people have been trying to create posts on the subject and they sink one after the other.

[politicasista]

6. Thanks for posting this.

Ignore the haters.

[LittleClarkie]

7. oooooommmmm.... oooooommmmmm

(levitates into the air) Yes, you are right. I must remain peaceful.



Oooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmm...

[carnie_sf]

10. Kerry is acting like the John Kerry

of the late 60s/early 70s now.

[LittleClarkie]

11. He was an angry young man

now he's an angry old man.

Hence the "Incredible Hulk" avatar of mine. I love it when he gets angry.

[ginnyinWI]

16. ahem...

make that an angry older man, please! ;) :)

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

[Andromeda]

25. I was gonna say that.

Great minds and all that. :)

[zann725]

23. At last the shadow-president steps out into the 'light.'

THIS is the TRUE J.K., and those who were luke-warm to him during the campaign are going to finally wake up and warm up, I predict.

[wisteria]

14. I agree !

I like how he is still fighting for our principals and ideals.

[AuntiBush]

15. Good for Kerry! He's still my President-in-Exile

And always will be.

[Dr Ron]

17. Kerry remains important

Just as he fought Nixon over Vietnam and Reagan over Iran Contra, he is well positioned to fight Bush and the neocons.

This is true regardless of whether he remains in the Senate or runs for President again. His higher national profile allows him to do more than the typical junior Senator from the minority party is able to do.

It is unfortunate that some Democrats do not realize that the 2004 primaries are long over, and continue to oppose Kerry's efforts to bring about progessive change and bring down people like Bush.

[wisteria]

20. Your exactly right!

I also think Kerry is enjoying bringing his messages to the people of Mass. and elsewhere and trying to keep the promises he made to us during the election.
Like yourself, I can't figure out why people would oppose John Kerry's efforts to contiue to represent us. I for one am proud to have him represent me and our party. I can tell you he is doing a better job than my two US Senators are.

[LittleClarkie]

22. My two Senators aren't half bad

I like Feingold, but sometimes I wonder about Kohl.

Even so, they're better than having Repubs in there. Now if I can just hold on to my Dem Gov and oust my Repub Representative, I'll be a happy camper.

[Jo March]

31. I have Dole and Burr - the bottom of the barrel

Dole is useless and turns more and more into a clone of Laura Bush as the days go by.

Burr is an ass. I do have to say that his office staff are all nice and helpful, though, as opposed to Dole's.

[acmejack]

60. If they are the bottom, mine are under the barrel!

Cornyn and Hutchinson, one is a lunatic and the other is merely stupid. It was not for nothing she was once voted the biggest airhead in congress by her peers.

[Jo March]

63. Ooh, I stand corrected

You do have it worse than me. Yuck. Cornyn is one of the biggest flakes going.

My condolences to you.

[jobycom]

19. He's trying to be the voice of the Party. Glad somebody is.

I still like the way he moves. He took on Bush, the Republican Party, the media, the rumor mills of the Internet, the corporate business world and a lot of slander from his own party, and Bush still had to cheat to beat him. He's a fighter. Let's see if he can gather some steam.

[wisteria]

21. Great post! n/t

[Jo March]

52. You've hit it right on the head

The "war president" (or is that "the peace president"?) had to cheat to beat Kerry. Shows how strong Kerry was and how weak * is.

[LeahD]

27. I truly believe

John Kerry has our backs. He has been lying in wait.

[Mass]

29. Nice to see this ad

Also nice to see that Kerry, Edwards, Boxer, and others are working to help the Democrats win the majority back in 2006 or at least get closer to it.

[paineinthearse]

36. Ads are nice, Senate floor votes are what count

How did Kerry and all the other "liberals" vote on "Real ID" yesterday?

Sorry to bust your bubble.

[Mass]

43. I agree with you on the Senate floor vote

but the ad is good and I am happy somebody did it.

By the way, the Senate floor is a problem for our two Senators, not only Kerry, (does not seem to trouble you when you post about Kennedy) and should be a problem for many activists and bloggers that ignored it for weeks (other more productive things to do, I guess).

[paineinthearse]

95. This was a Kerry thread so I kept the focus there

Personal attacks are not warranted here, and resent the implication I am biased against one person or for another.

See my post from earlier this morning at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3635463&mesg_id=3635463
which addresses my observations to BOTH of my Senators.

I will praise votes or speeches or whatever that are in support of the general progressive cause; on the other hand I will also bring attention votes and speeches which are contrary to our goals.

[liberaltexas]

37. Good ad, bad timing

Kerry has showed he's not a fighter and won't fight for our values. Does a single ad make you forget how he just totally caved and took beating after beating without fighting back during the election?

How about how he failed to honor his promise to make sure every vote counted? When he just caved in so fast that it generated conspiracy theories about whether he was "willing" to have himself win anyway? He rolled over about as fast as you can.

This guy is a disaster.

[Mass]

41. So let's forget about filibuster because you dont like Kerry

Wise decision. :sarcasm:

This ad has nothing to do with you liking Kerry or not. It has to do with putting the truth in front of ordinary people and I think it was great that somebody did it. (this remind me of I wont support Kid's First because it is Kerry - well, kids thank you anyway).

[Jo March]

47. Mass, don't you know?

Kerry couldn't do enough to please everyone so he should just lie down in the middle of the road and pray for the sweet release that death will bring.

Please, Kerry, stop working for us! Roll over and just DIE already, won't you?? * stole the election from you so it's OVER. Who cares that you are still a Senator? Just shut up and DO NOTHING like a good little Dem.

:sarcasm:

[Mass]

50. Not even

Dying would be pandering to the right and giving up and he should have given the money anyway.

:sarcasm:

What gets me is that people are always ready to criticize him (sometimes for good reasons), but are never ready to say something is good as soon as he is involved.

[Jo March]

53. Well, maybe if he would just be in a vegetative state

so Delay and * and Frist could all pray over him. They could wheel his body out on the Senate floor and say, "SEE? The Democrats are the party of DEATH!!!"

At least then he'd be useful. :sarcasm:

[liberaltexas]

65. He's done good things

He had a good record that he could have stood on. Instead he was ashamed of it, hell he couldn't even proclaim that he was pro-choice during the debates.

And lets face it, he lost the PR battle terribly. Why start with a candidate who's already losing? The point where you start the election with a Kerry candidate would be "okay how do we reverse all this negative national opinion on Kerry"

Why we think the best place for us to start in the 2008 election is behind the 8-ball, I dunno?

[Mass]

71. Once again

I did not speak about 08. You are the one that keeps bringing it up.

At this point, I am uncommitted for 08 and will be for at least another 18 months.

But Kerry is my senator and I like his efforts as I like Kennedy's ones.

[liberaltexas]

56. Sorry for any confusion.

It's great that Kerry is still going to fight. He just needs to do it as a Senator. He's not presidential material, he can't communicate with the masses.

I'm glad he's still fighting, and I think the ad was good.

You've misunderstood but if I had intended the comment the way you took it, then I could understand why you'd be angry.

[Jo March]

59. He is fighting as an American

He is in the best position possible - he is a sitting Senator and he was a Presidential candidate who can still 1) get on television, 2) mobilize supporters, both governmental and private sector and 3) raise a heck of a lot of money.

Regardless of whether you think he's Presidential material (which I disagree with), he needs to keep doing what he is doing.

I am not angry with you. I am frustrated by your post because it is defeatist.

On edit: "Kerry has showed he's not a fighter and won't fight for our values."

He's fighting for MY values - preserving the filibuster, working for healthcare for children, keeping his name in the Ohio lawsuit for election reform.

[liberaltexas]

66. The fight is good

But out of curiosity don't you think there are others in our party who can fight like for this as well? I'm not saying he should stop, I'm questioning why he's the right choice for our most important position?

He may be able to get on television but damage to national perception of him as a viable candidate is done.

I honestly don't know enough about his current ability to mobilize supporters and private sector. I'd be happy to read some articles if you provide them.

I'm not trying to be defeatist on the party. I'm trying to be optimisitic that we can find a better candidate.

Also, dont' you believe that at least some of Kerry's support in this last election was "please god not Bush again" voters? I think a good chunk of his support was "not Bush" instead of "pro Kerry".

[Mass]

67. At this point talks about 2008 are premature.

And in all elections, some of the support is anti the other candidates. Do you think liberals were happy to vote for Clinton? (or Carter).

Right now, the focus should be on 2006, and all Dems should fight. So why not be happy he does (as do others) and wonder why all of them do not do the same thing.

[liberaltexas]

70. I am happy he's fighting

Not sure how much more clearly I can express that.

I don't think 2008 is premature. The party is still splintered and we need to find the common ground that can unify us and lead us to victory in 2008.

2008 is so critical because it represents a check on the GOP power. It would be great in 2006 if we can check their power by taking back at least one side of congress, and I'll fight and help to do that. But I also doubt that it will happen.

[Jo March]

79. Please don't misunderstand - part of the problem is with posts like yours

I don't mean to be disrespectful or rude but a lot of the splintering comes from posts that are similar to what you have posted.

A Dem leader - Dean, Hillary, Kerry, whomever - does something great for the party. All of the sudden, the anti-Deans, anti-Hills, the anti-Kerrys come around and post something like, "Too little, too late" or "He/She is only doing that because he/she wants to be President" or "He/She is a lousy candidate because xyx!!"

Even if it is said in a respectful manner - such as yours - it still causes infighting. Look at what we are doing now1 Yes, we are being polite but we are wasting our energy and time fighting each other.

If any of our Dem leaders does something like what Kerry is doing here, I am the first to say, "YES! Great job! Way to go!!" The alternative causes infighting and splintering. It builds up that wall and it leads to the "My candidate is better than your candidate" mentality which is pointless and diverts energy from the main goal - regaining the House and Senate in 2006.

Let's wait until after the 2006 elections to think about the next Presidential race. If we lose in 2006, then we are pretty much screwed for 2008.

[Jo March]

78. liberaltexas, I'm not looking for a candidate for 2008

I'm worried about the filibuster and getting election reform and 2006.

Kerry's actions are good. Many folks approve of what he is doing.

Others in our party are fighting like this. We need them all to fight like this.

I just don't understand your post. If Kerry fights for the filibuster then that means that he is now the choice for our "most important position"?

I guess here is my question to you: Do you think that by supporting whatever Kerry does now, then you are somehow giving your support of him for the Democratic candidate for President in 2008?

You can support what Kerry is doing now and not support him for President. You can support Kerry financially, emotionally and through phsyical volunteering up until Election Day 2008 and still vote for whomever you deem worthy of your vote.

I support the work that Dean has been doing but that doesn't mean that I want him as the nominee for 2008. If he did get the nomination, however, I'd fight like hell for him to be elected. If Dean called on me today to fight for something, I'd be right there saying, "Great job, Dean! Kick them where it hurts!"

I would not spend my time 1)wondering why he was fighting and 2) wishing that he wouldn't fight and 3) telling everyone who supports him that he is not Presidential material.

[liberaltexas]

55. Hence my heading, Good Ad

It was a good ad and a good thing to do.

I agree that we should not forget about the filibuster.

Kudos to Kerry.

It doesn't make him a viable candidate for our party 2008.

[Jo March]

61. Maybe, maybe not

I just don't think that the only reason he is doing this is because he is going to run in 2008. I think that he knows that if we lose the filibuster, we are royally and most definately fucked.

I get so frustrated when someone criticizes a great thing because they suspect the motives behind it. Kerry just can't win with everyone, I know, but he is working hard NOW and that, to me at least, is what counts.

[liberaltexas]

68. You are right this is GOOD work by Kerry

I will admit that over and over to you. ;) Because you're not wrong about that.

It's CRITICAL this battle on the filibuster. But don't forget there is a silver lining to both sides. A LOT of people in the US believe that the Senate should be the counterweight to the House. There isn't a unamious public support for this so called "nuclear option". Hopefully we won't lose, but if we do-then a competent democratic candidate should be able to use this, bankrupcy reform, Iraq, desecration of parklands, enviornmentally disasters negligence by the GOP and other issues to decimate the republicans.

However, I get concerned because I see so much discussion about a Kerry bid for the white house. And to me personally I think that's a pretty massive danger to the country as well. I think it equates to a loss and that without a check on GOP power things can only get worse.

[Jo March]

84. Eh, discussion about any Dem leader around here

is pretty much a discussion about a bid for the White House. Hello? Have you been in any of the Clark threads? They are very passionate about the General. :) Hillary supporters are too as well as Edwards's supporters, Dean supporters, etc, etc.

I place no stock in it anymore. I have to focus on 2006. Can't keep my eyes off the short-term prize.

The Presidential primaries will come back around soon enough. I'll start worrying about it then. You should do the same. It will save you a lot of grief.

Support the Dem leaders now when they do good things. Give them hell when they don't!! :)

[Mass]

62. I am not sure why you bring 2008 in your answer!!

[second edition]

72. Your talking points are old!

And I don't agree with any of them. You are entitled to your opinion, but you lose me with your his willingness to win statement. If he didn't want to win and he didn't want to honor the promises he made to us during the election, why would he be out there now fighting and trying to represent us?

[second edition]

38. Way to go JK!

I am upset that I won't have an opportunity to see this ad. And I new it was coming out too! Is it available on line?

[Jo March]

45. You can see it by going to www.johnkerry.com

They should have a graphic of it there.

[Jo March]

46. Oh, and welcome to DU!

We have our little squabbles but we are still family.

Welcome. :hi:

[second edition]

74. Thanks! n/t

[CWebster]

42. The high price of gas, huh?

To fuel those SUVs with oil wars instead of focusing on alternative energy and mass transport?

Its the American way.

And there is Senator Kerry out there on the cutting edge.

[second edition]

75. Kerry has been very out spoken on alternative energy sources.

and also, conservation. He spoke a lot about this issue during the campaign.

[CWebster]

77. Yet, his ad complains of the high price of gas

Can't have it both ways unless he is flip-flopping.

[Jo March]

82. He is talking about the high price of gas because folks are hurting

Small business owners and lower-income people are really hurting right now due to the high gas prices.

Seriously, do you think that we are going to bust out with an alternative fuel source in the next few months? I don't think that we are. Sooo...in the meantime, what are folks going to do? They have to buy gas, don't they? And if the price of gas is killing their budgets, then Kerry should fight to try and get the prices lowered.

No flip-flop. Kerry is being realistic. He's said many times before that the only way to get out of this energy crisis is to invent our way out of it.

Waiting for that invention will not help those people today who are struggling to make ends meet.

You CAN have it "both ways" - there is the short-term help for these folks (trying to lower gas prices) AND the long-term solution for all (inventing a way out of this mess - fuel cells, alternative fuels, etc).

It's kind of disingenuous to suggest that he is flip-flopping because he is talking short- and long-term here, not one overall solution.

[CWebster]

83. That's right

they can support the troops for oil to fill their SUVs.

Demanding cheaper gas has consequences.

[Jo March]

85. It does have consequences, I agree

We do need to step up the inventions, IMO, and get away from oil as much as possible. Kerry has said the same thing - over and over again.

Most of the people who are hurting, though, do not drive SUVs. They need help now as opposed to 10, 20 years down the road.

Minimum wage is $5.15. Gas is $2.15 a gallon where I am. Folks are hurting.

I don't support the war in Iraq. Never have, never will. Wanting to lower oil prices in no way should suggest that I support that atrocity.

[CWebster]

88. Peak oil

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/

The consequences

[Jo March]

90. Yes, I know all about Peak Oil

And I know poverty and peak oil is going to bring on a lot of poverty.

Does that mean that we can't help folks out now by trying to lower gas prices?

[CWebster]

92. Well probabily

but it might cut into profits.

The point is we aren't being upfront about peak oil and the consequences. Why do you think we are in Iraq--and yet people are driving around in SUvs demanding cheap gas.

These things are related, you can't just say yes, I know the reality and then dismiss the reality demanding cheap gas. It doesn't grow on trees.

[Jo March]

93. I know that it doesn't grow on trees

I am not stupid.

I'm sorry but there are ways to lower the price of gas but yes, those ways would cut into profits. Heck, even a tax break would be helpful. The taxes on gas are insane. Even lowering those by 0.25 would be a bit of a help. If we could repeal *'s tax cuts for the wealthy and get tax cuts for the poor and hurting, then that would be something.

Peak oil or no peak oil, someone has to do something and soon.

[Lerkfish]

48. EX-cellent! me likes!

finally some attacks with teeth.

[QC]

51. Pity he didn't talk that way back during the campaign,

when it might have prevented this whole mess to begin with.

[Jo March]

57. Well, no matter how tough he could have spoken

Diebold would still be owned by a man who pledged to do all that he could to personall deliver Ohio to *. ES&S would still be run by a * supporter. Florida would still be controlled by some of the most corrupt repubs alive.

No, Kerry could have single-handedly saved 110 orphans from a burning building on live national television and he still would have had the election stolen from him. Not to mention, the corporate media would have criticized him for hanging around burning buildings while he should be voting on some obscure bill.

Then there would have been Firegate and we'd have to hear months of endless discussion about how Kerry saved all of those orphans on the public's dime and how he disenfranchised firefighters and medics.

[second edition]

76. Your post is sad but true. n/t

[YvonneCa]

99. I agree...

...I saw Kerry in Las Vegas on October 30th. He was fighting hard and speaking out LOUDLY. The day I saw him, he spoke at FOUR rallies that same day. He was working agressively and tirelessly. That's why I'm so convinced that he truly wanted the job of president and that he completely understood (and still understands) the importance of ousting this administration now. The press coverage of his campaign was pathetic.

The USA Today ad is proof that he understands and is not giving up. I applaud John Kerry for his leadership! It is up to us (We, the people)
to do our part. If we only read the ad, it is not enough. We need to give/show copies of it to everyone we know who will listen!
:patriot:

[Sparkly]

87. Very nice!!!

Go, Kerry! :thumbsup:

[Robert Oak]

97. "gay bashing"

Bear in mind that Clinton advised Kerry to ENDORSE all of those
state inititives on the ballot declaring marriage is between
a man and a woman and all, except for OR, basically killing any
chance of civil unions being allowed as well, passed, overwhelmingly.

Kerry refused to endorse them...Kerry also lost the election (assuming
13M votes couldn't have been stolen).

While I disagree with Kerry and the rest for not endorsing gay
marriage...

I personally believe that they probably do, but the minute anyone
endorses it they just committed political suicide on a national scale.

I don't know, it sucks, it truly does..but when I saw how many
came out to vote for those inititives and even in very green liberal
Oregon only 36% voted against the ballot inititive...
I thought "oh shit, is America in trouble".

I kind of grind my teeth as I type this, but I'm wondering if
it's more prudent to obtain power and get incremental steps
in until the there is more opportunity to get an "1964" type of
legislation to stop this stupid gay bashing legislation and denial
of rights of people.

and that is if a politician just comes out and calls a spade a spade (gays should be able to marry, period) they will
end up like Henry Wallace, completely marginalized, out of power...
but of course Henry Wallace had great influence and many of his ideas
were adopted later.

[cyr330]

101. Denying Rights =bigotry

Jim Crow laws denied Afro-Americans their civil rights, and denying gays the right to marry is a denial of civil rights. Any person who posits that gays should "get over it" and "just shut up and let the Democratic candidate win" doesn't have a clue what it feels like. John Kerry publicly stated that gays shouldn't have the right to marry. I don't give a fat, flying fuck whether he said it because of his religion, what kind of jello he ate last night that is stuck in his ass, or whether he's just being spineless like he usually is. I don't buy it, and just tell me that you're not trying to persuade me, and that's okay too.

[LittleClarkie]

102. Did you vote for him this last election?

If so, why?

By the way, what do gay rights have to do with the nuclear option.

[cyr330]

104. Why

I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I was mistaken--nothing too complicated or earth shattering. Stupid me.


On edit-- too many typos

[LittleClarkie]

105. Did you not know this was his position when you voted for him?

It hasn't changed. If it is a hot button issue for you now, why not then?

In fact, this was the position of most of the candidates. You'd would have needed to vote for Braun or Kucinich to vote for someone who supported your position.

[cyr330]

107. At the time

Kerry, of course, hadn't said anything about it at the time other than some very non-commital remarks (or that I took to be a complete whitewash) that he didn't really mean. Now that he's not running and is spewing this garbage that hasn't even been solicited is a completely different story. For your information, I always keep up with candidates for whom I vote, and sometimes I can hold my nose, and other times I just can't do it.

One can get into a pissing match about this entire thing, but I'm just stating my opinion, and others may feel differently-- fine with me.

[LittleClarkie]

108. It was solicited

The Globe asked him a question, and he answered it.

In 2002 he rejected a marriage ban that didn't provide for civil unions. But he said he would accept one, if it did provide for civil unions.

Marriage is nothing but a state sanctioned union as it is. Hence a marriage license. Civil unions accomplish the same legal rights. Isn't that mostly what's at stake? Legal rights?

[Just Me]

106. I always knew,....there are those fighting for "just me".

No predatory scum-sucking jerk could ever convince me otherwise. BUT, those bullies ARE hurting us,...hurting us all.

[wisteria]

109. Your absolutely right! n/t