Hmm? Kerry is NOT a progressive?

[Jersey Devil]

I am sitting here scratching my head trying to make sense out of some of the posts I've seen, particularly the ones saying that if Kerry gets the nomination they won't vote for him and maybe Dean should run anyway as an independent or 3rd party candidate.

I just don't get it. I am a Dean supporter because I admire Dean's courage when he (and Dennis Kucinich) were the only ones out there beating the drums to wake everyone up about Bush. But if Dean doesn't get the nomination I will be very happy to enthusiastically support and vote for Kerry. I wish Kerry hadn't voted for IWR but he did, he explains it to my satisfaction and I sure ain't gonna try to gong him for it when I consider the alternative.

OK, I still prefer Dean but I am not going to jump off a cliff if he doesn't get the nomination because John Kerry (or anyone else in the Dem field)wins it. Hell, I'd be proud to have any single one of them as my candidate and think they all have conducted themselves admirably.

But sometimes when I come here I get the feeling that some think of Kerry as some kind of right wing demon. LOL, give me a break! There isn't one in the bunch I wouldn't call "progressive" with the possible exception of Joe Lieberman. I mean, this is all about beating W, - isn't it?

[bryant69]

1. I agree, but

I can understand the other position as well. Everybody here who has selected a candidate, picked him or her because they thought him or her the best person for the job , didn't they? It's hard when you realize that people don't agree with your choice; and it's easy in that frame of mind to lash out a bit at those who support the other guy.

It's not pretty, and there are certain types of posts that I am tired of seeing (the veiled suggestions that supporters of candidate X are sell outs, the veiled suggestions that supporters of candidate Y are unrealistic dopes, and so on).

But like others have said, i hope that once the primary season ends we'll all swing behind whoever gets the nomination.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[dumpster_baby]

2. Neither Dean NOR Kerry are progressives

Kucinich is the only real progressive in the race. But his candidacy is shot.

Dean is nowhere CLOSE to being a progressive, as his record in VT shows. Dean does talk some progressive talk, but he is far far from it in reality.

Edwards does have a progressive stump speech, but his past is not progressive, and his platform is some small bore progressive items in it.

Kerry....ummm...a little progressive on some minor issues, but not on the major issues like taxation. I could you could call Kerry a small-bore nominal progressive.


Clark is probably the major candidate closest to a progressive. But he is not one either.

[lancdem]

3. Kerry has a higher rating than Ted Kennedy

from the ADA, so he's progressive enough for me.

[RichM]

4. No, it's not merely about beating W. It's also about avoiding the mistake

of replacing W with new faces that are vast improvements in style, but slim in substance.

For example, if a Democratic administration had been there, and had worked harder courting the support of European allies, so they could all attack Iraq together and divvy up the loot among themselves -- this would have been somewhat better, but not very much better. Such an approach would have had UN support and would have been deemed "multilateral" - but it would still be bombing a defenseless country in order to seize its oil resources.

Similarly, if a Dem administration caved in to corporate demands for further media consolidation and "welfare reform" (like a certain Dem president I can think of), this too would lead to terrible results, even if the Dem president was an excellent speaker and made all sorts of compassionate-looking facial expressions on TV.

Kerry is not a rightwing demon. He is merely a senator who votes with rightwing demons, whenever he thinks this might be advantageous for his career moves. He is merely a senator who generally keeps a low profile while the rightwing demons do their thing (until it's time to make a grab for the brass ring).