Kerry calls Bush Foriegn policy "Stupid and Inept"as Haiti loses democracy

[papau]

Kerry said: Bush administration ...helped foster the political in stability in Haiti that has given rise to the armed rebellion threatening to overthrow" its current government, using the adjectives "'stupid'" and "'inept'" as he promised to assemble a "'security team' to show voters 'that Democrats actually have a bench that is prepared to be put in the game that can keep America safe.'

Kerry Maintains the Administration Is Partly to Blame for the Unrest in Haiti By DAVID M. HALBFINGER

Published: February 25, 2004


IGHLAND HILLS, Ohio, Feb. 24 — Senator John Kerry accused the Bush administration on Tuesday of helping foster the political instability in Haiti that has given rise to the armed rebellion threatening to overthrow the government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

"I think the administration has missed a lot of opportunities, in fact has exacerbated the situation over the last few years with its cutoff of humanitarian assistance and its attitude towards the Aristide administration," Mr. Kerry said. "So they sort of created the environment within which the insurgency could grow, take root. And now they're trying to manage it, I think."

He also questioned whether the administration had been playing "a duplicitous game": publicly encouraging Mr. Aristide but declining to assert itself in his behalf with the insurgents.

"They hate Aristide," Mr. Kerry said of administration officials at a morning meeting with editors and reporters of The New York Times, as he sought endorsements in New York's Democratic presidential primary next week. He then flew to Ohio, another Super Tuesday state, to campaign near Youngstown and in this Cleveland suburb.<snip>

[maddezmom]

1. gotta link?

:)

[MurikanDemocrat]

2. Where's the link? Did he really say "Stupid and Inept"? I hope so.

:bounce: :bounce:

[htuttle]

3. Come on, John. Almost there

Kerry has to know what the IRI and the NED are doing down there -- come out with it, John! The truth!

Ask yourself what Henry Gonzalez would want you to do!

[MurikanDemocrat]

4. Here's a link from the NYTimes - "almost stupid" and "completely inept"

He repeatedly attacked the administration's competence, calling its foreign policy "almost stupid" and, in a reference to its domestic policies, declaring, "It's staggering to me how completely inept these people are in almost every choice that we face before the country."


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/25/politics/campaign/25KERR.html

[papau]

6. Thanks - I forgot to pull the link in - Time for the afternoon nap!

:-)

[MurikanDemocrat]

9. Take a rest - I've got your back covered.

;-)

[papau]

30. Thanks

:-)

5. here's a link to Reuters

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&e=7&u=/nm/20040225/pl_nm/haiti_kerry_dc

[BL_Zebub]

7. So the guy who lets a PNAC'er write his foreign policy

..calls PNAC foreign policy "Stupid and Inept".

Of course it is. Not to mention fascist. But as long is Will Marshall's in your camp, you got nothing to preach about.

More waffles, please.......

[sangh0]

15. But you like the message right?

Or are you also opposed to criticizing Bush*?

[katieforeman]

8. "stupid" and "inept"- That will change the tone in Washington.

This is another important difference between Kerry and Edwards. Edwards is smart enough not to use words like stupid and inept to describe Bush or his policies. By calling Bush "stupid" and "inept", Kerry undernmines his own very legitimate argument. Republicans can accuse Kerry of attack politics and use statements like these to justify their own attacks on Kerry.

I have no doubt that Bush's policies on almost everything are stupid and inept. But it's much more effective to criticize Bush's policies without using words like these.

[MurikanDemocrat]

10. I kinda liked it this time

I was a kittle surprised, now that you mention it, but bush is weak in this area, so maybe it will fly. I'm sure there is a strategy behind it.

[katieforeman]

11. Sure Democrats like us love it, but swing voters and moderates

sure don't respond well to that kind of negativity. It's better to point out what's wrong with Bush's policies and then let voters decide on their own that Bush is stupid and inept. That language nullifies Kerry's criticism by giving the Republicans a way to attack Kerry. Thus putting Democrats back on defense.

Remember when Bush 1 called Clinton and Gore Bozo and Ozone Man. I'm sure Republicans loved it but it sure didn't help Bush win.

Clinton staved off attacks of his inexperience and character in 1992 by focusing his rhetoric on what he would do for America. Do you ever remember Clinton calling Dole or Bush 1 names. It's just incredibly stupid politically.

[MurikanDemocrat]

12. But like I said, Bush is seen as inept in this area. I wonder if this is

a thought out strategy. A shot across the bow. I'm going to sit back and watch this one. I have a hunch it might work. Bush really is seen as a incompetent, even by Republicans. ;)

[katieforeman]

16. Right. But the best way to point that out is to offer a thougtful

critique of Bush's policies without the inflammatory language.

Rove is smart enough to instruct Bush not to attack his opponents directly. They let Rush, Hannity, Faux News, WSJ editorial page, Republicans in Congress etc. do their dirty work. You don't hear venom being spewed by Bush. He has his suregates do it. A smart Democratic nominee would take the same tack.

Wouldn't it have been better to let Kerry critique the policies in Haiti and then let James Carville, Al Frankin, or Michael Moore call Bush stupid and inept?

[sangh0]

18. Yes, thoughtful critiques work so well with the avg American!!

Isn't that how Bush* won the election in 2000?

[katieforeman]

23. Bush sure as heck didn't call Gore stupid.

He let other people do his dirty work.

That's how he won.

[sangh0]

24. True. Bush* only called Gore "Ozone Man"

amongst other things.

[katieforeman]

28. Bush 1 called Gore Ozone Man and lost.

Bush 2 didn't make his dad's mistakes.

[sangh0]

31. Bush II did also

Bush II also claimed that Gore claimed he invented the Internet. He did everything but call Gore a liar.

[katieforeman]

34. Exactly, he did everything but call Gore a liar.

The Democratic nominee should do everything but call Bush stupid. Let others do that. That's what Rove would do.

Did Bush II actually call Gore ozone man? I don't remember that. Please specify when that happened.

[sangh0]

35. At a rally

I can't provide a cite, but I distinctly remember it. And by "everything but call Gore a liar", I did not mean to imply that Bush refrained from name-calling

[KittyWampus]

43. At Least You're Tacitly Admitting Edwards Has Others Do His Dirty Work

Just like the Republicans.

[Bombtrack]

13. Exactly, people will quickly tire of Kerry's hypocracy

he can't charge that the republicans are running a dirty campaign while he's using ad hominem attack words. He also can't shamelessly charge that people are attacking his patriotism when ever they critisize anything on foriegn policy. Kerry constantly skirting issues will play right into their hands. They've already started to frame him as inconsistant, and although it obviously won't work on everyone, it might well be more than enough to soundly defeat him, he gives them worlds more than Edwards. Even people who disagree with Edwards on major issues, will concied that he's a good person, who got into politics for all the right reasons for the most part. And that his humbleness and lack of arrogance is refreshing

[katieforeman]

14. And if Kerry's constant I'm a veteran refrain is getting old now,

it may actually turn into a negative by November. I remember a lot of Democrats telling me early on in the primary that they wer tired of Kerry's "I'm a war hero campaign." The best way to make use of Kerry's honorable service to our country is not to harp on it constantly.

[sangh0]

17. I always love the "a lot of Democrats telling me" ploy

while in real life, "a lot of Democrats" vote for Kerry.

[katieforeman]

25. Al ot of Democrats have a misguided understanding of what

electable means.

A lot of Democrats voting for Kerry are doing so because they believe he is the most electable. Edwards is the one most Democrats like.

[sangh0]

32. A very few Democrats

believe that. Mainly the ones who's candidate lost.

Presidential elections aren't popularity contests.

[KittyWampus]

44. Well, Sonofamillworker Lost Whatever Charm It Had Long Ago

especially since what edwards was trying to imply (he grew up working class) is a LIE.

[LandOLincoln]

39. Kerry isn't calling Bush names. He's calling the BushCo POLICY

"stupid" and "inept."

Surely you can stop flacking for your candidate long enough to see that?

[Uzybone]

33. Change the tone????

the last guy who ran on a platform to change the tone in Washington allowed 3000 Americans to be murdered on his watch, launched 2 wars, empties our treasuries and much much more. Id rather have someone be blunt for once. F* changing the tone.

[katieforeman]

37. Blunt yes. Insulting no.

First, Kerry is not exactly known for his bluntness. He could have offered a blunt criticism without using the word stupid.

Second, because he used the words stupid and inept. Bush will get off the hook for Haiti, and Kerry will have to defend himself for calling the POTUS and his team stupid and inept. Kerry's insulting language allows the Republicans to change the subject.

[GreenArrow]

42. changing the tone won't win

winning is what it's all about, right?

[legin]

19. For crying out loud

(Whether this is a journalist (with a agenda) putting words in Kerry's mouth, which is very likely.)

"I think the administration has missed a lot of opportunities, in fact has exacerbated the situation over the last few years with its cutoff of humanitarian assistance and its attitude towards the Aristide administration," Mr. Kerry said.

It's not "I think" at all, it's 'This administration has missed a lot of oppotunities because it is composed of very low quality staff for whom missing chances is the best it gets.

And what the fuck does 'exacerbated' mean ? I can't even pronounce the word. It's got 5 slyables in it. What's wrong with 'screwed up'. Stop speaking like an Oxbridge Don it goes straight over my head. I'm with bush* on this one, 'The Hungry Caterpiller' is a damn good book.

"So they sort of created the environment within which the insurgency could grow, take root. And now they're trying to manage it, I think." Maybe, perhaps, possibly. Way to go to to kill that Waffle-Monster tag.

[legin]

20. The Stupid and inept bit is excellent though n/t

[katieforeman]

27. My response true. Your response nt.

[legin]

21. I like 'Snarl' words

Fucked-up, screwed-up, made a complete bollocks of;

exacerbated is not even a 'Purr' word, it is just a limp lettuce word.

[katieforeman]

26. For crying out loud. Did you read the original post or the article.

Directly from the Nytimes article":

"He (meaning Kerry) repeatedly attacked the administration's policy as 'almost stupid.'"

Kerry is quoted in the article saying,"It's staggering to me how completely inept these people are..."

The original post began by saying Kerry called the administration stupid and inept.

Make sure you havce your facts streight before you accuse someone else of not having the facts.

[legin]

38. OK katieforeman

having read the thread which tends to be a useful idea before posting incendary comments, you may have talked me into it.

Perhaps we can agree to split the difference. I'd like to see a bit more bite and clearly defined rigour about Kerry's criticisms of bush*.

[legin]

40. Although

I still like the "Stupid and Inept" from Kerry.

Coming from him as opposed to Michael Moore, etc, it has more weight. And it is a lovely advertising slogan like Lenin's 'Land, Peace, Bread', although Lenin's is a positive slogan that is true.

And it does depend on which audience you test for the reaction to it, for the 'knuckle-dragger vote', of which I am definatly one of, i think it works very well.

[katieforeman]

41. Well, we definitely agree that Bush is stupid and inept

and that either Kerry or Edwards would be a much better President.

We just disagree about the best way to defeat Bush.:)

[WiseMen]

22. Thankfully, Kerry is speaking out on this tragedy in our own hemisphere

Wish France would intervene to save Haitian democracy -- and show
up the inept and incompetent Bush regime.

[katieforeman]

29. Kerry would help the cause of Haiti a lot more if he didn't use word like

inept and stupid.

[robbedvoter]

36. OTOH, Edwards likes it !

On Monday, he was asked about the uprising in Haiti and a U.S.-brokered proposal to end the strife. The plan, which so far has not been accepted by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, would allow the beleaguered leader to finish his term in 2006 if he accepts the appointment of a new prime minister approved by rebels and allows parliamentary elections that should have occurred last year.
"I think for the time being, that's the correct approach," Edwards said. "I think we just have to continue to evaluate it."

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-edwards24feb24,1,4278390.story?coll=la-home-politics

[knight_of_the_star]

45. Excellent!

Looks like he has found his balls.