Please help me get to know, and learn to love, John Kerry.

[Fridays Child]

I was so jazzed up about Howard Dean that, for the first time, I gave substantial (well, substantial for me) amounts of money to a presidential campaign.

Can I feel the same way about a "Kerry for President" campaign? I will vote for him because I'm an ABB'er all the way but, other than a noble service record and a laudable anti-war effort after he returned from Vietnam, Kerry's record is largely unknown to me. Are there others here who have the same problem?

As the election season moves forward, Kerry will, no doubt, be treated to an onslaught of mud from the other side. But he's going to be my candidate, come hell or high water, and I'd like to be able to promote and defend him with vigor. So, can anybody tell me why I should be excited about him?

Sell John Kerry to me.

[metisnation]

1. close your eyes

and imagine four more years of George Bush.

that is more than enough to sell me on JFK.


Kerry 04!

:toast:

[flpoljunkie]

36. I feel the same way about Kerry running for president as his late mother..

as told by his daughter Vanessa...

Vanessa Kerry said because she is older and out of school, she can more easily protect her private life. Sharing anecdotes about her father's sense of humor and hobbies, including kite-surfing, she said her father's decision to run for president did not come as a surprise to the family. He informed his dying mother about his plans to run shortly before she passed away in November 2002.

"My grandma told him,'It's about time,' " Vanessa Kerry said.

_______________________

I found this very moving. I am really excited that we have the chance to have a progressive Democrat in the White House, who I truly believe, will fight for what is best for us and our country's future.

[lancdem]

2. You could try his Web site

http://www.johnkerry.com

Also, Josh Marshall has a nice post on why he likes Kerry.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com

[JI7]

3. that's a nice comparison of images

it says it all about right wing hypocrites.

to get to know kerry i would say to check out his website and see the articles posted on there about him. i don't expect you or others to totally get excited about kerry as you were about your first candidate, at least in the beginning. but just check out his website. listen to what his wife and kids and all those who know and love him say about him. one thing about kerry is every single person who knows him really does like him a lot. his friends from his vietnam days stayed with him through the years and became huge supporters during his campaign. the same with firefighters who kerry supporter far before 9/11. remember when kerry was down in the polls and his candidacy was declared dead ? all these people who really know and love him stayed with him through it all and worked hard for him.

[CWebster]

4. When you know his record

and listen to his statements, and watched his performances in all the debates, it is even worse.

[Katha]

5. A good friend of mine

met the next First Family several months ago. Here's a portion of what she wrote to me in an email (note also that Mallory is 20 years old and not usually overly political):

I, Mallory, had a conversation with John and Teresa Kerry. And the verdict?

Too cool for school.

Luckily, they're cool enough for the White House, which works out wonderfully.

Mrs. Heinz-Kerry is lovely. She has a beautiful accent, and she's very pretty and well-dressed in a non-frumpazoid way.

Senator Kerry is very tall, and nice, and has a good handshake. Granted, he thought I was from Long Island, but when I told him no, he said that he could definitely hear the New Yorker in my voice and I was like, "Awww."

We all chatted for a few more minutes, when Sen. Kerry turned to his wife:

SK: I think I left my cds in the car.
THK: Which ones?
SK: Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper. I can't do any work without them. (Turns to Mallory, who is becoming more and more in awe) They're my favorite band. You can't beat them for pure brilliance, really, you can't.
THK: John, she doesn't want to hear an old man talk about music (Eye roll)

It was so cute, and I love them.

Hope that personal story helps humanize JK and THK for you! I know it made me smile.

[rockymountaindem]

11. Beatles rule.

'Nuff said. I already liked Kerry before for all those trifiling political reasons, but he's finally gotten down to the heart of the matter. Any Prez who likes the Beatles is fine with me!

Perhaps he could get Paul McCartney to do some kind of musical ambassadorship gig. Paul is already in to social work and stuff.

BTW... have there been any noise complaints about Toby Keith being blasted too loud from the White House?

[Crewleader]

6. Hi MaryPat.....

There's Good People from Massachusetts...since I being from there, and John Kerry too. He did hang out some with JFK like sailing together. It gives me confidence he'll be good for all people and his voting record shows just that.

We both know he'll be a huge difference then who we have now and who we have now must be stopped! So we can have a good future for our children girlfriend! We all are on the same side of that and that's our focus and having John Kerry know Washington can be a good thing so he can change the corruption there when he's in the oval office!

There may be a possibility that some of the candidates will be in his administration,
won't that be a great for morale among us all,
that certainly would sell everybody my friend,including you and me!

:hi:

Love ya! :hug: :loveya: :pals:

[Fridays Child]

10. Crew! Hi, pal!

See? You know what I need to hear!

Kerry needs to hammer Bush on the corruption issue because, you're right, that's the biggest thing of all. The Bushes are the most corrupt political dynasty since the Borgias of 15th century Italy. In a just world, Bush would end up, not just out of office, but in prison for the remainder of his days.

And the man who, like my friend, is from Massachusetts WILL be the next president. May the JFK of our youth watch over the JFK of 2004, as he makes his way to the White House.

:loveya: :pals:

[IrateCitizen]

7. A couple of tidbits from a "Kucitizen"...

John Kerry was co-sponsor with the late Sen. Paul Wellstone on a "Clean Money, Clean Elections" bill. What CMCE is, is a system that offers public funds to political candidates who, after meeting the initial requirements (usually based on raising a certain number of $5 donations to prove their viability), agree to NOT raise any private funds for their campaign. It's like the system in place in ME and AZ -- and it makes politicians much more accountable to the public and less to special interests.

John Kerry also has a record of doggedly pursuing government malfeasance, as evidenced by his role in bringing national attention to Iran-Contra.

He's been a tireless advocate of the environment, as evidenced by his repeated sponsorship of bills to raise fuel economy standards, and his advocacy for an "Apollo Project" dedicated to renewable energy development.

Of course, I am still troubled by his stance on trade as well as his support for a degree of American militarism abroad -- but given the stark contrasts between he and the current squatter in the WH, it really is a no-brainer. In fact, I actually view him as a much more positive alternative to the last Democratic President we had -- and I'm confident that progressives won't make the same mistake with him and trust him to fix everything once elected, but instead will hold his feet to the fire.

[CWebster]

8. Hold his feet to the fire, huh?

Would that be like all the constituients who wrote, faxed, e-mailed, called, protested, demonstrated and camped out at his offices while he ignored them? That kind of holding his feet to the fire? Like the way he held Smirky's feet to the fire? That always works.

[IrateCitizen]

9. Once again, CWebster -- what's your alternative?

How do you propose to operate within the framework we have (because even to change the framework you have to deal with the current one to certain extents) by other means?

Seriously, I'd really like to know what your concrete plan for serious reform IS since you've become so fond of ridiculing any of my proposals recently.

[CWebster]

13. I would like to see progressives

stand their fucking ground for once and not always be willing to perennially capitulate with lame promises to hold *their* feet to the fire while they get perpetually shafted.

Their feet are never held to the fire and they are usually complicit in the current dire state of affairs, yet we are expected to be placated with the crumbs that they are not them who they enabled.

Heh-heh.

[IrateCitizen]

14. I said concrete proposals, not generalities

As always, the devil is in the details...

HOW would you "stand your ground" while at the same time increasing your influence? Platitudes are fine and dandy -- but they need something behind them to be transformed into a viable alternative.

[IrateCitizen]

34. The floor is still open to you, CWebster

Anytime you want to clarify your response in specific terms, I'm here to listen.

[IrateCitizen]

39. Still open....

<crickets>

[IrateCitizen]

42. And I'm STILL waiting for specifics...

Anytime you're ready, CWebster. Anytime.

<crickets>

<crickets>

<crickets>

[IrateCitizen]

43. I guess I'll have to take your lack of a response as meaning...

... that you don't have any specifics.

Of course, the floor is STILL open for you to prove me wrong....

[mistertrickster]

12. He's NOT Bush . . . that means he's a huge improvement.

Besides, he's got what every president must have to compete in the TV age--he's tall, he's really, really tall.

Actually, I don't love everything about the man, but he does support improving the environment, rolling back tax cuts for the top 5 percent, nominating reasonable judges, and doing something about the hemmorrage of jobs we're losing.

Plus he can end the war in Iraq since he didn't directly start it.

He wasn't my first choice but he's plenty good enough to support, and who knows, maybe the voters were right about his "electability."

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

35. "He's not Bush!"

Yippee!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

15. Those who think Kerry represents the status quo are in for a surprise.

Kerry is a real environmentalist -- not someone who has environmental positions as part of a checklist of issues. Kerry has this in his bones, and when he says in his stump speech "no young American in uniform will be held hostage to our dependence on Middle East oil" - it's not just a line designed to get applause - it's an attempt to boil down Kerry's ambitious synergistic plan for energy independence, environmental progress, and jobs into a soundbite. We need to start NOW on developing the energy sources of the future, with a massive effort - and that will lessen pollution, create jobs, and make America more secure.

That's a real change in the direction of our country.

Just one reason to love John Kerry...

[TheDonkey]

Sorry, 2x post (nt)

double post

[TheDonkey]

16. Go to his website and search through his issues, plus def. check out

his movies, tv ads, and bios they are very well made and make you think..."damn this guy's got the goods".

[northernsoul]

17. Love him because he will defeat Bush

If I'm trapped in a burning building, my heart and soul goes to whoever can pull me out of there and save my life. Frankly, I don't care about what kind of shoes he wears or what vote he made in 1992. B*sh has put America in (I think) mortal peril, and now that it's clear that Kerry is the only one standing between this great country and the final coup-de-grace from B*shco, it's the least I can do to join the battle with all I've got.

[CWebster]

19. Even though he fanned the flames before announcing

he was your savior?

Often your choice is to jump out the window or run into the flame.

[northernsoul]

21. huh?

sorry, but I'm reaaaaally not following your line of thought.

Help me out here, what does "jump out the window of run into the flame" mean?

[CWebster]

22. "OR" not "of"

sorry I made a little teeny error which I have since corrected.

(How have you been, btw, still feasting on soy ice cream?)

[Fridays Child]

20. Our building is burning, and that's...

...a great analogy! :thumbsup:

[mrgorth]

18. Read this

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040315&s=corn

and Abbey Road would do it for me. Abbey Road is pure genius.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

23. Most people who hate him base their hatred on the last three years

But you have to consider that EVERY democrat has had peaks and valleys the last three years. I certainly would not have wanted to be in their shoes with the endless turdballs being hurled from every direction.

As far as Kerry is concerned, his support of labor rights goes back a long way. He participated in the struggle for farmworker's rights in California back when there was NO political gain to be had from it.

He has been a champion for environmental causes for his entire career. He has helped author over 350 bills even though milder versions of those bills may have passed instead.

A LARGE degree of what we know about Iran/contra and BCCI flowed from his investigationd. This led to his introduction and passage of an offshore banking bill dedicated to tracking terrorist and illegally laundered drug money.

For being called every name in the book, Kerry took as much flak from his own party for exposing THEIR sacred cows as he did from Republicans.

I really don't think his core values changed.

I think he has been lying in wait...and will now move us forward and make a great president.

[Fridays Child]

24. I appreciate your input and your insight!

I was not aware of Kerry's environmental and labor records. And the farmworkers' fight is of huge import, on multiple levels--labor and immigration issues, minority rights, class struggles.

Lots of good info. I think I'm liking Kerry more and more! :)

[blm]

27. That's why United Farmworkers endorsed Kerry.

He was with Cesar Chavez LONG before others came around.

[CWebster]

28. garbage -they endorse so they don't get punished

in the future if they don't.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

29. So you don't respect Kerry, you don't respect the UFW,

is there anyone out there worth respecting? Any cause worth fighting for? Or is it all about fighting AGAINST things?

[CWebster]

30. Seems Kerry bought into the not running against Bush thing

for the past 3 years.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

32. Seems like your understanding of recent history is flawed.

IMHO.

I ask again, you don't respect Kerry, you don't respect the UFW, is there anyone out there worth respecting? Any cause worth fighting for? Or is it all about fighting AGAINST things?


Who or what are you FOR? And what is keeping you from advocating in favor of what you believe?

[sangh0]

38. CWebster doesn't do specifics

S/he has a firm "all slogans, all the time" policy

[IrateCitizen]

40. See posts #7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 34 and 39 above (in sequence)

NT

[CWebster]

48. So, this is the first I see that you have been hounding me

It isn't like I have been following this thread all day with baited breath. I do occasionally attend to the things littering my desk, so if your pleas were met with silence, perhaps a civil pm would have been the civil course? Unless, of course, grandstanding was your aim from the start.

But what the hell, IC, what do any of the issues matter anymore? Nothing that a unified chorus of DU voices opposed in the past three years matters anymore. All that matters now is beating Bush with a candidate rammed down our throats who didn't respond to the issues so many were previously unified against.

The rest of this post I will pm.

[sangh0]

50. Why didn't you notice earlier?

You have made several posts since IC first asked the question. You noticed responses from other people (nsma for one) and responded to them, but not IC

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

31. Flat out lie. Unlike you, HARD labor knows where their bread is buttered

[CWebster]

37. Yes, as I was saying.

otherwise why would they endorse him based on some of his destructive stands on trade? Not very much in the interest of HARD labor, is it?

[sangh0]

44. CWebster, why won't you answer IrateCitizen?

It's a simple question.

[IrateCitizen]

47. Because I don't think that CWebster has an answer

Because I asked him to deal in specifics.

Hell, right now I'd settle for some references just to support his line of thought. I'd even check them out myself. But I can't say that even given that concession, I'm expecting him to answer.

[blm]

33. No. They know Kerry supported them for over 30 years.

Even if YOU refuse to acknowledge that fact.

[cosmicdot]

26. re: the offshore banking bill

it would interesting to know more about this if anyone has links which
describe and analyze such things as the new law's effectiveness-to-date; how is it done? are Halliburton funds watched (or whichever corporations have off-shore accounts) just like anyone else's? who does it? does the Senate have any oversight? when do we citizens find out and how?

~thanks in advance~

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

49. Drop me a note in my mailbox..I 'll come back to this

the info on the bill is at his website under his foreign policy issues.

[revcarol]

25. Just had to laugh.

something niggling in the back of my memory,,,about "how I Learned to love the bomb"

[sangh0]

45. You don't love the bomb?

You're going to just love BUsh*'s 2nd term

[IrateCitizen]

46. Someone set us up the bomb.

You have no chance to survive make your time.

All your base are belong to us.

[jmaier]

41. Kerry is the Democrat

who will be trying to knock off Bush -- therefore, I love him! His liberal voting record doesn't tarnish him in my eyes either.