Troops greet Kerry outside Baghdad hotel

[leftchick]

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-19/110499806917220.xml

~snip~

"I've been visiting a lot places like Des Moines and Green Bay, and it has been great," Kerry said during an informal lunch meeting with a small group of reporters and officials of nongovernmental organizations. "But we are at war, and I think you can't really make all the judgments that you need to make without digging in."

He declined to compare the insurgency in Iraq with the challenges he faced in South Vietnam as a Navy gunboat lieutenant three decades ago. But he insisted that superior firepower alone wouldn't quell the uprising disrupting Iraq.

"No insurgency is defeated by conventional military power alone," he said, pointing to the Irish Republican Army, which fought a decades-long guerrilla war against the British in Northern Ireland. "It was defeated by a combination of time and political negotiation."

The senator was also scheduled to meet with officials of the U.S. Embassy as well as members of the interim Iraqi government, including Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, and a deputy to Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the Shi'a leader at the top of an electoral list thought to be the front-runner in Iraq's Jan. 30 elections.

Soldiers approached Kerry inside the restaurant of the Rashid Hotel, where he met with the journalists, asking him to pose for photographs and sign T-shirts. The restaurant manager insisted on serving Kerry the house specialty, a plate of grilled chicken and lamb.



In this photograph released by the U.S. Army, Senator John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., talks with soldiers at Camp Al Tahreer in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites), Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005. During his visit, Kerry discussed sports, the presidential election and the state of the war in Iraq. Pictured from left to right are Spc. Michelle Lacourse, 126th Aviation Battalion; Pfc. Kevin Cole, 356th Engineer Battalion; Spc. Michael Foly, 356th Engineer Battalion; and Sgt. Raymond Hegarty, 356th Engineer Battalion. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, Pfc. Charles Maib)

[Vektor]

1. This is wonderful.

I am so glad to hear it. I am sure there are far more troops over there who support Kerry than the MSM had let us see. I'm glad - I hope his visit boosts the morale of some of the folks stationed over there.

(Though I'm pissed this asshole reported had to start the article with the "shifting positons" bullshit.)

THERE WERE NO *&$$^#*&& SHIFTING POSITIONS!!!!

[Pachamama]

57. Right Visit - Wrong Date-He should have left for Iraq AFTER the Vote Today

:eyes:

[Tyrone Slothrop]

65. He should have visited Iraq 6 months ago n/t

[jayctravis]

80. I can't blame him.

The Republicans leveled claims of not being present for Senate meetings, I wouldn't have wanted to be there either. I'm sure Iraq is a much more welcoming place.

P.S. Fuck Delay.

[Vektor]

109. There's more than a little red tape

involved in arranging a visit to a war zone. Likely, the trip was planned a long time ago, and he went when he could. It takes a lot of balls to go there, without hiding behind a fake flight suit and a rubber turkey.

[Just Me]

102. I fell to the BOTTOM of this thread. Came back to the top to say,...

,...

There are two people: one who seeks to solve people's problems and one who seeks to profit off people's problems.

Some questions DO HAVE SIMPLE ANSWERS!!!

[Vektor]

110. And some statements....

...are unclear. (??)

[Gabi Hayes]

2. johnny, we hardly knew ye

try doing something useful, like standing with Boxer and Conyers

what happened to the man who stood up thirty three years ago?

huh?

[Vektor]

3. I think visiting our troops...

...is useful.

[bowens43]

24. In what way?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

63. Well it proves one thing.........

....that this idea that all the troops love and worship Bush and hate Kerry and the Dems is utter bullshit. I hope all the chickenhawks who would spit on Kerry if they could had to choke on their morning toast in the sanctity of their little homes seeing Kerry with the guys they pay lip service to, but don't give a shit about.

[SOS]

71. Not quite utter BS

The Military Times survey in September (all 4 branches surveyed) showed that only 18% planned to vote for Kerry.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

72. Primarily officers and career military voted in that

as well as retired. Not many in Iraq in that poll I am sure.

[MADem]

98. That survey is unscientific

It is provided online, a different question every week, and most of the people who visit the TIMES site are subscribers (or they steal the sign in code from the command subscriptions), because all the "good" stories require a subscription code to access. ALSO, the survey taps only those who choose to answer, does not ask for demographic information, is not weighted by paygrade, and is in essence, USELESS.

Who responds to those surveys? Lazy ass mo fo's sitting behind their desks, surfing the net when they should be working, with full web access (not all have that, some are stuck on a crappy intranet). Your universe for that data is desk jockeys, not warfighters, and the vast majority of them are safely stateside.

[Vektor]

107. It's sure as hell a lot more

presidential than Shrub showboating with his fake turkey.

Kerry is going on a fact-finding mission, and will likely return with info the MSM won't show us.

He wants to know how EFFED UP things really are in Iraq, since the admit won't admit it. Most people would not have the balls to do that.

And it seems as though many of the troops are happy to see him. If it brings them joy, then I'm all for it.

How so?

How NOT so?

[bunny planet]

115. Absolutely agree Vektor. He will tell us what's really going on in Iraq.

The fight in Congress today was about election reform, not about Kerry. HIs presence there would have made it about him. His presence in Iraq is damn important and the soldiers were very glad to see him.

[Vektor]

123. And we all know....

...those soldiers could use a little morale boost right now. What he's doing is great - getting to the bottom of things and digging up the dirt that the MSM doesn't want to show us. Good for him!

[Sterling]

54. Sure it is, especially since he helped put them there.

I keep waiting for the troops to frag these douche bag politicians who ruined their lives with this war.

[okieinpain]

89. I guess you didn't see tweety's show at one of the army hospital's

that helps dis-abled soldiers.

[Sterling]

92. Tell me about it plz.

nt

[okieinpain]

112. interview a bunch of injured soldier, and they were all very happy

for the sacrafices that they made. well I shouldn't say they were happy to loose limbs, but they all spout the bush line. that crap just encourages the sheeple to keep supporting dumb ass.

[Sterling]

131. Go to GNN.tv

Check out the interviews they got with soldiers in the VA. It's the stuff CNN will not play.

[Vektor]

106. Oh, wah.

I'm pretty sure they CHOSE to go.
Got scapegoat?

[bunny planet]

116. He voted to allow the president to go to war as a last resort, after the

inpectors were allowed on the ground to do their job. Bush lied, and rushed to war anyway, for his own reasons, and gave cooked intelligence to everyone in the Congress except his inside cabal.

Kerry is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't with some of you.
His being in Iraq now is a damned fine thing. His Fraudulency and his fake plastic turkey stayed home this Thanksgiving or hadn't you noticed. Too damn dangerous over there.

I wish Kerry a safe trip home soon and I look forward to his informing us of what is really going on.

[IndianaGreen]

128. That line of bullshit won't work anymore!

Kerry is the only US Senator that has convinced himself that his vote for IWR was not a vote for war. Besides, that BS line was trumped by Kerry himself when he said that had he known then what he knows now, he would have still voted for IWR.

Kerry should have done what John Edwards did. Edwards was not apologetic about his IWR vote at all, and he didn't try to feed us any bullshit about his vote. But then, Edwards wanted to challenge the Ohio results, while Kerry wanted to put this election behind him as fast as his swift boat would have taken him.

[bunny planet]

130. such a polite response deserves to be..........

ignored.

[WildEyedLiberal]

5. OK then

Maybe he decided not to ruin the hearings by showing up and having the Repuke controlled Congress immediately dismiss it as a conflict of imterest, sore losermanship, etc.

And maybe he recognizes a bit of himself in those poor men and women who've been shipped out to Iraq, our generation's pointless meat grinder of a war.

[NYC]

6. Poor excuse.

He's worried about insults? "Poor loser"? Who cares?

He should be in the senate tomorrow. He can be in Iraq any other time he wants.

[WildEyedLiberal]

7. Not insults, results.

It's not about name-calling. It's about enough people taking this seriously to get things DONE. We need sympathy on our side. We need to make this about DEMOCRACY. That's the only way it's going to change. Kerry gets involved, it suddenly becomes about him, and it'll be dismissed as easily as Gore's Last Stand.

You should try having a more mature attitude about what will actually accomplish things instead of insisting that Kerry physically chain himself to the White House gate, refusing to move until "they do something." Well, they are doing something, and it's something that can be done better without him detracting attention away from the real issue, which election integrity. This NEEDS to be a non partisan issue.

[NYC]

9. Did I insist that Kerry chain himself to the White House gate?

You said:

You should try having a more mature attitude about what will actually accomplish things instead of insisting that Kerry physically chain himself to the White House gate, refusing to move until "they do something." Well, they are doing something, and it's something that can be done better without him detracting attention away from the real issue, which election integrity. This NEEDS to be a non partisan issue.

I missed that part. Also, non partisan HOW? All of this is partisan. The whole election was partisan.

[WildEyedLiberal]

12. Democracy is not partisan

Voting isn't partisan. This is about election integrity, is it not? It had better be, because if it's partisan, guess what: we lose! They control all three branches of government, and no futile wailing and moaning is going to change that. I don't see why Kerry has to be there. For anything to get done, this can't be seen as a Kerry vs Bush issue. It has to be about the core of our democracy, which is not a Democratic vs Republican thing. If the pukes actually want to state their opposition to free elections, well then, they can expect public opinion to turn pretty quick. But as long as people think it's Kerry whining because he lost, nothing will get accomplished, and they will win. Again.

We HAVE to be smarter than they are.

[NYC]

13. Like last time?

Not one senator spoke up.

[WildEyedLiberal]

16. Where in the Constitution

is a Senator allowed to overrule the Supreme Court?

[Ian David]

27. You mean the "activist judges"?

[DoYouEverWonder]

28. The same place that it says the Supreme Court

gets to select the president I suppose.

[aikido15]

44. Not one Senator stood up for a recount investigation in FL...

Is what that post meant...:think:

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

58. When they are impeached and the senate votes

nm

[merh]

52. Because he knows that it is not about him, it is about the election

process and if he was there, it would be about him. He wants the people to be the ones that have caused this to happen (which we have) and he wants it to be about a flawed process and not about him. Jeez some people just haven't a clue. Why is it that "it has to be done my way or it is done wrong" is the only way some folks think?

[Vektor]

10. It's a great excuse...

In fact, there's very little he could do in the Senate tomorrow. it's being handled. Afraid of insults? Doubt it...there's little he's afraid of. Visiting our troops who are stationed in that hellhole is brave, noble, and patriotic. He cannot "go to Iraq" anytime he wants. He likely planned this trip some time ago, and "war zone" visits have miles of red tape involved. It is not a tourist resort! He cannot just waltz in for a vacation.

What he is doing is a wonderful service for our armed forces, and far more presidential than Shrub and his rubber turkey has ever been.

Jesus.

Kerry could simultaneously save a baby from the jaws of a crocodile with one hand, break Karl Rove's jaw with his other, prepare Coq au Vin with his feet and play "The Star Spangled Banner" on the accordion with his ass cheeks and it wouldn't be good enough for some people.

[NYC]

14. Pardon me for not kissing Kerry's ass.

[Vektor]

17. I'll pardon it this time.

But you'd have to kiss around the accordion.
Which is NO small feat.

[WildEyedLiberal]

18. Acknowledging the political reality is not kissing anyone's ass

God, why does everything have to be personal?

He didn't do what YOU wanted so you're going to bitch about it to everyone? Like him showing up tomorrow and crying about fraud would do one iota of good. Do the words "conflict of interest" not mean anything at all? You think it's just a matter of getting namecalled by the Republicans? I could care less if they think he's a sore loser. However, it's really easy to dismiss the entire fraud issue as "sore loser" sour grapes if Kerry shows up bitching about it. Would you rather he came and the case got dismissed, or would you rather have a real inquiry and get things done?

I'm done trying to change anyone's mind. If you're bound and determined to hate the man, hell, go for it. Obviously I'm "kissing his ass" if I think it's PRUDENT that he doesn't come to the Senate. Allright, well, I can't argue with that on any sort of level that will appease you, so think what you will, I could care less.

[NYC]

19. You and Vektor make some pretty bold assumptions.

Read what the two of you have written. What I said is that I think Kerry should be in the senate tomorrow.

Reread what both of you have written in reply. You are very creative.

[Name removed]

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[Vektor]

134. Creativity is the spice of life...

Tarragon is also quite pleasant.

[0007]

29. You sound just like that Senator from Utah, Hatch.

[aikido15]

40. It's nice of people to give their permission...

To others to have their own opinion.

I think what you're missing is Kerry said he would fight until every vote is counted...he didn't. A lot of people worked very hard to get him elected and it was a slap in the face for him to concede so quickly...THAT MADE IT PERSONAL. I was one of those people who worked hard on his campaign (I'm ashamed to admit).

People are getting very frustrated with the Democratic Party. They are wimping out on progressive social issues and moving toward the right instead of sticking up for what they used to stand for. They become just another fascist party working for special interests of big business and the rich.

Kerry doesn't do anything that won't promote his political career. That was obvious during his campaign, for example, supporting the occupation of Iraq, vowing to send more troops..that sent me over the edge! I am very against war, esp. the genocidal war in Iraq. This trip to Iraq is a photo-op, just as his entire career has been. Very ineffectual Senator also. All you have to do is look at his record.

It's time for progressives to seriously work in a revolutionary way to form another political party and stop supporting the Democrats, they are useless to our cause!

Watch...they (Dems) will approve Gonzales today, dispite his record as a supporter of torture...

[Vektor]

135. Bwaaa-hahaha

"Very ineffectual Senator also. All you have to do is look at his record."

Ok, seriously. YOU might need to look at his record.

If he's so self-centered, why did you continue to work for him?

Seriously, the whining and scapegoating is absolutely ludicrous.

[whometense]

68. dropping by and leaving

but I wanted to say, YEAH!!!!!! great post.

Hasn't anyone around here ever heard of STRATEGERY???????

[aikido15]

37. You need no pardon....Kerry=sell out!

His ass seriously does not deserve any support let alone kissing.

Kerry makes me sick...in this Washington Post article he is parroting the same rhetoric as Bush..."the elections (Iraqi) must happen" blah blah blah...and more...blah blah blah bullshit!

Pathetic!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49279-2005Jan5.html?referrer=email

[Name removed]

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[Vektor]

136. Waaah. Really.

Did someone say pathetic?

"Me Me Me! Kerry didn't do what I wanted him to do...boo-hoo.."

Please.

[angrydemocrat]

82. I Am Truly Glad You Didn't

That just leaves more of his ass for me to kiss. And I will gladly do so. So again thank you one less person I have to worry about.

[Vektor]

140. Except me.

I would also like to hit that.

[Name removed]

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[SammyWinstonJack]

46. Well Said!

:yourock:

[ALago1]

53. I "bullshit" your bullshit

"But visiting right-wing, liberal-hating, woman-raping, child-killing, family-torturing, fascist thugs who cheered as states turned red, and gleefully violate every law of decency while they decimate innocent, unarmed people in their homes? NOT patriotic. These thugs are a slap in the face of everything decent that America stands for."

That is a pure, ideologically driven generalization not based in any form of reality. It wouldn't be much different if I had replied calling your purported "Needy Americans" as "lazy, irrational leeches that depend on the government for handouts". Both statements are B.S., both are overly simplistic characterizations.

I would say the vast majority of our troops are decent men and women, scared out of their minds because they don't know who they can trust, and in response may obey their immoral superiors for some sense of structure and organization. Those who did commit atrocities can't be entirely blamed. In a sense they were brainwashed to a form of temporary insanity.

War is hell...especially if it is unjust.

[mahina]

30. yep

thanks :)

[jobycom]

38. Well said. Kerry isn't crying and whining loudly enough for some people.

He's trying to get things done instead of dwelling on the past. If the rest of our party would start doing that, maybe we'd accomplish some of our goals. Kerry has taken a strong stance on voting reform by laying out a goal for the standardization and accountability of voting methods, and now he has taken a lead role in Congress's involvement in the Iraqi occupation, where his experience gives him credibility.

If he went to DC and whined and cried over something that was a done deal already, he would weaken his chances to accomplish anything. Like many Democrats now are doing by whining.

The fight in DC needs to happen, but with Conyers, Jackson and Boxer, et al, the fight can focus on the voters who were robbed, not on the presidential candidate who lost out. By focusing on the voters, the issue becomes non-partisan, and the Republicans have to tread lightly to avoid appearing anti-democracy. It's one thing to shout at Kerry for not letting the issue die, it's another to shout at the voters that they don't have the right to have their votes counted. Kerry being absent puts the focus on the voters, not on him, and that's the way we'll win this thing.

People are whining about Kerry because he's smarter than they are, and they can't see it.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

39. he's smarter than they are, and they can't see it!

that would never occur to most of them, true as it is.

[blm]

76. he's smarter than they are and they can't stand it

and will never admit it.

I'm still waiting for just ONE person to step forward and describe how they have served this nation and democracy more than Kerry who investigated and exposed more government corruption than any lawmaker in modern history.

[LittleClarkie]

104. Smarter, more mature, more experienced

more knowledgeable.

I concur with your post.

[Vektor]

133. The sense of entitlement astounds me.

"Kerry had better do what I want, when I want it!"

[thoughtanarchist]

124. I need to quote you on that...

just to see it in print again:


"Kerry could simultaneously save a baby from the jaws of a crocodile with one hand, break Karl Rove's jaw with his other, prepare Coq au Vin with his feet and play "The Star Spangled Banner" on the accordion with his ass cheeks and it wouldn't be good enough for some people."


-- rock on my good DUer.

:headbang:

[Vektor]

132. I shall continue to rock it.

..with all of my might.

[Name removed]

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[Ian David]

26. George Bush is in Washington worried about his own ass, his own job

John Kerry is in Iraq, worried about our soldiers that are in harm's way.

Any questions?

[Metrix]

15. If the military-industrial complex didn't want Kerry to be president

I'm afraid he would have gone the way of the Johnny in your title.

[Pachamama]

56. Right Visit - Wrong Date-He should have left for Iraq AFTER the Vote Today

I don't know what he was thinking...I'm very upset with him.....

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

4. here is another one

[leftchick]

8. sigh.....

a real commander. :(

[aikido15]

42. Commander of what?

:wtf:

[Name removed]

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[Vektor]

138. MY LOINS.

UNGH.

[Vektor]

11. MMmmmph..

Good god, I think I just messed my pants.
WHATTA MAN.

[BiggJawn]

22. Caption...

"No, John Kerry...KERRY...I just ran for President in November's election?"

[Vektor]

139. You know....

The "big guy" who provokes penis envy in all the whining insecure boys that like to bitch that he's not "doing enough."

"John Kerry, hero, that's right. I've got your WMD RIGHT HERE."

[deminflorida]

20. Looks like he's surrounded by about six troops in a board room.

Are there any pictures of him addressing hundreds, taking questions from more than a hand full of common soldiers?

Is this a local commander saying Kerry's here, get some guys (maybe ten or so) and meet him at the airport. For God's sakes don't let anything happen to him while he's here, and don't let him out to wonder around alone. We don't want him poking around and finding out how fucked up things really are around here.

By the way men, these orders are coming straight from the top, the guy is really good friends with Caesar you know, they went to the same school. There's some screwy shit going on in the Roman Senate today that makes it necessary for us to babysit him for a day or two.

[Ian David]

25. I don't wish Kerry an ill-will, but would it be good if he was wounded?

After that whole Swiftboat stupidity, I think it might be good for his political career if Kerry managed to get wounded somehow.

My ideal situation:


This would all take place around 1:00 pm, when Congress is supposed to certify the vote.

John Kerry is in a helicopter that gets shot down. They make an emergency landing, and they come under fire from insurgents.

They're pinned down, and they see an insurgent loading a mortar round into a launcher. They know that if they stay put, that mortar will hit them.

Kerry takes a sidearm from one of the soldiers, and charges up the hill under enemy fire-- with no body armor and only a pistol. Kerry sustains a serious wound in the leg (with real blood!) but continues to run up the hill. He shoots the insurgent before he fires the mortar.

Another insurgent comes at Kerry with a knife, but Kerry wrestles the knife from him and stabs him with it.

Meanwhile, a television reporter from CNN is broadcasting the whole thing live via satellite. A reporter from Fox News is hiding behind a rock crying, with his own piss streaming down his leg, crying, "Help me! We're all going to die! Please, someone help me!"

At that very same moment, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly are both on the air saying what a coward Kerry is for not being in Washington today.

Every station interrupts their programing to show America the live feed from CNN. Except, of course, for Fox News, which continues to go on an anti-Kerry rant.

And later we find out that the insurgent Kerry killed was one of Bin Laden's relatives that Bush put on a private jet out of the country on September 13th.

But Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter would say something like:

"Kerry wanted this to happen. It's his own damn fault. He announced ahead of time that he was going to Iraq. If you ask me, he deserved to be wounded. That is no way for a President to behave. If he really cared about the American people, he would know that a president needs to sneak into a country under a cloak of secrecy to carve a fake turkey for the troops. And speaking of turkeys, have you heard about Conyer?..."

Of course, Bush wouldn't give John Kerry The Medal of Freedom, because all he did was defend his country and save the lives of American soldiers.

If you want to win The Medal of Freedom, you need to either:

1) Ignore subtle terrorist threats, such as "Osama Bin Laden Determined..."

2) Say that finding Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq is a slam-dunk, and then turn out to be wrong.

3) Completely screw-up the reconstruction of Iraq and watch priceless antiquities be looted from museums while the pResident says, "Well, stuff happens."

But if this happened, would Kerry get another Purple Heart?

[d_b]

119. That was funny.

:D

[bowens43]

23. This accomplishes what ?

Kerry should be here , especially today, fighting for fair and free elections in the US not scampering around the middle east trying to look important.

[aikido15]

43. It's called a photo-op...

:eyes:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

45. Compare.

I prefer Kerry.

[IndianaGreen]

75. Kerry/Bush, two sides of the same Skull & Bones coin

I am surprised you didn't use Kerry's duck hunting photo op. Too bad Kerry doesn't know that the Second Amendment has nothing to do with hunting.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

77. Big F'ing yawn here

and Kerry isn't the guy who conflated the 2nd amendment issue.

[Name removed]

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[Vektor]

141. HAHAHAHA

Ooooohhh Skull and Bones....
Yeah, that's valid.
I guess they wore druid hoods and drank bat blood by the light of the full moon in a graveyard at midnight too?
The 2nd amendment just might have a little something to do with hunting if to want to hunt with a gun. You know, and legally be able to BEAR one.

[Vektor]

142. I like to go...

...into war torn hell-holes and risk life and limb for a photo-op too.

A photo op is posing on the beach with an effin' margarita.

[angrydemocrat]

87. Oh No John Didn't You Know You Were Suppose To Be Here

To save the world oh dear lord! If you were here instead of there finding out the truth you would save us all all oh dear god John! Save us Save us!! You know your the only one who has sense enough to fight for democracy and save of all! You know you shouldn't be worried about the truth and bringing about peace for anyone you should be here saving all the whiners that have their brain in their ass! Oh dear lord! Save us Save us!



LMAO!

[Skware_Deal]

90. Kerry is a WEAK PHUCK

I voted for Kerry! I supported Kerry! He`s not suporting us! What the F is he doing in Iraq ? He should have been here signing the complaint like Boxer is. I sure doesn`t hurt to have more than one BRAVE senator signing !!! The Democrats should have chosen her for the Dem canidate.

I got an email today from the Kerry camp :

Dear Friend,

No American citizen should wake up the morning after the election and worry their vote wasn't counted. No citizen should be denied at the polls if they are eligible to vote. And, as the greatest, wealthiest nation on earth, our citizens should never be forced to vote on old, unaccountable and non transparent voting machines from companies controlled by partisan activists.

Tomorrow, members of Congress will meet to certify the results of the 2004 presidential election. I will not be taking part in a formal protest of the Ohio Electors.

Despite widespread reports of irregularities, questionable practices by some election officials and instances of lawful voters being denied the right to vote, our legal teams on the ground have found no evidence that would change the outcome of the election.

But, that does not mean we should abandon our commitment to addressing those problems that happened in Ohio. We must act today to make sure they never happen again.

I urge you to join me in using this occasion to highlight our demand that Congress commit itself this year to reforming the electoral system. A Presidential election is a national federal election but we have different standards in different states for casting and counting votes. We need a national federal standard to solve the problems that occurred in the 2004 election. I will propose legislation to help achieve this.

Florida 2000 was a wake up call. But the Republicans who control Congress ignored it. Will they now ignore what happened in 2004?

There are nearly 3,000,000 of you receiving this email. We accomplished so much together during the campaign. Now let's use our power to make sure that at least one good thing comes from the voting rights problems of the 2004 election. If we want to force real action on election reform, we've got to demand that congressional leaders hold full hearings. Make sure they hear from you and help hold them accountable.

Speaker Dennis Hastert: 1-202-225-0600
Leader Bill Frist: 1-202-224-3135

And please report that you've made your call right here:
http://www.johnkerry.com/signup/electoral_reform.php

I want every vote counted because Americans have to know that the votes they stood in line for, fought for, and strived so hard to cast in an election, are counted. We must make sure there are no questions or doubts in future elections. It's critical to our democracy that we investigate and act to prevent voting irregularities and voter intimidation across the country. We can't stand still as Congressional leaders seek to sweep well-founded voter concerns under the rug.

Please join with me in calling Speaker Hastert and Leader Frist and telling them that you want action on election reform now.

A recent report from Representative John Conyers (D-Michigan) reveals very troubling questions that have not yet been answered by Ohio election officials. I commend the Democratic National Committee for its announcement this week that the DNC will be investing resources and reaching out to non-partisan academics in a long term study of Ohio voting irregularities. I am only sorry that we haven't seen the same from Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell and GOP officials.

Congress must play a positive, proactive role on this issue. That's why I will soon introduce legislation to reform our election system, ensuring transparency and accountability in our voting system and that all Americans have an opportunity to vote and have their vote counted.

Please remember to let us know that you made your call when you're done. We're hoping to ensure House and Senate leaders' offices hear our demand for action on election reform in meaningful way. Please take a moment to let us know you have made your call here: http://www.johnkerry.com/signup/electoral_reform.php

Thank you,

John Kerry


P.U !!

To me, he is basically saying that he knows the Repukes did something sneaky, but oh well... we`ll get them next time. What ??!!! A lot of people worked their asses off for him, and now all he he wants to do is introduce reform. He should be leading the charge!!!

I`ve read where it is said that the election wouldn`t be affected by the Ohio Complaint. LIKE HELL! I can do 3rd grade math. If twenty electoral votes were taken away from Bush and given to Kerry, then....Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new legitimate President !!

Skull and Bones brotherhood forever !!!.....NOT !!!!

[Vektor]

137. Bull and Shit forever!

Do you play Dungeons and Dragons too?

There are indeed weak phucks in our midst but Kerry isn't one of them....

Those who can't stop whining and blathering because he didn't do what they would have demanded he do are more deserving of that title.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

121. I hope he's finding out what Bush*s aides can't say in the WH: Bad News.

I heard a recent interview on AirAmericaRadio (forgot who) from a 'Washington insider' who said that the Boy King doesn't ACCEPT bad news from anyone.

And while the Iraq War is being lost faster and faster.

This Kerry trip probably was planned so he could be seen doing something presidential-looking instead of moping around DC during today's protest against certifying the electoral vote.

But he might actually be getting the news for the Senate leadership that Bush* refuses to aknowledge so SOMEONE can deal with how the US is losing this war and do something about it besides kill faster.

[Democracy Died 2004]

31. oh my

the timing of this has got me wondering. If events unfold today that are not favorable to the current regime, is this a tactic to get military support? Maybe he sees it as i do. No matter what the outcome the criminals will have to be forced from power. Me thinks the shit is flying towards the fan.

[leftchick]

32. He is Going to Fallujah and Mosul as well....

<Kerry was scheduled to fly on a C-130 military transport plane today to visit troops in Fallujah and Mosul. >

:wow:

[Zhade]

117. Yeah, it's pretty crazy.

I would pay cash money to know what goes through his mind when he sees the devastation.

Here's the other thing - "not won by air power alone"? Um, have we EVER won against an insurgency (uprising of the citizens we invaded)?

[KurtNYC]

33. Does John Kerry NEVER get a good picture

taken of him? You would swear there is a little cloud that follows him around. You can see everyone else's face in that top picture except Kerry's. No flash? Hmmm. Who goes to shoot indoors without a flash. The lower picture is no better.

I wrote to his campaign repeatedly about how they were allowing terrible pictures of Kerry to be taken. Shadows, bad angles, the bunny suit -- they just never controlled this guy's image. His flag pin was always too shiny. It took him about 6 months to get the obligatory "barn coat" and it is gone again in favor of this chocolate brown Members Only jacket.

It is a kind of shallow thing to focus on but it is a huge part of politics. And he still doesn't seem to get it.

[noamnety]

35. I like both the photos in this thread, a lot

I guess it's a matter of taste, but I think he looks great in both of them. He doesn't always photograph well, but these are both good (maybe not perfect technically, but flattering to him).

[JI7]

41. so do i, i like them better than perfectly posed pictures

he allows cameras to take pics of him almost anytime as he did during the campaign so they got a lot of unusual non posed shots with odd lighting at times. but i like them better than the formal posed type.

[marcologico]

47. Let's give the guy a break, at least he lost the pink tie!

Man I hated that tie!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

48. I wonder how many votes Kerry lost because of that?

[marcologico]

49. let's put it this way, it didn't help n/t

[NewYorkerfromMass]

50. I bet I could count them all on one hand

and have 5 fingers to spare.

[marcologico]

51. LOL I sure hope so, but I think he should stick to blue

It looks less wimpy for one thing. Don't forget Dumbya supposedly won on "security" LMAO.

[MADem]

101. That jacket is leather, and it is styled after the old USN

flight jacket (the newer versions are green ripstop nylon). To a military person, he fits right in.

[Vektor]

143. I haven't seen one picture of Kerry...

..that hasn't made me say, "yup, I'd hit that."

[livinginphotographs]

34. Where's his flight suit?

God, does he look so much more presidential than the Chimperor.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

36. That picture makes me want to cry

this man should be president. He is a natural.

[Hanging On]

55. This is a decent man.

He, like all of us, is not without faults. But I will always believe that he is a good and decent man, who has spent, and will continue to spend, his life trying to make a positive difference in this country. Politics is not an environment that lends itself to character development; however, John Kerry has taken on fights/issues during his career that were unpopular and difficult, and I believe he will continue to serve our country in a way that George Bush could never even comprehend doing. Just my two cents.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

61. I agree Hanging On!

Welcome to DU :hi:

[LittleClarkie]

93. Thank you

me too.

I suspect those who don't understand this stance never took the time to truly get to know the man. And that is a shame.

[maddezmom]

95. thank you and welcome to DU, HangingOn

[seito]

59. John Kerry is where he needs to be

The challenge will go on today and it needs to be about election fraud, not John Kerry. He know this and is willing to give the spotlight to others. Why some people can not see that and understand that, I will never understand. His letter yesterday spelled it out. He is not lodging a formal challenge, yet he does not discourage it.

I am so glad to see him with our troops. Perhaps the corporate media will actually give it some coverage. I doubt it. I will close with this thought. Do not lose sight of the real enemy. It is not John Kerry.

[puddycat]

60. I think its despicable Kerry lends moral support to killer troops in Iraq

We should be giving moral support to the poor innocent people of Iraq whom the BushCo. govt has raped, murdered and destroyed.

Oh, that's right, I forgot--Kerry has conveniently forgotten he was once a champion of fighting against monsterous wars, like Vietnam. Now he just votes for them and supports the perps.

Am I sorry I worked so hard to elect Kerry? Maybe, since I'm beginning to think that he's all politician--going with the wind, wherever it takes it.

Well, I know this is an unpopular stance here at DU, whose members seem to think that rah! rah! support the troops! no matter what they do is important. But I tells it like I sees it. Troops who take part in illegal and immoral wars are no better than the corrupt leaders who order it.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

64. Sorry.........

....I voted for Kerry because I want our boys to come home! They are not murderers, but kids fighting for their damn lives against animals we should have nothing to do with because some asshole decided he needed to boost his popularity and pad his wealth!

[dhinojosa]

67. Hey Kerry where's the fake turkey?

Oh, yeah, that's right, you're the real deal.

:)

[puddycat]

70. You think the people of Iraq are animals? that's the kind of thinking ...

......I can read elsewhere.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

74. I'm not talking about the innocent citizens.......

.....and you know it. Stop with the rhetoric.

[Robbien]

78. Then what animals are you talking about?

The Iraqi who lost his family in Shock and Awe and is angry his country is being occupied by the ones who killed all his loved ones?

Is that the animial you are talking about? He is angry and is shooting at our guys. He wants his family's killers out of his country.

And you call him an animal.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

91. Wrong again.......

.......try the extreme Muslim terrorist operatives who aren't even Iraqi that have waited for years to infiltrate Iraq to make it a battleground in this kind of situation.

[Robbien]

105. self-delete

[NickB79]

120. Ah yes, the 1% of the resistance we're fighting

So you agree the other 99% of the resistance killing our soldiers, the local Iraqis who are fighting back against an invading force, aren't animals then, right?

[LynnTheDem]

126. Oh yes, those 353 out of 10,000 "foreigners"?

The vast majority of the rebels are IRAQIS.

Out of more than 10,000 detainees in Iraq, only 353 are "foreign", and they may all have been living in Iraq for decades.

So why don't YOU can the crap rhetoric?

[Bouncy Ball]

99. You do know they are just following orders, right?

It is FAR more instructive to focus your anger and derision on the arm that wields the hammer rather than the hammer itself.

[puddycat]

114. so, are all slave-owners absolved because it was legal?

Let's not have a double-standard. Slavery was legal, so shall we absolve all slave owners of the hurt they did? Liquor is legal today, and so shouldn't we absolve all drunk drivers of their crimes, since the real perps are the alcohol makers?

That's too easy. Our military our smart, strong, healthy young men. They aren't mentally defective nor disabled, and thereby they have no excuse when it comes to taking part in illegal activities--and the continued rape of Iraq is clearly illegal and immoral. On what grounds would you absolve them of their moral responsibilities as human beings?

[Bouncy Ball]

100. Oh and BY THE WAY puddycat

my brother in law, a life long Democrat who voted for Kerry is north of Baghdad now, just trying to get out alive.

You don't HAVE to support the troops, I'm no freeper who thinks we all have to march along lockstep, but try to remember not all of the troops are bushbots.

In fact, I think you'd be surprised at the true feelings among the enlisted grunts.

[puddycat]

113. see, that's the problem

this culture has been so indoctrinated into the military fascist mindset that we think that we serve and have to support the troops instead of the other way around. In reality, the only reason a supposedly Democratic nation like ours need troops is for DEFENSE. Now, tell me, in what way have the troops been used for "defense" since the end of WWII? (we'll agree for the moment to exclude Afghanistan, which is debateable)

Why should I "support" troops that are engaging and lending service to wars that I find morally reprehensible? I don't. These troops don't deserve my support and they haven't earned it. They aren't fighting for anything that I believe in and the only people benefiting from their service are rich, white owners of the military industrial complex who gain from the endless unncessary wars this country has illegally engaged in since the end of WWII.
Americans need to understand that our military are not serving America, but the rich Capitalists who get rich off of wars. They need to refuse, resist, stand down. (they may think they service America, but that's all part of the indoctrination into militarism)

[Bouncy Ball]

125. Remember I said

you DON'T have to support the troops. I think if this is truly a free country, then we don't go around beating each other on the head saying "YOU MUST SUPPORT THE TROOPS!"

I say if you don't, then don't!

[Pirate Smile]

108. Blame the Administration not the troops.

[IndianaGreen]

129. That's like blaming Hitler without blaming the Waffen SS, isn't it?

The only honorable way out of this mess, if there is such a thing left, is to withdraw from Iraq immediately and unconditionally. The US should then pay massive reparations to Iraq for all the destruction we did to property and to the society as a whole. The US should also compensate the families of all Iraqis that were killed as the result of American "collateral damage." Finally, and most important of all, the US should extradite to the International Crimes Court all civilian and military officials responsible for the war.

It is going to take generations to undo the damage that Bush/Cheney, with significant help from neolib Democrats, have done to America's image in the world.

[Massachusetts]

62. Stay United

Lets focus OUR RAGE on Bu$hco and not on each other. Stay united not divided like these bastards from Hell want us to be.:mad:

[whometense]

69. Amen.

Well said. And wtf are people thinking when they quote the oh-so-liberal MSM in attacking their own? Have we learned nothing???

[TheDonkey]

66. Great photo, no giant plastic candy filled heart

like * would have tried to pawn off on the troops. It's good he is staying active and involved. This election is done, but the troops still need help.

[Javaman]

73. Damn, so sad, he just looks like a president. So relaxed. Presidential.

What could have been...

[chomskysright]

94. ...fucking A.....

[4_TN_TITANS]

85. Jees.... what a thread.

I think it's good strategy for Kerry to be doing this while the contested vote is happening. How could the media not mention what Kerry is doing while that is going on?

As far as the vote, I got an email from Kerry yesterday that he has legislation that he plans to introduce over the next year on election reform. He's on the right track....

[LittleClarkie]

96. It sounds like the troops were happy to see him

I wonder if we will ever know how many really voted for him. More than some think, I suspect.

[MADem]

I concur with your assessment n/t

[MADem]

103. I concur with your assessment

Dupe due to twitchy mouse...but hey, I really DO concur with your assessment!

[Pastiche423]

97. BFD

[mike_c]

111. kerry is still trying to out bush the shrub....

When will he get it? The war in Iraq is an international crime. kerry deserves zero respect from liberals, IMO. He gets none from me.

[Vektor]

144. Don't worry...

I'll give him more than enough for both of us.

[tyedyeto]

118. kick...n/t

[bklyncowgirl]

122. He looks pretty at home. Next thing we'll hear he's been drafted.

Careful, John. They need experienced gun boat captains over there.

[Stand and Fight]

127. Good God...

I grieve... But it will be okay, because I'll never stop fighting.

[ashmanonar]

145. funny...

bush stepped out of an armored "island" on an aircraft carrier...while kerry is on the ground, talking with the soldiers face to face (i'm sure it's someplace without fighting, but let's face it, kerry isn't a soldier with modern training and armor, he's a senator)...just the picture above is amazing, with these soldiers standing next to kerry, and him treating them like normal people...

not the bush way "i'll be seen on tv, then i'll leave and hide in a bunker."

kudos to kerry!

[kcora]

146. Well said

I feel the same way.

If anything, it shows the big picture:
Kerry being brave - going to war, standing up for his beliefs when he got back, doing what he feels has to be done without cowering. Supporting the men and women who are there, because he knows how they feel, and doing it openly.

Some in this thread are critical. Bush still shows up as the coward by comparison in every detail.