WP: 'A Stoical Kerry on Bush's Day' (man calls Kerry a "Loser!" )

[truthpusher]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24863-2005Jan20.html?nav=rss_politics

A Stoical Kerry on Bush's Day

By Dana Milbank

Friday, January 21, 2005; Page A28

(snip)

It's no fun being the runner-up on Inauguration Day. To add to the poignancy for Kerry, it was a year and a day since his surprise victory in the Iowa caucus propelled him to the Democratic nomination and, almost, the presidency. And yet, Kerry seemed to embrace the role of loser with ironic amusement.

(snip)

But Kerry betrayed little of the pain that was so evident when Al Gore stood on the same platform in defeat four years ago. For Gore, it was the beginning of his disappearance from public life and his conversion into a chunky, bearded professor. For Kerry, this is a week of reemergence. Before the inauguration, he fired off two e-mails to his supporters, one highlighting his vote Wednesday against Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state and one demanding Donald H. Rumsfeld's resignation as defense secretary.

(snip)

Nor has the other side forgotten Kerry.When the former candidate emerged on the West Front of the Capitol yesterday morning and his smiling image was broadcast, the crowd booed and groaned. One man could be heard to call out "Loser!" Kerry took his seat alongside an old friend, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), and quickly got to the task at hand: projecting both equanimity and magnanimity.

(snip)

As Bush read an address full of the religious imagery that helped to mobilize voters against Kerry -- "the image of the Maker," "the truths of Sinai" -- Kerry listened politely, applauded lightly and shifted in his seat. When demonstrators interrupted Bush, Kerry looked toward the commotion, where one protester had unfurled a banner proclaiming "No More War" and another was loudly booing the president.

lots more here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24863-2005Jan20.html?nav=rss_politics

[muse]

1. Sob! This was a sad read.

[The Zanti Regent]

13. More whoring from Milbank

Gee, I wonder if Dana mentioned all the $$$$ the Whoreshington Post put in Bush's pocket for his coronation?

[Pirate Smile]

2. There is some kind of funny stuff in there

This tidbit "On Monday, he will introduce a plan to provide health coverage to all children, picking a fight with GOP lawmakers and the White House."

-snip-
"He admired Harkin's new Stetson. He playfully knocked a 10-gallon hat that was obstructing his view of the lectern off of Montana Sen. Max Baucus's head. When Vice President Cheney entered, he stood and offered a wan smile. When Bush entered, he stood and applauded politely until the last bars of "Hail to the Chief." When Bush took his oath, Kerry forced a tight, crooked smile -- the sort of expression that, on Bush's face, is commonly called a smirk."

I like the last part of this paragraph

"The speech over, Bush and Cheney waved to the cheering crowd. Off to the side, Harkin put his arm on Kerry's back and offered some private condolence. Kerry hugged his colleague and then closed his eyes and bowed his head for the closing prayer. Only when the minister mention those "ensnarled in petty partisan politics" did the former nominee indulge in a wry smile."

[hector459]

3. The nation is the "loser" not Kerry.

The world is the loser.

[JDPriestly]

4. Say what you want, Kerry has inner strength.

I've read a lot of criticism of Kerry on this forum, but, when all is said and done, he's got class, smarts and guts. Let's judge him by what he does in the next years. Yes, he should have responded more quickly to the Bush attacks in the campaign. And, yes, he should have taken the gloves off early on and told the brutal truth about Bush. But, everyone makes mistakes. It's not the mistakes that count. It's whether you learn from them.

Kerry has a lot of great qualities. He is very smart, a top rate debater, liberal enough on the issues (although he could do better on some like health insurance), acceptable to mainstream voters and came close to winning (or won depending on how you view the election fraud issue). Don't count him out for 2008. Give him a chance to show that this election made him more realistic about the Republican political tactics.

[Voltaire99]

9. "Liberal enough on the issues"--er, no

Not by a long shot, JD.

I don't want to rehash the whole thing again, but the guy who foolishly supported the Iraq invasion and then had the stupidity to say he'd do it again even knowing the evidence was a lie; looked upon the struggling working class and promised tax breaks for their masters; and who was too timid to open his mouth about Abu Ghraib is not "liberal enough on the issues."

Liberal enough if the comparison is Lieberman, Cheney or Bush, but fortunately there are better metrics.

[marcologico]

11. But they weren't the candidate, and if you're talking about Kucinich or

Nader, they don't stand a snowball's chance of ever BEING the candidate. Talk is cheap.

[blm]

25. He called for Rumsfeld to be fired after Abu Ghraib. Who backed him up?

Not too many.

He called for the CLOSING of tax loopholes for corporations, while giving taxbreaks ONLY to those corporations who maintained their jobs in America and provided proper benefits for their employees.

The IWR would have PREVENTED war if Bush followed it HONESTLY.

Kerry expected to BE a president who also called for resolutions and respected that power. If you think he would implement them the same way, then you don't know Kerry.

BTW...Kerry's lifetime voting record was the most liberal of all the candidates.

[Laurab]

12. "Class, Smarts and Guts"

Three of the many things * & co are sorely lacking. Kerry has them in abundance. If I were him, I can't say I would have had the class to even show up for the coronation. I admire the man tremendously, and from what I've seen in just the past week or so, he's coming back fighting. I can't say I didn't expect it, but I think a lot of people didn't.

I don't count him out for anything. Not for a minute. I think he's well educated in bushit, and is going to be quite effective in fighting this administration.

[barb162]

15. the mistakes do count...Bush for 4 more years

[Divernan]

5. Class will tell.

nt

[InvisibleTouch]

6. Why did he have to be present for the coronation at all?

He didn't deserve that.

But I hope he was thinking the whole time of ways to really stick it to the imposter in the next four years.

[marcologico]

8. LOL, didn't see yours, but yeah I wonder n/t

[marcologico]

7. Still you gotta wonder, why did he put himself through it?

Couldn't he have made a token appearance and ducked out?

[Withywindle]

14. I think the Senate has to sit through the whole thing, don't they?n/t

[rodeodance]

19. not putting himself through it would have been fodder for Fox/the Right!!

[DistantWind88]

20. Becasue he's a class guy all the way. N/T

[bushcrab]

10. Kerry should've countered with

"I didn't lose, I just gave up too early."

Maybe he should've visited Venezuela toady instead.

[newyawker99]

27. Hi bushcrab!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[jasop]

16. Taking it out on Kerry won't

fix the Voting fraud... oh wait everyone forgot that right? Karl Rove is the most incredible psychic EVER .. because he predicted that everyone would forget that there was OBVIOUS fraud with ES&S and Diebold running the election.. but hey who cares lets bash Kerry.

[fooj]

17. Kerry behaves in a gracious, classy manner. He shows true strength of

character while the repugs show themselves to be hate-mongering, hypocritical SOB'S! Do you guys remember the Clinton Library
ceremonies? Shrub practically knocked Bill over trying to get out the door first! Dems didn't boo him or behave inappropriately. (and we all know how much restraint that took!) They keep exposing themselves...pretty soon they are going to be butt-ass naked!:toast:

[UL_Approved]

18. Just keep poking the bear

Pretty soon it will wake up and eat your sorry ass alive. Remember that, our dear right-wing grandstanders...

[GalleryGod]

21. Dana Milbank: Total Asswipe! As Usual...

Burning those bridges...who cares? Fuck the Dem's! It's Payback time!
:puke: :argh:

[pinerow]

22. "A Stoical Kerry"...have they no editors at the WaP?.....Headline

should read..." A stoic Kerry..."

[Eurobabe]

23. Dana Milbank shame on you!!

This is a disgusting snarky article.

[Supersedeas]

24. Dr. Phil meet Dr. Milbanks: a chunky, bearded professor???

REALLY, Dr. Milbank, I missed that:

clutched his breast as if suffering a bout of arrhythmia???

sang as if he were Denyce Graves?? (don't you love the expert 'as if' analysis?)

a role of loser with ironic amusement??

pain that was so evident???

the task at hand: projecting both equanimity and magnanimity???

In some ways, Kerry has moved beyond his loss (oh, only in SOME WAYS??)

Kerry forced a tight, crooked smile -- the sort of expression that, on Bush's face, is commonly called a smirk. (has Mr. Milbank ever...EVER...brought to the public's attention Bush's smirk...or is it just common known to the less than doctorly commoners???)

"Only when the minister mention those "ensnarled in petty partisan politics" did the former nominee indulge in a wry smile."

Yet, the good Doctor Milbanks, himself engaged in petty partisan politics, must smile at his reflecting at both writing and being so wry simultaneously.

Dr. Phil meet our good Doctor Politico-NeoConservative-Pyschology...the pseudo journalist and hatchet man from the post...Dr. Milbanks.

[The_Casual_Observer]

26. milbank ought to spend a little time in Baghdad