Kerry Won't Say Which Foreign Leaders Support Him

[hang a left]

http://news.excite.com/top/article/id/381249|top|03-14-2004::16:30|reuters.html
Mar 14, 4:23 pm ET

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, under pressure to say which foreign leaders were rooting for him to beat President Bush, refused on Sunday to reveal any names.

"No leader would obviously share a conversation if I started listing them," Kerry told reporters after Secretary of State Colin Powell suggested he name some names or stop implying foreign leaders were encouraging him to beat Bush.

Kerry, who visited the battleground state of Pennsylvania to slam Bush's health care policy and hold a town hall meeting, said last week he had met foreign leaders who told him "you've got to beat this guy" because of unhappiness over U.S. foreign policy.

He was challenged on the issue by Powell, who said on "Fox News Sunday" that "if he feels it is that important an assertion to make, he ought to list some names. If he can't list names, then perhaps he should find something else to talk about."

snip

[qanda]

1. Probably something Kerry *never* should have said

eom

[Media_Lies_Daily]

11. And why is that? Why not keep the NeoCons guessing as to...

...which foreign leaders Kerry id talking with?

[Flagg]

13. I think the cons already know

[qanda]

21. Because if he cannot list names, then why bring it up?

To me, it just leaves Kerry open for ridiculous criticism from the right. I've already heard talk about how it's probably just leaders like Kim Jong Il and Castro.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

22. Because it will drive the NeoCons nuts trying to guess which ones...

...and it will play a part in keeping the NeoCons off-balance.

By the way, there are very few people, even Freepers, that will believe that Kerry is just talking with Jong and Castro. That's a losing line of thought, IMHO.

[qanda]

26. I guess you have a point

But who knows what people are willing to believe these days. Afterall, over 70% of Americans believed Saddam Hussein was responsible for 911.

[Kool Kitty]

43. But that 70% were people that

got their news exclusively from the FOX news network. Among other Americans, the percentage was less.

[mobuto]

27. Who's guessing?

I think its pretty obvious which world leaders would prefer Kerry to Bush - including pretty close to every European head of government or state, with the possible exception of Silvio Berlusconi, but likely including Tony Blair. Add in the member leaders of the OAS, ASEAN, AU, etc., and support for Bush quickly becomes the exception rather than the norm. Of course the Bush Administration knows this - the point is that it was a stupid and totally unproductive thing for Kerry to say. This election needs to be a referendum on Bush. That's where the focus needs to stay.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

45. You're welcome to your opinion...

...and you can turn as many cheeks as you want. Personally, I'm tired of Democratic Party notables backing up everytime a NeoCon growls, and I'm very happy to see Kerry striking back at every opportunity.

You want a nicey-nice candidate and a nicey-nice election? IMHO, you're in the wrong place, pal...get with the program or find something else to do.

[PassingFair]

32. Guess which ones?

Far easier to try to figure out who WANTS bush to stay in power. Let's see, there's the Poodle, and whatever religious nut is currently in power in Poland.....anyone else?

[loyalsister]

42. That line works

only if this is limited to two people. When this is out in a public relations forum, Kerry looks like he's blowing smoke if he can't deliver the names.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

48. Nonsense. Nobody in their right mind reveals information too early...

...in the game. If you want answers to those questions, it should become pretty obvious which foreign countries are supporting Kerry after the 2004 election.

[Freddie Stubbs]

50. It makes it look like he exaggerates, or worse

[Ruby Romaine]

15. yeah, but they will find something to scream about w/everything JFK says

Kerry is human & compare his gaffes or misstatements to 1 word from *'s ugly mouth!

It's a good smokescreen to divert attention from the real issues.

[Democat]

2. Maybe Powell should find something else to talk about!

Other than just spinning Bush's lies 24 hours a day.

[Joanne98]

9. Shut up Powell. It's none of your business.

That's the perfect answer.:)

[yardwork]

3. Good idea.

If he can't list names, then perhaps he should find something else to talk about."

Let's get back to slamming Bush on health care. Kerry can find so many other interesting things to talk about. We won't mention Europe again. For instance, we won't say anything about...... Spain!

[Career Prole]

4. He has to get along with these leaders after he wins the election.

No sense in antagonizing them now by getting them put on Bush's "regime-change" list.

[Windy]

5. After having just returned from Europe

I can safely say, with authority that 99.9% of the Europeans are ABB... They find Bush and his cronies to be the real sponsors of terrorism and I'm sure they see the Spain bombing by AQ as further support for their position. Its had to get that through to a lot of the Lemmings here in the US who don't look outside their own back yard and don't care about the rest of the world. That's precisely why we are in the situation we are in right now. I don't know about anybody else, but the interview of Richard Perle with Wolf Blitzer this morning made me cringe. Thank goodness for the intelligent replies to his rhetoric made by Peter Bergen. I really wish the average joe in America would stop watching reality TV and tune into REAL REALITY for the sake of us all!!!!

We all need to donate to Kerry to help him get the message out. I think he should turn the tables on Powell and ask him how many leaders in the world support Bush... And them ask him why Israel and Palestinian relations have gone down the tubes in the last three years with escalating violence! Where has he been!!!! And Gee, whatever happened to Anthony Zinni???

[jean]

6. Welcome, Windy! Excellent questions - send them to Kerry

[alcuno]

8. Welcome to DU, Windy

I think if you asked Powell about world leaders supporting *, he'd start mumbling about the Coalition of the Willing. Anthony Zinni is terrific. I think he'd make an excellent VP candidate.

Right now the Europeans are against Bush. If he wins reelection, they'll be against the American people.

[Windy]

16. Thanks for the welcome!

And my thoughts exactly! My family had a wonderful time in France and the people were very kind. I think they appreciated the fact that we came to their country as that obviously was a statement that we hold no animosity toward them. But believe me, if we don't get this hack and his bunch out of the whitehouse, we will be more isolated than ever.

[Malva Zebrina]

18. I watched Powell defend that very question when he testified

before the congressional budget committe. He addressed Biden, who said that the majority of the countries in the world are not with Bush on his foreign policies and we have lost many allies. Powell assumed an indignant looking face and defended his massa--he said there are many countries that are on board with Bush and that support his foreigh pre-emptive war policies in Iraq. He simply looked like a fool defending Bush and Biden just stared at him. I expected him to shake his head, but he just leaned back in his chair and stared at Powell. I thought, at the time, that he was almost mourning the demise of this once respected man.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. I thought Powell was ordered not to campaign

for the boy king?

[Flagg]

10. well...

Chirac, Shroeder and the new leader of Spain will support him

and 90% of Europeans

that's a lot of people

[patricia92243]

12. Kerry knows the utter viciousness of the Pubs. They would not hesitate to

bring retribution on anyone that was against them.

We de-throned Saddam because he tried to kill Daddy years ago. The world and everybody else knows this. It is the 800 pound gorilla that nobody talks about.

[SoCalDem]

14. He should just say this..

Foreign leaders would rather have things that they said to me in confidence..stay that way.. and besides, most of the owrld does not trust us, and they know how vindictive Bush is, so they will be content to wait until after the election.:)

[Malva Zebrina]

17. this is kind of cute

In a way.

I bet Kerry is privately laughing at Powell.

[Calico Jack Rackham]

19. Kerry speaks

Hi Guys,

I was at Sen. Kerry's townhall meeting in Bethlehem Township this afternoon and it was great. There was a freeper in the crowd who accused Kerry of conspiring with other leaders to overthrow the US govt. (WTF). He kept demanding to know who were those leaders and if Kim Jong Il was one of them. The crowd really let this fool have it.
Sen. Kerry basically told this guy that our allies felt that they were unable to communicate with the Bush admin.
The funniest part was when Kerry got the freep to admit he was a registered rethuglican and voted for and plans to vote for the Chimp in Chief.

[RoadRunner]

20. Hi Companero, welcome to DU!

:hi:

[pinto]

29. freeper conspiracy du jour. tell 'em there's a big sale ay Wallyworld.

they can buy all those chinese goods we used to make.

[yardwork]

33. Welcome to DU, Campanero!

Thank you for that report from the Town Meeting. It's good to hear that most of those attending thought that the freeper was spouting nonsense.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

38. (Re: Freeper) Yes, it's called "democracy" and an "election", bozo...

Look into it!

Overthrow the government my *ss... That's exactly what we intend to use the voting booth for in NOV...

[K8-EEE]

46. Gracias Companero....

Look for a Freeper story on this "infiltration." "Infiltrate" is used by the Freeps as a synonym for the verb "to go" especially if it's to go somewhere where everyone knows they are assholes.

Did you guys notice this? They never "go" or "attend" a Dem event they "infiltrate." Drama kings! LOL!

[dennis4868]

23. Kerry....

should tell powell the following:

"When you tell the country who gave you the fony evidence of WMD in Iraq I eill tell you the names of leaders around the world who hate your boss."

[Terran]

24. Powell is being disingenuous.

Of course Kerry's not going to start listing which foreign leaders want to see Bush gone, and Powell knows that as well as anyone else. He's playing politics now (surprise surprise, eh?)

Dirk

[avenueb]

25. No 10 unease at Brown's contacts with John Kerry

By Francis Elliott, Deputy Political Editor
15 February 2004

John Kerry, the frontrunner to challenge George Bush for the US presidency this autumn, has held a series of private meetings with Gordon Brown. The Senator set to win the Democratic nomination has links with the Chancellor stretching back over a decade

Link

[Terran]

36. Have to pay to read the article, but

...very interesting. The next PM of Britain?

[Art_from_Ark]

28. Nearly everyone I know in Japan

is not happy with bu$h. I don't think Koizumi is really too happy with him, either.

[0rganism]

30. Kerry should turn it around: Ask Powell which leaders prefer bush

Aside from Aznar -- oops, too late -- and Blair, I can't think of any possibilities. Maybe the Saudi royal family?

[CerealMurderer]

31. Kerry does not have to answer the question

He is above this kind of attack. He is free to think and do as he sees fit without answering to anyone. People should just leave him alone.

[scottcsmith]

34. Our government's priorities on display

This is great. Colin Powell wants John Kerry to give the names of the foreign leaders that Kerry says supports him, while at the same time, the Justice department is not pressing Robert Novak to reveal the names of the Bush admin. people who leaked the name and assignment of a CIA operative to Novak. Which is a crime, of course.

What a world. Maybe Kerry should start writing a newspaper column so he can keep his sources secret.

[jeanmarc]

35. Gomer Powell strikes again!

What a crony. He's right, he's not being undermined. The real Gomer Powell comes out everytime. What a disgrace.

[mmonk]

37. It would probably take too long

for Kerry to name all of them. For bush, it's relatively easy to list the leaders that want him to win (3, maybe 4 at most).

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

39. Powell has really sunk so low...

I hope never to hear from again after this benighted administration slinks off into the darkness.

[GoldenOldie]

40. Support by Foreign Countries for US vs Georgie

My daughter and family who work in Europe spent a week of R&R last year at Karmel Sheik (sp), Egypt, just prior to the start of the Iraqi war where as Americans they were afraid to leave their hotel and were told by well traveled acquaintances to tell everyone they were Canadians. They fell in love with the little piece of Egypt that they could see and felt bad that they could not venture any further than their beach hotel and grounds. This year they again had a week of R&R and they wanted to try Karmel Sheik again and they were pleasantly surprised to be received with open arms. They had the opportunity to travel to Cairo, visit the museums and the pyramids, etc., etc. They were told that Egyptians love the Americans and America but they detest "your President that Mr. George Buuuush"

My daughter quietly informed me that under no circumstances was I to let her husband know that she was telling me her once die-hard, George Bush/Republican supporter, husband would now vote Democrat. I would no longer have to hold heated political discussions with my close-minded son-in-law. From his working and traveling throughout the world he has now opened his brain cells to what others actually experience because of George Bush's leadership. He is traveling around the world and getting well versed on why George Bush is both hated and feared. If this very stubborn son-in-law of mine can change, their seems to be hope for others.

[goclark]

41. Let Kerry Keep Talking

Powell needs to keep his poodle dog mouth shut. He needs to keep looking for those WMD before he tells anyone else what to say and do.
IMO he is no authority on anything.

He should know that BUSHseet is hated all over the world. He is just trying to goat Kerry into naming someone.

Kerry's response should be: " Mr.Secretary, YOU send me a list of the world leaders that you believe want Bush to remain in office. I promise you that I will send you my written response in January. You'll recognize the envelope. The return address will be 1600 Pennsylvania Ave."

[CO Liberal]

44. And If Pretzelboy Can't Tell Us What he Knew BEFORE 9/11...

...maybe HE should find something else to talk about.

[TroglodyteScholar]

47. My guess is...

...all of them but Blair.

[TanMeKangaroo]

49. Good for Kerry

Keep them guessing.

[goforit]

51. I'm sure the new leader of Spain will....LOL!!!

Tooo funny!