Kerry Sticks to Claim of World Support

[wicket]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20040316/ap_on_el_pr/kerry

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is not backing down from his claim that some foreign leaders privately support him against President Bush, dismissing suggestions by the White House that he is lying if he is not willing to identify the leaders.

"I'm not making anything up at all," Kerry told The Associated Press in an interview Monday. He accused Republicans of "trying to change the subject" from jobs, health care and other issues.

In a telephone interview, the Massachusetts senator and presumptive Democratic nominee said "it's no secret" that some countries are "deeply divided about our foreign policy. We have lost respect and influence in the world."

He continued: "I stand by my statement. The point is not the leaders. What's important is that this administration's foreign policy is not making us as safe as we can be in the world."

[leQ]

1. did you see * trying to 'prove' kerry wrong

by trotting out (the later silenced) dutch PM? when reporters were trying to ask questions, * put a stop to that like a fireman putting out a fire. it was almost comical.

[Kagemusha]

2. After the Spanish debacle, maybe this is a good thing for him.

I know the NYT is pushing the Nader problems hard, but he's campaigning with indirect at minimum and at any rate, blatantly illegal help from a tax-exempt non-profit organization he founded... and will have a hard time getting on the ballot in many (most?) states.

[grannylib]

3. I was not in favor of Kerry saying this, but I think he is now handling it

in the best possible way; and of course Chimpy is dodging questions...his command of English, let alone the issues, is so non-existant he really can't afford to talk without a script.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. Many of those foreign leaders command English

better than shrub. Most all of them in fact.

[LiberalFighter]

25. Could it be that these foreign leaders have a better command...

of the English language than gw* BECAUSE they ARE leaders?

[CO Liberal]

27. The Roman Soldiers in "The Passion of The Christ"...

...had a better command of English than Pretzelboy.

:-)

[wicket]

6. I've been very impressed with his handling of this so far...

The Repukes just don't know what to do now that they have an opponent who will actually fight back and expose them for their lies!

[tinrobot]

15. Kerry is acting more 'presidential'

...than Bush* these days.

Many times Kerry seems to rise above the fray like a real president should... I hope he keeps it up, he's certainly winning my support.

[w4rma]

20. The messed up thing is that Kerry was misquoted.

GLOBE REPORTER CLAIMS TAPE RECORDED KERRY 'MORE' LEADERS NOT 'FOREIGN' LEADERS; TRANSCRIPTION 'SCREW-UP'
...
http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2004/03/16/20040316_014204_kerrybo.htm

[Goldom]

4. but i thought the guy said

he miswrote it, and he didn't say foreign leaders?

[DuctapeFatwa]

8. That was yesterday. The Globe said he said more, not foreign

Maybe today they decided he said foreign? We can't know for sure, we don't have access to the focus group data.

[rock]

11. But of course it doesn't matter

Both are true!

[zbdent]

7. Fired off a LOTE to two local papers - Cleveland and Akron

Essence of the letter was that the Repubs, Bush, and Powell were amusing for calling on Kerry to name names, when Bush didn't name all the members of the "coalition of the willing", Novak won't name who told him CIA information, and Cheney has defied several court orders demanding that he name names.

[GOPFighter]

14. <chuckle>

Good points. Let us know if they print the letter.

[central scrutinizer]

9. this is an important point, especially now

Terrorism is not a country and has no borders. It takes an international, cooperative effort. Countries need to trust and respect each other, share information and intelligence. Bushco has done everything wrong so far. They rearrange the rubble in Afghanistan and pick all of the low hanging fruit. Then instead of seeing it out and hunting down OBL and the other top leaders of Al Qaeda, they cobble together a bunch of lies and cooked intelligence to invade Iraq. This of course provides hundreds of willing recruits for OBL and a highly visible target right in the center of the Islamic world. Infantile drivel like "Bring them on" makes the situation even more volatile. Plus other nations learned a valuable lesson - acquire nuclear weapons as soon as possible to avoid an invasion by the American imperialists. Now, they are rattling sabers against Syria and Iran. Armageddon will truly be near if they attack Iran. It is clear that Al Qaeda wants Bush to win the election since they can count on four more years of fundamentalist Christian rhetoric, more ham handed military manuevers, and thousands of willing martyrs. The Republicans have botched the fight against terrorism for over ten years; Osama's ultimate wet dream is for them to continue in power.

[onehandle]

10. AP changed the title of the article to:

"Bush Wants Kerry to Identify Supporters"

[NJCher]

12. can't release names

The chimp administration has such a reputation for punitive actions to any countries from whom they perceive a slight that Kerry cannot responsibly release any names. It would be foolish and furthermore, a betrayal of trust. Look at what bushco did to France. Look at what they did re Iraq contracts to everyone who refused to play in their ball game when it came to storming off to a phony baloney war.

It would be the height of irresponsibilty to release any names. But it certainly is interesting that this bothers the republicans so much. I'm glad they are making an issue out of it because it only gives the subject much more play.

Anyone with any common sense knows the rest of the world will breathe a sigh of relief when Kerry takes office. The only people who are surprised are the people in this lying sham of a government.


Cher

[chelsea0011]

13. The right wing can make all the French and North Kores jokes they want

But anyone with half a brain knows outside of Blair and the Iraqi National Congress, the crooked one is alone in the world. And Mushariff will stab him in the back at anytime.

[Barkley]

16. Kerry is correct!

Bush is using this and other things like gay marriage, 9-11, the mission to mars etc to distract people from the issue of economics -- jobs.

Bush could not address -- the British Parliament, for fear of its members walking out in protests. He skipped visits to Germany and France for similar reasons.

[Malva Zebrina]

17. and so Bush in his adolescent knee jerk response

tries to claim that Germany, France, Russia are not Europe--then Rumsfeld calls them Old Europe. I just heard Scott McClellan say at the press conference that forty nations are behind Bush's war and that France, Germany are not Europe. You know this sound really desperate.

[Timefortruth]

18. Kerry's people should start circulating a list of countries who

clearly despise * and ask the "administration" to identify international support for chimp's reelection. Those supporting Chimp would be a very short list.

[Dr Fate]

19. No one likes it when a man backs down. Thanxs for standing tall, Kerry n/t

n/t

[dArKeR]

21. The world polls show exactly that so why doesn't the American Media back

Kerry up on this claim? It's a public record printed a few times even by the American Whore Media over the last 2 years.

This is obvious fact and evidence to prove the much of the American Media is Racketeering with the Repukelican Party.

[masshole]

22. Kerry denied saying he "met" with foreign leaders

And I heard this of all places on the Radio today... Flush Limpbot of all people played a tape of Kerry being questioned by a "good citizen" (republican plant)... Kerry clearly denies saying he MET with anyone, but explains that he has heard from foreign leaders.

It's funny to watch and listen to all the wingnuts (Limbaugh, Howie Carr, anyone on Faux) try to make this into something it's not.
Every one of them proceeds on the assumption Kerry DID say he met with foreign leaders, and they devote their shows to calling for an investigation of Kerry to determine if he has "undermined" "our President". lmao!

Now that the Globe writer has admitted his error in transcribing Kerry's words, you think it will make a difference?
Nah...

[MurrayDelph]

23. I would love to hear Kerry say something to the effect

that he is not willing to name the leaders because Bush has been shown to be a petty, vindictive man, who could do those friends of
true democracy a lot of hurt between now and when Kerry would take
over the White House, and if Bush and his spokesman Simple Scotty want to take the "if you don't prove it, you're lying" argument, let him provide the proof that there ARE WMDs!

MurrayDelph

Looking forward to being America again!

[cdeca]

26. Good answer MurrayDelph!

Forward that to the Kerry campaign!

[MFisher77]

29. what happened to Powell staying out of the campaign?

On Sunday's news talk circuit, Donald Rumsfeld told Tim Russert that he and Colin Powell had been asked by "President" Bush not to take an active role in campaigning and politics, but to focus on their jobs.

And yet Powell is challenging John Kerry to "name names" regarding foreign leaders who would like to see Bush lose.

Let's assume Powell has the intelligence he has shown throughout his life, and assume he is qualified to be Secretary of State. If we assume these things, it also is reasonable to assume that Powell knows the real reason Kerry won;t "name names" - he's protecting those world leaders in the evnt that Bush is re-elected. He is protecting the relationships the United States has left with other countries. Kerry is, therefore, protecting the best interests of the American people.

Powell knows this, because he understands international relations.

So the fact that he is saying that Kerry is a liar if he doesn;t supply a list of names PROVES to me that Powell is in fact engaging in politics, instead of doing his job.

Just another lie in a long line of Bush administration lies.

[newyawker99]

30. Hi MFisher77!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ElementaryPenguin]

24. Pretty simple - besides poodle Bliar - EVERY leader on Earth hates Bush!

Perhaps this may help ChimpCo discover who these leaders are!

[Manix]

28. If the imbecile wants an answer he should take a globe, give it a spin,

point his finger at a spot and there will be a country/leader
opposed to him.