Wow! Kerry just keeps slugging away on the DSM, eh?

[UdoKier]

He just keeps at it with those fiery, passionate speeches and massive media blitz, just like he promised 2 weeks ago...

HUH! WHA!? Urrgghhh! Omigod...


Jeez I must have drifted off again. I was having one of those farfetched dreams again where Kerry actually followed through for us.


Oh well, back to reality....

[libertypirate]

1. Big mouth, limp execution the Kerry curse

[Mass]

2. He did not promise anything like that!

[UdoKier]

7. Yeah, he only has $45 million left over from last year.

God forbid he USE some of it to DO SOMETHING.

[Mass]

9. False too!!

Stop drinking the koolaid.

[UdoKier]

10. So he did not have $45 mil left over after throwing the campaign?

What Koolaid? It was on EVERY DEMOCRAT board and blog...

[Mass]

12. And it was wrong.

BTW, where is Boxer on this issue (I mean DSM).

[UdoKier]

16. I don't know. Was she teasing everybody with it like Kerry did?

Maybe Kerry's clueless about how eager people in the blogosphere are to get this story out there. If so, that's a whole different problem...

[brainshrub]

18. Did Boxer say she was going to bring it up?

Because if she did, you know that she really would have. Boxer is a woman of action, unlike Senator John ZZZZZzzz.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

96. "After throwing the campaign"? Did Kerry have control of the....

...electronic voting machines? Just askin'.

[paineinthearse]

23. I thought it was more like $51 million???

:shrug:

[Mass]

29. Why not 510 millions??? (Na, I am silly, I could have checked)

So, here are the last numbers, published by opensecrets.org (which is as we all know, a closet Kerry supporter). This includes, according to them, the GELAC numbers as well as the contributions raised from the campaign.

Total: about $ 12 M on 12/31/04- Since then, some money has been given to the DNC and the DCCC.

Feel free to contest these numbers, but please do so with some proof of what you say

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/summary.asp?ID=N00000245

Total Receipts: $326,236,288
Total Spent: $310,013,730
Cash on Hand: $16,222,557
Debts: $4,438,705
Date of last report: December 31, 2004

All totals include compliance fund receipts

Compliance Funds

A little-known but lucrative loophole in the presidential funding system is the use of what is called General Election Legal and Accounting Compliance funds (GELAC). Under FEC regulations, campaigns may raise money through these "compliance funds" to pay for lawyers and accountants hired to comply with federal campaign finance reporting requirements. The money also can be used to pay for a variety of expenses related to fulfilling these requirements, including fund-raising, payroll, overhead and computer expenses. In addition, GELAC funds can be used to pay for recounts.

Major party nominees who accept public funds cannot accept private contributions for their general election campaigns (except to compensate for a shortage of public funds). Compliance expenses are exempt from all expenditure limits. Practically speaking, establishing a compliance fund allows the campaign to collect an extra $2,000 from donors who have already given the maximum $2,000 to the main campaign committee for the primary election. The money may not legally be used until after the parties' nominating conventions, although in certain circumstances, candidates may borrow from their compliance fund to defray general election expenses incurred before the nomination. If the candidate does borrow from the compliance fund, he or she must reimburse that account upon receipt of public funds for the general election. If the candidate fails to win the party's nomination, the money must be returned to the donors.

[Mass]

8. But of course, this would require you read something else that GOP news

[brainshrub]

13. So you claim that Kerry did not have millions to fight back with?

That's news to me.

[Mass]

15. NO

1/ It was 15 M not 45.

2/ He could not use them in the GE.

This has been said and said, and unfortunately, some prefer to ignore the truth because that may them feel so great!!

[brainshrub]

19. Oh, so he had 15 Million that he didn't use to fight for democracy.

That makes me feel much better.

And yes, he could have used the money to demand a re-count, because the election fraud happened after the election. The Greens and Libertarians used their resources, Kerry didn't.

Believe your own eyes.

[Mass]

20. OK I leave you to your whining

Some day, you will try to think by yourself. That will be useful to learn how this money could be used.

[TayTay]

56. I did

I read the report on the DNC site. Kerry gave more money to the DNC that any other person in history. He also contributed more money for the DSCC and the DCCC than any other person in history. The approx. 10-13 million in GELAC fund is to cover the FEC charges that arose during the course of the campaign.

Kerry has given $1 million to the DNC this year and gave $250,000 to the WA state Dems to cover costs on the recount. He has spread the money around more than any other Dem in American history. Part of the reason that the Dems start the 2005-6 season NOT in hock (as opposed to most years) is because of the generosity of John Kerry.

Now that's a fact. Go look it up and believe your own eyes. What you are reporting on is RW spin designed to hurt the Dems and spread discord.

[walldude]

78. Really? This is from Raw Story

"When I go back on Monday, I am going to raise the issue," Kerry told Massachusetts' Standard Times newspaper last week. "I think it's a stunning, unbelievably simple and understandable statement of the truth and a profoundly important document that raises stunning issues here at home.”

RAW STORY has confirmed that Kerry intends to deliver a statement on the Downing Street minutes.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Planned_Kerry_Downing_Street_memo_speech_stirs_controversy;_Ke_06_05_2005_0341pm.html

[blm]

83. Did you see yesterday's RawStory? Kerry's been circulating a DSM letter

for senators to sign as a companion to the Conyers letter in congress. That is the first push to get an official investigation.

It was also in yesterday's WashingtonPost.

[mopaul]

3. john kerry reporting for....zzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZzzzzzz

[brainshrub]

4. LOL! Yeah... did he ever "bring it up"?

Or did he drop the ball again?

[LittleClarkie]

25. 60's sitcom response

If you don't know I'm certainly not going to tell you.

[LightningFlash]

5. John Kerrys silence makes the whole party look bad...

Now come Howard Dean, time to take the reigns and charge into the heart of truth!!!!

:toast:

[Mass]

17. delete

[Terran1212]

6. IF YOU STAND UP FOR Kerry because he's the opposition...

You are destroying democracy. Stand up for YOURSELF, and that means rooting for whoever represents you.

Kerry almost never represents true progressives.

Democracy deterred.

I appluad the topic creator...

[leftofthedial]

11. limp

is the right word

[patrice]

14. Maybe he's trying to delegate some power to Us.

The mess we're in, no one person can solve.

[DistressedAmerican]

34. Come On! If so why did he announce his plan to bring it up on the senate

floor? I guess we should stroll on in there!

He likes it both ways. He says he'll do something and folks like you rally around him. Then he takes no action so, it cannot be tied to him later!

Win/Win for him! Lose/lose for us!

[LittleClarkie]

21. He said he's address it,

didn't say how.

His staff said he'd be speaking on the floor about it, didn't say when.

Everything else was RW media spin.

Thank you for playing. Have a nice day.

[DistressedAmerican]

37. He Said He Would Bring It Up On The Senate Floor A Week Ago Last Monday.

On that day his office announced that they wouldn't do it that day. They promised he'd do it ASAP. He gave dates and laid out his plan to deliver a speech on the issue on the senate floor. So far he has failed to live up to those much reported comments.

I have spoken to staff at his office. Called them myself a week ago last monday.

Not repug spin. Sorry.

Thank you for playing though! Have a great one!

:toast:

[TayTay]

54. That i a lie. A bald-faced lie

This was debunked by Keith Olbermann. Only RW plants are still repeating it.

Kerry on impeachment (Keith Olbermann)

SECAUCUS — Last Wednesday, Senator John Kerry told the editorial board of the newspaper in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the "Standard-Times," that he was amazed at the lack of American media coverage of the so-called "Downing Street Memo" — notes of a July, 2002 British cabinet meeting that suggested the U.S. was making all the evidence fit a pre-planned invasion of Iraq.

The words of the Democrats' 2004 standard-bearer?: "When I go back (to Washington) on Monday, I am going to raise the issue. I think (the memo) is a stunning, unbelievably simple and understandable statement of the truth..."

Now, let's play Blogosphere-Telephone with that statement.

By Saturday, those quotes, and the original New Bedford story, had been transmuted by a series of foreign and conservative websites into an article that included the line: "Failed presidential candidate Kerry advised that he will begin the presentation of his case for President Bush's impeachment to Congress, on Monday."

Blogs and websites pulsated with the news: Kerry was going to call for the impeachment of President Bush! My inbox pulsated with the missives of angry conservatives ("you're covering up Kerry's traitorous comment") and angry liberals ("corporate lapdog! Why didn't you cover this? Do your job!").

Once again, the first law of the Non-Mainstream Media was being ignored. Be suspicious of everything you read on the internet, not just those things with which you most agree, or about which you live in the greatest fear.

The Senator's office told "Countdown" last night that he never said anything about impeachment and asked our reporter where he'd read that line. The answer was: the websites of NewsMax and Al-Jazeera.

The story originated — on Al-Jazeera.

The New Bedford newspaper story, exactly 746 words long, literally does not include the words impeach, or impeachment.

If this detail is still relevant in these super-heated political times, the story is not true. But at places as disparate as Al-Jazeera and NewsMax, they wanted it to be.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/

[Stand and Fight]

89. I see you didn't answer number 54....

You are telling a bald faced lie. Kerry NEVER said he would bring it up on the Senate floor on Monday.

Quit your bullshit.

:eyes:

[LittleClarkie]

90. Much reported where?

I'm going by an article in the Standard-Times (I think it was)

Here's a link to the article:

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/06-05/06-02-05/a01lo167.htm

And here's the pertinent paragraph:

"When I go back (to Washington) on Monday, I am going to raise the issue," he said of the memo, which has not been disputed by either the British or American governments. "I think it's a stunning, unbelievably simple and understandable statement of the truth and a profoundly important document that raises stunning issues here at home. And it's amazing to me the way it escaped major media discussion. It's not being missed on the Internet, I can tell you that."

Where did he give dates? In your phone call to his office? Then that wasn't exactly "much reported comments" was it?

Oh, and then there was that bit from the Phoenix:

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/this_just_in/documents/04747410.asp

"In a statement e-mailed to the Phoenix on Tuesday, Kerry spokesman Setti Warren said, 'Senator Kerry believes every American deserves a thorough explanation of the Downing Street memo. The Administration and the Washington Republicans who control Congress insult Americans by refusing to answer even the most basic questions raised in this memo about pre-war intelligence and planning for the aftermath of war. That’s unacceptable, especially with the lives of America’s sons and daughters on the line. John Kerry will demand answers in the Senate. Stay tuned.'"

And now this from the Downing Street people:

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/takeaction.html

Most everything else came from Newsmax. All that crap about impeachment and such came from them.

Now if you could further explain what Kerry's office said, and if they were the ones who talked about Kerry laying out dates and all, I'd appreciate it. Because all I have is what I just copied and pasted.

This is the route Kerry has chosen. It isn't enough of a dog and pony show for some, I realize. But I think he's just trying to go about this in the right way. I'm waiting and seeing what happens.

Perhaps you should call his office again if you're not happy.

[stepnw1f]

22. Maybe Terri Shiavo Will Rise from the Grave...

to become your role model and lead the way to Bush's impeachment.

[UdoKier]

24. She inspired more passion on both sides...

than Kerry ever did...

[stepnw1f]

26. Ahhhh.... Inspiration... so ellusive

[DistressedAmerican]

41. LOL! Sad But True!

[wisteria]

27. YOU ARE CLUELESS!

You have no idea what you are talking about. I want to know where you have been for the last two weeks! Obviously, you haven't been following Kerry or his statements to closely. You shouldn't post on what you know nothing about. No where did Kerry say or promise a fiery speech or media blitz (actually, he got a lot of press on his two sentence response to the question in a small Boston newspaper).
HE SAID HE WOULD MENTION THE DSM WHEN HE GOT BACK TO WASHINGTON. CURRENTLY, HE IS TRYING TO PERSUADE OTHER SENATORS TO SIGN ON TO A LETTER DIRECTED AT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE REQUESTING A HEARING OR INVESTIGATION INTO THE CONTENTS OF THE MINUTES.
Finally,NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT SO READ IT CAREFULLY, he can not yell, he can not scream, he can not stomp his feet, he can not push or shove or call other senators bad names,he can not threaten the current president nor can he call for his impeachment. He can do exactly what he is doing and do an excellent job of it as always.

[LightningFlash]

31. Then why aren't we hearing about it?

Not saying you aren't correct but...We should be hearing about John Kerry doing these investigations. Rawstory or someone should be covering them....

Silence still. And this whole thing was done by PNAC, who's to know if Kerry isn't in on it or stalling? :shrug:

[Mass]

36. Kerry and PNAC

That is a new one to me.

For the rest, Rawstory had a story yesterday on the issue. You may have missed it.

I dont know if I can believe them, but you are the one quoting them.

[blm]

49. RawStory had an article up yesterday about Kerry working the senate on DSM

Maybe people in this thread aren't paying attention to this issue as much as they claim.

[MH1]

53. News Flash, LightningFlash

Try Google News. Click on the link starting with "Kerry confidantes...", for one. Oh, and that's Raw Story, btw.

Also try downingstreetmemo.com (you know, the site that's been leading the activism on this? that site?)

Or you could read either of these dkos diaries for LOTS of links on what's been going on:

Action: Contact Senators to SIGN Kerry DSM letter

Kerry / DSM Update

[blm]

57. You should repost this in a separate thread. Hard to believe people CLAIM

they're on top of the issue and complain that Kerry isn't, when they haven't even read the activist sites for the memo issue in two days.

Here at DU we had a few threads going about this Senate letter yesterday.

[LightningFlash]

62. Yes but what I mean by this is...

No statement from Kerry. No floor address. No public recognition. Is he trying to avoid being hounded by a hungry lapdog media?

:shrug:

[MH1]

67. Give him time.

He said he would "raise the issue". He evidently is "raising" it with other Senators, to get them on board, instead of freelancing it on his own (which pisses people off in most jobs that rely on teamwork, don'cha know). Don't you think that, once he gets all the signatures he thinks he can, he'll deliver the letter with a public statement of some sort?

[GodHelpUsAll2]

87. Still waiting

for him and Edwards to come through on their very public promise to COUNT EVERY VOTE. Has he had enough time for that? I she still working under the radar? Should we pencil in a mention of this sometime in 2010?

This be patient and give him time BS is just that. It sounds awfully familiar too. Oh yea, we hear Condi and W using it all the time. No WMD's. Be patient give us time. A stable Iraq, be patient give us time. I AM SICK OF WAITING!!!!!!!!!

[LittleClarkie]

91. Don McTigue

There is a lawsuit still pending in Ohio.

Election reform legislation.

He is a co-sponsor.

He has spoken out.

And gotten slapped for it, because folks thought he was playing politics.

I can never figure out if people want him to speak out or shut the fuck up. Pick one people. Pick one.

[MH1]

93. No fair! You're using logic!

</snark>

:banghead:

[blm]

85. The GOP sets the senate schedule and they've been doing judicial nominees

all last week and this one so far.

It will happen. And he'll have more evidence in hand to back him up. That's what he did in IranContra to make it happen and that's what he did with BCCI.

[LittleClarkie]

106. I keep trying to picture him barging into a day filled with energy bills

and judicial nominees to quickly give a DSM speech just so we'll feel like something is happening.

I'd rather he did this his way.

I was watching him vote yesterday. He studied something on the front table for a long, long time. What do the people do at the tables up front, and what was he likely looking at. The schedule?

[zulchzulu]

107. So you're complaining because you didn't do your homework...

Kerry has been pretty full blast...you have to turn off the mindless sitcoms on TV and do some legwork...no one is going to show up at your place with a dozen donuts and what Kerry has been saying since 2003...and earlier...

[Dr Fate]

38. ...

...

[UdoKier]

68. No, he promised to bring it up.

But saying that he would "bring it up" the following Monday gave it some significant portent, since he was surely aware that those of us on the left want this thing blown wide open.

Why announce that you'll address something when all you have in mind is a brief, subdued comment?

" he can not yell,"

Why not?

" he can not scream,"

Why not?

" he can not stomp his feet,"

Every damn democrat in the house and senate should be stamping their feet in unison at this point.


" he can not push or shove or call other senators bad names,"

But he can certainly call Bush a liar and a war criminal.

"he can not threaten the current president"

In that, you are right. It's illegal to threaten him physically, and Kerrry is in no political position to even appoint a special prosecutor.

" nor can he call for his impeachment."

He certainly can. As a senator, he cannot introduce articles of impeachment, but he can certainly say that the house SHOULD start impeachment proceedings.

" He can do exactly what he is doing and do an excellent job of it as always."

Really? What has his skulking about the shadows for the last 8 months accomplished?

[DemBones DemBones]

98. Why can't he yell, scream, stomp his feet, or call other senators

bad names?

Because if he did, they wouldn't let poor Kerry join in any senate games?

:shrug:


Really, why can't he be assertive or even aggressive?

[wisteria]

108. There are many degrees of assertiveness and aggression.

Kerry's attacks are well planned,thought out and executed with precision with the goal being to hit the targeted area, his attacks are not wild,undisciplined and poorly planned ones that miss the mark.

[FreedomAngel82]

28. Where did you get that???

I think you misread things and were hoping for too much. In the orginial interview he said he would raise the issue up in Washington. Not how or anything like that did he? Only an aide told he was going to give a speech.

[Blue_In_AK]

30. Here we go again........................

:eyes:

[politicasista]

32. A nice long yawn

I love it when we eat our own. :sarcasm: :boring:

[DistressedAmerican]

33. Typical Kerry! I Got Flames For Suggesting He Might Punk Out!

Here I sit still waiting for him to keep a promise. Suspect I'll be waiting for quite a while!

Dems that supported his nomination, supported a looser! It could have been so different!

[Mass]

35. What promise exactly???

[DistressedAmerican]

42. See Post #37

[Mass]

43. I dont think he ever said that.

He said he would bring it to the Senate. If rawstory's report yesterday is true, he did and is trying to get some senators to sign on it.

[DistressedAmerican]

45. It Was Both Heavily Reported And Confirmed When I Called The Office.

I find word directly from Kerry staff pretty convincing. He said everything I claim. Well, to be fair it was the staffer that told me he would be bringing it up as soon as possible. Not exactly a promise from him.

[MH1]

51. What's Kerry doing on DSM? Look here:

DowningStreetMemo.com Take Action!

Follow the link. Then please follow the instructions on the page. If you can't or won't do that then STFU about what someone else is or isn't doing.

[UdoKier]

70. Yeah yeah, the petition.

There is also a "virtual march on washington" against Global Warming. How many of our non-activist acquaintances know or care about it? Online actions are cute and all, but when is he going to address the media?

[MH1]

75. Probably after he gets several other Senators to sign

the letter calling for re-opening the hearings.

Did you follow the link?? This is a NEW ACTION. This is to call your Senators and ask them to sign Kerry's letter. The letter is not a "petition" - that's Conyers' gig (and a good one, with over half a mil signatures - and they are getting plenty of media tomorrow I bet).

This is a formal request to re-start hearings which were stalled by the thugs last year. When Kerry delivers it - probably with a floor speech, but I don't know - imagine if it has 40 or more other Senators on it? Imagine if there is even ONE Republican who signs on? (don't hold your breath, but we can dream).

Please check it out and find out what you are talking about before you dismiss it. Okay? :shrug:

[MH1]

64. Not punking out. See this link -

Support the letter asking the Senate to reopen the stalled Senate Intelligence Committee Hearings

And please, follow the instructions and help get other Senators on board with it. When you're done, grab a beer and go back to ranting about Kerry if you want. Since you're evidently going to be doing that anyway.

:toast:

[Dr Fate]

39. kerry is trying to get the Senate involved- that is pretty big.

I've been one of the most vocal DU critics of Kerry & others for acting slowly and not being on TV enough about this-

However- I've tried to make my criticisms accurate.

It appears Kerry really is working with us all on this- so let's give him a chance for a little while & see what happens.

[MH1]

61. He is working on it. You can help - see link:

Support the letter asking the Senate to reopen the stalled Senate Intelligence Committee Hearings

[Dr Fate]

66. That should be a thread of its own for maximum coverage.

Could I humbly ask you to start a whole new thread with this link, with some text- so more folks see it? I cant access the link from work, actually.

I'm all for helping Kerry do this.

[LittleClarkie]

76. Just called Feingold

though somehow, I think he's probably already done this.

[DistressedAmerican]

40. Nominating Because Dems Must Be Reminded About This Kind Of Scam!

Tell us what we want to hear and do what they want!

These are OUR elected reps and they work for their own jobs instead of our interests!

Nominating this guy was one of the biggest mistakes this party has made in a long time!

[blm]

47. What scam? Try reading yesterday's threads.

You can't name one lawmaker who has effected our government more positively in the last 35 years than John Kerry has.

He helped to end three wars and investigated and exposed more government corruption than any lawmaker in modern history and YOU think you earned the right to treat him like a piece of shit.

That reveals more about your standards than it reveals about Kerry.

[blm]

44. Guess you didn't read the Washington Post or RawStory yesterday.

Kerry's been working behind the scenes quietly with other Senators to get them to join him on a letter from the Senate requesting answers on DSM and the Iraq timeline, as a companion letter to Conyers letter in Congress.

You want to dump on that, go ahead. Kerry hitting the media 2 weeks ago on their inexplicable silence on DSM helped slap the media into some awareness of DSM as a growing issue.

Why you feel the need to crap on Kerry when you aren't up to speed on what's happening is just typically immature nonsense meant to diminish a man who has investigated and exposed more government corruption than lawmaker in modern history.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

46. "Reporting for duty" as soon as the Wild Goose Safari is over.

Oh, wait! He already bagged a ferocious goose. Maybe he's polishing his medals for his next presidential campaign.

[Dawgs]

48. Another bitter Dean supporter thread...

For fuck's sake. Just because you guys think someone else is the next savior for the Democrats, does not mean that we should start attacking other Democrats because they don't do exactly what we think.

I don't think Dean is the best representative for our party, and I would never start a thread like this. It's no wonder we continue to lose. Instead of putting our efforts out there to help our party, or take down Republicans, we are wasting our energy on attacking one Democrat who IS doing something for us.

Let's quit being so selfish already.

[UdoKier]

71. Yeah. I'm a Dean supporter. And a Clark supporter

and a Kucinich supporter, and even a Graham supporter. I really tried to be a Kerry supporter during the campaign, but I get so tired of being let down by him.

Dean may be a little different, but at least he acts like a democrat who halfway gives a shit.

[LuPeRcALiO]

50. but what are Boxer, Clinton, Edwards, Dean and Clark doing?

Or Al Gore? Or Russ Feingold?

Under the circumstances, isn't something better than nothing?

:shrug:

[Dr Fate]

52. In fairness, Kerry is doing more than most high-profile DEMs.

I share the original poster's scepticism- we often get our hopes up only to be let down-but If Kerry can get the Senate DEMs involved, it would lend more credibility to Conyer's hearings...

I say we give Kerry a chance for a few days- lets see how his actions in the senate pan out.

[MH1]

58. Boxer, Kennedy, Feingold

have each been doing something (although I have not seen confirmation that Feingold did what he said he would do, but I'm not going to say he didn't. Bunch of people here should be saying it though, if they were being consistent with their bashing.)

You will find links and more at these posts:

Senator Boxer joins DSM fray

More Dems Speak Out on Downing Street Minutes

[LuPeRcALiO]

63. Thanks! Still, Conyers and Kerry were the first

to publicly raise the issue, so where ever it goes from here, they should at least get credit for that.

[MH1]

65. Absolutely correct!

Another post:

"Where's Kerry on DSM?" He got there first. (the post explains - "first in the Senate". Conyers was FIRST. Conyers is da man!)

[LuPeRcALiO]

69. great links

thanks! :toast:

[UdoKier]

72. Conyers deserves massive kudos, no arguing there.

nt

[MH1]

74. Yes, but Kerry *is* following through. See link -

Support the letter asking the Senate to reopen the stalled Senate Intelligence Committee Hearings

And please follow the instructions and get other Senators to sign the letter.

The goal is apparently to restart the hearings that were cancelled by the republicans last year. The idea being to force a media spotlight on the run-up to war, now that we have the memos out there.

Keep in mind, it will be next to IMPOSSIBLE to get impeachment UNLESS we win back the House in 2006 - which is also next to impossible, due to gerrymandering. The only hope is to make people SO disgusted with republicans, that more of the bums get thrown out of office than we normally would predict.

So, there may be some basis for a go-slow approach.

[CatWoman]

79. you're wasting your time

it takes two to communicate.

[walldude]

82. I'm sure the people dying in Iraq

appreciate the "go-slow" approach. Here's my problem with this issue. We aren't talking about fucking parking tickets here. I see Conyers name everywhere I look. He's hopping mad and letting the world know. Kerry has more clout, more money, and more connections then Conyers. He should be on TV every fucking day screaming about this. So should Boxer, Dean and every other goddam democrat.

[UdoKier]

84. Alright, I sent the e-mails to senators Boxer and Feinstein.

But I better damn well see some fireworks from Kerry soon...

[MH1]

94. Thanks!

Of course I am sure Boxer is on board, but it never hurts for her to know that's what her constituents want.

Feinstein, on the other hand... :shrug:

I guess you'll get your fireworks when they've gotten as many senators as possible to go along with the letter. The more we pound on the senators to sign it, the sooner that will be. Tell your friends!

[bvar22]

97. No. Conyers was THE FIRST....

Kerry waited until Conyers had 1/2 Million signitures and was being hailed as a leader of the Left....THEN Kerry decided that a Letter would be a Popular thing to do.

[LuPeRcALiO]

100. yes, but you could also say that all the others waited for Kerry.

Is it really so important that Kerry not receive credit for raising the issue?

[bvar22]

102. No, I wouldn't say that....

I applaud Kerry for doing something. We don't really know exactly what he IS doing, but apparently he has written some kind of letter in the Senate that he is getting Senators to sign. I haven't seen the letter, nor have I heard Kerry talk about it....

....but don't you think this could be described as an attempt to jump on the bandwagon after others have done the work and taken the risks?
If Kerry REALLY CARED about the DSM, wouldn't he sign the Conyers' letter and march with him to the WhiteHouse tomorrow in front of the cameras? Surely he knows about the Conyers Letter and the tremendous GrassRoots involvement.

To me, it looks like he has come running on late again, waving a letter going "HEY, I got a letter too!!!"

...and this is from someone who personally likes Sen. Kerry.

[LuPeRcALiO]

104. I'd be surprised to see any senator EXCEPT Kerry

tomorrow, but I also don't think it's important for him to be there. It's Conyers' event, and from what I understand it's more educational than investigatory. Conyers is in the House, Kerry is in the Senate, and they have different constituencies and functions. If Kerry convenes a Senate hearing, it will have teeth.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

101. Boxer grilled Rice about Intelligence during the confirmation committee

hearing. She didn't need the DSM. She knew the Intelligence was crap.

[the_spectator]

55. He never promised a big speech -

He said he'd bring it up in the Senate, and he has! He's circulating a letter! For signatures! To ask a (Republican-controlled) Senate committee to allow an investigation!

Plus, he might just be biding his time for his big move! You see, "Ol' Prosecutor" John and "Stealthy Team Kerry" may have all the evidence in order that Bush stole the election, but Kerry's too smart to just use that and let the great-and-powerful Limbaugh and Hannity ridicule it away! Once he's prepared all the evidence and exhibits on the DSM matter, he'll spring them both, at once! A real Perry Mason moment! And before you know it, Bush will be impeached! All going according to plan! Timing, people!

Please forgive me, I am probably making too light of all this Kerry-hope and Kerry-despair. But look, honestly, he was a good Presidential candidate, and a good Senator still, but a Senator in the minority -- there's very little he can do. Cut him some slack.

[Pinboy]

59. The precise quote was he would "raise the issue"

when he got back to Washington. That's what the original account in the Standard-Times reported. Others erroneously interpreted that to mean he would make a "floor statement" immediately.

To be fair, he has been raising the issue with other Senators and building support for a DSM investigation. One news report said a Kerry staffer "predicted" Kerry would speak publicly after raising the issue with his colleagues.

[CatWoman]

60. you know, these threads are like vitamins to you

you start one a day.

[UdoKier]

73. ANYTHING to prevent another failed Kerry candidacy in 2008.

We'd have better luck getting Carter elected.

[blm]

86. Yeah. The media and the voting machines are fair and secure and NOT under

the control of the GOP.

[UdoKier]

105. Kerry was running against the WORST PRESIDENT EVER.

It could have been done, regardless of the whore media and rigged machines.

Sorry, I just don't believe Kerry wanted it bad enough.

[LittleClarkie]

112. Whom some of my Conservative friends call the best prez ever

Just goes to show you how freakin' divided this country is. It's like the Reds and the Blues are two different species. No understanding of each other what so ever.

Our base thinks Bush is the worst president ever. But it wasn't our base we were trying to convince. Those I know who don't watch politics would say to me, "Well, he's doing a pretty good job, isn't he?"

[blm]

114. That's absurd. If your votes are tallying for the opponent it's impossible

to get a fraud proof lead.

You think Dean and Clark would have won, but both ended up being defined by the media successfully and came up way short. Dean is still battling the cartoon image of himself.

Regardless of the whore media, eh? They can decide what about you ends up on the editing room floor and what ends up being amplified on viewers' screens, no matter what you say during your campaign.

[UdoKier]

119. You're assuming uniform machines throughout the country.

That's simply not the case. A huge percentage of the machines are still not even touchscreen yet. I don't doubt that there was some chicanery, maybe even enough to flip the results of a close race. That's why Kerry needed to hit a home run.

And I watched the debates on C-Span, without the benefit of whore media comments.

So why did Kerry keep pissing me off by missing so many easy scores?

The only reason Kerry even won the debates was because Bush came across like a drooling idiot, but Kerry had the chance to demolish a lot of Bush's repetitive talking points, but chose to pass.

How many Americans do you think are aware that there were TWO $87 bil spending bills, and that Kerry voted for one and against the other, and that Bush threatened to veto the one that would have SAVED US TAXPAYERS MONEY?

You choose to blame the whore media for not getting the word out, but I think the blame rests with Kerry.

[Walt Starr]

77. He's got our back. n/t

[LittleClarkie]

81. And I have his

indeed.

[Deja Q]

80. Just as they all should be - following through, that is.

He's a phony. The debates may or may not have been circumstantial evidence, but his actions so quickly the day after election night ended proved it for me. :(

[kster]

88. Oh I get it , this is practice

for tomorrows freep show , brilliant idea, they will be coming at us from all angles tomorrow. We need a little warm up.

[bunny planet]

92. funny, I dozed off reading your incredibly imaginative, let's bash Kerry

again post.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

95. I'd advise them to take a look at Kerry's role in the Iran-Contra....

...Scandal, but they would probably just ignore it.

[bunny planet]

99. I've done that so many times, I just give up and hit the snooze button on

those people. They just love to judge and condemn and eat their own.

Whatever.

I marched with Kerry against the Vietnam War, he will always be a hero to me. He hasn't disappointed me yet. He's not Dean, he's not Boxer (I love them too) but he has his own methodical way of doing things. Iran Contra/BCCI is a perfect example of course.

I do think he should sue the Swift Boat Liars for slander and libel though, and I've written as much to him. Hopefully he will do it.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

103. How is it that bashing Kerry warrants the "greatest" page?

[blm]

115. Arrested development

That's the short answer.

[Tsiyu]

109. Kick

:kick:

[kerrygoddess]

110. Guess you missed these... Yep you must have drifted off again!

John Kerry, Following Through on the DSM
14 June 2005

Ron posted a quip earlier from the Washington Post that “Kerry is circulating a letter about the memo among Democratic senators before sending it to Bush.”

I just received this a short time ago from a Kerry confidant :

“Kerry has been enlisting other Senators to sign onto a letter to the intelligence committee seeking answers to the Downing Street Memo so Americans can trust that security decisions are driven by facts and responsible intelligence, not by political calculation.”

Raw Story apparently received the same statement from Kerry confidants but also claimed that the statement came “after nearly two weeks of silence from the senator,” implying that by not speaking to the media that Kerry has been silent, when indeed he has not been silent, since he has been talking to his Senate colleagues.

With John Kerry, silence does not mean he has been inactive. Au Contraire… John Kerry has been doing what John Kerry does best… following through in a pragmatic manner on this issue to actually get something achieved.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1082

John Kerry on the Downing Street Memo
8 June 2005

Statement from John Kerry's office to the Boston Phoenix:

"Senator Kerry believes every American deserves a thorough explanation of the Downing Street memo. The Administration and the Washington Republicans who control Congress insult Americans by refusing to answer even the most basic questions raised in this memo about pre-war intelligence and planning for the aftermath of war. That’s unacceptable, especially with the lives of America’s sons and daughters on the line. John Kerry will demand answers in the Senate. Stay tuned."

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1040

Olbermann Debunks Right-Wing Spin on Kerry’s Downing Street Memo Statement
7 June 2005

Keith Olbermann aired a brief debunking tonight on the conservative spin on John Kerry’s Downing Street Memo statement last week in the Standard Times, which Ron posted here last Thursday. Newsmax picked up the story early Friday morning and twisted it into a claim that Kerry would call for impeachment. The Conservative Voice quickly rallied to the right-wing spin machine and posted their version, which Ron debunked here first on Friday.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1027

There's more, but that's enough work for me tonight!

[UdoKier]

111. I did, and I wrote my senators as he's asked.

I'm far from being at a point of trusting Kerry. If he is indeed being pragmatic, then he shouldn't have teased us all before like that.

But I'm withholding judgment until I see what, if anything, he does. Too late to edit the thread though.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

118. And from DowningStreetMemo.com

http://downingstreetmemo.com/takeaction.html#letter



Senator John Kerry is presently circulating a letter in the Senate that calls for the President to answer questions raised by the Downing Street Memo. We urge everyone to contact your senators--be they Republican or Democrat--and encourage them to sign on to Kerry's letter. It is expected to be made public in the coming days, but the more support it gets now the better. Congressman John Conyers has been leading the effort in the House to bring this issue into the light; now Senator Kerry is doing the same in the Senate. Let's support both of them so that the issues surrounding why and how we went to war receive the fair hearing they deserve.

Also contact your representatives in Congress and urge them to join the members who already have called on the President to explain the memo.

You can contact your Senators here. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
You can email your Representatives in the House here.
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

[Tsiyu]

113. kick

[sendero]

116. I am a well-known...

... post-election Kerry basher (and unapologetic about it as well), but hey folks a little moderation.

He said he'd do something. Let's give him time to do it his way. He has a right to approach it the way he thinks will be most productive.

If another month has passed and he's done nothing, I'll join you in the criticism. :)

[Jose Diablo]

117. Kerry did win the primary

And he did give a good acceptance speech at the convention.

But I think we made a mistake in selecting him for the general election. Although he seemed like he would fight for us, somehow I am questioning if he has the fight within himself to do what is needed to defeat these neocons and the 'new' democrats.

Sorry to say, but I think we need to look elsewhere for leadership in our party.