Blog Community's Take on Kerry's campaign

[La_Serpiente]

From The Wage Slave Journal

Eric Alterman today gives John Kerry a rave review for a recent Q&A session with reporters, and bemoans his failing campaign.

After Al and Rick Hertzberg introduced him, I put this to Kerry as the first question: "Senator," I said (or something like this), "I think you may be the most qualified candidate in the race and perhaps also the one who best represents my own liberal values. But there was one overriding issue facing this nation during the past four years and Howard Dean was there when it counted and you weren't. A lot of people feel that that moment entitles him to their vote even if you have a more progressive record and would be a stronger candidate in November. How are you going to win back those people who you lost with your vote for this awful war?"

Kerry and I had what candidates call a "spirited exchange" in which he defended his vote. He said he felt betrayed by George Bush, whom he had believed, had not yet made up his mind to go to war when the vote was taken.

But that's exactly the problem. Democratic primary voters can't possibly take Kerry seriously that he says he believed Bush when he said his mind wasn't made up about Iraq in September 2002. Why? Because we all knew then that Bush's mind was made up.

We all knew, and we're not senators.

Alterman's right: Kerry would make a great president. But there's no way he's going to win the primary -- and his campaign is looking worse and worse every day -- if he continues to say things like that.

more...click on the link

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And from Atrios

Eric Alterman describes a meeting at Al Franken's place with John Kerry and a bunch of other people.

I think there are a lot of reasons that the Kerry campaign has failed to catch fire. Count me as one who, 8 months or so ago, would have bet money on him becoming the candidate. I still don't think he's done with, and nor do I believe in the inevitability of Dean.

more...click on the link.

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From Alterman's Blog Altercation

What in the world are we going to do about John Kerry? While his numbers were apparently collapsing in New Hampshire yesterday, Kerry sat down for two hours in Al Franken’s living room with about a dozen and a half journalists, writers and the odd historian, poet and cartoonist. It was all on the record and yet, it was remarkably open, honest and unscripted. Let’s be blunt. Kerry was terrific. Once again, he demonstrated a thoughtfulness, knowledge base and value system that gives him everything, in my not-so-humble-opinion—he could need to be not just a good, but a great president. I feel certain that just about everyone in that highly self-regarding room left deeply impressed. But Kerry is not going to be anointed president by a group of Upper West Siders who agree on most things, even if we don’t on the war. If he is to have any chance at all, he is going to have to win back Dean voters, but quickly.

After Al and Rick Hertzberg introduced him, I put this to Kerry as the first question: “Senator,” I said (or something like this), “I think you may be the most qualified candidate in the race and perhaps also the one who best represents my own liberal values. But there was one overriding issue facing this nation during the past four years and Howard Dean was there when it counted and you weren’t. A lot of people feel that that moment entitles him to their vote even if you have a more progressive record and would be a stronger candidate in November. How are you going to win back those people who you lost with your vote for this awful war?”

more...click on the link

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Will Pitt also has his own interpretation -------> here

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I'm not trying to attack Kerry here. I am trying to offer a realistic idea of what is going on. Also, I quote from Alterman's blog for a few reasons.

1) He is the one cited in the two blogs
2) He presents a more personable and introspective perspective of Kerry. In a sense, I think he shows him to be more human.

chat away!!! *chirp chirp*

[joeybee12]

1. Yeah, he seems more disappointed that Kerry is slipping, than taking

any joy in it.

I like the one recommendation from one of the participants at Kerry-Eric-Al's meetup--apologize, apologize, apologize. The problem is I don't think Kerry realizes that he needs to do that.

[La_Serpiente]

5. Good Point

However, would Kerry be seen as pandering if he apoligized now? I don't think he has to do that. He just has to explain the rationale for his vote better. He needs to get his message out.

As another criticism of Kerry, he should have known better when he supported this war. He understands the legacy of Vietnam and how it split the nation in half, and the Democratic party too.

[joeybee12]

11. It's a tougt call as to IF he should apologize, but I don't think he has

any other option. He's been trying to "explain" his vote for a few months now, and that hasn't worked. Go for broke, I say.

[blm]

2. Alterman made one BIG journalistic mistake

Dean was NOT antiwar and Alterman would know that if he researched Dean's position on Biden-Lugar and its provision that Bush be allowed to determine if use of force was necessary same as the provision in IWR that Dean attacked the others for supporting.

[wtmusic]

3. not the issue *at all*

whether Bush's mind was made up is not the issue. It's abdication of responsiblity.

[mikehiggins]

4. I beleive Kerry

Someone talked about Kissinger's thesis (I think) a while back and I really think everybody should read it. As I recall, Henry said that the powers-that-be in Weimar Germany couldn't deal with the Nazis because they thought they could DEAL with the Nazis. They simply were unable to understand what a tremendously radical shift the Nazis represented from what passed for political convention at the time.

Ted Kennedy was another person who beleived Bush's lies on legislation so it wasn't only Kerry. These folks have been dealing with politicians for so long they aren't intellectually prepared to deal with ideologues IN POSITIONS OF POWER. All of the radicals they were used to dealing with were minorities in the political hierarchy or outsiders trying to influence the vote of the establishment one way or another.

When faced with the reality of the Bush League's intent to go its own way regardless of what the established pols thought or said, they were unable to deal with it.

Look at all the bills that went to conference committees and came back exactly the way the admininstration wanted them to come out. It wasn't an accident. The Congress has become nothing more than the tail of the dog, and its curled up between its legs like a beaten cur.

So I beleive Kerry and the others when they say they didn't expect Bush to do what he did. We knew because we are outside the government; they didn't know because they ARE the government, at least in their own minds.

That's why I'm backing Clark, and could support Dean. They are both outsiders of a fashion and both have shown a great distrust for the "new boss". Kerry is quite likely the most talented man ever to run for President, but his lack of insight makes it impossible for me to greet his candidacy with the enthusiasm it should deserve.

The Senators are all fighting the last (political) war but conditions on the battlefield have changed. The only Washington type that saw through the lies was Kuchinich and he hasn't the chance of a snowball in hell of winning the nomination, let alone the election.

It's either Clark or Dean and I'm voting for Clark.

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

6. This is in Paul Krugman's book

"The Great Unravelling." He repeats Kissinger's thesis that you've cited. His basic point was that we're up against a "revolutionary power," and what this means is that they have two things on their side: They don't respect the rules and therefore won't play by them, and they have a complacent enemy who can't believe that their goals are as radical as they really are and who therefore will not put up the type of extremely aggressive fight necessary to defend against them. The 2000 election was a pretty good case study in this.

If you haven't read it already I recommend the book very highly. Just expect to be thrown into an apopleptic rage every few sentences or so.

[OneBlueSky]

7. well, if they really believed Bush, they're damned fools . . .

and don't deserve to be elected to anything . . . anyone with half a brain knew that Bush was lying all along . . . if, as senators, they didn't, then shame on them . . .

[Justice]

8. That's Right

But remember, lots of Americans believed Bush too. So there are lots of damned fools going around.

I call it believing in the office of the presidency versus believing in the man. Many people (your friends, loved ones and neighbors) believed in the office of the presidency - the office that was telling them - immediate danger to US, must go.

I (and many many others) looked at bush the man and just didn't believe him. No matter what Bush said to me, I would not believe him. Pure and simple. But others believed Bush because they didn't think the president would lie.

When I heard Powell was going to the UN, I didn't think Powell the man would do so without real evidence. However, I still listened to what he said and faced the facts that Powell was also drinking the kool-aid.

Then, we had Blair the man saying he would not go into Iraq without the second resolution. Then he did go without the second resolution. I was very let down by Blair the man. Again, Koolaid UK style.

While too some extent I understand that Kerry cannot be excused with this story, because he was in a position to know much more than we did and hey, we saw the smoke and mirrors - why couldn't he? Kerry the man was foolish. But for some people who were also fooled, they can look at Kerry and not feel so foolish, because of Kerry.

[mandyky]

9. Before I found Dean

I thought Kerry had it sown up, too. But besides the war, he also told a group to stop crying in their tea cups, about 2000. He just seems disconnected from the electorate, and how angry and frustrated many dems are.. Plus, his speaking style.. he puts me to sleep, maybe I am spoiled by Dean, who knows.

[joeybee12]

10. It's because he's a Washington insider--the only news those people get

are from the editorial pages of the Washington Post. They have no clue how "real" people think.

An examnple is how long it took those stupid Dems to wake up and fight the impeachment--it was a power grab, pure and simple. People saw through that, but most of the Senators and Congresspeople took a long, long time to wake up to it.

And I'm not really sure they stayed awake for long--the theft of the 2000 election, the 2002 mid-terms, the Iraqi resolution, etc., etc.

[DrFunkenstein]

15. You Sound Like An Authority on The Personal Lives Of "Them"

Apparently Kerry only reads the op-eds in the Washington Post. It's a shame, because he writes articles in other magazines and it's not fair that he can't read his own work.

I'd have to say that it is unlikely that you have any clue as to what Kerry's life has been like. Kerry's sister is a public school teacher that got laid off this year. What are the chances that you had any clue about that before you wrote your smug little post?

I'd go on, but you're not worth the effort.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

12. what Kerry was saying was to stop crying

and "get over it" emotionally. Nowhere did he say forget about it like it never happened.

[AP]

13. And why did people read it the wrong way? Because that's the way the media

sold it.

The media has totally manipulated the public's perception of Kerry, just as they did with Gore. They're doing it in the primaries because they know Kerry would match up really well against Bush.

[sandnsea]

14. Original source?

I keep asking for an original source for that quote and I've never seen one.

We do need to quit crying in our teacups because as long as you're sitting around crying you can't stand up and fight. And only by getting over something in the past can you stand up and fight and move forward. Did you ever think that's what he meant?

If we ever had an actual original source on this supposed quote, maybe we'd know.

[DrFunkenstein]

16. Take The Rag Away From Your Face

THE LONESOME DEATH OF HATTIE CARROLL
Bob Dylan

William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll,
With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger
At a Baltimore hotel society gath'rin',
And the cops were called in and his weapon took from him
As they rode him in custody down to the station,
And booked William Zanzinger for first-degree murder.

But you who philosophize, disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face, now ain't the time for
your tears.

William Zanzinger, who at twenty-four years,
Owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres
With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him,
And high office relations in the politics of Maryland,
Reacted to his deed with a shrug of his shoulders,
And swear words and sneering, and his tongue it was
snarling,
In a matter of minutes on bail was out walking.

But you who philosophize, disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face, now ain't the time for
your tears.

Hattie Carroll was a maid of the kitchen.
She was fifty-one years old and gave birth to ten children
Who carried the dishes and took out the garbage,
And never sat once at the head of the table
And didn't even talk to the people at the table,
Who just cleaned up all the food from the table,
And emptied the ashtrays on a whole other level,
Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane
That sailed through the air and came down through the room,
Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle.
And she never done nothing to William Zanzinger.

But you who philosophize, disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face, now ain't the time for
your tears.

In the courtroom of honor, the judge pounded his gavel,
To show that all's equal and that the courts are on the
level
And that the strings in the books ain't pulled and
persuaded,
And that even the nobles get properly handled
Once that the cops have chased after and caught 'em,
And that the ladder of law has no top and no bottom,
Stared at the person who killed for no reason,
Who just happened to be feelin' that way without warnin'.
And he spoke through his cloak, most deep and distinguished,

And handed out strongly, for penalty and repentance,
William Zanzinger with a six-month sentence.

Oh, but you who philosophize, disgrace and criticize all
fears,
Bury the rag deep in your face, for now's the time for your
tears.