Hardball Transcript - John Kerry conversation about Iraq

[ModerateMiddle]

and the money Bush wants:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/963876.asp

Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, a Democratic presidential candidate. Senator, we’re leading the show with you tonight, not only because you agreed to appear but because you’re the best read foreign policy expert running for president on the Democratic side right now. Did the president give a partisan speech last night?
SENATOR JOHN KERRY, (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don’t think it was a partisan speech, Chris, but I think it was an inadequate speech. It was an incomplete one which didn’t do what it needs to do to lead America to the right place in Iraq.
MATTHEWS: If you were there right now, in Iraq, leading our troops, if you were telling us what to do, what would you tell us to do and how would it be different than what the president said last night?
KERRY: Well, I guarantee you, to start with, Chris, I wouldn’t have gone to war the way the president did without other countries, without adequately laying the groundwork to win the peace. And I said that long before the war started. I said it last January and I said it on the floor of the Senate.
But the point is now, we need to de-Americanize this war. The solution is not just to get more troops from the U.N. and take total control of this. We have to be willing to cede the civilian authority, the humanitarian assistance, the rebuilding to a shared power arrangement with the United Nations. I’m for keeping control of the security component with the United Nations, but, Chris, if we remain as the occupier, and if we keep the targets on American soldiers, we are not going to be able to be as successful in the long run.
MATTHEWS: How do we deal with the situation of foreign nationals coming into Iraq to get us? Can we leave under fire? Can there be an exit strategy as long as they’re coming at us that way?
KERRY: Chris, the exit strategy is success. It is victory. I mean, that’s one of the lessons we learned in Vietnam. But you have to know how to get that victory. I don’t believe that the United States alone, can we win it in the long run? Oh, yes. But at what cost? At what kind of loss of respect and influence? With what kind of further turmoil in the middle east? With what kind of implications for Saudi Arabia, for Egypt, for Israel?
I believe the strongest way to move the fastest, to protect our troops, and to be able to strengthen our position in winning our objective is to have the United Nations and the world invested in what we’re doing. The administration missed that opportunity when they decided to go to war, they missed the opportunity when that statue fell and Saddam Hussein was beaten, and they could have brought the world in. This is the third opportunity and I hope the administration is not going to miss it now.

more at link

[liberalmuse]

1. Yawn...

I didn't even read it. You know why? I've seen your name under too many posts slandering Dean. See how it works? You've helped me associate Kerry with some of his @sshole supporters (not all are this obnoxious, and some are pretty considerate, thank god). I really hope Dean supporters, etc., note this if, and when they consider slamming other candidates again here at DU. Every person has their limit. After going for weeks of ignoring this crap, today is mine. It's just too reminiscent of what the 'pubs and their media did to Gore, and that will forever leave a bad taste in my mouth.

[sandnsea]

2. And why don't I read about Dean?

Same damn reason. Except I got sick of it MONTHS ago. You guys are apparently just starting to get a little taste of how you've been acting for quite some time.

[liberalmuse]

3. Exactly!

I did my edit before seeing your post, if you want to take a peak. I don't post this type of stuff about other candidates here because it's rude. Duers are smart enough to think for themselves and choose the candidate who they think is best for America, and I don't doubt many here read everything about their candidates they can get their hands on. To have it posted here for the purpose of antogonizing others is counterproductive for the cause we all agree upon--getting Bush out of the White House.

On edit: Oops! I guess you can only edit once. The gist of what I wrote was that what we do/say reflects upon our candidates. It is possible that come election time, for example, Clark supporters will remember how awful Dean supporters were to them--it can be any combination, and perhaps people could be losing possible votes for their guy/gal because of the way they've attacked others candidates and disillusioned them to the point where, after their chosen candidate loses the primaries, they just don't give a damn anymore. It can and will happen, unless we are more considerate and supportive of each other. We all have the same goal: get rid of Bush. Let's not jeapordize this!

[sandnsea]

4. Excuse me?

Are you saying the transcripts shouldn't be posted? I'll hold my response in case I've misunderstood you.

[liberalmuse]

5. Not at all!

However, I've noticed certain names keep showing up in anti-Dean screeds. I don't read the posts bashing other candidates, but I will read all I can about Dean. When I keep seeing one person's name under the most negative articles or topics on Dean, then I pretty much figure they have an agenda. It isn't that I mind being exposed to derogatory articles about Dean--that isn't the point. I suppose my point is, I got off of work after a rough day, I sign on to DU, which I consider a pleasant experience most of the time, and see all these Dean slurs posted by one individual. That just made me lose it, and understand firsthand all the other posts I've seen from people who've become fed up with the candidate-bashing. I thought I was immune, until now. It's rude. Anyway, I'm sorry you've had to go through the same thing from Deanies.
We have a damn good line-up of Democratic contenders, so we should be proud of that instead of bashing each other over whom we support. I admit that I did say I wouldn't vote for Lieberman under any circumstances, but after thinking about it, I would vote for him over Bush, and I will vote for Kerry if he wins the nomination, in spite of some of his supporters (even though I've said otherwise on another thread), but some people may not hate Bush as much as I do, LOL.

[sandnsea]

6. liberalmuse-sandnsea

Truce.

And yes, I'd vote for Dean too.

[ModerateMiddle]

7. Gimme a break

I watch the attacks here all the time. I don't participate. Yeah, I don't like Dean. I don't like many of his policy positions, and I don't like that his is loose with his mouth. But slander?

Sheesh.