Is Kerry a compromise between Clark and Dean? Vietnam would be starters

[billbuckhead]

Is Kerry a compromise between Clark and Dean? Vietnam would be starters for three different paths, with Kerry honorably in the middle.
Kerry must look reassuring to middle DemAmerica compared to the other 2004Dems. I think Clark would win a history changing victory in the general if he could be nominated. I think it might be too thinking outside of the box for mainstream Dems to take a run at Corporama from the military side of our democracy. After all it's our soldiers who are dying and their familes suffering for oil lust.

[HuckleB]

1. No.

Perhaps he is a compromise between Clark/Dean and Lieberman. But he is no compromise between Clark and Dean.

[KittyWampus]

2. Kerry Is The Rich Man's Clark

and saying Kerry is a compromise sounds about right.

[Valjean]

15. Every Bone in Kerry is ...

Every Bone in Kerry belongs to Skull & Bones.

[THUNDER HANDS]

3. I don't think there is a compromise for Dean

Dean is anti-establishment, so he's his own thing.

Kerry a more a compromise for those between Edwards and Clark.

(on edit - because Edwards has no military experience and Clark no political experience. Kerry has both, in spades.)

[Jacobin]

4. I coulda sworn Kerry voted for the IWR. I have no source to cite, so

I suppose I should stop spreading that rumour.

It's been explained how Kerry didn't support the invasion and was "tricked" by the honorable George Forking Bush whom everyone knew was a straight shooter and had no agenda.

I keep repeating the mantra to myself. Maybe one day, if I repeat it enough, I'll actually believe it

[emulatorloo]

10. I keep being told that Dean and Clark weren't fooled

but yet somehow the things they said at the time indicate they too thought Saddam was a threat.

Oh well I guess if I repeat it enough times it will be true, as long as I remember that things are all just black and white.

mantra over.

None of the top 4 are perfect, there is no candidate that is perfect. They are all way better than GWB. None of them are compromises. You may not like them all, but they are doing us proud.

[LiberalBushFan]

5. No, Clark is Kerry + Dean

He has a respectable record like Kerry without the "obviously the facts don't support that Bush is a deserter" cowardice.

[HuckleB]

6. Smile.

Spot on.

[name not needed]

9. Bush isn't a deserter

That would imply that he was in combat. He went AWOL. The closest he came to Vietnam was Alabama.

[HuckleB]

11. AWOL. AWOL. AWOL.

During a time of war, I don't see a whole heck of a lot of difference ethically.

[HawkerHurricane]

13. UCMJ

885. ART. 85. DESERTION
(a) Any member of the armed forces who--
(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to remain away therefrom permanently;
(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or
(3) without being regularly separated from one of the armed forces enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another on of the armed forces without fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated, or enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United States; is guilty of desertion.
(b) Any commissioned officer of the armed forces who, after tender of his resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his post or proper duties without leave and with intent to remain away therefrom permanently is guilty of desertion.
(c) Any person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, but if the desertion or attempt to desert occurs at any other time, by such punishment, other than death, as a court-martial may direct.

While Shrub was not in combat, and we weren't technically at war, being gone from his unit more than 30 days qualifies him as a deserter.
Plea bargaining would probably lower it back to AWOL.

[HuckleB]

14. Gracias.

That will come in handy.

Sorry 'bout them Rams.

Well, not really. But I do know your pain.

Cheers!

[HawkerHurricane]

16. I grew up in LA during the '70s.

Heck, the Rams were always the team the NFC champ had to beat on the way to the Super Bowl.

[name not needed]

18. I stand corrected

Bush was a deserter. Kerry should have said something to Novak. Would have given him a hear attack. All that hate for our 'supreme leader'.

[lastknowngood]

7. he would be but

he has no fire. When he tries to be animated he sounds like a British upper class man trying to curse. It just doesn't work.
We need someone who can fire up the base and wake up the independents.

[emulatorloo]

8. Watch C-span today and maybe you will change your mind

"no fire" is just another meme. He can get people pretty excited and moved

[HuckleB]

12. Saw it, but don't see it.

I wish I did. Lord knows, I wish I did.

[Loren645]

17. Kerry has the word "compromise" written all over him, and his career.

Classic chameleon pol.