What did Kerry mean at the debate when he said...

[mzmolly]

"If your smart, you can work to get a bill passed with out your name on it."

Is he afraid to take a stand? Is he afraid to have to answer for his convictions?

Can anyone give me a rational explanation that would indicate a shred of integrity?

Thanks, I do understand that I may be misunderstanding his assertion...

[MoonAndSun]

1. I thought that anyone in Congress was happy to have their name on

bills that they helped to pass. I wonder why he said it that way, maybe a mis-speak?

[demnan]

2. I suppose

he's talking about the way some legislators sneak in bits of "pork" to help their constituents and hook that pork to omnibus spending bills affecting many government agencies.

There might be veracity in it, but I'm not thinking it's a remark that reflects well on Kerry.

[sangh0]

3. The key words are "If you're smart"

If you're smart, you can gain the gratitude and loyalty of your colleagues by allowing them to take some credit, even if it's undeserved. Especially if it's undeserved

[mzmolly]

8. Good spin.

I don't buy it. Got anything better? ;)

[sandnsea]

31. That's the way it's done

Forget worrying about having big bills passed. Just add Amendments to somebody else's bill. Write in stuff when you're the head of a committee, like Youthbuild. He meant "if you're smart" exactly the way it sounded. This is the way it's done in Congress and he knows it.

[cheezus]

4. Two reasons

1 - he's the Junior Senator, so it's harder to get his name on legislation
2 - there's a fair bit of politics in bill sponsorship - having the right name on it can make the difference between passing and not

[mzmolly]

9. Regarding point #1. He specifically said it was *smart*

he didn't mention it was difficult because he was a junior senator.

and regarding point #2. I would imagine 35 years would merit more then 9 bills regardless.

[sangh0]

12. Yes, it's "smart" for a Jr Sen to defer to the Sr Sen

The Jr Senator has no obligation to show deference, and has no difficulty attaching his/her name to a bill. However, it is smart for a Jr Sen to defer to the Sr Sen.

I would imagine 35 years would merit more then 9 bills regardless.

AFAIK, there's no term limits in the Senate. Sen Kennedy has been there longer and has been to Kerry for the entire time. Seniority does not have any term limits either

[mzmolly]

15. I understand there are not term limits, but how does Kerry's record

compare with other *smart* senators who have served as long?

[sangh0]

20. Kerry's record is better than most Senators

Thanks for asking

[fob]

28. You're mixing up the intention of the quote

The "smart" thing he referred to is being able to get a bill passed WITHOUT your name on it. And there are many reasons why bills have certian names on them that are legitimate. As someone said, the right name = bill has a better chance, plain old politics, which includes NOT having your name on a bill(cover for home voters and such).

Should the mark of a Senator be the number of bills with their name on it? I think not, there are many other factors of equal or greater importance.

I would argue the answer in itself shows a pretty good command of politics!

[jfxgillis]

5. Sure. And it happens more often than you think

If you're smart, you let nominal credit go elsewhere if it helps pass the bill. You merge your bill with a competitors'. You let the partisan-opposition-co-sponsor's name go up top to lure opposition vote.

Think Chris Shays and Marty Meehan give a crap that McCain and Feingold got all the credit for the CFR bill?

[mzmolly]

11. I don't see how it's smart to allow only 9 bills with your name on them

in a 35 year senate career.

[sangh0]

14. Key words

"If you're smart" does not rely on your seeing it as smart.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. He meant what he said. lol

Really getting things done is not so much about whose name is on what bill as it is about what final legislation gets signed by the President.

That's what matters in Congress, more than political posturing.

[blm]

7. Please. "...a shred of integrity",,,,"I may be misunderstanding"

Uh huh.

[mzmolly]

10. I may be... dont' think so though..

:hi:

[blm]

13. CNN just played it....

he said if you're smart you can work...and get a bill passed and even without your name on it.

[sangh0]

16. So mzmolly misquoted Kerry?

I'm shocked!!!

[mzmolly]

18. If your smart you can work to get a bill passed with out your name on it.

Dont see the big difference, and the question remains...

[sangh0]

21. Why do you continue to misquote him?

Your "corrected" quote is identical to your original, inaccurate quote

[mzmolly]

25. Why do you continue to act as though there is a huge difference

The key elements are the same. I don't trust BLM's assertion just yet. If I get a quote from CNN myself, I'll come back and re edit, but I fail to see the difference.

Off to watch CNN and look for some honesty reporting.

:hi:

[sangh0]

30. If there's no huge difference, why not post the correct quote?

Off to watch CNN and look for some honesty reporting.

On CNN? Really?

[mzmolly]

17. What were their comments?

:shrug: Actually I think I'll tune in.

:hi:

[Cocoa]

19. it means legislating is not just grandstanding

and I agree.

[mzmolly]

22. Then why didn't he say if your *humble*...

He used the word *smart*

[Cocoa]

27. because he didn't mean humble

he meant smart. Kerry strikes me as being vastly more smart than he is humble.

[NashVegas]

24. Little More to it Than That

In times like these, people want to elect someone they know can get stuff done.

Tennessee - a conservative state 14 months ago elected a Dem over a Repuke because they knew the Dem had shit he wanted to get done, and that he knew how to get it done, unlike the Republican who was mainly running for the sake of opposing.

[janx]

23. I'm still trying to figure out what he meant when he said

that something is like kicking down a barn door and giving someone twigs.

Was this a combination of some cliche and the Three Little Pigs?

???

???

[killbotfactory]

26. It means he didn't accomplish much...

Nothing he helped pass through congress ended up helping the people of SC, that's why he's running for president!

[Dhalgren]

29. Man, this is getting ridiculous!

I think the Rebuplicans would love it if the Democratic primaries would last through October. Jeeeebuss..

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

32. If you're smart you can get what he meant

There are many fighters in our party that don't have banners all over legislation, but have cleaned up the unintended consequences of the legislation or worked out negotiations in order to get it passed.

[isbister]

33. He was trying to

dumb down his answer for Dr. Dean to understand. You see, Howard is an outsider and he doesn't appear to understand how the process works. Now, thanks to Kerry's little lesson, Dean has a better understanding of the Congress.

or

Kerry was slapping Howard down... big time

[bigtree]

34. "If your smart, you can work to get a bill passed with out your name on it

http://kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/issues/legislation.html#

On these links you have to lift and paste the whole line including (sen+kerry,+john):

108th Congress

Sponsored Bills Sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d108:FLD003:@O(sen+kerry,+john):

Co-sponsored Bills Co-sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d108:FLD004:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):


107th Congress

Sponsored Bills Sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d107:FLD003:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):

Co-sponsored Bills Co-sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d107:FLD004:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):


106th Congress

Sponsored Bills Sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d106:FLD003:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):

Co-sponsored Bills Co-sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d106:FLD004:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):


105th Congress

Sponsored Bills Sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d105:FLD003:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):

Co-sponsored Bills Co-sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d105:FLD004:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):


104th Congress

Sponsored Bills Sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d104:FLD003:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):

Co-sponsored Bills Co-sponsored by Senator Kerry
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d104:FLD004:@OD1(sen+kerry,+john):