Reid and Kennedy Praise Kerry

[Bob Geiger]

After John Kerry (D-MA) announced on the Senate floor that he would not pursue the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) came forward to praise Kerry and the highly-decorated Vietnam Veteran's service to our country.

Here's what they had to say:

Senator Harry Reid

"I have had the good fortune in my lifetime, my adult life, to see people for whom I have developed a tremendous respect and admiration, and certainly one of those people is John Kerry. Why? Why would I say that about John Kerry? Why would I say that as I have traveled through life he is one of those people who has meant so much to me in being a role model for the things that I do and the things that I think the American people should focus on?

"We all looked at him with admiration. John Kerry has had a Silver Star, multiple Purple Hearts -- I repeat, multiple awards for bravery. He is a political activist, someone who at great sacrifice decided to do gallant things after his heroic efforts in Vietnam. He came home and continued being a hero politically.

"John Kerry was my nominee for President of the United States. I worked hard for John Kerry. I believed in John Kerry. I believed John Kerry would change the direction of this country and the world. I still believe that. John Kerry came within a few votes of being President of the United States in one of the dirtiest, most negative, unfair campaigns I have ever witnessed. I am not going to go into all the things they did to John Kerry other than to say that to try to take away from this man, his gallantry as a warfighter, was beyond the pale, but they did it.

"John Kerry and I have shared heartache together. We have done it recently. I will always have admiration and respect for John Kerry. The mere fact that he announced he is not running for President speaks well of this gallant man, this heroic man, because he could run for President. He has money in the bank, so to speak. He knows people all over America. He has the best e-mail addresses in the country. He has chosen that this is not the time. But I will continue to look to John Kerry for his leadership in foreign affairs. He is a man who knows this world.

"So I say to John Kerry: I love you, John Kerry. I am so sorry things didn't work out for our country, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I will always care about you greatly and remember the times we have spent together. We have a lot more to do for Massachusetts, Nevada, and the country."

Senator Ted Kennedy

"I know how difficult of a decision this is for Senator Kerry to make. And today, I say to the people of the country how proud all of us in Massachusetts are of John Kerry, and his outstanding service in the United States Senate for our State and for our country. Throughout his career, he has been a true hero in every sense of the word.

"He has been my colleague since 1984, and I have deeply valued the opportunity to work side-by-side with him, but most of all I'm proud to call him my friend. Over the years, Vicki and I have grown so close to John and his wonderful wife Teresa and his loving daughters Vanessa and Alexandra. They are a special family, and their friendship is one we cherish.

"Now John has decided to continue to devote his passion, his interest, and his energies toward bringing our troops home from Iraq safely, and how fortunate they are to know that he will devote all of his energies to that cause over the next months--hopefully not years. All of us in Massachusetts look forward to his continued service in the United States Senate for years to come and to his voice and his vote working here for the working people of Massachusetts, for their jobs, for their health care, for the education of their children, for the betterment of their environment, and for their hope for a better quality of life. He's been there for us in the past on so many of these critical concerns, and we take comfort in knowing he'll be there for all of us in the future as well.

"I know this has been a difficult time for John. I congratulate him on an outstanding presentation this afternoon, and for his courage and determination. I congratulate him for continuing to want to make a very important difference on the overarching and overriding issue of our time, and that is how we can remedy this catastrophic mistake of Iraq and bring our servicemen home safely.

"I'm grateful to be able to call John Kerry my colleague and friend, and look forward to working with him for years to come."

[williesgirl]

1. All I can say is "Wow" - recommended

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. Yes. These comments are more than obligatory

They seem deeply felt and very sincere, which is wonderful to see, because all of it is true. I am sure it was moving for John Kerry to hear this from those men.

[LittleClarkie]

17. And to think I'd been led to believe that Reid didn't much like Kerry

There was some leak somewhere, supposedly, saying as much. He sure doesn't sound like that was the case.

[PresidentObama]

2. Reid sums it up for me:

"So I say to John Kerry: I love you, John Kerry. I am so sorry things didn't work out for our country, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I will always care about you greatly and remember the times we have spent together. We have a lot more to do for Massachusetts, Nevada, and the country."

:patriot:

[blm]

7. The battles he took on in the senate long after Vietnam were the toughest in modern history.

IranContra, illegal wars in Central America, BCCI, CIA drugrunning, advocating for gays in the military, and submoitting the first progay legislation ever in the senate, and submitting the only Public Financing of Campaigns bill.


THAT is a Senator who RISKS HIS NECK for the betterment of this country and for the calling to account the corrupt who deal in secrecy and privilege.

If more senators would join these battles, this nation would TRULY be a democratic one that respects its citizens and trusts them with the truth.

[zann725]

16. I laughed out loud when Reid said: "He's got the best email lists..."

If only JK'd change his mind...

[rosesaylavee]

3. Thanks for this.

Reid and Kennedy have hit it on the head. Kerry is a gallant patriot and we, as a country, are very lucky he is. He will bring the troops home if he has to carry them on his back.

K & R

[fedupinBushcountry]

5. Yes he will

and if you haven done it yet please go to http://www.setadeadline.com/ and be heard.

Spread it around, we need to campaign for the country.

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. "He will bring the troops home if he has to carry them on his back."

Beautifully, beautifully put.

[blm]

18. People who bother to see Kerry for who he really is, know this is exactly the attitude he will bring

to the ongoing battle to bring the troops home.

[Adelante]

8. Lovely tributes

:patriot:

[rockymountaindem]

9. They're absolutely right

I guess it's a trade off with him not running for President, but it's good to still have him in the Senate.

[Eurobabe]

10. As well they should have...

John Kerry is an important voice for the Democratic Party in the Senate. I applaud his courage, to stay and work hard to keep these thugs (from pushing us further into debt and ruin.

I salute you John Kerry.

[sandrakae]

11. Wow is right. I never new Harry Reid liked him that much.

[MH1]

12. "I am so sorry things didn't work out for our country"

Yeah, me too.

Sigh.

[PresidentObama]

13. Oh stop, thats one of my favorite pictures.

:cry: I still believe in America, John. Give us hope!!

[MH1]

14. He does and he will.

:)

Have you stopped by the Kerry blog? I don't think it's going away anytime soon.

http://blog.johnkerry.com/

[beachmom]

15. I watched all of this live on C-SPAN, and although Kerry choked up

at the end of his speech, it was Ted Kennedy's speech which made me lose it. I think Kerry is highly respected in the Senate -- on both sides of the aisle -- and that it was all presidential politics which made everyone so quiet about it. Glad they're saying the right things now.