Kerry needs to stop talking about foreigners wanting a change in US

[dsc]

government.

First, I certainly think this is true. I would imagine that leaders in places like France, Germany, Belgium, and other places, do wish to see this happen. But they will never say so publicly.

Second, Kerry saying this puts those people on the spot. They are certainly not going to publicly confirm who they are. Kerry, also, can't publicly confirm who they are. Thus Kerry looks disingenuous.

Third, even if this gets publicly confirmed, I see no upside for Kerry. It gives people like us, who hate Bush, yet another reason to go to the polls. It gives his base, who love him, yet another reason to go to the polls. The people in the middle I don't see caring or worse, reacting jingoisticly and saying "Bush may be a bastard, but he is our bastard." Just like we don't tolerate people insulting our family members even if we know they are speaking the truth.

Thus, Kerry needs to stop this now.

[phantom power]

1. I agree

I agree, he really shouldn't have "gone there", not even if he was willing to name names (which so far, he hasn't).

Oh well. In general, I think he's running a very strong campaign. And best of all, he seems to be learning as he goes. I haven't seen him make the same mistake twice.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

2. I tend to agree

I totally believe what his said, but it's just more ammo for the Republicans (not that they need it). Just my humble opinion. Will be interesting to watch how Kerry responds (he's no dummy).

[keithyboy]

27. Kerry is not saying this, the MEDIA is and Kerry should call them on it!

Blast it as just another of the dirty tricks, lies, and misinformation that this administration and its henchmen (including the like of Rush and Hannity) love to perform. Powell should apologize to Kerry.

[BootinUp]

3. Its not a big deal

People already knew this are you kidding? If anything it just reminds them what a lousy diplomat Georgie is. Whatever negative there is for Kerry he can maneuver around it. There's not much reason for him to say it again though.

[maddezmom]

9. agree

Kerry needs not to repeat it, but it's true.

[BootinUp]

10. This would be funny though...

if Kerry was to say

Bushes diplomacy skills are more suitable for a ranch owner than a President.

I miss the primaries *sigh*

[Hav]

4. .

I agree as I have witnessed similar things in other countries as well.
People don't like to have the feeling that foreign countries get too much involved in choosing the government.
It might only strenghten support for Bush.

[youngred]

5. I agree

its very true, but it certainly doesn't help. People already know Bush is worldly hated

[Raya]

6. Kerry doesn't need your advice. He obviously is not pushing this.

[dsc]

20. Kerry came to Akron yesterday

and we got a lot of Kerry coverage on Cleveland and Kent stations. On the News Hour it came up. On Kent's NPR station it came up, the local ABC affiliate brought it up, the local talk radio station brought it up. In every single case it was reviewed negatively. Not one time but every single time. But hey, from now on I won't say a word. on edit but don't dare ask for anything from me since I am not to say a word. That means no calls, no literature, and no money. If my advice isn't welcome than none of the rest is either.

[Paradise]

22. hey, dsc,

i agree with your intelligent, thoughtful advice. what kerry said is true, however it is extremely risky, especially if he's not in a position to back it up.
:silly:you think you've got problems, i have to reply to my own posts:silly:

[dsc]

23. thanks

I can relate to having to answer my own posts as well. I have had more than a few threads go no where. Thanks again.

[sangha]

25. I agree. I'm not worried, but I agree

If it goes on for a long time, then I definitely think it would not help, and possibly do some harm. However, I really do doubt that it's going to go on for long. There will be more interesting things for the press to pursue, and they have the attention span of gnats.

[grannylib]

7. I agree; this worried me the first time I heard it. Of course anyone with

a brain wants Chumpy the Chimp outta there, but IMHO Kerry does himself no favors with this line of campaigning.

[Cheswick2.0]

8. I agree, he is putting them on the spot... not smart

It is also not fair to them. They have other interests more important than getting Kerry elected.

[Monte Carlo]

11. I just saw him change the subject on ABC World News Tonight...

... when he was arriving at a building when a reporter questioned him about that and Bush's demands. Kerry said Bush is trying to talk about something other than the real problems facing our country, and he's right.

[tishaLA]

12. Didn't he only say it once?

It's the right wing corporate media that keeps repeating it.

[Monte Carlo]

13. Originally, yes.

It was not meant to be a regular thing in a stump speech. He's responded to it, but it's Bush thru the national news that keeps bouncing it back and forth.

[Piperay]

14. I agree

it's true but not the smartest thing to say, Americans don't like the idea of 'outsiders' having influence or opinions about our leaders. If chimp and his gang harps on this it is going to end up hurting Kerry. :-(

[Rowdyboy]

15. Agreed 100%...There's no upside here...It was

a foolish thing to say, even once.

[meg]

16. It's "Democrats" like Bob Novak and Candy Crowly

who keep talking about it. It's funny, though, because that's all they have and when they repeat it, it doesn't help Bush.

[Lefty48197]

17. Now the RWers are talking tough telling Kerry to "put up or shut up"

They're reverting to their childhoods and the Reagan era.
I think we should ask the righties to name foreign leaders that think Bush should stay. Sit back and have a good laugh as they scramble to put together a list that includes Samoa, Eritrea, and Iceland.

[oasis]

18. Reading between the lines: Our armed forces are spread so thin that we

need the mutual cooperation , trust , and participation of other nations. Our military personnel are at greater risk if we go it alone on the global 'war on terror".

[DrFunkenstein]

19. We Need To Make More Friends In The World

I tend to judge middle America by my parents' reactions to things, and they seem to love this sentiment.

[TheDonkey]

21. The media is hyping it. Kerry wants it dropped

He should have never said it. O~well too late, but now the rethugs are finally drooling over a non-Fonda related "scandal". It'll be forgot in a week.

[tishaLA]

24. Well, if it is a consolation

the reporter who "broke" this story says it's a transcription screw up, as per Drudge.

Poolers,

Given the growing attention to Senator Kerry's remark at the Fla. fundraiser about foreign leaders wanting him to beat Bush, and Kerry's subsequent statements that he'd merely "heard from" leaders, I went back to my recording of the event to re-confirm his remarks and put them in context. I wanted to provide that for all of you as well as CORRECT the record on a key word that I mistranscribed.

When Kerry concluded his stump to the Florida fundraisers and donors, Milton Ferrell, Kerry's Florida finance chair, piped up:


KERRY: "I've been hearing it, I'll tell ya. The news, the coverage in other countries, the news in other places. I've met more leaders who can't go out and say it all publicly, but boy they look at you and say, you gotta win this, you gotta beat this guy, we need a new policy, things like that. So there is enormous energy out there. Tell them, whereever they can find an American abroad, they can contribute," a reference to donations, prompting laughter from the crowd.

Transcribing on the bus in Florida, and again on the plane ride to Tampa, I heard "foreign leaders" rather than "more leaders." Listening to the audio recorder now, in the quiet of my house, I hear "more leaders" and I am certian that "more leaders" is what Senator Kerry said. I am very sorry for this screw-up, and please feel free to hold me accountable to your editors and higher-ups.
http://www.drudgereport.com/kerrybo.htm

[looking glass]

26. I agree as well.

True or not, it doesn't play well in the battleground states.

[fujiyama]

28. Thinkin the same thing...

No upside to this comment. It comes across (not to me but I'm sure to many others) as foreign leaders wanting to influence our election. It's one thing to say this administration has been an absolutely and complete failure diplomatically, but that's obvious to many.

This comment gives those that strongly like Kerry a lot, a good laugh, but it really helps with no one else. Especially when Bush will be using the recent terror attacks as a reason to say "I will go wherever it takes with or without other nations' support to keep this country safe" (we all know this is BS, but many conservative democrats and moderate republicans may buy this crap).