Blair Fesses up...He wants a new president. too

[Perky]

Ok I made it up... but it would not suprise me if Tony Blair thinks * is an idiot and would love to put some distance between himself and * for a variety of reasons.

[mobuto]

1. Completely true

Bush has been nothing but an embarassment for Blair. He has hurt Blair tremendously. Blair wants to be close to the United States, but he wants to be close to a leader who he can support without hurting himself politically. Kerry's the man. Aside from Berlusconi and the clowns in Poland, I can't think of any European leaders who would favor Bush in November. Uzbekistan for Bush.

[methinks2]

2. you Tease!

[disgruntled_goat]

3. excuse me

while i remove your fishhook from my cheek.

good troll. ;)

[Perky]

4. Actually

God Knows the London Tabloids will ask the question and how will Blair respond?

He will have to say.. "It is not for me top say who the next american president ought to be... that's for the american people? He can't endorse Bush which means the press will say "Blair refused to answer who he supports"

That is a win win for Kerry.

[atre]

5. Although I think Bush and Blair are friends...

I think politically it would help Blair for Bush to lose. According to my British friend, Blair had always been seen as overestimating the importance of the UK-America relationship, but they generally did not mind as much when the person with whom he was dealing was Clinton. When political conditions changed here and Bush took over as President, Blair's cronyism began to greatly upset British conservatives and liberals alike.

[mdmc]

6. Blair would like Kerry

but, like any good democrat, Blair will get in bed with whomever.

[T_i_B]

7. Why Tony Blair fears the coming of President Kerry

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1149631,00.html

If there is one thing that Tony Blair has never underestimated, it is the importance of an American presidential election in shaping the dynamics of British domestic politics. Until now. For years, Blair's analysis of American politics has been simple, strategic and, ultimately, determinist. He believes that we live downstream from them. He believes that what happens in the US defines the limits of the possible for Britain, and thus for the Labour party.

To most Labour supporters - indeed it would not be an exaggeration to say to most people in Europe - the prospect of President Kerry is almost too good to be true. The ameliorative possibilities for international affairs from a Kerry victory are immense. If ever there was a US presidential election that exposes the lazy lie that it does not matter which man wins, it is this one.

You might think, therefore, that behind the doors of Downing Street there is also a new optimism about the possibilities opened up by the turn of events in America. Given the axiomatic importance Blair attaches to US presidential politics, you might assume the prime minister's mood has lightened, as he contemplates the possibility of a 2005 general election conducted in the light, not of a triumphalist Bush re-election but of Bush's deposition by his more internationalist Democratic challenger.

But I fear that you might be wrong. If Bush is defeated in November, does that actually make Blair stronger or weaker? Would a Kerry victory give fresh credibility to Blair the Labour prime minister or toll the knell for Blair the Bush ally? Inside Downing Street there is much disagreement about all this. It is a mark of the political cancer caused by the Iraq war that it cannot be assumed that Blair wants Kerry to win. It is the ultimate pessimism that Blair may even prefer to see Bush re-elected.

[T_i_B]

8. 'Mr Blair... have you met President Kerry?'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3535591.stm

This week something odd happened. A left-of-centre party chose its candidate to challenge for the presidency of the world's last remaining superpower. That superpower's closest ally happens to be led by the leader of another centre-left party.

You might imagine he would be the first on the phone to congratulate the newly elected candidate and wish him well in the forthcoming election. Yet this close ally did nothing, said nothing, and sent no message of congratulation. So just what does Tony Blair have against John Kerry?

The Prime Minister's official spokesman was adamant. Tony Blair, he said, is so determined not to get involved in the American presidential elections that he will not even send his congratulations to Senator Kerry. The spokesman referred to the prime minister's remarks at a recent news conference when he said he did not intend to get involved. Reporters pointed out that even President Bush had sent his congratulations to Mr Kerry. The Prime Minister's spokesman did not respond.

More than that, behind the scenes, instructions have gone out: the Labour Party must stay out of the US presidential campaign. Plans for senior Labour figures to hold talks with senior Democrats have been shelved.