How nice. Yet another lie about John Kerry on Michelle Malkin's site.

[beachmom]

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opinions/view/opinion/read-more-3404?success

Silly Liberals Writing for Michelle Malkin's conservative site, Doug Powers provides a voice of dissent, citing the Kennedy family's past opposition to the program as a symbol of liberal hypocrisy

The Kennedys, the Kerrys and all the other “green” rich liberal hypocrites had a chance to set an example by “taking one for the team” on the “clean energy” idea they shove down everybody else’s throat. Instead they fought it, proving themselves the hypocrites we all knew they were...

The long and short of it is that the “environmentalist” left sure doesn’t act as if they believe their rhetoric about the earth warming quickly to the point of the extinction of mankind unless we do something about clean energy now. If we’re all really going to die in ten years if nothing is done, would Robert Kennedy, Jr. be arguing about the view from his living room? (don’t answer that)

I can't say I disagree with what was said about the Kennedys. They are hypocrites. But John Kerry never opposed Cape Wind. I wish he had gone farther earlier and outright supported it, but he never did anything or said anything to discourage it from being built. Still, what I have been warning about what the Right would say has come true, as expected.

[karynnj]

1. I think in terms of an honorable policy position, Kerry's was perfect

He always combined an expression of favoring wind with a serious backing of the siting process. He did express happiness in an earlier report that came in positively back in 2008.

Politically, definite "Yes" and Definite "No" positions are always more likely to get you enthusiastic praise from one segment or the other. (a neutral position might get fewer people angry at you, but it rarely gains you anyone. Not to mention, on this issue, a "neutral" position led to natural allies criticizing Kerry.

If Kerry wanted to side with Kennedy, he could have issued a version of what Brown put out. His Yes, if it passes the process, might have seemed timid, but it was the opposite of the Kennedys' unwillingness to even consider it. I think in today's I want an instant definitive answer that can later never be changed without "flip flopping" culture, Kerry's reasoned response was prudent. I only wish that he would have expressed it more often or more prominently. His relative quietness on this has led to a principled position being seen as either not taking a position or being distorted - as here - as having had Kennedy's position. (That quietness was likely political calculation and a desire not to anger Kennedy.)

MBS in 2008 referred to a California project that did not take the time to do the homework and the problems it subsequently had.

[beachmom]

2. Last word on this:

John Kerry is a political animal, not a scientist. He does not have a degree in any of the physical sciences; he majored in political science and then got his law degree. His job is not to evaluate every scientific aspect and piece of data of this project in a lab. His job is to serve the state of Massachusetts and its constituents, as is so for all other politicians in the state, including the governor who fully backed the project from the start and Brown who says he is against it. John Kerry is a politician who made the decision to hedge on Cape Wind until this week, when he made a statement in concert with the Obama Administration. Only he knows why he remained neutral for so long, but I think my explanation, that he did not want to upset the Kennedy family, is far more creditable than it being over "principle" based in science, for which he is not an expert.

Flame away if you want. Although a minority opinion in this forum, almost every political writer and blogger outside this cocoon would agree.

[karynnj]

3. I listened to Kerry speaking of the need to

follow the procedures in place and it made sense to me at the time. I don't think it is reasonable to make a decision before that is known. In fact, the only decision easy to make before all that is known is "NO" - based on reasons having nothing to do with the feasibility.

At the Finance committee hearing on Climate Change, Kerry put it well saying that he was not a scientist, but as a legislator he had to listen to various scientists and from that make prudent policy. I know that Kerry is a politician, but he is also a statesman and legislator. No one at 65 is just what they majored in college. He IS doing his job for Massachusetts - and it IS a position to say Yes, if all these tests are passed.

The fact is that others who were for it from the start, REALLY were also only conditionally for it. That is unless you believe that Patrick would not have changed his yes to a no had one of the tests identified serious problems. Kerry's "yes, but" even extended to pointing out alternative areas which might work if problems were found.) Now, had Kerry, like Patrick, simply said YES, he would have been hit by questions of it being premature before the environmental issues were investigated.

I am not saying Kerry is perfect or that Kerry has never done anything for sheer politics - like F35 engines. Here, what I am saying is that his position was consistent with being a serious environmentalist and a prudent public policy maker, who wants to think and test first, then decide.

Now, I know that you are right that most - or even all - blog writers will agree with you. But I still think that Kerry's statements, through time, always leaned to yes. Even when Kennedy was alive. I doubt that if Kennedy were alive now, Kerry's decision now would be different - or that Kennedy would be surprised at it.

[Luftmensch067]

5. Well said

I agree with you on this. Even now, I'm not sure Salazar made the right decision. As I've said before, I don't know any answers, I only see that there are arguments against Cape Wind that seem valid to my untrained judgement. But I credit JK for waiting until the studies were done and due diligence was satisfied before making his own decision. And I very much agree with your last statement. I don't think EMK would be at all surprised to see JK act on principle even if it were against his own belief and I don't think he'd expect anything less.

[wisteria]

4. Malkin is an ugly person inside and out- I don't even pay attention to her. n/t