Raw Story: Kerry confidantes say senator is seeking others

[whometense]

to cosign letter on Downing minutes

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Kerry_confidantes_say_senator_is_seeking_others_to_cosign_letter_on_Downing_mi_0614.html

by Steve Bagley

Two confidants of Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) told RAW STORY Tuesday that he is privately seeking other senators to cosign a letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee on the Downing Street minutes.

“Kerry has been enlisting other senators to sign onto a letter to the intelligence committee seeking answers to the Downing Street memo,” said one, “so Americans can trust that security decisions are driven by facts and responsible intelligence, not by political calculation.”...

...The reactions from the Massachusetts senators come after action in the House. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) penned a response to the Downing Street minutes five days after it leaked to the British Sunday Times, demanding that President Bush answer new questions about the contents of the secret document.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), who signed Conyers letter, told RAW STORY the missive is part of a plan to “keep agitating the public” and to convince more Republicans and Democrats in Congress to act in response to the Downing Street minutes...

[MH1]

1. We should be asking people to contact their Senators

to ask them to sign Kerry's letters.

Wouldn't you know, one of the few days since I signed up at dkos that I actually post my 2 diary limit, so I can't post this over there. Maybe I will tomorrow. I think if it's worded right it would get a decent response. I was just in GD-P on Pirate Smile's post, and I have to say, GD-P seems to be even worse than dkos. How depressing is it that that's even possible?

[ginnyinWI]

2. the longer he waits, the more buzz there will be

and when he does speak on it, all eyes will be focused on him.

This will be so good for him politically if he can be seen as one of the key Dems leading the charge to expose BushCo. As you said in another post, whome, so many DU-type Dems are frustrated at having not seen * taken down as they had hoped. If this doesn't do it, at least it will add tremendously to the chimp's lame-duckitude! Major Dem victories would testify to it, and then it would be on to 2008. ;)

[sandnsea]

3. The responses are horrific

I wasn't too impressed with the article either. Maybe we need to just up and go to firespirit's forum. I'm really getting sick of the negativity.

[JI7]

4. i have stopped viewing these people as being liberals or progressive

or any such thing. i can understand disagreements but there is a certain type that just wants to complain about anything and view themselves as victims. and they just help the right wing by putting down anything anyone tries to do.

one fucker is claiming Kerry lied because he hasn't given a floor statement. all based on newsmax and other right wing sources. never mind that what he said is he will raise the issue and what he is doing is exactly that.

[Mass]

6. That would mean that these people are what they claim

How many are GOP plants are the true question (question I ask myself when it comes to DU as well given the number of people ready to believe washingtontimes or townhall.

[whometense]

7. A question I ask myself as well.

I guess there's no way to answer it.

But it's interesting to me to see the number of people who are coming to this forum, who are attracted at least partly by the civil tone. Maybe at the end of another year or so, the Kerry group will continue to be an ever-larger forum where people encourage positive dem action (and each other), and GD-P is a howling group of naysayers screaming in their own (ignored) wilderness.

I can dream, can't I? ;-)

[Mass]

8. OT, but interesting

CBS 4 had a poll this evening that showed that 36 % of Massholes wanted him to run in 2008.

While this number does not look great at first, the last number I saw a couple months ago was about 17 % (so it is a clear improvement).

Would you remember what the number was around 2001?

[whometense]

13. I don't remember.

I bet TayTay could look it up in the morning. That is a big jump in a short time.

We love him here - but we're capable of unselfishness, right? The country needs him even more than we do.

[politicasista]

9. Another one saying he is trying to discredit Conyers

What a bunch of crap!:grr:

[Mass]

10. They cannot even be logical

He should do something, but he should not do because he is going to steal Conyers's thunder.

[politicasista]

12. I agree

It's just the same nauseous attacks over and over.

[BlueIris]

15. It's their illogic I oppose the most.

And, y'all? I'm not considered the most logical person in the universe. By anyone. But--!! They're insane! It grates. Can't stand it. Kerry-haters: Use. Your. Brains. And at the end of that use, if you can't support him or anything he is doing, so be it. I understand. But turning the brain power on should be enough to make you stop attacking because--you don't make any sense when you do.

[Mass]

5. My confidence in rawstory is limited.

But the same story was on WaPo before it was on rawstory, and LUTD seems to confirm it from a source that they know.

So I guess there is truth there.

[sandnsea]

11. "After two weeks of silence"

And "promising to raise it in the Senate chamber". That's the part I'm talking about. Unbelievable. They can say shit like that, but don't say "I disagree with Howard".

[karynnj]

16. Actually it might explain their love of Dean

Two weeks is an eternity for them. Kerry said casually that he would bring it up, so they want him to take the most public action he could immediately - even if it includes some misstatements or mistakes and to do it without socializing the idea with his peers. I'm glad he's more cautious.

On something this serious, I am glad that Kerry (and other official Democrats) is being as careful, cautious and accurate as possible. There already was much prove that the Bush administration "misled us into war". Kerry said that constantly before the election.

As the election is over, the reason for raising this issue now are that it needs to be laid open for history. If it shown they lied, it may help the Democrats in 2006 and 2008 - but given the House, Bush will not be impeached. What is important is that when it is brought up, there are no small errors for the RW to lash onto to discredit the DSM, the idea that Bush and Blair weren't honest and the Democrats bringing it up in one fell swoop. (Note that they discredited the idea that Bush's service was less than honorable because of one POSSIBLY faked document - although there was sufficient evidence to prove their were problems.)

[TayTay]

17. The argument on DSM is a legalistic one

And it should be pursued carefully. Right now, the call is for an INVESTIGATION, nothing more or less. That means a call for an assembly of facts and people who can legitimately interpret those facts before a wide audience. It is not a call for impeachment or for faulty accusations that can backfire on the accuser. This is deadly serious business.

Sen. Kerry is right to get support on this. (Wouldn't it be nice if even one Rethug would sign on in the Senate. I can dream can't I?) This should not be a j'accuse moment for one person. It should be a carefully backed up call from a number of respected legislators for a valid congressional inquiry into possible falsehoods by the executive branch. This accusation has the potential to cause a great deal of harm to the * White House. I would triple check anything I said or did on it. There is no need to hurry on this, not with a Rethug Congress that won't act anyway. This contest is for American hearts and minds and it needs to be done right.

[kerrygoddess]

14. RawStory has become too sensationalist

There spin on this was crap!

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1082

I posted my piece which debunks the Raw Story spin in GDP - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1855567&mesg_id=1855567

I also posted a thread asking people to call the Dem Senators (Thanks MH!) - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1855739

Let's get vocal on this. Kerry has taken the ball... he's put the letter out there. Let's not let the House have all the glory, damn it!