Showing Kerry Was Among First To Criticize Bush

[Dr Ron]

This post was placed on The Democratic Daily, The Unofficial Kerry Blog, and Dembloggers (with slight differences between the sites):


John Kerry: The First Democrat To Stand Up To George Bush

By Ron Chusid
Posted on Tue Sep 13th, 2005 at 05:49:20 PM EST

Is there some reason some people either do not hear John Kerry or forget what he says?

Some sites quoting Kerry's criticism of Bush today include comments that they are surprised to see Kerry standing up to Bush.

It’s not only today. Every time Kerry speaks out–and it happens quite frequently– there’s a round of comments along the lines that its about time Kerry did so. Such comments typically claim Kerry has grown a backbone (or other anatomical parts). Soon afterwards, on another day, Kerry will speak out against Bush again. Then there is inevitably another round claiming this is the first time.

It’s far from the first time. John Kerry was speaking out against Bush before very many were doing so, just as he spoke out against Richard Nixon on Vietnam and Ronald Reagan on Iran Contra. For example, it was John Kerry who called for regime change in the United States when Bush went into Iraq.

Check out the title of this New York Times article from 2002 for more evidence of who was among the first to criticize Bush (emphasis mine):

By Attacking Bush, Kerry Sets Himself Apart

By James Dao

New York Times | Politics

Wednesday, 31 July, 2002

WASHINGTON, July 30 — Secretary of State Colin L. Powell was cruising through a Senate hearing on arms control, charming his Democratic adversaries and deftly parrying their questions, when Senator John Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts, took the microphone.

In the aggressive style he honed as a prosecutor two decades ago, Mr. Kerry unleashed a barrage of criticism against President Bush’s nuclear arms treaty with Russia, saying it “neutered” previous pacts and included a “huge contradiction.” Twice, he interrupted a clearly irritated Mr. Powell in midsentence.

For many Democrats, the war on terrorism has made that kind of frontal assault on Bush foreign policy seem risky, if not politically suicidal. But not for Mr. Kerry. A decorated Vietnam veteran and potential presidential candidate, he has lustily attacked the administration on policies like trans-Atlantic relations, Pentagon spending, Middle East negotiations and even Mr. Bush’s greatest triumph, Afghanistan.

“I think there were serious errors,” Mr. Kerry said in an interview, referring to the American ground campaign in Afghanistan that he contends probably allowed Osama bin Laden to slip into Pakistan. He made the point again on Monday as he joined other potential presidential candidates in speaking to centrist Democrats in New York.

The full text was originally here, and is also available here.

[Dr Ron]

1. Links

The Democratic Daily version is here, which has the links to cited articles:


http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=543

[TayTay]

2. I would completely agree with this

And I question the memories of people who apparently weren't paying attention last year. Kerry clocked Bush several times with extremely harsh criticism. I remember in early 2003 when Kerry got taken to taks by the Rethugs and by some Dems, inlcuding another Prez candidate from NE, when he called for Regime Change at home. That Friggin Idiot still had his magic cloak of invicibility on and peole thought Regime Change was too harsh.

[BlueIris]

3. "Is there some reason some people either do not hear John Kerry...?"

Hee. Thanks for posting these. I have been asking this every day for more than one year now, just as many of you have for longer than that, I'm sure.

[globalvillage]

4. I just have a hard time believing

you ladies let "lustily attacked" go without comment this long.
And after all those jeans pictures.
tsk, tsk...

[BlueIris]

5. Some of us aren't in the mood right now.

John Roberts and all. Kind of puts a damper on my amorous impulses.

[TayTay]

6. OMG Blue: this is a first

You want to be wonky and I want to make out with him. (Well, he did release a very strong statement today that had a wicked, wicked good line in it. I am under the influence, so to speak.)

[whometense]

8. I'm there too.

Just want to make out with him. :evilgrin:

[TayTay]

9. Sen. Kerry has been very, very busy lately

and he has proposed all good things. Really, really good things. He spoke out today and nailed That Friggin Idiot and I just wilted. (I am a sucker for a good one liner.)

I am sorry to intrude on a somber thread. I think Roberts is going to be confirmed with at least 65-35 votes. (Maybe ten more.) I have real problems with the guy, but I honestly think it is a done deal. The hearings will reveal some, but not much. He is a strict constructionist and a conservative. And it could have been worse. (Gawd, I heard Pricilla Owens name come up today as a replacement for O'Connor. Yikes!)

Biden did a good job today, but Roberts is not gonna answer any good questions. And I think he is a vote against Roe, as Rehnquist was. And he does have freaky looking eyes. (WTF?)

[whometense]

10. He does,

but in his defense, my eyes are really freaky looking in photos too. It's the light blue color.

Like Meg Foster:

See?

[TayTay]

11. OMG! That is a dead hit.

He has Meg Foster eyes! Either that or he's possessed by something and it's trying to get out. Creepy!

Really, he does have odd looking eyes. Someone posted a shot of him looking sideways today and it really creeped me out. He looked totally evil. (Well, he is a Rethug.)

[whometense]

12. I've often been told I look

like one possessed, in photos. In person it's not as noticeable.

[TayTay]

13. Hey, I met you and you seemed perfectly okay to me.

Never once saw you tilt your head and spew, "Your mother sews socks in hell." I thought you had normal eyes. It's probably a picture thingee. Some folks don't take totally good pics. Ah, it's nothing.

[jillan]

14. There is NO possible way that you could look as creepy as Roberts!

And we weren't looking at pics, we were watching him on TV.

There's just something about the guy.....very creepy, and I'm not talking about his eyes. I just get a bad feeling from him, and I am usually pretty good with my gut instincts about people. and my gut is telling me that this guy has a hidden agenda. A major Neo-con agenda. I see PNAC when I look in his eyes....

[whometense]

16. hahahaha

lifted this from Wonkette:

The Whites of Roberts' Eyes

"Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Judge John Roberts listens to a question from Senator Joe Biden (D-DE)":

[globalvillage]

7. I watched part of the hearings today

but mostly muted. I've been working 16 hour days since Sunday, so have not been able to keep up much. He seems kinda slimy to me.
Not much doubt that he'll be confirmed, you think?
What did Biden ask him? I heard my senator (Specter) for a few min repeatedly asking about stare decisis (re Roe, I can only imagine).
Sad. He's only 50, so I guess we'll get to see that half assed comb-over recede for quite some time to come.

[wisteria]

15. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

I appreciate you posting this information. Perhaps,this will change some minds about John Kerry. he was speaking out before the election and continues to do so now because he understands what is at stake in American today.