Does anybody know if Kerry is making public an official position on

[Mass]

censure.

It is my understanding (from my personnal experience and some of some here and elsewhere) that his office is saying he is supporting Feingold, but that he has not make a public statement to this effect.

Until yesterday, I was fine with that. However, it seems that there is a attempt (what a surprise) to make Kerry look as he was uncertain since yesterday. An example in liberaloasis.com this morning.

www.liberaloasis.com

Yesterday, LiberalOasis noted that John Kerry's office had said he supported the Feingold resolution, yet he was later seen ducking questions from reporters about the resolution.

After that post, a reader called Kerry's office and was told that Kerry has not taken a position on the Feingold resolution because he still needs to review it. However, he claims to support anything that will hold Bush "accountable."

I have the feeling Kerry needs to clarify this. I am going to email to Bill Scherr what Kerry's office has answered to me (last time I emailed, he answered with a long answer), but I think that they need to settle this story: either by not answering that Kerry is supporting or by making a PR that he is supporting. Otherwise, it looks like he is trying to have it both ways. (and I am sure that somebody in his office can make a PR even if the Senator is busy with ANWR)?

Just my two cents. Sure Feingold's move is messy, but there is no good for Kerry to have this used against it.

[TayTay]

1. I just e-mailed. I will let you know when I hear.

My phone call on Monday said he was supporting it. I can't call until later. Will keep you posted.

[wisteria]

2. Screw these people, even if he comes out for it with a statement at

this point they will accuse him of pandering. Kerry is the guy they just love to hate. I think he should do what ever he wants on this. It just amazes me the double standard here, they weren't all over Feingold when Kerry lead the Alito Filibuster. The media and the "Liberal/Progressive" blogs showed him very little support. However, let it be Feingold, and no matter if it was a stupid move that more one in the Senate really supports, and he gets nothing but praise. This just proves to me how phony they all are.

[Mass]

3. I'd like to see one statement. Jeez, there is nothing bad in making

your position clear, if idiots try to make it murky. It is prevention, that is all.

Of course, they are phony, but why help them? And more importantly, why help people like Dana Milbank, John Nichols, or KO, who have a national audience.

And, as somebody from MA, I'd like to know where he stands without having to wonder every other minute whether a reporter is lying, misinformed, or whatever.

One solution only for that: a statement from the senator.

[ProSense]

4. I'd settle for him supporting this

My feeling is it will turn out to be a completely bad move. People are always pretending that the political implications shouldn't be considered. Well, in his interview Feingold said we have to think about the "politics" of impeaching the president over this issue.

Guess politics is all about politics.

[Mass]

5. I agree and I think this is why many people are hesitant.

But these senators dont have staffers answering that they are supporting the move. I have no pb with Kennedy not saying anything. He has not decided.

The pb with Kerry is that he has staffers answering he is supporting Feingold (and this has been said by people who are not pro-Kerry and called his office), but still no statement. This is the only thing that bothers me. If he has made his decision, why not make it public and clear.

[wisteria]

8. Point well taken.

Not coming from Mass and not supporting this move by Feingold at all at this point in time, my opinion certainly would differ from you. I however, recognize that he is your senator- not mine.

[karynnj]

12. I've also thrown out that Feingold didn't sign the WMD part2 letter

DU whined that Senators, mostly defined as Kerry, were not speaking about the DSM. Then Kerry did in MA - which was ok for about a day. Then when he wrote the letter - it was sort of so, what - the new test (that Kerry will fail) is:

I just wonder if Kerry isn't working with people like Kennedy and Dubin to transform this to something better than a censure vote for the Democrats. (So, it may be that he is simply saying he would vote yes if it come to a vote.)

[Mass]

13. I dont know - It may be because I am a marketing person

but I always thought it was better if you made your position clear and dont allow people to muddle with it, if you have one.

It is not about Feingold. It is not about the DUers or the kossaks or whoever. It is about regular people, who may care and are not understanding where he is, if they call and get an answer, and then read in the media the opposite. My husband asked me the question this morning again, wanting to know if Kerry had made a statement. I am sure he is not the only one.

This is not to say that Feingold's move is smart: it is not. But it is not going to disappear.

I imagine Kerry is going to make clear his position at some point.

[karynnj]

14. I can see you're right , partially because the press is commenting

even if it's a simple statement that says he will vote for it, possibly saying he would prefer an investigation first.

[wisteria]

15. Interesting! I wonder why he wouldn't want the hearing to continue

on pre-war intelligence?

[ProSense]

16. Why lead a charge to censure

and not one to stop Alito? Why vote for John Roberts and against Alito and Gonzales? Why stake out ground as the only one to vote against the Patriot Act knowing it can be amended, then turn around and sponsor the amendment---offered by Specter? Why propose a censure asking for an apology, on an issue not clearly defined in the public mindset, when Bush is being criticized left and right for his failures and the Republicans are being linked to the sinking ship?

Good progressive Democrat and I support him, as I do every Democrat, but he confuses the shit out of me.



Edited to add this: I am still hoping there is more to this we don't know, maybe a strategy.

[karynnj]

17. One possible answer

is that he feels there was enough information to rule out WMD, even if Bush distorted things. It would still be wrong that Bush lied though. If I wanted to be cynical, his IWR vote is a large part of his candidacy and he wouldn't want anything that mitigates a yes vote.

[whometense]

6. This is what Bill Scher

at Liberal Oasis is saying:

http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/031206.htm#031606

CLARIFICATION

Yesterday, LiberalOasis noted that John Kerry's office had said he supported the Feingold resolution, yet he was later seen ducking questions from reporters about the resolution.

After that post, a reader called Kerry's office and was told that Kerry has not taken a position on the Feingold resolution because he still needs to review it. However, he claims to support anything that will hold Bush "accountable."

[TayTay]

7. Sounds good to me

I bet he supports it. The people who are never happy will continue to be not happy. The ones with an open mind will wait. The rest are relatively content and can wait it out.

[Mass]

10. I think he supports it too.

My point is just not to let people who are unhappy misinform the other ones.

[whometense]

11. yeah.

I've had this rattling around in my head since last night, and since we're going away tomorrow I need to rid myself of it so it doesn't bug me all weekend.

I'm talking about the difference between being an apologist/'bot for a pol as opposed to being a reasonable person who is content to, as you said, wait it out when the pol is someone you trust.

Apparently that's too fine a distinction for some people.

[Mass]

9. Bill Scher answered earlier to my email. Here is the answer.

Hmm. Interesting. What day did you call? I had called on Monday and was told flat that he was supporting it, whereas
the reader I mentioned today had called on Wednesday. -- Bill



>>
>> Congratulations for being once again right on point.
>>
>> One point though. Concerning Senator Kerry, I also called the office
>> and was told he was supporting the measure. A few people I know had the same experience.
>>
>> I guess this will be clarified in the days that come, but it seemed very
>> clear (emphatic, I would say) that he was supporting.
>>

It seems to me that everybody is saying the same thing: that Kerry supports it, but that because of the absence of a statement, some think they are allowed to distort this support as something more wishy-washy.

[ProSense]

18. This is one point that makes me

sick:

"We all want the Democrats to unite on important issues."

Sorry, back to our regularly scheduled programming:

"Where are the cowards"

"The Democrats are a bunch of wimps."

"The Democrats are nothing but a bunch of traitors."



Dean should have issued a statement about how the Democrats are going to try to paint the Democrats.