Kerry: Tell truth. Fire incompetents. Get out of Iraq. Healthcare for all.

[blm]

Dem message that should resonate.


Kerry email:

"Tell the truth. Fire the incompetents. Get out of Iraq. Have health care for all Americans. These are pretty simple messages, and they're worth fighting for today."

That's what I said yesterday when I appeared on "Meet the Press" to push our call for two deadlines and an exit from Iraq.

You and I both know it will take a massive citizen effort to force a President bogged down in this war to change his course - but doing so is our moral responsibility.

I urge you to join me today in calling for the withdrawal of American combat troops by the end of 2006 - and sooner than that if Iraqi politicians allow the civil war to grow and continue to delay, squabble and jockey for their own political turf while our brave soldiers sacrifice life and limb every day to create the conditions for democracy.

Sign our Out of Iraq in 2006 Petition Now

Fortunately, more and more people are stepping forward to join in our call to bring our troops home by the end of this year. Political leaders like Russ Feingold, Max Cleland, and Gary Hart have endorsed our plan -- and grassroots support for our call to action is growing.

Still, the President and his administration remain frozen in place, boxed in by George W. Bush's stubborn refusal to admit that he has America on the wrong course in Iraq. The President seems content to endlessly wait for various political factions in Iraq to get their act together.

That's totally unacceptable. And you and I have a moral responsibility to do everything in our power to make George W. Bush do what he likes to do the least - and that's confront reality head-on.

Sign our Out of Iraq in 2006 Petition Now

I'm not suggesting that this will be easy. The fact is, it would be far easier to challenge the President on other topics if all we were interested in is scoring political points.

But, no one in 2006 -- Democratic or Republican, liberal or conservative -- can refuse to step forward and offer clear ideas on Iraq. And, with 133,000 courageous American men and women putting their lives on the line for democracy in Iraq, it is essential for you and other members of our three-million person johnkerry.com community to take action.

I need you to join me in leading an all-out effort to turn this President's wrong-headed policy on Iraq around. And ask your friends and family to do the same by forwarding this email to them.

Sign our Out of Iraq in 2006 Petition Now

Our soldiers have done their jobs. They can't resolve political differences between Iraqis in an escalating civil war. It can't be done militarily; it can't be done from a Humvee or a helicopter. It can only be accomplished by a dramatic change of course, turning away from George W. Bush's aimless "stay for as long as it takes" approach. You and I have to try to make this administration change their approach before it's too late.

I urge you not to wait another day before signing onto this profoundly important fight for a better way.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

P.S. Late Saturday night I went to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. The Wall is a powerful reminder of our moral obligation to tell the truth. As you walk down the ramp, you find yourself literally engulfed as the Wall, tens of thousands of names etched on it, gets higher and higher.

There are far too many people whose names are on the Wall who died after leaders in Washington knew that our policy wasn't working. We need to get Iraq right for our soldiers today before we let history repeat itself.

[Ganja Ninja]

1. Let me simplify that for you Senator.

Impeach the incompetents! Jail for all!

[rodeodance]

previously signed

[sui generis]

2. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

where was this great "leader" on the first censure call? Why is this email out now? We've been beating this drum for over a year.

He's a follower, or at best, a leader-from-behind, and that's one of the reasons he's a great senator and not president.

Well, better late than never, I suppose.

[ladjf]

5. Sometimes "late" is scarcely better than never. This is one of

those. He could have won the 2004 election had he stepped up on a number of these issues. He is a timid one at best. But, even at that, he's still ahead of most Democratic politicians.

[blm]

6. You completely ignore that Feingold also needed sens. to demand hearings

and further investigations and request documents.

Kerry was first to speak out positively for a censure move but also set a tone by saying he needed to hear more evidence which helped Feingold move censure into committee hearings.

BTW - who was Kerry following on firing Rumsfeld, DSM letter of inquiry, Alito filibuster, Katrina legislation, or Iraq withdrawal plan? Or did none of those issues matter to you?

[sui generis]

10. thank you for the additional information

but you can keep the snarky shit in your final sentence to yourself.

I have an informed opinion on Kerry, and I think he only leads when it's safe to do so. I'll bet you a million dollars we disagree for equally valid reasons.

Or more to the point, no, none of those issues matter to me. Count every vote.

"Needed to hear more evidence", like I need to hear more mush mouth waffling doublespeak.

In spite of my harsh language, I like Kerry as a senator. I just wouldn't want him in the running for president again - I don't think he's the right kind of leader, the right kind of brilliant or the kind of charismatic tactician that's going to bring us a landslide of support.

[blm]

12. If counting the votes is the only issue then take it up with Dem party.

Because it's the Dem party that needs to take that issue on as an action BEFORE an election to secure the machines - after is too late and no candidate has that type of control over the Dems on the state election boards to assure that it happens.

My point was that you characterize Kerry as only a follower and ignore everything he has led on to make your claim, even going as far as saying what he did lead on were matters of no importance to you. Interesting that censure would hold serious meaning to you when there is no consequence involved for Bush and effects no future issues, while Alito appointment will effect generations for decades to come with his rulings. And Rumsfeld should have had every senator seeking his firing after Abu Ghraib.

[sui generis]

14. as I said

he's a fine senator.

What he did lead on was of lesser importance to me considering they were "safe" leads. Proving leadership from the front means leading on controversial topics, and being able to fight well on your feet, and getting people REALLY excited about REALLY GOOD ideas. Not polls, not catchphrases, not rehearsed droning monologues, but real fire.

I don't see someone who interrupts himself to apologize for what he's about to say, apologize for who he's about to offend, and then drone on into an ent-like tortured rendering of a subject in the flowery edwardian language of "senatorial decorum" is someone who is going to dodge a political uppercut from someone who recognizes that ponderousness as a liability.

Kerry is an administrator, not a leader. If he was a leader, there never would have even been a bruise from swift boat liars, from war voting records, from his stance on equality issues, any of that. He always bobbed and weaved and came up with the wrong answer. A good leader is someone who gets it right the first time, and during his campaign would be the right time for sure.

With candidates like Kerry, who needs apologists. He does it all himself. I know this all sounded nasty, and it was, but I also believe that successful senators and successful presidents are not the same kind of animal. I wouldn't enter a cat into a dog race, no matter how talented that cat was. (I don't like animal racing, that was just another bizarre sui example)

[blm]

16. That characterization just doesn't square with the reality of his record.

He worked on IranContra for a YEAR before any other senator would touch it.

He worked on BCCI with most of DC, including most of the Dem party, working against him every step of the way.

Clinton wanted Kerry to go away on the CIA drugrunning case.

Kerry submitted the FIRST senate legislation to protect gays LONG before there was any trend in that direction.

Kerry advocated and testified FOR gays to serve openly in the military when most of the Dem party was against it.

Kerry led the nation in warning about terrorism and its global financial networks YEARS before most people ever heard the name Bin Laden.

Kerry, a 20 yr advocate of clean elections, wrote and submitted legislation for public financing of campaigns with Wellstone - Clean Money, Clean Elections.

NONE of those ssues were ever popular when Kerry took them on. Most STILL are not. That is why I take issue with your claim that Kerry will only lead if it's popular - hard to name issues more unpopular with average citizens, corporations, and other lawmakers than the issues Kerry has led on.

[Warpy]

3. It's a crying shame he didn't campaign like this

Maybe the next nominee will be strong enough to tell the DLC to take their handlers to eat a shit sandwich and die.

And don't tell me he did campaign on health care. That stupid DLC plan left the villains in place, sucking profit and denying care.

[blm]

7. He did - media treated 2004 campaign the way they're still treating Dem

plans today - keeping the volume down while they push Republican talking points.

[Demeter]

11. What Makes You Think Kerry Wrote That?

It has his name on it, but some savvy female flack wrote it.

[blm]

13. Because he said those same words on MTP. Late Edition and Hardball

as well as on the Senate floor last week.

[ladjf]

4. Kerry has been a bit slow in stepping up. But, he's finally beginning

to take positions that would have won the election of 2004. Of course, about 80% of the American people have shown that this is what they want. He isn't taking any big chances here.

[quisp]

8. That can't be Kerry...

it was too succinct!

And it didn't put me to sleep in the first 10 words.

[dweller]

9. done!

link to petition:

http://www.johnkerry.com/action/deadline/?sc=e.20060410


dp

[mdmc]

15. Health care for all? Where are we ? Mass?

Go Kerry GO!