Kerry calls Romney a flip-flopper

[Mass]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1111/Kerry_calls_Romney_a_flipflopper.html

Kerry calls Romney a flip-flopper

Democratic Sen. John Kerry launched a broadside against fellow Massachusetts politician Mitt Romney on Sunday, calling him a flip-flopper.

"There are few people I've met in public life who have changed on as many issues as he has," Kerry said on NBC's "Meet the Press"

"Every major touchstone of American politics — from abortion to guns to war to God to gays, you name it," Kerry told host David Gregory. "People will make their own judgments about that."

Kerry, who was famously accused of flip-flopping during his 2004 presidential campaign by President George W. Bush, contrasted his flip-flop on the Iraq War with Romney's evolution on the issues.

"I did it as a matter of principle," Kerry said. "I'll defend that until the day I die. He's going to have to defend his positions throughout this race if he's the nominee."

Did he actually say he flip-flopped?

Other politico article
http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1111/Kerry_slams_Norquist_pledge.html?showall

Kerry slams Norquist pledge

Democratic Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry on Sunday slammed Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge, charging that Republicans weren't showing the same political courage in defying Norquist as veterans who have sacrificed for the United States.

"The other day, I went to Arlington Cemetery to visit the grave site of a college classmate of ours. ... I went with a bunch of my college buddies. As I was driving in there, and I went by that new flat area that's full of the graves of kids from Afghanistan and Iraq — some of whose funerals I've gone to over there — I've watched it grow," Kerry said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I asked myself as I was going through there — are we living up to the sacrifice — to the level of commitment that these guys made for us? Are we willing to put our political lives on the line for our country — do what we need to do because it's right?" Kerry said.

"And then I hear about this pledge — a pledge to a lobbyist that gets in the way of us living up to that sacrifice," Kerry went on. "The fact is, I took a pledge. My pledge is to the Constitution of the United States, to defend it."

Good answer, and personally, I find it more important than the first one, though our media will probably prefer the first one.

[karynnj]

1. I agree completely and the second says far more about Kerry, public service and what is important

- that first, though true, is all about politics.

The seriousness of questioning whether "we" (which includes himself) are living up to that sacrifice is a really propound question - and I doubt anyone can meet it 100% of the time - and some never even think of it, much less try.

[Mass]

2. I forgot why I do not post on DU on Sundays.

ThinkProgress thought Kerry's interview was good. https://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=my#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fthinkprogress.org%2Ffeed%2F

Apparently, GD seems to think he sold out. I am fairly left wing and some rumors were bothering me a lot, but they cannot even recognize something good.

[Inuca]

5. I didnot spend time onllinw either

during the week-end and after whatyou said I am glad I did not. He definitely did not "sell out", he tried to do something about the entitlements (and I heppen to think that indeed something needs to be done) fully aware of the backlash he may get for it.

[wisteria]

3. I don't recall Senator Kerry calling him a flip flopper. He actually seemed anoyed by the entire

line of questioning. And, I don't blame him. He is 1000 times over a better person then Romney will ever by, and 2004 is not at all like 2012.

[MBS]

4. " " " " " "

I totally agree. It felt as if he were trying to swat away an annoying fly that wouldn't go away.

[karynnj]

6. I thought Kerry's answer was strange at first when he spoke of the funding not having a plan

then I realized it was because I accepted the Republican view of when he flip/flopped on the $89 billion. The issue then was over how it was to be paid for. My first - presumptuous thought - was what is Kerry speaking of about "not having a plan".

Then it hit me that Kerry responded relative to the point where he really did flip - and that was in 2006. Prior to then, he voted for funding - except with the protest vote because of fiscal responsibility. In 2006, he switched to believing that Congress should constrain Bush by demanding a plan and refusing funding otherwise - and that became his consistent position. Oddly, when Bush eventually did JUST what Kerry had been speaking for for years - the media missed that Bush negotiating a time line with the Iraqis was exactly what Kerry meant with set a deadline - and it is that Bush agreement ending at the end of this year that is leading to the end of the Iraq War.