The man is a living self-correction. Its no wonder he can't get anyone excited about voting for him.
THE IMUS INTERVIEW WAS A LESS THAN STERLING SUCCESS [09/15 12:43 PM]
The Bush team is eagerly pointing at these two excerpts:
Kerry Says There Were No Circumstances Under Which We Should Have Gone To War, But He Was Still Right To Vote For It.
IMUS: "Do you think there are any circumstances we should have gone to war in Iraq, any?"
KERRY: "Not under the current circumstances, no. There are none that I see. I voted based on weapons of mass destruction. The President distorted that, and I've said that. I mean, look, I can't be clearer. But I think it was the right vote based on what Saddam Hussein had done, and I think it was the right thing to do to hold him accountable. I've said a hundred times, there was a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it. The president chose the wrong way. Can't be more direct than that." (MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 9/15/04)
Don Imus: "I Asked Him A Number Of Questions About Iraq And I Can't Tell You What He Said." (MSNBC's "Imus in the Morning," 9/15/04)
And also:
KERRY: Well, Don, I realize that, but the fact is that the president is the president. I mean, what you ought to be doing and what everybody in America ought to be doing today is not asking me; they ought to be asking the president, What is your plan? What's your plan, Mr. President, to stop these kids from being killed? What's your plan, Mr. President, to get the other countries in there? What's your plan to have 90 percent of the casualties and 90 percent of the cost being carried by America? I mean, he is the president today, and we have given him advice from day one; from day one, from the floor of the Senate when we debated it where I said don't -- you know, you've got to have other countries with you, don't make an end runaround the U.N., the difficulty is not winning the military, it's winning the peace; and he ignored it. And others -- the bipartisan, Dick Lugar, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Joe Biden, and the Foreign Relations Committee gave him advice that he chose to ignore. And since then, many times we've stood up and said, "Mr. President, this is what you have to do." He's chosen not to do those things.
IMUS: We're asking you because you want to be president.
KERRY: That's correct. But I can't...
He can't discuss his plans because he isn't President yet? Seriously, you guys wonder how Bush can beat this guy... DARKSTAR could beat John Kerry.
Stuart: The only problem is, I'm losing track of which universe I'm in.
You kinda look like Jesus. With a lightsaber.- Peregrin Toker
As for the first quote, I can only use the following emoticons:
For the second quote, though, I've said it before and I'll say it again since it's still true: John Kerry's central pledge to bring transparency to the government is farcical in light of his unwillingness to explain his policies. His website does not help. His literature does not help. He has NO platform, which is in many ways worse than having an exceptionally weak or even a self-contradictory platform.
"Sometimes I think you WANT us to fail." "Shut up, just shut up!" -Two Guys from Kabul
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
The second quote also disturbs me. When he asked to define himself on an issue he doesn't want to make a polarizing issue, he deflects the question by blaming Bush.
1: Since Bush distorted the information from which he then decided to invade Iraq, Kerry says he can't really comment on the circumstances because they changed according to the amount of (accurate) information released at the time of the vote of whether or not to invade Iraq. He says he was right to vote for the war because he was voting on the evidence presented at that time, which turned out to be misleading. When Kerry mentioned Sadaam and what he had done, I think he was referring to the warehouses full of WMDs he allegedly had.
2: Without the preceding question, it's a little more ambiguous. He doesn't want the President to be a solo cowboy anymore. Kerry, if he becomes president, wants to cooperate with other countries instead of ignoring them like Bush did, Kerry wants to listen to his advisors and opposition and not ignore them, and Kerry wants Bush to answer for what he's done with the four years he's had--he, Kerry, has had to answer the "What will you do if you're elected?" question a thousand times to speculate on his possible future decisions, but Bush hasn't had to answer the "What have you done since you were elected?" question, like it doesn't matter what he's done the past four years if he talks pretty now.
"On the infrequent occasions when I have been called upon in a formal place to play the bongo drums, the introducer never seems to find it necessary to mention that I also do theoretical physics." -Richard Feynman
aerius: I'll vote for you if you sleep with me. Lusankya: Deal!
Say, do you want it to be a threesome with your wife? Or a foursome with your wife and sister-in-law? I'm up for either.
1: Since Bush distorted the information from which he then decided to invade Iraq, Kerry says he can't really comment on the circumstances because they changed according to the amount of (accurate) information released at the time of the vote of whether or not to invade Iraq. He says he was right to vote for the war because he was voting on the evidence presented at that time, which turned out to be misleading. When Kerry mentioned Sadaam and what he had done, I think he was referring to the warehouses full of WMDs he allegedly had.
2: Without the preceding question, it's a little more ambiguous. He doesn't want the President to be a solo cowboy anymore. Kerry, if he becomes president, wants to cooperate with other countries instead of ignoring them like Bush did, Kerry wants to listen to his advisors and opposition and not ignore them, and Kerry wants Bush to answer for what he's done with the four years he's had--he, Kerry, has had to answer the "What will you do if you're elected?" question a thousand times to speculate on his possible future decisions, but Bush hasn't had to answer the "What have you done since you were elected?" question, like it doesn't matter what he's done the past four years if he talks pretty now.
no Z, thats what people wish he had the balls to say.
"This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.” -Tom Clancy
Kerry is an idiot. He doesn't know how to speak to the common man; George W. Bush may not be a "common man" by virtue of his wealthy upbringing and spoiled life, but his low intelligence, pitiful academic performance, and lifetime experience with failure and ignor ance have given him the common touch.
If Kerry had the common touch, he would say something like "No, I would not go into Iraq. I voted yes at the time because President Bush fooled me along with the rest of the American people. I don't like being tricked and taken for a ride, and that's what this administration did to me, the rest of Congress, and the American people."
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
Darth Wong wrote:Kerry is an idiot. He doesn't know how to speak to the common man; George W. Bush may not be a "common man" by virtue of his wealthy upbringing and spoiled life, but his low intelligence, pitiful academic performance, and lifetime experience with failure and ignor ance have given him the common touch.
If Kerry had the common touch, he would say something like "No, I would not go into Iraq. I voted yes at the time because President Bush fooled me along with the rest of the American people. I don't like being tricked and taken for a ride, and that's what this administration did to me, the rest of Congress, and the American people."
Bush isn't stupid. He plays that routine for maximum effect. The lucky sperm club my get you into college but it won't earn you a Master's Degree from Harvard. Uncouth? yes. Not a good speaker? yes. But he is a master manipulator and holds sway over a great many people. I wouidn't be suprised if his whole Jesus schtick is just part of the act.
"This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.” -Tom Clancy
Col. Crackpot wrote:Bush isn't stupid. He plays that routine for maximum effect. The lucky sperm club my get you into college but it won't earn you a Master's Degree from Harvard.
Why not? What makes you think it's that hard to get? When I was in school, the engineering guys who went for the MBA option laughed their asses off about how easy it was, and joked that the rest of their business courses were composed of people who were too stupid to go to truck-driving school. To be prestigious compared to other MBA programs is not a huge accolade in terms of intelligence.
Uncouth? yes. Not a good speaker? yes. But he is a master manipulator and holds sway over a great many people. I wouidn't be suprised if his whole Jesus schtick is just part of the act.
I doubt it. I'm fairly certain that his Jesus shtick is sincere, that he actually believes his own bullshit, and that he's speaking "from the heart", which is why he's scary.
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
Holy fucking shit on a stick, crap like that is almost enough to make me reconsider and vote for Bush! Bush has some fucked up plans but Kerry doesn't have anything; and thinks it's wrong to call him on it! No wonder he's settled for fighting over Vietnam, he can at least take the position he's a war hero on that. Kerry has repeated shown he's got nothing at all, nothing.
It's absolutely terrifying to think this guy might become President. I seriously think he just might wind up being far worse for America than Bush.
Oh, why oh why did Kerry get nominated this race... Even Dean would be doing better by sticking to his opinions, as unpopular as they might be. Kerry should just pick a position and stick to it. The only thing he has going for him is that he's not Bush. The one important election, and the Democrats have an idiot running...
Stormbringer wrote:Holy fucking shit on a stick, crap like that is almost enough to make me reconsider and vote for Bush! Bush has some fucked up plans but Kerry doesn't have anything; and thinks it's wrong to call him on it! No wonder he's settled for fighting over Vietnam, he can at least take the position he's a war hero on that. Kerry has repeated shown he's got nothing at all, nothing.
It's absolutely terrifying to think this guy might become President. I seriously think he just might wind up being far worse for America than Bush.
Hey, it's one thing to say he's a weak-kneed jackass, but quite another to say he would actually be worse than Bush. If the worst thing you can say about someone is that he's critically indecisive, that really isn't such a bad thing. The last 4 years has been characterized by a massive surplus of decisiveness in the White House. Many of the worst blunders have been caused by decisions that were made and then adhered to no matter what.
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
Between this and Kerry's outright lie over the AWB banning machine guns*, I'm almost ready to hold my nose and vote for GWB.
But I won't.
Instead I'll write in Dean.
*Kerry MG quote:
“Police officers -- police officers -- begging the president all across our country: Keep this ban in place so we don't have to walk into a drug bust staring the down the barrel of a military machine gun, of an Uzi or an AK-47.”
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
Glocksman wrote:Between this and Kerry's outright lie over the AWB banning machine guns*, I'm almost ready to hold my nose and vote for GWB.
But I won't.
Instead I'll write in Dean.
It's true. He REGULARLY bungles military terminology--something that actually DOES mean something since he's:
1. Running for Commander in Chief.
2. A war hero and veteran, who would therefore be expected to have knowledge of the operation of aspects of the military he regularly bungles.
3. Supposedly a brilliant academic. Brilliant academics do not mix words with subjects that they are familiar with.
"Sometimes I think you WANT us to fail." "Shut up, just shut up!" -Two Guys from Kabul
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
Darth Wong wrote:Hey, it's one thing to say he's a weak-kneed jackass, but quite another to say he would actually be worse than Bush. If the worst thing you can say about someone is that he's critically indecisive, that really isn't such a bad thing.
When it's to the degree that Kerry is exhibiting then it certainly could be a bad thing. This is going well beyond simply the Clinton lead by focus groups; this is a critical lack of any leadership at all. Not only does he not have a plan, a clue, or a spine he's resentful of those that point it out. That isn't a particularly good recipe for a President.
Darth Wong wrote:The last 4 years has been characterized by a massive surplus of decisiveness in the White House. Many of the worst blunders have been caused by decisions that were made and then adhered to no matter what.
That's been Bush's big fault. But a President with all the backbone of a jelly fish isn't going to solve the problems the US is facing.
Darth Wong wrote:Hey, it's one thing to say he's a weak-kneed jackass, but quite another to say he would actually be worse than Bush. If the worst thing you can say about someone is that he's critically indecisive, that really isn't such a bad thing.
Not to nitpick, since I agree with most of what you're saying, but it would be possible for someone who literally could not make decisions to be better than someone who made bad decisions but made them quickly. It's clear that the times are changing very rapidly, and Kerry's seeming inability to make choices is an unbelievable problem for his election campaign specifically because there can be situations in which NO solution is much worse than a bad solution. I actually think that there are going to be lots of those situations within the next few years, and many more after that.
Not, of course, that it particularly matters to me since I'm not voting for either one of them.
The last 4 years has been characterized by a massive surplus of decisiveness in the White House. Many of the worst blunders have been caused by decisions that were made and then adhered to no matter what.
This is true.
"Sometimes I think you WANT us to fail." "Shut up, just shut up!" -Two Guys from Kabul
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
Darth Wong wrote:
Why not? What makes you think it's that hard to get? When I was in school, the engineering guys who went for the MBA option laughed their asses off about how easy it was, and joked that the rest of their business courses were composed of people who were too stupid to go to truck-driving school. To be prestigious compared to other MBA programs is not a huge accolade in terms of intelligence.
yet we have never seen an Engineer rise to the level of the Presidency or Prime Minister's Ofiice of a major world power.
on second thought maybe that's an indication of superior intellegence.
"This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.” -Tom Clancy
Darth Wong wrote:Why not? What makes you think it's that hard to get? When I was in school, the engineering guys who went for the MBA option laughed their asses off about how easy it was, and joked that the rest of their business courses were composed of people who were too stupid to go to truck-driving school. To be prestigious compared to other MBA programs is not a huge accolade in terms of intelligence.
yet we have never seen an Engineer rise to the level of the Presidency or Prime Minister's Ofiice of a major world power.
No nuclear physicists either. Popularity with the voters is not very well correlated with intelligence. Naked ambition and the ability to bullshit people, on the other hand ...
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
Col. Crackpot wrote:
yet we have never seen an Engineer rise to the level of the Presidency or Prime Minister's Ofiice of a major world power.
The current president of India was an aerospace engineer. Of course you'd probably argue that India isn't a major world power but that's aside from the point.
DPDarkPrimus is my boyfriend!
SDNW4 Nation: The Refuge And, on Nova Terra, Al-Stan the Totally and Completely Honest and Legitimate Weapons Dealer and Used Starship Salesman slept on a bed made of money, with a blaster under his pillow and his sombrero pulled over his face. This is to say, he slept very well indeed.
Hey, my Congressman has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman.
Maybe you need to move down here and run for office, Mike.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
They're located in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The town that Steve Martin once described as 'the most nowhere place in America' [/quote]
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
To me, Terre Haute is merely the point where I turn off of US 41 North and get on I-70 East on my way to Indianapolis.
And within 10-15 years it won't even be that when I-69 from Evansville to Indy finally gets built.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
