Free to Speak His Mind, Kerry Aims at Presidential Hopefuls

[Infinite Hope]

This is why I'm glad he isn't running. He can be invaluable in the Senate - an "Al Gore" in the Senate again:

"Now that he has shaken free of his own White House ambitions, Sen. John Kerry has let loose on a proposal pushed by three 2008 presidential contenders to slash global warming pollution over the next half-century.

The Massachusetts Democrat assailed legislation (S 280) on Tuesday cosponsored by Arizona Republican John McCain (news, bio, voting record) and Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois for not moving quickly enough to reduce greenhouse gases.

“It is not going to get the job done. . . . It’s that simple,” Kerry said outside a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on climate change.

“If you believe in the science . . . then you have to do the full job. There’s no halfway here,” added the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, who last week announced that he will not seek the 2008 nomination.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20070131/pl_cq_politics/freetospeakhismindkerryaimsatpresidentialhopefuls_1">More here...

[IA_Seth]

1. Sweet! Thanks John!

I look forward to hearing more from him on these issues!

[blm]

2. If we had a handful of John Kerrys in the senate the last 20 years this country would

have led the world in crushing terrorism AND its rootcauses years BEFORE 9-11.

I hope you meant the post 2000 Al Gore. Because when both were in the senate, Al was WAY too conservative back then.

[politicasista]

4. Exactly

Go Kerry! :kick:

[Infinite Hope]

5. I don't know much about Senator Gore. I would say post-1992.

Gore was behind most of the Clinton administration's environmental policies (and many of the economic policies for that matter).

[karynnj]

6. I would think that he actually was NOT behind the Clinton

proposals, but likely was pushing for more aggressive measures. SUVs, not counting as cars in the CAFE standards made that worse.

I don't KNOW he wanted more done - correctly he would be too loyal to say so.

[Tellurian]

8. Yes, and Gore actively involved himself

in President Clinton's foreign policy. He was the first to call for action to remove Yugoslavia's President Slobodan Milosevic from power, which resulted in his arrest and Trial. He cast the deciding vote for The Deficit Reduction Act of 1993.

A quick search of wiki doesn't mention Gore being instrumental to the advance of the Internet.
I think we know he was a major proponent.

[karynnj]

27. Did Gore drive or agree with Clinton's policies on the environment

other than the spurt of executive decisions at the tale end of 4 years? In retrospect, those years, as far as global warming was concerned, those years were wasted.

Gore was an extremely strong VP. I was not implying otherwise and was very specifically speaking of environmental policy. I was trying to say that Gore would likely have wanted a stronger policy than Clinton was willing to expend the political capital to get.

Gore was extremely important to getting us what became the internet because he was one of the people who led in Congress to fund the development of the ARPA net which at the beginning connected academia, government and industry scientists allowing them to easily share data, technical memos and insight. He also foresaw the broader uses.

[AtomicKitten]

3. I agree.

Were he running for president, he'd be hemming and hawing til the cows came home. Constant campaigning inhibits the efficacy of fulfilling a candidate's obligations in Congress.

[karynnj]

7. Actually NOT true - in 2004 or when he was preparing for 2008

The proposal that Kerry introduced with Snowe was first introduced last year in September or October. Kerry also gave a major speech(June 26, 2006) on it at Faneuil Hall that was one of 4 speeches that were (in addition to possible other ones ) have been the foundation of a 2008. These are among the best Kerry speeches and they are pure Kerry.

If interested in what he proposed on this it is JohnKerry.com - the video is under mulimedia the text is here: http://www.johnkerry.com/news/speeches/speech.html?id=9

The Boson Globe in fact pointed out that the main ideas were those he ran on in 2004.

[AtomicKitten]

9. My statement is correct.

And illustrated as an example by:

when he was running:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52839-2004Aug9.html

when he wasn't running:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/washington/21kerry.html?ex=1308542400&en=7365d0778da8cc1d&ei=5088&

[mtnsnake]

10. Yes, it was

It would be hard to think otherwise.

[karynnj]

13. And Mdme Hillary has clear positions on anything?

The fact is that if you read the linked speech - which was written with 2008 in mind , you would see it is how he spoke today. AK in her post hypothesized how he would speak if he ran - this is the speech he gave that would have been the core speech on the environment.

How is cherry picking the worst comment of 2004 on a different subject a fairer comparision?

[mtnsnake]

22. Get real

This is at least the 4th time in the last 2 days you've gone out of your way to bash Hillary in a thread where the subject wasn't even about her. Don't pretend innocence either. You do it all the time. Try sticking to the subject for once.

[karynnj]

26. Your entire thread was a prompt to bash Senator Kerry and you know it

You don't demand the same clarity on positions from others, including Hillary who you back. In the other thread - you mentioned Hillary first, I didn't.

My point was to point out that we can point to clear positions, including on the war, that Senator Kerry had over 2002 thru the present, Senator Clinton chose to not have a position over most of that interval and was against raising the issue on the Senate floor last year.

[LittleClarkie]

11. Your examples are separated by two years

His opinion evolved in the meantime. And there was speculation on the second one that he might be running. He had not made the decision yet, and many here assumed that he was leaning with the wind in the second example because support for the war had gone south.

Meanwhile, the topic of the thread was the environment, not the war. Not sure how your example is relevant therefore.

[karynnj]

12. You are not correct -

You were commenting on his alternative energy/environmental program. His 2004 was bold and different and very well precented. I gave you a link to what he said when he was "potentially running" and pointed out this is last year's bill being re- introduced.

You shift to Iraq, because you do not have a negative example on the environment, and cherry pick the worst article on the worst statement made, where Kerry did not hear the if clause. Your bias blinds you. Do you take the worst example for everyone or just Kerry. It's pretty pathetic that in response to a strong piece of legislation, your response is snark, snark, snark. It says a lot about you.

[AtomicKitten]

15. a personal attack does not a point make

... whatever that point may be since my comment was about JK's style of position-taking when running vs not running, that style illustrated by the examples I posted when I was challenged, the topic of said statements being beside the point and irrelevant.

However, some ever-fractious and unpleasant Kerry folks (not all but unfortunately a smelly sock stinks up the sock drawer) never miss a beat lobbing a personal attack when they are wrong and that's all they've got.

[politicasista]

16. She was pointing out

That the OP was about the environment, not the war. There were no attacks in karynnj posts. The facts that she has posted have proven correct and accurate.

Hating on a good Dem is no way to promote Gore.

[AtomicKitten]

18. you Kerry folks are going to have to get used to the idea

that (1) he is not running for president and that (2) not everybody thinks he is primed for sainthood.

People are entitled to discuss him here at DU just like every other politician. My comments were observational, the links I posted from accurate sources. If you are upset at any implications you deem derogatory or whatever has your collective knickers in a twist, I assure you that is your problem.

In the bigger scheme of things, he has as much gravitas as any other Senator, he is not running for president in the upcoming election, and it would behoove all of you to temper your input and stop accusing DU'ers of "hating on a good Dem" at the same time being oblivious to the venom used to protect this politician at all cost against imagined slights.

It's tiresome, absurd, and I can assure most people here at DU have had enough of this lame dance you insist on engaging in.

[LittleClarkie]

19. "you Kerry folks" "all of you"

We are not ALL anything. Not all Kerry folks are arguing with you. Not all Kerry folks feel the same nor do they express themselves in the same way. Broadbrush comments like that make little sense.

Kindly address your individual grevances with the individuals you agrieved with.

[AtomicKitten]

20. maybe the swarming and "tag team" behavior

some of you engage in gives the illusion of "all" - but since I never said "all" that accusation is irrelevant

[JanusAscending]

30. You DID in fact say "all"

"it would behoove all of you to temper your input.....", and where do you get off saying "most people here on DU"??? who besides yourself can you name that feels this way ( besides "snake" whatever)???? I notice it's you who jump in and impose your negative views of John Kerry on EVERY POST he's been discussed on, no matter what it's about, and no matter that he isn't running. What about him frightens and intimidates you all?? I'd really like to know!!!

[AtomicKitten]

41. I guess you didn't get the memo.

Now that SOME, got that, SOME, of the Kerry supporters have pledged in the Kerry Forum to tank Hillary's campaign at all cost, posting OP after OP based on nasty blog pieces, after all the nastiness spewed about HRC and now Obama, the gloves are off and I will NOT temper my input in the future. You haven't seen what my real negative input looks like yet. Look for it on a thread near you soon.

I object to having JK shoved down my throat. I object to being chastised and having personal insults lobbed at me even when I do temper my input which I have done in deference to a few Kerry supporters that I actually do have a good relationship with and respect. I object to the nonstop exaggerations and flat-out lies about him. I object to the swarming that occurs, the tag-team assaults by Team Kerry against any and all that dare venture to opine. And if you think it is just me and 'snake, you are truly underestimating the undercurrent of disgust here to that I have described.

If you object to that, tough shit. It is now balls-out primary season and since there is ZERO effort at civility, in fact, declared war on other candidates by SOME of the Kerry people, then a war is what they will get.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

44. Deleted sub-thread

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[LittleClarkie]

45. Why would you be concerned about Hillary? She voted for the IWR.

And Kerry isn't running, so what does he have to do with the primary season, balls out or otherwise?

[Name removed]

17. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Apollo11]

24. Well-chosen examples

AtomicKitten - one might almost say your case against Senator Kerry was a "slam dunk" !! ;-)

But please try to understand and sympathize with our pro-Kerry friends.

They have spent the past 4 years believing that this guy is "the one".

Kerry himself is smart enough to realise that he had his chance in 2004. As a candidate he had some strengths and also some weaknesses. I think he probably knows that.

I'm not saying that Bu$h won fair and square in '04, but a majority of Americans believe he won the popular vote (and that impression was reinforced by the Kerry-Edwards campaign, who chose not to contest the official results in Ohio - or in any other state).

[Apollo11]

correction

My math is out in the third line, which should read ...

They have spent the past 3 years believing that this guy is "the one".

[Apollo11]

28. correction

My math is out in the third line, which should read ...

They have spent the past 3 years believing that this guy is "the one".

[cadmium]

34. This is not the whole story

Notice that we Kerry supporters are not going away. It would have been great if he was president and to a person we believe he is the best person out there but our motivation is not about presidential poltiics. We like Senator Kerry, agree with him on most things and we disagree on some issues. Overall our main concern is doing what is best for the country in a humane way with a respect for the truth. The truth is often nuanced and flip-floppy. I have a personal bug about the media propaganda to make Kerry look bad the same way they undermined Al Gore in 2000.

[blm]

31. You mean BEFORE the Iraqis held their 1st election and AFTER the Iraqis held 3 elections?

.

[Clarkie1]

14. What is Kerry's view on nuclear power being an essential part of the global warming solution?

Conservation, investment in research and renewable energy such as solar and wind are all essential, but will that be enough even if we maximize our efforts on those fronts? Many experts are in disagreement as to whether or not these measures alone can be enough.

I am curious to know if he has expressed any views on this.

[TayTay]

29. I think that he is in favor of this

provided all the safety and siting issues are settled. I seem to recall this coming up in past races and Sen. Kerry being open to using nuclear power. The critical "however" though is to make sure that all the safety procedures and protocols are followed.

[BlueIris]

21. A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAH!

Good luck, cheap imitators of Kerry brilliance.

[Tellurian]

23. ....

[Mass]

25. Thanks for the post.

Yes, I think that Kerry choose not to run to be free to kick ass without caring about the consequences. At least, this is probably one of his motivations.

[ProSense]

32. Thanks Senator Kerry! If you missed Davos,

catch the rebroadcast:

Saturday, February 3, 2007
02:43 PM EST
Forum Iraq and the Future of the Middle East
World Economic Forum
John F. Kerry , D-MA
Mohammad Khatami , Iran

C-Span schedule

[cadmium]

33. Speaking for myself, I dont like to think of advocacy in

terms of presidential politics--especially this early. It strikes me as some capitulating to the MSM circus. It is probably unavoidable but I dont care for it because it diminishes the merits of issues. Kerry has been a good advocate on evironmental issues for a long time. The presidential campaign was an anomaly for Kerry having to depend on groups of competing political consultants. In that way I guess the 2008 background is a legitimate ingredient to the story. Senate and House testimony is relevant to 2008 also because it holds candidates feet to the fire.

Infinite Hope: I hope you dont think I am directing this at you. I know that the Yahoo article and all the newspapers and news shows incessantly frame their stories as a presidential super bowl as if nothing else matters. I really have a gripe with perpetual campaigning. thanks for posting this.

[PresidentObama]

35. Excellent post.

Kerry without the political chains of Presidential politics will be a force to be reckon with in the Senate, and his leadership on ending the Iraq war in the Congress is invaluable!!

Great post Infinite Hope :patriot:

And to my fellow Kerrycrats, it seems to be the same characters over and over that start the petty little fights with us. My advice is ignore them, and move on. Maybe a tad bit hypocritical because I've reacted to them in the past, but it's just best to laugh off their ignorance and move on. If it's about Kerry, they probably have nothing nice to say. We all know that by now!!

[SaveElmer]

36. Ok Senator...exactly where are you going to get the 15 Republicans...

You are gonna need to get this done...?

Come up with a plan that you think gets the job done and includes a workable strategy for getting it through the Senate, in a filibuster proof form...then I will listen to what you say...

Until then, it is meaningless criticism...

[PresidentObama]

37. Excuse Senator Kerry for expecting more.

And not less.

His criticism is much needed and much valued, this is an issue we need to tackle.

[SaveElmer]

38. It's only criticism without a plan of action...

Which he has not shown yet...he has voted for the more restrictive McCain bill in the past and it goes down to flaming defeat. Will get more support now, but not anywhere near the numbers required...


I would rather get halfway there than noway there...in this Senate with this President that is probably the best that will happen...

Another argument for Democrats in 2008...

[PresidentObama]

39. His arguement that halfway isn't good enough....

Is worth debating.

And personally, I feel he's right!

[MasonJar]

40. So true! Thanks, John!