John Kerry's reflections on the election and his plans for the future

[Forever Free]

Newsweek online exclusive:

LINK: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6777696/site/newsweek/

In the article, the Senator is described as upbeat and determined not to fade into political obscurity. The article labels JFK and Hillary as the two frontrunners for the 2008 campaign. It also discusses the formation of a Kerry PAC. Best quote, "once people got to know Kerry, they were intensely loyal." Damn straight! We still got your back, Senator.

A must read for any Kerry fan...check it out!

[GRLMGC]

1. I saw this

people started bashing pretty quickly even though this interview was conducted in November. In spite of this, I thought the article was very interesting.

[angrydemocrat]

2. People Have Always Been Quick To Bash Kerry

It's a bunch of shit the way this man has been treated by the media, papers, magazines, and even some democrats. But That's where it take's people like us helping him out and fighting back. We have to take the lead in this fight, we cannot do as so many did the last time and take the advise of the campaign totally. I don't mean that in a bad way but there was so much more that people were willing to do but the people running the campaign sent word through blogs, emails, ect. that it wasn't good idea's and it might do more harm than good. Alot of it had to do with people fighting the swifty liars.

Other things that people wanted to do was get the message out about all Kerry had done in his Senate career. But some didn't want that because they said it would be to make things to complicated and confusing. I think that was a mistake. And just look at what I have posted so far on his life and career and stop and think about it was that to confusing for people to understand? Do you think it would have done more damage than good? Well I personally think the answer to both of those questions is no. Because stop and think about this with no more people than we have here at our private oasis now (thankfully it is growing bigger by the day), and some being true die hard Kerry supporters from day one others he grew on as the campaign went on, these people didn't even know alot of the information I posted about Kerry. And if these people didn't know well look at how many others out there didn't know it either.

And if you go read the replies on my post I have done so far you will see where people have said they wish they had that information during the campaign, or wow they didn't realize Kerry had done certain things, ect. And if a stay at home mom can lay all this information out there in simple terms where people can full well understand it then why couldn't people being paid for working on the campaign do it? What is so confusing about it? I said a many of times i wish I was one of the paid staffers so that it could be shown to them how simple it really is. There is nothing hard and complicated about telling the truth about all the great accomplishments a man has achieved in his career. And so many things this man did in his career went untold as if it didn't happen and that is sad. They allowed attacks on this man that could have been easily countered because as I have shown with what work I have done he has a tireless fighter for small businesses and veterans. But look at all that people didn't know just on those two things alone. And think back at how many times the many was attacked on those issues. There was no reason what so ever for people not to know all this man had done. And there is nothing complicated about it.

But me being just be a volunteer, well you know how that goes when it comes to the press and media, you can write, email, and call and 99.9% of the time you are ignored. And it was very aggravating. But now had it been one of the paid staffers or one of those that was giving interview pointing all these facts out then it would have been heard. And It was a little late for someone like myself to do what I'm doing now because all the damage would be done and voters would be onto something else by the time I did the research and typed it up and put it on the net. Plus I was so busy with the campaign in so many ways there is no way I had the time to do what I am now. But the whole point is this information that should have been in speeches when he talked about what he had done and plan to do. Not 90% of it left out. This is information that should have been used to show what this has fought for and why republicans are so worried about him.
Nothing was hardly said about BCCI, ect.

All and all we had a good campaign everyone worked their ass off especially John who went through hell in so many ways. But so many great things about a great man went untold, so many attacks that could have been easily countered went uncountered, and that is a sad deal. And I don't blame Kerry for it either, he has staff he hired and payed well that should carry the blame for that, not John.

So this time I'm not trusting a campaign staff as I did the last time. This time I have decided to do all I can do to put all the information out there before hand and hopefully the news will spread far and wide. I feel that it is not only up to John to fight this long up hill battle and be better prepared for anything that they might throw his way but it is also up to his supporters to do the same. And in doing so means having people understand who Kerry is and what he is truly about and making sure we have all the ammo we need to bring the enemy down, and be quick enough about it they don't have a chance to fire back. John Kerry and all the Kerrycrats are.....
"REPORTING TO DUTY"

[WildEyedLiberal]

6. You hit the nail on the head

I actually had a detailed discussion about this with my mom tonight. I think John Kerry's campaign advisors and managers were quite possibly the most inept and bumbling in recent history, and they bear the second most blame for his "loss" (the most blame, of course, going to Rove and whoever engineered the fraud). Bob Shrum and Mary Beth Cahill told him to wait to respond to the Swift Boat lies; he wanted to come out fists swinging. Shrum insisted that voters couldn't be told about BCCI because they might confuse it with BBC the British TV station; such patronizing attitudes about the attention span of the electorate may have cost poor Kerry the election. No, I don't blame John, because he's so introspective and self-doubting by nature that he bends over backwards to take people's advice. I blame his terrible advisors, who made nearly every wrong decision they possibly could, and denied John the landslide victory that might've been his.

I actually wrote a little piece on Kerry on the day of the election, outlining why I thought he would be good for America and why I was proud to vote for him. I emailed it to my mom that day, and she printed it off and showed it to her coworkers, and they told her that they'd never known that Kerry had done all that with BCCI and Iran-Contra. After the election, my dad showed it to his coworkers and got the same response. My only regret now is not writing it earlier and getting the word out earlier - maybe it might've changed some minds. I live in a blue state, at least, so my guilt isn't overwhelming, but yet, I do believe my story underscores exactly what you said - that it seemed to be up to us to get the truth and facts about Kerry out in the open, since the media was not interested in anything but their own spin and Kerry's advisors were too busy making stupid decisions about everything.

Should I post that little essay I wrote about Kerry on Election Day? You Kerrycrats might enjoy it, although it makes me sad in retrospect. Anyways, I do salute all the hard work you've been doing, angrydem, to get the much needed word out about Kerry. Once you're finished, we need to figure out a way to get the info to the masses, and not just all of us who already love him. You're awesome! :hug:

[seito]

8. Yes, please share it n/t

[angrydemocrat]

10. Please Do

We all need to be working together to get the news out. You should tell your parents to read what I have wrote I think they would enjoy reading and knowing alot of that info to if they dont already.

[keepthemhonest]

17. I guess it is going to

be a true grass roots effort to spread this about Kerry or any other candidate in the future as we can no longer trust the media.

[LittleClarkie]

19. That is the only flaw, presidentially speaking, I see in him

The tendancy to take tons of advice or try to gather too much information before he acts.

I wish he'd just go from the gut more often. Someone should tell him his instincts are pretty good most of the time.

[seito]

3. The bashing was aimed more at Newsweek than Kerry

There were nice parts of the article, but they did not miss an opportunity for a quick snip here and there.

As for Kerry, says this adviser, "he thinks he's the front runner for '08 without recognizing that he needs to do some soul-searching. If he wants to come back, he'll have to come back as a different candidate, not the stiff who plays it safe and takes four sides of every issue."

Could it be that with advisers like this, you don't need enemies?

[GRLMGC]

4. It seems to me that his advisers suck

He needs to get some new ones and not surround himself w/ so many. Some of them don't know their ass from a hole in the ground

[seito]

7. Off topic

But if you get the intelligence on the possible secret DU identity of Chris Heinz, you are going to share it with your fellow Kerrycats, yes???

[GRLMGC]

9. haha

IF I can get it :)

[GRLMGC]

20. I'm sorry, Seito

It doesn't look as if I'll be privvy to that information. Maybe some other time :(

[angrydemocrat]

5. I know but I talking about how

All these people have done this shit forever. The Boston Globe is another good example they have always been hard on Kerry but lately I must admit they have give a break which is a total shocker. Tay Tay posted one of the articles for me did you read it? It was pretty good.
but I read the article above. I'm bad for getting something on my mind and I start writing and don't no when to stop. You have to ignore me sometimes. I get carried away.

[TayTay]

11. That's because you have a good heart, AD

Never, never, never be embarrassed to say what you feel. There are folks out there who feel what you feel and are happy to read your posts because they are full of raw emotion. Sometimes Democrats can get a little cold and bookish and it is a wonderful thing to be called out by the heart. (Head and heart should work together. One without the other is just half a package.)

So, my dear, I salute you. Not only have you done us all a great service with your bio posts (head) but you are not afraid to give us a look at your wonderful soul. I, for one, appreciate it. And I learn from it. And I doff my frilly hat to you forthwith.:loveya:

[sandnsea]

15. Begala?

He just said on Crossfire that if Kerry wants to run in 2008, he needs to get a message and a strategy. WTF? What John Kerry needs to do is kick every single supposed Democratic pundit square in the ass and say "Get the fuck on message and stay there!"

[GRLMGC]

16. Democratic pundits tend not to stay on message

I don't really understand it but a lot of the "Democratic" pundits in the media are incredibly weak. It'll be like:
Republican asshole: John Kerry is a traitor and he looks French

"Democrat": You have a point there...

Republican asshole: blablablahblahblahblahblah

:"Democrat" nodding head in agreement:

[keepthemhonest]

18. hey seito

I finally figured out how to get here without following the link you gave me thanks so much.Thanks again.

[TayTay]

12. Newsweek article and ruminating thoughts on it

I am a little surprised that Newsweek is printing an article now based on an interview that happened in mid Nov. This pre-dates the video he made about children's healthcare and it pre-dates his vote on the Omnibus Spending bill. (He voted no, I am glad to say.) I'm not sure how relevent it is, except that the book form of the Newsweek Election Edition is coming out next week. I guess they wanted to hype product.

I should think that Nov & Dec were difficult months for Kerry. Losing sucks. Having the media tell you that you lost because there is something wrong with you sucks more. If it were me, I would want to go somewhere and get over it. Admit it hurts, work it through, spend time with family and people who are real friends and find things to laugh about and things to get you thinking about the future. Then come back and f*ck the naysayers.

I remember when Dukakis lost the Presidency. He was personally vilified both nationally and in MA. I do not see that happening with Kerry. (I just don't, honestly.) First of all, he got 59 million votes in a time of war against a sitting president and with a campaign that was less than perfect. (All campaigns are less than perfect.) There is nothing wrong with Kerry's personality or intellect or ability to work hard. These complaints are Rethug propaganda and I refuse to fall for this bullshit. (I am also so tired of dumping on Democrats. We need more Democrats who promise to work hard for liberal values. We shouldn't be tearing each other apart, we need to unite and seek a mutual path to victory.)

I have always seen Kerry as a smart pol. I sense that the Democrats are at a crossroads and that the Dems are going to start to more heavily invest in the grassroots and start an interactive dialogue with the people who are the foundation of the party. Kerry is no dummy and I think he senses this as well. The video after the election was a beginning, done sincerely but also as a test of what the hell will happen if you do this. Will you get a response, will you get 'freeper' comments overwhelming the dialogue, will people respond or tune you out. I would expect to see more of this.

I wish Kerry had a blog so he could post what he sees and what he feels in going to Iraq. "Tour of Duty" showed that the guy can write and write from the heart, that is an asset that should be taken advantage of. Also, I wish somebody close to Kerry could tell him about the blog reaction to seeing him at the funeral of the Marine from MA in Arlington National Cemetery. There was a genuine outpouring of affection and respect. There should be a way for people to harness this possible dialogue, and I believe we are moving towards this.

[angrydemocrat]

13. Thank You

For your compliments to my posts and Amen to what you are saying in yours. I feel Newsweek is doing this for hype as well. But I must say it still pisses me off highly to think of the garbage that has been wrote and said about Kerry throughout the primaries, campaign, and even since the campaign ended. I will say that some have finally come around to reality and laid off the man and I hope that continues. But unfortunately alot of the assholes did there damage before coming back to reality. But that is what people like me and you are for. We are his troops that are set out on a mission, to bring down the enemy and anyone who chooses to fight for the enemy, and restore faith, dignity, and hope in our country at home and all the while fighting for America to be respected in the world once again. And he is our leader that will show us and direct us in how to successfully get the mission accomplished. As he himself said "just because someone says mission accomplished doesn't make it so and folks let me tell you this mission is far from being accomplished." We all must not sit around licking our wounds and give in to the enemy now it is the time we must all stand together proud with our leader and "FIGHT LIKE HELL" we must "Never Retreat Never Surrender!"

We all must roll up our sleeves and get back to work. We must do this now not later because there is no time to waste or lose in this for the battle we all face will be a long, uphill, hard fought battle. But this is a battle we must fight hard and we must win. And if there is one thing our leader has taught us no matter how hard, no matter what the enemy may throw our way, no matter what others say, my friends we are better than they are, and we are the better fighters in this fight, and "we must and we will prevail." Trust me, that is what worries the enemy in this fight and they should be worried, because as has history has shown the truth always comes out, and good always come with truth.

And guess what it isn't our leader that is crooked as hell, it isn't our leader who has lied and continues to lie to the American people, it isn't our leader that has destroyed this countries reputation and respect in the rest of the world, it isn't our leader and democrats that has this country in debt up to its eyeballs, it isn't our leader that continues to take away from the poor to give to the rich, it isn't our leader that continues to allow health care and education to be destroyed by continuously promoting tax cuts for the rich when this country is already in debt so bad it will take decades to recover and we are in the middle of a war, and it sure as hell wasn't our leader that picked up that red telephone and started a unjust war that is clearly becoming another Vietnam. No my friends this is not damage done by our leader, but this is clearly the damage done by the illiterate dumbass sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., this is the damage done by a illiterate dumbass that claims to have a so-called mandate and now is ready to add destroying Social Security to his list. Well my friends we need to remember what Truman said "THE BUCK STOPS HERE" and we need to make sure it does.

We must get behind our leader and fight the good fight. We must fight for what is right and be proud of what we are fighting for. We cannot let evil prevail instead we have to destroy it and quick or my friends we will have no country left. Sounds harsh yes but sadly that is the reality if we continue not to stand behind a true leader, one that cares about America and it people, one who has the intelligence, personality, knowledge, the sure fire will, and ability to lead us and our country where we need to be led. We have the leader staring Americans in face, trying to show all Americans if there was ever a time for all to fight it is now, trying to show Americans what is happening to our country and will continue to happen if Americans don't step up to the plate and say enough is enough, and trying to show Americans that he isn't the enemy and in fact the enemy is sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and is well on his way to destroying more than he already has and the scariest part is he is well on his way to recruiting new enemies.

AMERICA WAKE UP! It is time for Americans to open their eyes and face the truth because my friends it is staring back at you everyday and the longer you ignore the facts and truth that are facing us the worse it will be and the more you empower the enemy. And the more you allow the enemy to be empowered the harder the fight will be. We must destroy the enemy and the evil empire and shatter their power before they destroy and shatter us. If you don't think of yourselves so much in this then stop and think of what these bastards are doing to our children, grandchildren, to elderly people, hell lets face it my friends this is about a hell of lot more than me and you. We have to fight for those who are unable to fight here as well.

We must realize while we have one of the greatest leaders we could possibly have but one man no matter how great cannot fight this battle alone. This battle is far to big for one man to shoulder. This is a war between good and evil, a war about having rights and not having rights, this is a war about having a great country that is free for our kids, grandkids, and many generations to follow, and this is a war about values. This is a war that must be hard fought and won. And my friends we need our leader John Forbes Kerry leading us in this war and he needs his troops (us) backing him up in order to prevail. As long as we all realize this we shall prevail and the enemy will destroyed. So it is time my friends to fight and let it be known ....

"JOHN KERRY AND THE KERRYCRATS ARE REPORTING FOR DUTY"

[WildEyedLiberal]

14. Amen

This fight has only just begun. And I am proud to be standing alongside you and all my fellow Kerrycrats - you are all true American patriots, who love and honor this country and the ideals and principles upon which it was founded. We will fight, and we will win, because good always triumphs over evil, though sometimes the sacrifice is great. Well, let me say now that I am prepared to sacrifice whatever is needed to drive this evil from the land. America is a nation founded upon the promise of liberty and justice, and to that nation I will give all measure of devotion. To the present government usurpers, however, I pledge nothing but my animosity, because they are trying to destroy everything that makes America great. Let them try; they won't succeed, because patriots like us will stand in their way, and not even the armies of hell could deter us from our mission. We are indeed reporting for duty, and the fascists will come to rue the day they roused this sleeping giant from its slumber.