John Kerry: "It was not Barack Obama, it was not the Democratic Party . . ."

[bigtree]

October 28, 2010

BOSTON—Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry unleashed a broadside Thursday against Republican "obstructionism," saying the GOP and its talk-show allies have created a "period of know-nothingism" in the country.

"It's absurd. We've lost our minds," said a clearly exasperated Kerry. "We're in a period of know-nothingism in the country, where truth and science and facts don't weigh in. It's all short-order, lowest common denominator, cheap-seat politics."

___ In opening his 45-minute speech, Kerry pointed out the $700 billion spent on the Troubled Asset Relief Program was requested by a Republican president, George W. Bush . . .

"It was not Barack Obama, it was not the Democratic Party. It was not us who asked for a bailout, or created the situation that required a bailout. And it was in response to a Republican president that a lot of Democrats stepped up," he said.


read: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/10/28/kerry_says_democrats_have_been_fixing_gop_problems/

[joeybee12]

1. Good for him...but he needs to get the other weak-kneed Dems on board

and keep hammering these truths over and over and over.

[emulatorloo]

2. More filibuster tactics in the last 18 months than between end of WWI and the Moon Landing

"To underscore his claim, he said statistics show Republicans had blocked Senate business with filibuster tactics more during the past 18 months than the period between the end of World War I and the Apollo moon landing in 1969."

[seabeyond]

3. kerry, always standing up. missed opportunity. still pisses me off. he is always there

for the other dems... just not reciprocated

[bigtree]

5. he gets mocked by Dems and republicans alike

. . . for the made-up criticisms the right promoted during his presidential campaign. Stewart still mocks him as wooden and 'boring'. The questioning of his military service and record is still being done by people who should know better and care more about the damaging effects of their hurtful hypocrisy against this decorated veteran and indefatigable public servant.

[seabeyond]

10. ya... he cut his four points of issues, school, sm business, war, HC, to 20 minutes

and still they would go on and on about how boring, can you believe, boring, a real snooze. 20 fuckin minutes to hear his plan about four huge issues. we couldnt do that. they never talked about his actual plans. jsut how boring.

what a pathetic people. that was the point i turned off msm, and havent watched since.

[politicasista]

26. Yep. He gets labeled of being "bought off" by corporations

Always wonder about that label. Is it because he got a lot of dough or just isn't liberal enough for some?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9409069&mesg_id=9409485

[lib_wit_it]

34. Jon Stewart wants it both ways, He also mocks NPR as "boring" while trying to be perceived as such

a clever commentator. "Look, I'm falling asleep because NPR is sooooooooooooo boring with all their facts and sedateness and all." Really? Gee, how original, Jon. How clever. Did yo think that up yourself or did it take a team of writers?

I get lots of good laughs and appreciate his being more of a journalist than most of the so-called "real" journalists. but he goes out of his way to find fault with Dems so he can feel smugly "fair and balanced."

[Barack_America]

4. Kerry, fighting the good fight against anti-intellectualism.

:yourock:

[Hawkowl]

6. Kerry should replace Reid

Kerry for majority leader? Anyone would be better than Reid.

[JNelson6563]

8. Oh I would love to see that!

Majority Leader Kerry. That would be great! :toast:

Julie

[A Brand New World]

11. Amen! I'd like to see that!!

n/t:fistbump:

[SemperEadem]

16. Durbin is next in line for the gig should Nevadans lose their ever loving minds

and send that pouffiasse to Washington.

[Hawkowl]

21. I'll take that trade

In my fantasy Senate game. Angle for Reid and then Durbin for majority leader. If that is the only way to kick Reid out, then so be it.

[Buns_of_Fire]

35. Alright! It's only 9:00 in the morning and I've already learned my new word for the day!

Pouffiasse (n.) Floozie, bitch.

My goals for today have now officially been met. Time for a beer.:beer:

[JI7]

43. Kerry doesn't want that Job

[HereSince1628]

7. So Kerry doesn't believe the 'most productive congress in years' meme?

I think Kerry missed all those Gibbsian news flashes that were played on CBS news.

Huh? You missed them, too? Well, if you'd give up ED and watch that cute Katie Couric and the rest of the unhappy left would know the truth!!!

or...maybe...not :(

[seabeyond]

12. well, good for you but that isnt what kerry said. nothing like twisting words

to create your very own, personal agenda.

fuck... on edit, you didnt even twist words, just made up a scenerio

[JNelson6563]

13. I went and read whole article

and I see nothing that you could be deducing that from. He talks about what rat bastards the Rethugs are but zero comment on what he thinks about actually got through.

Could you post what parts inspired your thinking?

Julie

[bigtree]

14. whatever he believes about that, and it's not clear from these short statements

. . .it's certainly not just a 'meme' that this Democratic Congress has been historically productive. They may well have done things we don't like, but they have advanced quite a bit of the President's and our party's agenda. It always amazes me to see how many initiatives which concern average, working Americans get enacted when we're in power - and how few manage to advance under republicans. That's easily forgotten by some as they focus on the shortcomings and disagreements with the President and our legislators.

[HereSince1628]

19. well, about meme

Meme - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture

Memes have nothing to do with veracity or lack there of.

My disappointment with "most successful congress in years" isn't whether or not it is true. As a campaign message for this election it is terrible when placed against that OTHER meme 'It's the ECONOMY, stupid!"

[somone]

9. Thing is 90% Americans know nothing about know-nothingism

They don't know what know-nothingism means. They never read that paragraph in high school history.

[bigtree]

15. it's not a complicated concept to grasp and understand

More like, 90% of know-nothings wouldn't understand or identify with the term. I think you're on to something using high-schoolers as an example.

[hughee99]

17. So what's he saying here?

Don't blame the Democrats for Tarp, but give us credit for "stepping up" to a *'s request and passing it?


Not a bad speech in overall, but given the conflicting stories lately about how TARP went really well (they're paying the money back), and has gone really poorly (they're only counting the $750 billion, not ALL of it), it's hard to tell sometimes whether politicians are trying to take credit for this or blame the other party.

[bigtree]

18. the part that's missing in your query

. . . is what would have happened if Congress had not acted; what a republican administration would have allowed; and what the political obstacles were when this new administration took office.

[hughee99]

20. So he's crediting * for TARP?

I get that he's drawing distinctions between how a Dem congress worked with * vs. a repuke congress with Obama, but it also sounds like he's saying that TARP was a good idea, and it was *'s idea.

[felinetta]

22. Kerry must feel like he is in a psychological thriller with constant

mentall abuse from these demonic Repigs. I know this is how I
feel. Repigs are mad, constantly multiplying and never shut
the fuck up.

[fascisthunter]

23. Kerry, the Problem is: Right Wing Noise Machine and the rest of the corporate media

who twist the truth for their own bottom line. Kick....

[BlueCheese]

24. I never get it straight...

When people say that the Democrats averted a second Great Depression, are they talking about TARP? Sometimes it seems we take credit for it; other times not. Maybe they mean the implementation of TARP?

[WinkyDink]

25. Re: Getting blamed for TARP~~Are we getting the point of Republican lies yet?

[oswaldactedalone]

27. John Kerry -

A voice of reason in a country becoming increasingly insane. "I want my country back!" The one where good people largely tried to do the right thing. This is chaos created by the greedy, racist, and fascist right wingers.

[progressoid]

28. And Bush asked for authorization of the use of force in Iraq.

Democrats signed that blank check too.

Sorry John, I campaigned for you and voted for you but unfortunately this can't be put just at the feet of Bush/GOP. They wouldn't have been able to do the shit they did without the help of Democrats.

[tomp]

30. agreed. nt

[ProSense]

31. "this can't be put just at the feet of Bush/GOP"

Vote for change

Kerry is right. Mealy-mouthed Democrats are not limited to Congress.

[progressoid]

33. Huh?

So the choice is mealy-mouthed Harry Reid or Bat-shit-crazy Sharon Angle?

Oh, wait, you're calling me mealy-mouthed. Ahhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha! That's terribly clever.

[tomp]

29. disingenuous.

obama was totally on board for the bailout. he wasn't president at the time but he was sure making a show of trying to look presidential and trying to win an election.

[bigtree]

32. it was more than just 'looking presidential'

Presumably, he tried to influence the administration as they pressed forward. But, I don't know how he can win with critics. He either sits on his hands, or he tries to influence the outcome. It was clearly a republican product that emerged, though. It doesn't make sense to believe that an Obama 'TARP' would have the same shape and effect.

[tomp]

36. now you're being disingenuous. face it. he backed it 100%

and then he went and hired the guys that created the problem.

and the alternative is not sitting on his hands, that's your straw man and straw men are inherently disingenuous.

[ProSense]

37. There was nothing disingenuous about what Kerry said,

which is Democrats didn't request the bailout. The straw man is the implication that because a bailout became necessary, Democrats are complicit.

Bush was the one who destroyed the economy. That was his doing. Had he acted earlier instead of waiting until the economy was in crisis, a bailout might not have been necessary. Still, Bush set the terms and initiated the bailout.

President Obama simple ensured that it worked.

[politicasista]

38. +1 n/t

[tomp]

44. obama supported the bailout and hired the criminals who created the problem.

that is a fact, and it makes kerry's statements defending obama disingenuous. there is no getting around it.

[WillyT]

39. Kick !!! - Wish I Could Rec !!!

:kick:

[spanone]

40. this should have been the mantra all year!!!!!

[politicasista]

41. kick

won't stop the haters, but go figure. :kick:

[DoctorK]

42. why wasn't that the first hint?

"In opening his 45-minute speech, Kerry pointed out the $700 billion spent on the Troubled Asset Relief Program was requested by a Republican president, George W. Bush"

That it was a bad idea...