John McCain and Chuck Hagel say that Kerry will be strong on defense !

[kentuck]

And together, they have more military experience than all the chickenhawks in this present Administration. Why is that important? Because this Administration is trying to paint Kerry as "soft on defense" and here we have two Viet Nam veterans that disagree with the chickenhawks. This is a total opposite viewpoint from those that have never served or ever been in combat. How long can they continue to try and paint Kerry as weak on defense with these type of defenders, Republican nonetheless, on his side? This needs to get more attention.

[dennis4868]

1. It must be....

truly difficult on the inside to be a repub and have to seriously defend Bush and attack Kerry for things you honestly know are NOT true! How do they live with themselves?

[yardwork]

2. Why is this surprising?

Republicans ALWAYS say that Democrats are soft on defense. The record shows exactly the opposite. Why do we Democrats meekly go along with this? It's stupid of us to agree with a patently false statement.

One of the reasons that many Republicans voted for W was because they were worried that Gore would get us into more little wars. They had been screaming at Clinton for Kosovo, Somalia, etc.

The truth is that if we look at the foreign policy activities of every Democratic administration in this century, only two (Carter and Wilson) could arguably be cast as "soft on defense," and I think even those are quite arguable.

Look at the rest of them. Was FDR soft on defense? Was Truman? Was Kennedy? (Ok, the Bay of Pigs was a debacle, but balance that with getting us into Vietnam and the missile crisis.) LBJ increased troops in Vietnam despite massive protests at home. Clinton played "wack the mole" with terrorist regimes all over the world.

America can be accused of a lot of things, but being soft on defense has never been one of them. Democrats and Republicans alike - none of them ever saw a weapons system they didn't like.

[Peachhead22]

5. What is up with Hagel?

I've seen Hagel on several news shows lately slamming the hell out of BushCo and also praising Kerry.

Could Kerry do a total WTF move by nominating Hagel (a repub, but not a Bush-repub) to be his VP?

[FlashHarry]

11. Hagel has long been a thorn in BushCo's side.

He famously suggested that Richard Perle and his fellow Chickenhawks be "in the first wave into Baghdad." He's a Repuke--don't get me wrong. But he doesn't walk lock-step with the neocons. He's also a Vietnam vet, so I'm sure the BushCo Chickenhawks stick in his craw.

[cyclezealot]

3. That might be part of my problem with Kerry.

With recommendations like this....A respected weapons critic whom I support Dr.Helen Caldicott(who I am sure has a big following on this board) says that Kerry has few weapons systems that he does not like...
We do not cut down on Pentagon waste such as star wars, more nukes, unnecessary fighters- there will be no budget improvements in a new Democratic Administration...Caldicott says Kerry will look a blind eye to the bloated Pentagon waste. Plus many of these weapons systems are advancing the "doomsday clock."
One of the many reasons, I am less than enthusiatic about Kerry.

[Malva Zebrina]

4. well, we can't go there right now

we got Kerry--there is absolutely no sense to letting Bush go for four more years.

He was not my choice either, but we got him.

Just let's get Bush out of there and let him go down on his knees begging our forgiveness for what he has done to this country is just a short period of time.

[Andy_Stephenson]

7. "let him go down on his knees begging our forgiveness "

That will never happen under Kerry...never!

[Malva Zebrina]

10. OK--maybe not , but we really have little choice

so what is the point of bashing Kerry? It is either Kerry or
Bush. We know we do not want bush. And soooooo well you must get the drift.

We cannot tolerate another four years of Bush who is determined to head us into total fascism, bull headed and totally incompetant.

Kerry is not a bad man. I think he is a good man actually, as I think all the candidates running were, Lieberman excepted.

He is certainly a better man than the idiot who was appointed president by a corrupted SCOTUS.

[Andy_Stephenson]

13. A good man that voted to get us in the mess we are in.

I will vote for him...I am forced...but nothing will change under Kerry regime. We will still have war...and terra, and coming soon the draft and more funerals.

If only Kerry had shown fortitude and not voted for the war...I would not find voting for him so distasteful. It goes against the very fiber of my being...this war.

Kerry helped to make it legitimate.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

14. How many congresspersons did NOT vote in favor of the war?...

Kerry is not the only person that was fooled by the so-called intelligence the NeoCons were fabricating...in fact, he has quite a bit of company in Congress, doesn't he?

[Andy_Stephenson]

16. How many millions of people around the world

were not fooled? John Kerry more than anyone...should have known Bush was lying. I cannot excuse that vote...I never will. It is inexcusable.

I know a young man...have known him since he was 7...he is now missing his legs because of that goddamned vote! Kerry will NEVER get a pass from me. As I said...I will vote for him but I do not delude myself. There will be no significant change from the current course.

[NNadir]

8. Helen Candicott is not a respected weapons critic.

She is a mindless scientifically uninformed demagogue who carries on about depleted Uranium without even a remote clue about its properties.

This is pretty typical of anti-Kerry "leftism," myopia misinformation and a lack of appreciation for the depth of the depravity of the Bush administration.

The struggle against Bush is a struggle that one encounters but once in a lifetime. History will record that those who dribbled spittle pointing to petty flaws in those fighters against Bush are beneath contempt.

[cyclezealot]

9. did not prove a thing to me.

Lots of scientific testimony about DU I have accessed do not agree.

[blm]

12. That 's not true. Kerry is cutting Star Wars and mini-nukes first off.

Caldicott is speaking from bad info if she believes that.

Kerry is AGAINST the militarization of space.

Get informed of his actual positions. Don't spread disinfo. It doesn't serve any agenda other than Bush's.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

15. And just who is Caldicott and what are her exact credentials?

[Andy_Stephenson]

6. Perhaps Hagel can have the ES&S machines programmed

so Bush Looses...wouldn't that be a hoot!


Is there a link or a story about this somewhere?