What do you guys think about Kerry offering Powell.....

[AgentLadyBug]

to stay on as Sec of State?

This wasn't my idea - I read it on Kos or something like that a day or two ago.... I think the idea would be that Powell would be assured to have substantially more of President Kerry's ear than he has of Bush's....

Kos' reasoning was that Powell could never accept such an offer, but I'm not so sure, for the following reason: if Powell didn't accept the offer, his political career might very well end with Bush's. This is because his once-sterling reputation is now severely tarnished by his lies about WMD, in addition to his extremely weak political position within the Bush Administration.

In short, a Kerry appointment would give Powell a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rebabilitate both his image and his record. Roughly, we had the Rumsfeld years under Bush, and we would have the Powell years under Kerry. Having a chance for substantial success under Kerry would be a perfect way for Powell to resuscitate (sp?) his presidential aspirations.

I know there's a lot of "bad taste" around here wrt especially Powell's lying about WMD.... but I thought i'd float the idea anyways....

[malatesta1137]

1. why Kerry should even

consider hiring this criminal?

Give me one good reason.

[yorgatron]

3. fuck powell

he's scum.

[central scrutinizer]

77. he's a vile toad

and opportunist. Go to consortiumnews.com and read the whole sordid history. I have posted this link a dozen times here and I will continue to whenever the name of that douche bag is mentioned in any positive way.

[MrSlayer]

2. He turned down Clinton to side with these assholes.

And he lost all credibility when he lied before the UN willingly and intentionally. He had his chance to be with the good guys and he blew it. Not a good idea, see ya later Colin.

[RapidCreek]

40. He lost all credibility when he lied about the Mai Li massacre

You've heard of that, right? It was sort of like the prisoner torcher in Iraq only about 100000000000000 times worse.

RC

[JHBowden]

4. Kerry needs officials with credibility.

Powell lost all of his when he lied about the WMD. Given Kerry has a lot of talent to choose from, I'm not sure why he would pick this sack of shit.

[revcarol]

5. Hell no.

Any other questions?

[Shopaholic]

6. I was going to say

F*** no!

[raysr]

13. Powell POS

responsible for My Lai Massacre! Let the repukes keep the lying bastard.

[AgentLadyBug]

23. lol

methinks I did underestimate the degree of "powell fatigue" in these parts....

look - i don't myself feel all that strongly about the matter, and i largely agree with the responses, tho i guess perhaps not so vehemently.....

my impression is that powell is both very talented and intelligent, and was also a complete political newb. I think he got totally played by the administration, and only realized it belatedly. But I think powell is substantially different from, say rummy, in that powell made a *mistake*, whereas rummy is simply a bad apple thru and thru.

Where this is going: I recall reading thru a "things to not do when you're an evil overlord" list - hilarious if you haven't read it already. One of them was something like: "I will not execute my most talented people for making one mistake. People have to learn somehow, and killing them just makes it harder to fill the position well." (two mistakes, however, might be worth an execution)

of course, practically all of my reasoning here depends essentially acknolwedging a fundamental difference between someone like powell, and someone like rummy. I suspect that many in these parts will not be willing to acknowledge such a difference....

all good - just an idea....

[tishaLA]

7. Powell is a great Secretary of State

...for me to POOP on

[goclark]

71. LOL

[demnan]

8. Why?

Why would Kerry want a failed weak cabinet hold over from the most evil Presidential Administration in our lifetime?

[AgentLadyBug]

26. sigh...... because it happens quite often that......

someone who is weak within one management structure can be quite strong within another....

just a thought tho - i'm not wedded to it in the least - as someone else mentioned, there's lotsa good people available for these positions...

[RapidCreek]

35. Do you know anything at all of the history of Colin Powell?

RC

[blm]

9. Not when we have foreign policy giants like Gary Hart and Dick Holbrooke.

No way. No day.

[stevedeshazer]

38. You got that right

Gimme someone who is truthful. I am sick of liars, and Powell's little dog and pony show in front of the U.N. convinced me that Colin Powell is among the biggest liars on the planet.

Gimme Hart or Holbrooke any day.

[riverwalker]

10. why?

He would be totally ineffective. Has no credibility or even respect in the world or in this country. What would be the point? There are many, many more just as talented and qualified. In 4 years he has accomplished nothing.

[Bridget Burke]

11. Secretary of State is not like "community service"

We need somebody who can do the job. Let Powell rehabilitate himself elsewhere; perhaps the court will have a suggestion.

His "sterling" reputation is strictly silverplate. His resume already included suppressing My Lai & enabling Iran Contra. Then he allowed himself to be courted during the recount--doing his part in the subversion of democracy. More recently, we had his ludicrous performance with the "evidence" of WMD.

He's really good at floating stories about how unhappy he is--how he's above all those others in the regime. But when they need him to jump, he says "how high, sir?"

How about Bill Clinton for Secretary of State?

[Sparkly]

12. Colin Powell sold his soul, imo.

He's lost my respect.

[SayitAintSo]

14. I think I would have a real hard time with that....

Powell undid it for me when he showed up in Crawford in 2000 with * and others doing photo ops - WELL before the election was decided.

[kaitykaity]

15. No. Powell's a good soldier, but he deserves

to be tarnished. He did not have the courage of his
convictions, and he lent respectability to the Bush gang
of thugs.

[RapidCreek]

36. He lent respectibility?

How so? And what makes him a good soldier?

RC

[kaitykaity]

41. Good soldiers follow orders. Powell did that.

These are rhetorical questions, right? You have done
some reading about Powell and his reputation prior to
joining the gang? Haven't you?

[RapidCreek]

45. Yea I sure have.

Have you? Who's orders was he following when he covered up the Mai Li massacre? Who's orders was he following when he orchestrated limited arms transfers from US military bases through Israel to Iran in an effort to hide that transfer from congress during the Iran Contra scandal? Who's orders was he following when he sat in front of the United Nations and told bald faced lies? That's immaterial right? Doesn't matter.....he followed orders so he is a good soldier.

Well I guess we should pin medals on the chests of the torturers at Abu Ghraib prison as well. They were and are good soldiers because they followed orders as well.

Try logic....it doesn't hurt.

RC

[kaitykaity]

47. Don't post like you're clueless then.

Was waiting for the attack. It came.

Try not to be insulting. I know it's hard, but you could try.

[RapidCreek]

60. Pointing out fact is not being insulting

Clueless? Hmmm I've provided rational for my "attack". Perhaps you could explain how ignorance of history and fact equates to being clued in?

And don't tell me what being a good soldier is. I was a soldier and I was a good soldier. I told the truth, I followed the law and I behaved in a respectable fashion both in public and private. I put a Master Chief in Leavenworth for sexually molesting female recruits and I did it when I was an E4. I didn't cover his ass, I burned it...inspite of his offers to promote me if I didn't and his threats to demolish me if I did. THAT'S what being a good soldier is about.

I suppose in your eyes I would have been a better soldier if I had covered up his continued rape of little girls.

You're ignorance of the facts surrounding that walking piece of shit, Colin Powell and what constitutes a good soldier have hit a VERY raw nerve and leave me wanting to say quite a bit more but I don't want to get kicked off the board.....yet.

RC

[kaitykaity]

63. "Try Logic" is insulting.

The whole manner and tone of your post is insulting.

Your dripping contempt for Powell is somehow spreading
and is directed at me.

Too bad you don't have any manners to go with your outrage.

[RapidCreek]

67. When people seek to proliferate an evil myth...

I don't feel the need to address them in a manerly fashion....one can be quite illmanered while demonstrating the utmost in civility. That's what is generally refered to as being disengenous.

You zealous prosletization of a lying weasel piece of shit is demostrative of a lack of manners directed toward those of us who have suffered as a result of the sort of behavior which defines him. And if you think I'm gonna sweetly point out that your ignorance is offensive...think again. It's the collectively short memory and ignorance of the facts you've demonstrated which has allowed the slimy fucker to ascend to the position he has ascended to and cause the harm that he has and is causing. You got your feelings hurt? Perhaps your hurt feelings will keep in the front of your mind that your are not the only victim of the sort of ignorance you seem so willing to propogate.

All that said...I find it somewhat odd that you have failed to offer any LOGICAL challenge to the rational I have put forth for despising Powell. Are these the qualities of a man who warrents respect? If so perhaps you can quit your little put upon act and explain why.

RC

[0007]

70. You got it right about Colin and his dark past, like the Iran/Contra

and the covered up of the Mai Li massacre. I indeed thought that this was common knowledge. Guess it isn't.

[kaitykaity]

72. Methinks thee protesteth too much.

I said nothing to defend Powell.

I merely repeated a mainstream belief about Powell that
will not be shattered by ravings from the fringe.

Rave at me all you want. All it does is make you look
hysterical and make me shake my head in wonder and pity.
Taking your anger at Powell out on me forces me into
a defensive position, whereas using 'logic' and reason
and rationality might have had me nodding my head 'yes,
yes, to your concerns, now all I know is you have no
manners and you probably failed your classes in rhetoric
and argument.

[RapidCreek]

80. The hell you didn't

You call facts raving from the fringe. I suppose next you'll ape the mainstream belief that George Bush is a good president. Interestingly the beliefs presented in this thread hardly support your assertion that your opinion of Powell is mainstream. In any case I would ask that you provide some proof that they are as you claim.

No, quite the contrary my words simply point to the fact that you are proudly ignorant of the facts and happy to stay that way. You've made no effort to back up your assertions that he is a good soldier in spite of being presented with facts that make it quite clear he is anything but. What you have done is fall back and play the victim...which neither proves your point or demonstrates reason. You have hardly presented any sort of defense for your words...and as such you are not operating from a defensive position.

I would suggest such an approach in rhetoric or argument class would earn you an F and most likely result in the rest of the class shaking thier heads in wonder and pity. You see, pity is something one generally reserves for those who are vicitms....which you quite obviously believe yourself to be. Wonder is an emotion which might be felt toward someone who incedibly mistakes playing the victim as a means of defense.

As to my manners....I treat people in a manerly fashion who have earned it...you quite obviously feel it is owed you...no matter what sort of inanity you spout.

RC

[kaitykaity]

85. I say again, why are you so angry at me?

My name isn't Colin Powell. I didn't do any of the
things you accuse him of.

And yet you are painfully abusive to me. And you don't
see the problem with that?

Take the board out of your own eye before you try to pick out
the splinter in mine.

Just as an FYI, a functional, rational person treats everyone
with respect and courtesy, strangers and intimates alike. You
saying that people have to earn politeness is disturbing to
me, as that is a classic sign of an abuser.

If you don't believe me, check out some objective literature
on the subject. Oh, that's right, there's that board in
your eye.

[0007]

69. Duh?

[kaitykaity]

73. Oh, that was a lot of effort.

:boring:

[Jacobin]

16. Sorry. He'll be in jail for war crimes.

Try another.

[Solly Mack]

17. well, gee, and he could bring back Rummy and Cheney, too..and even

ask GHW Bush to be his CIA director...

Powell needs to seek absolution elsewhere....

[scubadude]

18. No Way! Wesley Clark is the obviouse choice. nt

[seabeyond]

19. kennedy said fire rumsfield and put in powell

now for the democrat to put in powell, no way. powell sold his soul and this is not the first time. like the third. vietnam, iran/contra, and now.

democrats dont need him..........we have our own, betterh

[Oddman]

42. It was a smart move by Kennedy!

It creates the perfect wedge issue in the White House. Powell is still a popular figure in the US and Kennedy played the political chess game like a master. He knew exactly what he was suggesting . . .

[seabeyond]

81. duh................

bah ha ha ha that is right. lol lol. silly me. why didnt i think of that. ed and i were talking at table tonight how those two dont like each other and then for kennedy to suggest powell. i was thinking more his military adn war experience, seeing how he is the only one with it. we were talking about the black caucus telling them no more money being asked only for four or five hours later, coming out bush wanted 25b more. we decided powell needs to go now adn start talk shows. to late to start a book, unless he has it ready, lol

cool, thanks

[PaDUer]

20. Kennedy offered Powell

Rummy's job today right after he left the hearing in the hallway to the news media. Was discussed on MSNBC when it occurred.

[Disturbed]

24. NO way!

Powell is a disgrace. He has been complicit in war crimes.

[Salviati]

21. I would be all in favor of Kerry offering powell...

a swift kick in the ass on his way out the door.

Seriously, this guy has absolutely no credibility. If he were to turn on this junta, and provide all the info necessary to bring them down, that would redeem him in my sight to status of 'just some guy' up from 'big sack of crap' where he is now...

[punpirate]

22. Powell has been an expert on...

... doing the laundry for too long, ever since Viet Nam. Kerry would be well-advised to stay far away from him.

Powell is wonderfully soft-spoken, mannerly, and selectively leaks the things that irk him, but he's worked his way into the power elite by keeping the awful stuff hidden on their behalf. He doesn't work for us, the people--he works for them. So does his kid, so I suppose it's institutionalized in the family--make things go right for the people in power, and things will go well for you.

[Nite Owl]

25. Why should we care about giving him a chance to

rehabilitate his reputation. This was all his choice and now he's got to live with it. He had his chance to be a Democrat and is not deserving to be associated with our party. We have a wealth of talent to choose from.

[AgentLadyBug]

30. my OP was from the perspective of Powell......

.... I was responding to Daily Kos idea, according to which, if Kerry did offer the position, Powell would almost certainly say no - I was offering a rationale about why Powell might say yes....

From Kerry's perspective, it seems to me that there are a number of advantages to making the offer to Powell:

(1) Upon making the offer, it's a massive slap in the face to the Bush administration

(2) Upon Powell being successful, it's an even bigger slap in the face to the now-previous-Bush administration (like saying: "look at this awesome resource you had, and never made use of, you fools)

(3) All the stuff that Powell's set up can be implemented and acted on.... continuity can be a helpful thing

(4) Despite the UN debacle, Powell is still widely viewed, both domestically as internationally, as "a man you can deal with"... ie, he still has a lot of credibility.

(with (4) I'm not trying to marginalize DU opinion, just pointing out that there is a world outside of the DU - lol)

So basically, the upsides for Kerry are (a) popularity with some swing voters, (b) competence & continuity, and (c) drive home the difference between democratic admin and repub.

[BiggJawn]

82. Makes about as much sense as eating tumors...

...to show you ain't skeered of catching Cancer...

Powell is a gold-plated whore. He covered up My Lai, he covered up iran-contra and he's carried water and covered up for this den of theives.

He should go to prison, not Kerry's cabinet.

Next you'll be telling us that you read that Kery should pick Condom-Sleezy for ambassador to Russi because she's a "Sovietologist" (a profession that's been like tits on a boar since 1991)

[Bandit]

27. I'll have some of what you are smoking

You must be high to even suggest such a thing. How about Bush* as Kerry's VP?

[havocmom]

28. Powell is a know liar

NO!

[SlavesandBulldozers]

29. Colon Bowell

Excretary of Shite Colon Bowell? no way.

[Tinoire]

31. F-U-C-K Colin My-Lai Powell & anyone supporting that murderer

Jesus Christ. Have mercy on the idiots who dream this shit around.

May 4, 2004

The Role
Another Open Letter to the Troops in Iraq
By STAN GOFF

<snip>

My Lai is what General Colin Powell was remembering when he implemented "the Powell Doctrine" for the military, which includes a co-opted press and a vigorous attempt to keep things like flag-draped coffins off of those wide screen TVs.

Most of you don't remember My Lai.

On March 16, 1968, units of the Americal Division, to which Powell was assigned as a staff officer in Chu Lai, entered a Vietnamese village called My Lai and spent four hours raping women, burning houses, then finally massacring men, women, and children - including infants who dying women tried to shield with their own bullet-riddled bodies. The massacre was stopped by a Georgia-born helicopter pilot named Hugh Clowers Thompson who landed his chopper between the few surviving Vietnamese and the blood-intoxicated soldiers, and ordered his door gunners to open fire on the Americans if they failed to stand down.

A few weeks later, General Creighton Abrams, then commanding general in Vietnam, received a letter from a young Specialist-4 in the Americal Division named Tom Glen:

"The average GI's attitude toward and treatment of the Vietnamese people all too often is a complete denial of all our country is attempting to accomplish in the realm of human relations... Far beyond merely dismissing the Vietnamese as 'slopes' or 'gooks,' in both deed and thought, too many American soldiers seem to discount their very humanity; and with this attitude inflict upon the Vietnamese citizenry humiliations, both psychological and physical, that can have only a debilitating effect upon efforts to unify the people in loyalty to the Saigon government, particularly when such acts are carried out at unit levels and thereby acquire the aspect of sanctioned policy... for mere pleasure, fire indiscriminately into Vietnamese homes and without provocation or justification shoot at the people themselves... Fired with an emotionalism that belies unconscionable hatred, and armed with a vocabulary consisting of 'You VC,' soldiers commonly 'interrogate' by means of torture that has been presented as the particular habit of the enemy. Severe beatings and torture at knife point are usual means of questioning captives or of convincing a suspect that he is, indeed, a Viet Cong... It would indeed be terrible to find it necessary to believe that an American soldier that harbors such racial intolerance and disregard for justice and human feeling is a prototype of all American national character; yet the frequency of such soldiers lends credulity to such beliefs... What has been outlined here I have seen not only in my own unit, but also in others we have worked with, and I fear it is universal. If this is indeed the case, it is a problem which cannot be overlooked, but can through a more firm implementation of the codes of MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam) and the Geneva Conventions, perhaps be eradicated."

Glen's letter was forwarded from Abrams' office to the Americal Division and ended up with Major Colin Powell in Chu Lai.

Powell never followed up by questioning Glen, and instead ended his "investigation" of Glen's allegations after accepting uncritically the claim by Glen's commander that Glen hadn't been close enough to "the front" (whatever that was supposed to be in Vietnam) to have any knowledge of such alleged abuses. Powell then began his career as a damage-control expert in the military by writing a letter, dated December 13, 1968, in which he said, ""There may be isolated cases of mistreatment of civilians and POWs... this by no means reflects the general attitude throughout the Division... In direct refutation of this portrayal is the fact that relations between Americal soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent." He went on to impugn Glen's account for having been brought to light only reluctantly and lacking sufficient detail.

This was, of course, horseshit. Abuses were systemic.

<snip>

http://www.counterpunch.org/goff05042004.html

((Note to mods, I have the author's permission to post any and all of his stuff as long as he receives proper credit)).

[emulatorloo]

32. I thought Powell gave Kerry his word that if JK voted for IWR, GWB would

let the inspections take their course, let diplomacy take its course, and that GWB would go to war as a last resort. (I believe Kerry has implied this)

I am wondering why Kerry would have any interest in bringing on someone who betrayed him.

[RapidCreek]

33. Yea that'd be a great idea!

Kerry could have as his Sec of State the very guy who made his political bones covering up the Vietnam War Crimes that he protested against following his discharge from the military!!! Clearly, selecting the guy who covered up the Mia Lia massacre would be a grand idea.

What better man could he have on his staff than the fellow who acted as the facilitator of weapons transfers from US bases through Israel to Iran during the Reagan administration! Nothing like a Secretary of State who can and will hide things from congress. As was exhibited today...that sort is very highly though of in Washington.

What a plan!

RC

[Failure]

34. nope. but thanks for asking..nt

[robbedvoter]

37. Keep these bright ideas for yourself if you hope us to vote for Kerry.

It's hard enough without Powell. :argh:

[Oddman]

39. Kennedy did the smart thing

He used the tension in the White House and created an unbelievable wedge issue for the Americans to ponder. Kennedy knew exactly what he was doing . . . .

[AgentLadyBug]

43. rofl...... ok.... ok......

i'm done with it..... but for the record: it wasn't my idea, it was Daily Kos'........

[TruthIsAll]

44. Very weak idea: resuscitate? once-sterling rep? presidential aspirations?

Is that why we're voting for Kerry? A reclamation project for one who Harry Belafonte calls, and rightly so, an Uncle Tom?

Next thing you know, you'll want to retain Powell's son at the FCC. Murdoch would love the idea. Elitist lying is in the genes.

Sorry, friend, once a liar, always a liar. Powell is a liar. He goes back to My Lai, remember.

[Skittles]

46. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

THAT LYING F***ING BUSH WHORE, WTF, I NEED TO KICK YOUR ASS.......AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[mzmolly]

48. F Powell and the horse he rode in on.

;)

[agingdem]

49. Not just no but hell no!

No offense, but this supposition is as unpalatable as McCain for VP.

[zbdent]

50. Maybe Kerry should offer Powell conditional immunity

for his testimony.

Kinda like what they forced Monica to take.

[Zorra]

51. Repeat after me.... "No. Republicans. Ever."

[Q]

52. There are scores of great Democrats to choose from...

...so why consider a friggin Republican?

[candy331]

66. Well all posts are in the negative so far on this

so "let me make this perfectly clear", unanimous vote says there is no place for Powell on this side of the fence, keep him over the fence on their side maybe the other dogs will tear him to pieces in their scrapes.

[ithacan]

53. No F***ing Way!!!

Kerry should not even offer to pardon Powell.

Powell needs to take personal responsibility for the fact that he stayed with this regime even when he knew they were lying to the world and to the US, even though he knew they were starting an illegal war, even though he knew they were covering up torture.

Powell is no better than any of the other guys in this regime.

[JanMichael]

54. It's fucking ridiculous. No, really, it's idiotic. Powell is a known LIAR.

And pet devil of the Cheney.

[KG]

65. can't bury the 'powell myth' deep enough. it seems.

oy.

[TNMOM]

55. HELL NO!

Powell sold his soul. He has no spine, no priniciples and no credibility.

[Lars39]

56. He is a war criminal that belongs at the Hague.

Why even give this idea a float-by here?

[DaveSZ]

58. Yep fuck Powell

He is a useless liar.

[neverborn]

57. NO

[SarahB]

59. Powell had his chance

This supposed "moderate" caved and lied.

[not systems]

61. No he should be reassigned to the home for ...

retired war criminals.

He has zero credibility even if he is trying to creep
out of the killing chamber at the last minute.

[ima_sinnic]

62. what in #^(*& are you smoking??

Colon Bowel's career is over. He has proved himself to be a liar, nothing more, nothing less. A Real Wo/Man with guts and conscience just says no to lying to the whole entire world and, sorry, there's no "second chance," not when there are so many capable and honorable people to choose from (Wesley Clark, for example). If Kerry even remotely thought about including that cowardly yes-man in his cabinet I would lose ALL respect for Kerry and must assume I wouldn't be alone.

[ScreamingMeemie]

64. The day he decided to read that bunch of lies is the day that I decided

he was not one that could be trusted. Big big mistake. How about Mickey Mouse?

[jonnyblitz]

68. that's as good as McCain for VP. jeezuz fucking christ..

why do u DEMS always want republicans in your fantasy DEM administration? are you all tryin to tell me something?? geezuz..

[MoonRiver]

74. Stupid

neoCON idea. Every member of the cabal, including Powell, is complicit in war crimes. They need to be in the Hague, NOT Kerry's administration.

[imax2268]

75. didn't Powell

say he was going to get away from the federal government...retire or something like that...?

[Kanary]

76. So, you believe he deserves "the opportunity to rehabilitate both

his image and his record".

???????????????

So, by being "rehabilitated", that would bring back all the troops who were killed, it would heal all those who were injured and maimed, it would heal all the psychological wounds suffered by those who were sent over there for Powell's lies, it would bring back all the thousands and thousands of Iraqis who were killed, and heal all their wounds, and heal their psychological wounds, and repair all the damage done to that country?

And, Powell wouldn't even have to apologize before receiving all this "rehabilitation"?

Such a deal.

Kanary

[BiggJawn]

78. Why not? the Air Force hired Von Braun, the Nazi..

CIA probably would have hired Josef Mengela if they could have kept it quiet.

Hey! Hey! I GOT it! Kerry can have Cheney as his Veep and Rumsferatu can stay on as Sec. of War...

IOW, I think it's a pretty fucking STUPID idea.

besides, how can Colon Bowel do anything for Kerry when he's suppose to be in prison?

[Taverner]

79. Reminds me of the Carter-Kissenger deals

Not sure if its good or bad....

[anarchy1999]

83. It is an absolute outrage! If Kerry plans to keep Powell, I quit on Kerry

n/t

[Media_Lies_Daily]

84. Your idea "floats", but it looks identical to a...

...turd in a fishbowl.

Two words: My Lai. Next question.

[Bryan]

86. I think it's a ploy on Kerry's part

...to prick up the ears of moderate R voters who have yet to give up on Powell; Kerry has always placed a lot of stock in demonstrating that he can work with "reasonable" Republicans such as McCain, et al. I imagine he has any number of candidates he'd rather put in that slot.

[fujiyama]

87. If Kerry did that

I wouldn't vote for him.