John Kerry, the man who uncovered Iran-Contra..

[Tellurian]

"a man for all seasons"

Here we go!

The Democratic nominee has a long record of fearlessly exposing
abuses of power -- including launching the investigation that
unraveled the worst scandal since Watergate.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Sidney Blumenthal

July 22, 2004 | John Kerry's political education is far deeper than that of senators who have merely legislated. He has journeyed to the heart of darkness any number of times and emerged to tell the tale. It is not simply that the commander of the Swift Boats unit with which Kerry served in Vietnam was the model of the bloodthirsty, bombastic colonel in "Apocalypse Now." Kerry's combat experience hardly ended in the Mekong, but moved into the dangerous realm of high politics.

From his first appearance on the public stage, giving voice as a decorated officer to the antiwar disillusionment of Vietnam veterans, when President Nixon and his dirty-tricks crew targeted him, Kerry has uncovered cancers on the presidency, and this is especially why the Bush administration fears him. He has explored the dark recesses of contemporary history, often without political reward or even acknowledgment. Tarred as a "flip-flopper" by Bush's $85 million TV ad campaign, Kerry in fact is one of the most consistent political leaders of his generation. The truth is a vivid and unbroken line, but only sketchily known.

In his first month as a senator, in January 1985, Kerry discovered the thread that would unravel the Iran-Contra scandal -- the creation of an illegal, clandestine foreign policy apparatus run out of the National Security Council by President Reagan's military aide, Oliver North, and directed ultimately by CIA director William Casey. Kerry had the training and instincts of a prosecutor and was informed by his Vietnam experience. As the first district attorney of Middlesex County (Boston) in Massachusetts, he had smashed the local Mafia. "A central part of my campaign had been the notion that I would bring to the Senate the experience of the Vietnam period, which cautioned me against the kind of illegal activities we were hearing about, and the things that were going on," Kerry explained later. "Literally, I did do an ad hoc investigation."

http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2004/07/22/kerry/index.html

..Kerry proving he's no shrinking violet when it comes to uncovering corruption..Could be Bush's worst nightmare..

[2Design]

1. that could be a full time job on the bush Co.....and I hope it happens

and I hope they all go to jail for a long long time..

[LTR]

2. That should be in a campaign ad!

An indirect swipe at Bushco.

[Tellurian]

3. Couldn't resist! Edited for the insert of great pic of the dynamic duo..nt

[merh]

4. That's what I am talking about. The man has the experience and has

used his experience to serve the U.S. To all of the nay sayers out there - THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB!

Kerry is the man. :bounce:


(Thanks for the post!)

[Tellurian]

5. Now it's crystal clear why Kerry chose Edwards..

Edward's wife is an attorney as well..

Clinton for AG...

would that be sweet or what?

[Nicholas_J]

6. I think

There is more going on with some of the ex-Members of the Bush Administration who have come over to the Kerry camp than we know about. There has been very little noise from Richard Clark, and none from Rand Beers, who was in long enough post 9/11 to know some stuff, probably more than others, yet there has been almost nothing from that end of the Kerry machine. I think much is being held back until after the Republican convention.

[buycitgo]

10. disagree on Clarke; first, he's not with Kerry

second, and a big one, he's CHANGED his story in re: Saudis leaving country

don't understand what his deal is

[soothsayer]

7. It was Kerry's agreement NOT to prosecute Iran-Contra figures that was

supposed to get him on the Gore ticket as VP (but then Gore screwed him cuz Gore was so mad at Clinton that he picked Lieberman simply cuz lieberman was the first dem to criticize clinton or call for impeachment or whatnot)---so now Kerry gets to run for prez.

So according to Dan Sheehan in this verrrrry interesting audio interview.

He does say Kerry will be able to do some positive environmental stuff, but in many ways he is bound to continue the current administration's agenda.

It's the June 24th show here http://www.visionaryactivism.com/radioshow.htm

The July 8 show with that Iraqi woman working for women and children in Iraq gives a fascinating perspective on what it's like to live in Iraq right now. Quite disturbing.

[Larkspur]

8. Too bad Kerry lost his political courage after that controversy

Of course, Ollie North and Poindexter were convicted but got off, Reagan and Bush I never got convicted, and Poindexter got back into power under Bush II, so guess Iran-contra didn't help put the crooks away.

[merh]

9. Maybe not, maybe he just realized that he has to have

a different power base to work with and from before he could be effective. As much as folks want to fault the elected dems for their lack of back bone, we are as much to blame for their timid ways as they are imho. Why, because we didn't give them support, we didn't elect other dems into office to back them up.

House is majority repuke - why cause dem voters failed to vote dems to the posts.

There is enough blame to go around for all of us. Time to stop blaming and start taking positive steps to see that K has a chance to be effective.

[Tellurian]

11. I think you're right, merh..

Kerry most likely knew what the end game was beforehand..
Pardons all the way around for the felons- (convicted or otherwise)

Timing is everything in life. Kerry has gravitated to the necessary position for control to effectively clean house.

[greenbriar]

13. this could be very good news

:)

[CWebster]

12. Which is, of course, why John Negroponte

has come so far and Oliver North has his own TV show.

The NYTimes even admitted the war in Iraq was a mistake and outright stated the politicians who voted for it were wrong. So much for uncovering lies and deception.

[merh]

14. kick