Any candidate who cancels on Kerry is appeasing the GOP.

[madfloridian]

I am sorry but that is the truth. We should vote for them, but we need to tell them how we feel.

I am very afraid for my party now. I really am. I am embarrassed that they are showing no more spine than this.

[gully]

1. You are right, they're playing into their "cold dead" hands.

Dumbasses.

[madfloridian]

2. And I am signing off for tonight because of my anger.

I thought we were learning, but we have not learned a damn thing.

This forum today has gone after Kerry mercilessly, and it is has defended the ones who are cancelling.

My son is here for the week, and he was proud of Kerry today. Thing is, he is staunch Republican. Now how about that.

I have never been so angry at my party. They are acting cowardly.

[gully]

3. PS, we need to make a list and start calling these fools.

Good gracious, one would think they just fell of the damn turnip truck.

[still_one]

4. One question, Why should Kerry be the issue of the campaign?

you know that is how the media WILL paint it

Kerry already made the point, that it is bush and company who need to apologize

Do you really think that making Kerry the issue will help us win?

What the media is doing is creating a fight between the administration and Kerry

We know what the REAL truth is. If we allow this diversion to be pursed, the momentum we have WILL BE LOST

They will NOT talk about jobs being off-shored, social security and medicare being threatened, the mess that this administration and the republicans have gotten us into in Iraq, and so many other issues. It will revert to a fight between bush and Kerry, and everything else will be ignored. THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT. THEY DO NOT WANT TO STAND ON THEIR RECORD

[madfloridian]

7. If you can't see the manipulation going on, then I don't know...

how to explain it. I am ashamed to call myself a Democrat tonight.

But since I am under scrutiny here for not thinking it is ok....a disclaimer.

I just voted a straight Dem ticket and I advise others to do the same.

[still_one]

16. You are stating your views, YOU ARE NOT UNDER SCRUTINY

I am stating my views also. We just don't agree this close to an election

It is as simple as that

Kerry needs to be removed from the spotlight, the DNC needs to step in and make George Bush the issue.

What I am trying to say is they are trying to make Kerry the issue, and that is not relevent

[madfloridian]

18. No, Kerry is speaking out proudly....the other is running away.

There is no middle ground on this. Either our candidates have courage or they don't.

[still_one]

23. OK, since you brought it up

Then why did Kerry VOTE FOR THE IWR?

Feingold and others didn't.

Maybe we could bring up Kerry's entire voting record, because that is WHAT THEY WILL DO

This ISN'T About Kerry, but you and I are NOT going to agree

[madfloridian]

25. It's about courage.

See, you are afraid of what the GOP will do. We will never win with that kind of fear.

[still_one]

28. You may have a point

In retrospect, this election is a referendum on the mess this administration has caused, and that includes the Iraq war. Obviously, they are trying to twist the intent of what Kerry said, and make this an issue about him, instead of the failure of THEIR ADMINISTRATION

You have changed my perspective

We should fight this BIG TIME. This IS what it is all about, in fact it is an opportunity to once and for all bring IRAQ INTO THE FOREFRONT

After all Iraq is one of the most important issues facing this country

In other words, I have come around to your way of thinking


Thanks

[Check12]

5. I agree, but I worry about the vietnam factor

You know why this has happened, the bushies would have found anything to go after Kerry on
because they know that if they can tear off the scab of the vietnam wound again they can rile up the hippie haters from the sixties and their offspring. I am afraid Kerry's best move now is to let this go and lay low. Let the other attack dogs loose now!

[Robbien]

6. Talk about appeasing! Why another thread?

why not just comment in the many threads about kerry cancellations?

Guess not.

Just keep starting up new threads about kerry this and kerry that.


Post another thread about kerry why don't you? Post another two or three, they are small and each one makes the GOP grin.

[madfloridian]

8. Then get it deleted.

Fine with me.

[Robbien]

10. Why? Two others will just sprout in its place

all the while the GOPers are grinning and grinning.

[madfloridian]

13. They are grinning because we are cowards.

Then don't get it deleted.

[whirlygigspin]

11. Jim Carrey did who in the what now?

la la la la la la la la

[cnlst8]

9. This story is a 1 day story; 2 days story at best.

After spending a day a lot of "non-political junkies", most people don't care about Kerry or what he said, seriously. I see no big or even minor political fallout from this. This story has no legs to it unless a lot of people on both sides drag it on to a point where people should think about it. Most people don't see Kerry as the "ultimate speaker" of the Dem. party, anyways.

[whirlygigspin]

14. Jim Carrey hates our troops, who knew

[madfloridian]

12. Thank God Olbermann got it right tonight.

And I was glad to see Kos standing up for him. And other bloggers.

But not the candidates and not DU...oh no, so fearful .

[HCE SuiGeneris]

15. with you all the way madfloridian!!!! n/t

[still_one]

17. I would NOT generalize the DU, or the Democrats on this

Each have their views, but there is one thing they are united on, and that is winning Congress

[madfloridian]

19. Winning what?

?

[still_one]

20. Maybe you haven't seen the polls, but it looks very good

that we WILL WIN THE HOUSE

[madfloridian]

21. Win what?

You don't get it.

Oh, disclaimer...I say vote for every Democrat whether they have balls or not.

[still_one]

24. I do get it, and I know you want a Democratic majority

To me the most important thing right now, is having a checks and balance in Congress against this administration

[BikeWriter]

22. K&R by a VietNam Veteran!

[madfloridian]

26. Here is one reason I am so passionate about this issue.

About standing up for fellow Democrats when they dare to speak the truth. There has not been a lot of that kind of courage for a while, too many Democrats think by appeasing and pacifying they will not hurt anyone's feelings.

It has to stop.

This happened last year. Few stood by him. Only a few. He was attacked just as viciously as Kerry is being attacked right now. Yet he was right, just as Kerry is right.

There comes a time in a party when they must make decisions about who they are and what they stand for. Don't bother reading the discussions on this thread, they are too ugly. I am trying to make a point.

Dean in San Antonio about Iraq
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/189

My son is home for a week. He is a staunch Republican. He was proud of Kerry today. Many on DU are not. My God, what does that tell you.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

27. Braley ... wtf?

Bruce Braley's decision (not to appear with Kerry), and subsequent leak/announcement to the press, is what is so maddening. Twenty-four hours? Thirty six hours. This couldn't wait FFS? Grrrrrrrrrrrrr :mad:

[bigdarryl]

29. The smartest thing for dem's to do is put a MUZZLE on Kerry's mouth

and keep him away from events where candidates are running.with this fucking media the way there blowing this incident out of proportion that's the best thing

[TayTay]

30. Actually, I think the cancellations are a good idea

This election is about electing good Democrats and taking back the Congress for the good of the country.

I strongly support what Sen. Kerry said in his rebuttal. The issue in this election is not John Kerry and the actual truth in his remarks about Iraq, but the actual incompetence of the Bush Administration and the way in which they have run this war. That will get lost in a media sh*tstorm.

If Kerry shows up at a campaign rally, the media will smother the local candidate in an effort to get Kerry to answer the same questions over and over about his remarks. This defeats the very purpose of having the rallies.

I agree with what the Senator said. I also agree that it's not about him and he can't take the chance of smothering the local message. I think this is a smart move. He needs to raise the issues of Iraq, but not in a way that blocks a local campaign from getting their message out. Kerry is a smart pol, he understands that.

[Tom Rinaldo]

31. This is an excellent post Tay Tay. Thank you.

We have a week left to the election, and this time John Kerry isn't on the ballot, other people are. The focus is on their need to get THEIR message out right now, because they are the ones we need to win next Tuesday. John gave an excellent defense, and turned it back against Bush. I applaud him for that and he will get more media opportunities to do more of the same. The chickan hawk swiftboating fake "we love our soldiers" while they cut Veteran services and nickle and dime them on pay in order to preserve massive tax cuts for the rich, all of this is not going away in one week. We will keep fighting them over this. John will, we will, all of us together I hope.

Now, with the noise level raised so high this close to an election, most messages get lost. Our candidates have to seal the deal now with their own constituents, not get dragged into endless debates about John Kerry. They get just snippets of free coverage in the media, their message has to focus tightly on two, possibly three people every time they do get coverage. They need to talk about themself and their opponent, and possibly George W. Bush. There isn't room for them to talk about John Kerry now also, only the issues.

[madfloridian]

32. I disagree with both you and Tay Tay.

It is about not being afraid anymore, not allowing them to set the agenda.

I see a certain TN fellow is calling for a apology.

Well, right here, right now, I am calling for an apology from that TN fellow for now respecting his fellow Democrats.

This is not about Kerry anymore, it is about all of us as Democrats.