If your up, catch Senator Kerry live on the TODAY Show 7:05 am Wednesday,

[wisteria]

UPDATE: Tomorrow, Senator Kerry will be LIVE on the TODAY Show at 7:05 am EST from Damascus, Syria to discuss his trip to Iraq and the Middle East. We hope you all can tune in.


http://blog.johnkerry.com/

[jgraz]

1. This is why the dude can't get elected -- he's never on when I'm awake

:P

[wisteria]

12. You can catch the video, now up on MSN- link below.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=a49627f7-2d81-4570-9cf9-20b542f7052e&f=34&fg=rss

[flpoljunkie]

20. Thanks for the link. How can you not admire this man who puts one foot in front of the other,

despite all the hundreds of millions of dollars spent to destroy him. That he is uncomfortable being interviewed sometimes shows--his tendency toward inappropriate and somewhat goofy smiling, perhaps from inherent shyness--but the thoughtfulness and intelligence of what he says cannot be denied.

Kerry has been right all along about what to do in Iraq and the Middle East. His fortitude and character after everything is more than commendable. He is a true patriot, and I hope he does decide to enter the 2008 race. We need his voice and his unswerving commitment to this country.

[jgraz]

23. Thanks -- it was a very "Kerry" interview

Good ideas, on message (comprehensive political solution) and total command of the facts. All the reasons why I supported him in 2004. And yet...why isn't he angrier about DimSon's latest hail mary pass of American bodies into the war zone? He makes a good case against sending more troops, but if he had said something like "sending more troops to Iraq is insane," his comments would be front-page news by now.

Nobody questions Kerry's intelligence or his competency. What I'd like to see is whether he can bring enough fire to win (or even start) the debate.

[karynnj]

24. It may partically be that he is in Syria

He is doing exactly what he should be doing there and clearly doesn't want a flamboyant statement made to the TODAY show to possibly have a negative impact on the delicate fact finding diplomacy he is doing. (It is likely not easy doing what he is doing.)

[jgraz]

25. Rather, it was a very "Me watching Kerry" interview

I always come away with the same impression (post-analysis notwithstanding): I'm always impressed with his articulateness and his command of the facts. And I'm always a bit unsatisfied with the amount of genuine emotion and passion he puts into his words.

Now, I'm the kind of person who will go do the research and prove to myself that Kerry's almost always correct in his statements. I think most voters, however, just have their first impressions and make a decision based on that.

That's why I tend to doubt Kerry's ability to lead from the bully pulpit -- he can make me think, but he's never inspired the kind of passion I get from Kucinich, Dean, Edwards...hell, even Gore(v2.0).

[karynnj]

26. Have you seen his "dissent " speech

or "Real security" speech which are both on johnkerry.com on the multimedia tab. These were both given in Faneuil Hall. Another great passionate speech, not given to Kerry's own audience, was his speech at Take Back America. (http://home.ourfuture.org/tba06/ ) It is worth noting that when Luntz focus grouped stump speech pieces - people were surprised that the top rated piece was Kerry's.

For some reason, I see far more passion in Kerry's speeches than I do in Edwards'. I think the "Dissent" speech freed the real Kerry. In 2004, Kerry was the candidate I most wanted to vote for since 1972 - but I did understand people on Democratic forums saying they wished the 1971 Kerry was running. I think that since his October 2005 Georgetown speech and even more since his April withdrawal position - he is a smarter, more mature version of that incredibly smart mature 27 year old Kerry.

[jgraz]

27. Good speeches, but they didn't do much for me

I imagine this has gotta be the most infuriating thing about being a Kerry supporter. You look at those speeches and come away with a much different impression of Kerry's speaking ability than I do.

The guy obviously knows his shit and he can speak with authority on some incredibly complex topics. But he's talking about people fighting and killing and dying for a complete lie and the emotion never seems to quite reach the surface of his face or the tenor of his voice. And seriously, the fact that his eyebrows never moved kinda creeped me out.

This lukewarm response to Kerry is something that many people have and it simply can't be argued away. Compare it to the speeches that Al Gore was giving in 2004. When have you seen Kerry come close to this kind of emotion?

THAT'S a passionate politician. THAT'S a leader who can rally people to the cause. And yes I CAN'T believe I'm saying this about Al "Someday I'll Be a Real Boy" Gore, but there it is. Somewhere in the past 6 years, dude picked up a fire in the belly. Kerry needs to find himself one of those.



Edit: Nyquil-induced typos

[karynnj]

28. I see the difference you speak of

I have the opposite problem in that extreme unmodulated anger is a big negative to me. (I'm a midwesterner not a New Englander.)

I honestly see a huge amount of passion in those speeches. I was in Boston for the 2 Faneuil Hall speeches and I can tell you that the response was electric. I have seen his eyebrows move - especially when he is laughing.

I do respect your opinion and am impressed that you did see the speeches.

[LittleClarkie]

33. It sounds like you'd support him in a cabinet position though

If I don't get my first choice, which is him for prez, I'll be campaigning for that second choice, which would be something like Attorney General, or Sec of State.

[jgraz]

38. Jesus, he'd be a great Attorney General

He loves going after corruption -- I think he'd be incredible at that job. And now that we have a Dem in the MA statehouse, he can be replaced with a non-troglodyte if he gets the appointment.

Edit: I'm holding out for Bill Clinton for Sec State.

Edit 2: This another reason why it's so important to get a Dem elected in 2008. The number of quality people who could contribute to the executive branch is just stunning.

Edit 3: Add a "the" to edit 2

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[sandnsea]

36. Ignore is my friend

I've given you more than I give most people. Tell me you're a teen-ager, and you get a pass. Otherwise, bye.

[jgraz]

37. Mission Accomplished!

Go along and play now...

[Purveyor]

2. Kerry is so 2004. Just "get out" John....your Prez ambitions are a joke and

a drag on the party. You lost, you will never win. Give it up, already.

[saracat]

5. A drag on the Party? When he is one of the only Senators fighting for real reform?

Nice for you to be so tacky sitting safe at home while Kerry once again risks his life in the Middle East! But it is really easy to critique from an armchair isn't it? Go Sen. Kerry! He is doing the diplomacy and investigation this Administration refuses to do! Thank god for John Kerry.He would be a fine president and we could use 99 more of him in the Senate.And he didn't lose.

[blm]

10. The drag on the party for 6yrs has been Bill Clinton agreeing with Bush2 on most decisions

and the drag on the party for the last 13 years had been Clinton's covering up for Bush1 on so many outstanding matters related to IranContra, BCCI, Iraqgate, and CIA drugrunning.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/111106.html

The DNC's decade of targetted state strategy from 1995-2005 was a real drag on the party, too.

Thankyou Chairman Dean for rebuilding the Dem party infrastructure that had been neglected for far too long.

And thankyou to the too few Democrats who have been vocally opposing Bush all along and were not struck silent on Sept. 11, 2001.

[mtnsnake]

17. You need to stop buying into rightwing talking points

with this blaming Clinton for everything under the sun, blm.

Good morning! :evilgrin:

[blm]

18. Show me where ANY rightwinger blames Clinton for covering up for Bush1.

That will be the day when any RWer notices that Clinton's actual wrongs in office were committed during the protection of Poppy Bush.

I argue AGAINST the RW lies used against Clinton and acknowledge the FACTS that are too inconvenient for most Republicans and even many Democrats - the HISTORICAL facts.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/111106.html

[mtnsnake]

19. Calm down. 'Tis the season to be jolly

I was just joshing you by giving you that same old thing you're always telling me about not buying into the RW talking points. Just messin' with ya. :evilgrin:

[flpoljunkie]

21. Clinton did not separate himself from Bush in the runup to the election in 2004. This hurt Kerry.

[flpoljunkie]

22. For example, when Clinton said "it's better to be strong and wrong than weak and right." Who do you

think he was referring to--none other than our incompetent bully president George W. Bush! This hurt, not only Kerry, but all Democrats who questioned Bush's role as Commander-in-Chief and the run-up to the war in Iraq.

[wisteria]

15. I was suggesting you watch an experienced statesman, not vote for him.

Thought some might want to hear what he had to say about his trip in the Middle East. You know, you can denounce him all you want, but he has been correct in much of what he as said as far back as 03-04 on the ME and the Iraq War. It just may be, he is worth listening too as a statesman.
Oh, and many disagree with your comments, believe me, I know.

[LittleClarkie]

31. Excuse the Senator if he chooses to do his job, apart from any ambitions he might have

He'll be around whether you want him to be or not, simply because he's a Senator and part of the Foreign Relations Committee.

And the thread isn't about his Prez ambitions. Most of the Kerry folks I know would post this stuff even if he wasn't running for anything.

[Luftmensch067]

3. Thanks for the alert! I'll be taping this!

Senator Kerry is the one to listen to when it comes to Iraq and the situation in the Middle East!

[jgraz]

4. Has anybody pinged Crooks & Liars about this?

Not that Kerry's a crook or a liar, but I bet he has a few things to say about them.

[janx]

6. I have a bathroom to clean and a floor to wash. n/t

[blm]

9. Let's keep ignoring what the president of Syria has to offer about stabilizing the region.

Considering this is the third time he's met with Kerry since Jan 2005, because he sees Kerry as an honest broker.

[wisteria]

13. Aw, put off the cleaning. It can wait. n/t

[janx]

7. YOU'RE

[karynnj]

8. Video is up

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=a49627f7-2d81-4570-9cf9-20b542f7052e&f=34&fg=rss

[Sugarcoated]

11. Yawn

[wisteria]

14. I would just bet that Feingold would be very interested in what Kerry has to say.

I suppose you don't care about the Iraq War situation or the chaos in the Middle East.

[Sugarcoated]

16. Yeah that must be it..

[LittleClarkie]

29. And?

What about my Junior Senator.