Frustrated by Kerry

[RubyCat]

Anyone else share this writers's feelings? I bet Theresa does. Did Kerry have a stroke that obliterated the part of his brain responsible for courage? Shame on him.



http://mparent7777.blog-city.com/read/946767.htm

The question just hangs there, unanswered: Why did John Kerry capitulate so quickly, after so many people -- especially poor people -- had braved long lines, cold rainy weather and Republican intimidation to record their opposition to the Bush imperium? Why did he throw in the towel when the whole world was watching for a repeat of the stolen election of 2000 -- stolen by the Bush Machine's disenfranchisement of poor blacks in Florida? Why did he give up when the possibility -- not so far-out -- almost immediately arose that Gov. Robert A. Taft II's Republican organization had corrupted the electoral machinery in Ohio?

What happened to the inspiring rhetoric about counting every vote? Where were all the lawyers, supposedly primed to fight the Republicans tooth and nail if there was even a hint of fraud? Who turned off the supposedly ferocious 527 committees that, rather than screaming for Kerry to fight, just evaporated?

And that timid concession speech! Kerry's limp clichés blasphemed the hallowed Revolutionary confines of Faneuil Hall, scene of so much fiery rhetoric against the undemocratic rule of kings. His excuse for quitting insulted the very people he said he had come to thank:

...

But even if Bush prevails "legitimately" in Ohio (after a probable Green Party-requested recount is completed), I'm left with the sense that Kerry betrayed his supporters -- that he was every bit the elitist patrician that Red State America mistrusted so deeply. It's ironic and, I suppose, unfair that the combat veteran who got his hands bloody in Vietnam was portrayed as a less genuine human being than the draft-dodging prep-school smart-ass Bush. But after Kerry's concession performance, I'm not so sure that he didn't get what he deserved.

...

An authentic tribune of popular opposition to Bush would have fought this election as if his life, and the future of the country, depended on it. Kerry tried to back into victory on the updrafts of hot air from his pollsters and consultants. He never really attacked Bush for his lies about Iraq, about the real cost of the war, or about Halliburton's corrupt contracts with the Pentagon. He never confronted Bush and Cheney over their rank hypocrisy in permitting Halliburton to do business in embargoed Iran, a charter member of Bush's "axis of evil." In short, Kerry never made Bush's dishonest foreign policy the constitutional issue that it should have been.

In politics, the only thing worse than a bully is someone who won't stand up to one.

[whalerider55]

1. In politics, the only thing worse than a bully

is someone who won't stand up to one.

hard to argue with that general sentiment. works for the schoolyard, too.

whalerider55

[carolinalady]

2. Maybe Kerry was given info that he knew he should have won

but not possible prove prior to the inauguration. If he makes a huge issue would the public ostracize him the way they seemed to do with Gore in 2000? Then he could not be a viable candidate in 2008. Also figure into the mix--he who is in office must clean up Iraq and the failing economy. A huge job- the odds of success are slim and if he were to be elected, he may end up a one term Pres, cause I for one do not think this quagmire our current leader has us in will be wrapped up with a pretty bow in 4 years.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

3. Hypothetical: If he had screamed foul...

and refused to give a concession speech (which I understand has no legal binding to it) and the final count proved that B*sh won, could Kerry return to the Senate without being a poster boy for "sore loser" with even the Dems in the Senate avoiding him like the plague?

Just a thought. Please don't flame me. I just think that Kerry can't rant and rave publicly without totally castrating himself as a Senator.

[Chili]

30. very brave of you to speak up, ModRepub...

...especially with that nic. :)

I agree with you. He would've been butchered so badly by the Republicans - and the media would've chimed right in - that it would've made the Sore Loserman label they pinned on Gore look like a corsage.

I once strongly believed that his early concession was a strategy so that he could fight below the radar. That's still a possibility, though the constant "he just didn't think he could win" mantra is starting to make some headway. Either way, whether he intentionally vamoosed out of the spotlight for a good reason or skulked out, if Ohio turns out to prove that there was enough vote manipulation and voter suppression to make it a major public scandal, he can still swoop back in and make a stand. That option has not been removed, no matter how many people think he turned tail and ran.

Truth is, we'll never know what he was really thinking unless he says so, and he hasn't.

[LittleClarkie]

33. To which those with no sympathy say,

"He put his career ahead of us. Selfish coward!"

One of two things may be happening:
1. he is fighting under the radar, or
2. there was not enough proof to fight the fraud before Bush officially becomes prez, ie not enough proof to flip the election.

Number two doesn't preclude fighting the fraud after though -- gathering all the evidence you can, and using it to fight for honest elections though legislation.

He will fight, I have no doubt. But many here don't want to hear that fighting might mean he fights from his position of strength, which is the Senate.

If he fights the fraud now and loses, he has no position at all to fight from.

And I can't help thinking that those who want him to destroy himself in this way are not thinking rationally. And hearing GOP talking points coming out of my side make me wonder how we even managed to pull the election THIS close.

[HEAVYHEART]

38. No flame here.

I agree with you.

[UpsideDownFlag]

4. yes, i am frustrated. nt

[New Earth]

5. i think you're all in for a big surprise.

and on that note, i need to put this thread on ignore. have fun.

[alittlelark]

6. I must concur - a big suprise

don't forget BCCI and Iran-Contra...... who was it that broke those wide open....?

[Kellis]

11. That is always in the back of my mind~

everytime I get frustrated w/ Kerrys' silence I remember that he has 20 years experience dealing with fraud and scandal....And I hope beyond hope that something big is going on that we aren't aware of.


I understand the frustration but I refuse to participate in slamming Kerry before I know what is really going on.

[SharonRB]

36. I'm with you

I think he has good reasons for staying in the background and letting others do this. When the time is right, he'll be out in the open.

[Blue_In_AK]

19. I agree

If he doesn't make it into the White House, he's definitely going to be working on the fraud angle. He's had experience with this sort of thing, and he's very, very smart.

[alittlelark]

23. Yeah, he's at least 2x the fraud now squatting in the WH

[DemBones DemBones]

44. I don't think you actually meant to say

that Kerry is twice the fraud that Bush** is, but that's how your post reads.

[leftchick]

34. that was over 20 years ago....

politics can certainly change people.

[tavalon]

37. I'm in a foul mood today, having nothing to do with this

but I'm led to say that I've been waiting (not really waiting - I've moved on to voting fraud issues and other activist outlets) for that big surprise since, well, since Nov 2nd. I'm tired of holding out hope, frankly.

The presidency may be hard work (and we've been assured of such by the Moron King) but so is fighting against the rising tide of fascism in this country. I don't feel like hoping for the holy grail anymore. I've got far too much work to do to be waiting around hoping for Prince Charming.

If Kerry chooses to jump into this at this late date, fine, he can join up, I won't kick him out, but this just isn't about him anymore. It's about saving our democracy or the sorry assed imitation that we actually had before this administration.

[politicasista]

7. You think so Faye?

It just sounds like people have been saying that since the election ended and we haven't seen nothing. Even Michael Moore is turning on Kerry.:-(

[Is It Fascism Yet]

9. He is? What did Michael Moore say?

[politicasista]

10. This

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2800895#2800923

[Is It Fascism Yet]

16. ty

[proudbluestater]

29. I don't know for sure what to think, but...

Cliff Arnebeck does happen to be the one filing suit in Ohio. He also happens to be from Massachusetts.

Possibly he is doing this on Kerry's behalf? He didn't really say who he works for other than a non-profit Alliance for America or something.

We don't really want to give the blabbermouths like Rush something to scream about at this point I don't think.

I'm just saying... you just never know what is going on behind the scenes. I'm willing to bide my time as long as it looks like we are progressing toward our goal of fraud-free elections.

[DemBones DemBones]

12. Will it be a GOOD surprise? Will we

say we were wrong to doubt John Kerry? If so, bring it on. I'd love to be wrong on this one but I think he folded too quickly and eagerly, perhaps hoping to win in 2008.

If he thinks we're giving him as much money in 2008, if he thinks we're giving him ANY money in 2008, he's got another think coming. He didn't have our back, why would we have his again?

[tavalon]

39. I wholly agree

if any of his hesitance is related to wanting to preserve his chances for 2008, I really hope someone, anyone, lets him know that the only way he will garner our support in 2008 is to grow a spine in 2004.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

8. I agree with all that and there is more

I always worried about how the media whores forced Kerry on us as "the only one who could beat bush" and how they trashed the other candidates for imagined shortcomings. Not that there was anything wrong with Kerry, except that the "most liberal senator on the hill" was never liberal enough for me, and not as liberal as many of the other democratic primary candidates. The only real problem I ever had with Kerry was that the media whores shoved him at us. There was nothing wrong with Dean's enthuasim, but the media spun it as a "Dean Scream". It was all spin. They trashed Dean on that stupidness by cutting the tape and showing it ad nasuem. And they actually trashed Dean for having a professional wife, but, it's no surprise that the rightwing media is mysogynistic. They trashed Mosely-Braun for being a woman, saying "a woman could never win" against Shrub. They trashed Clark, saying he "was just lately a republican". They trashed Kucinich saying he was "short and single" and they made him into a dating game. It was all spin, and just because Iowa picked Kerry with the prompting of the media, we got stuck with Kerry, because we were all in a hurry to unify. They so played us. Yes, it all looks like a skull and bones set up, a sell out. The only other alternative reality I can see is that maybe Kerry was perfectly sincere, maybe they threatened to harm his wife or children, because, you know, they do stuff like that.

[readmylips]

13. Fascism: You hit the right buttons...

I felt that Kerry came stold our hearts, then vanished. We were left with pie in the face. I tell you, I've voted from the first time I became of age to vote. 2004 is my last Vote. I will never vote again.

[mwdavis02]

15. Wipe that pie off your face

get up, brush yourself off, and keep voting. Pie in the face is nothing compared to what the brown-shirts dished out.

[newyawker99]

35. Hi mwdavis02!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Is It Fascism Yet]

17. me too

i've been voting for 30 years, never missing an election great or small, now, really, its very clear we might as well not go to the trouble, because, diebold can't count, and our presidents elect are always intimidated away to exile.

[MsConduct]

14. That has been my BIGGEST b*tch since the election was over...

I want a 'leader' who has some huevos and knows how to take charge!
I hate the idea that I might have more b*lls than he does! LMAO
B-)

[Is It Fascism Yet]

18. but we don't know what kind of threats were made

don't forget Bush&Co is famous for threats, and, they prolly wouldn't threaten kerry, it's more effective to threaten someone he loves. i keep thinking about that. the other alternative is that it was a skull and bones sell out all along. we know we won, and yet our candidate failed to demand proofs of validity in the election results. the fraud is soooo widespread, nobody can stand to hear all the evidence, and yet, the media whores ignore, its like, everybody is acting as if they are under the gun, afraid to call it like it is.

[OneBlueSky]

21. I really don't think it was threats . . .

I think Kerry didn't want to be seen as an "Al Gore" in order to preserve his viability for a run in 2008 . . . I also think he completely miscalculated in making this decision, and if he doesn't pull something big out of his hat in the next couple of weeks, he will have NO viability in 2008 or ever . . . I sure as hell wouldn't vote for someone who promised that he's "got your back" and then folded like cheap suit . . .

bottom line, though, is that I still don't really know why he did what he did . . . maybe it will all become clear at some point, but right now I'm deeply disappointed in our candidate . . .

[MsConduct]

25. I don't think any threats were made. If there had been, that would...

be something for the Dem's with 'power' to really scream about. I truly believe that they have all rolled over like a bunch of over fed dogs. Going along to get along. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't think I am. If I am, I'll start a thread full of mea culpas.

[tavalon]

40. I'll join you on that one

if we are wrong. I'd really like to be wrong.

[MsConduct]

46. Me too. I guess we can wish and hope and dream, huh? n/t

[SoCalDemGrrl]

20. Kerry is too smart to fall into their trap...

As other posters have said, he had the conjones to pursue Iran Contra and BCCI and he WILL see this to the end. Let's remember - There was fraud in this election, we know it, Kerry/Edwards know it, the DNC knows it and many Americans know it. But, we have to PROVE IT and until we can, Kerry is smartly laying low.
We ALL learned from 2000 - no more SORE LOSERMAN taunts in the media and Republicans rioting during the recounts. Now we do it systematically, under the radar and find incontrovertible proof. Then it's time for KERRY to make his move!:nuke:

[lthuedk]

22. Have hope but a willingness to sacrifice all. Kerry knows and feels this.

He knows there is but one small window of opportunity left to protect our Democracy. For him, there will be no next election. He either gives everything to our country this election cycle or never again.

He has no choice.

[delphine]

28. He sure is acting like

he has a choice. He's acting like he's preserving his image (as NOT a sore loser) for next time, instead of giving it his all THIS time.

I'd like to see an all out brawl, I really would. After waiting the entire election to hear him call bush a LIAR and say the swiffies were completely full of shit and tell us about the bush connection to BCCI and Iran-Contra and the Bin Ladens and call bush a fucking idiot (yes, even that I would have loved), I'd really like to hear him just say out loud again what a bunch of crooks and liars these guys are.

I'd like for once for the democrats to admit out loud just how far the repukes would go to stop us. That it really could be that huge of a fraud. That they really would do it.

That we're done being walked on, that we're proud of being democrats and liberals and for being progressive and inclusive and tolerant and non-judgmental and believing that government should play a constructive role in peoples' lives and we should all give collectively to keep it going.

John Kerry embodies all of that but was coached not to go there, not to be "too liberal" or whatever.

If I didn't believe 100% that he'd be one of the best presidents we've ever had, I wouldn't be so sad and frustrated about what's gone on since 11/2.

[VTGold]

24. I couldn't see why he wanted to job to begin with.....

....... who wants to spend 4-8 years cleaning up elephant poop?

That said - I do feel dumped.

I hope its strategy and not give-upy.

We're a very instant gratification society - this could take awhile.

Watergate took more than 2 years.

[tavalon]

41. Welcome

and I wholeheartedly agree about the problem (I see it as a problem) of this instant gratification society. This is going to be the hardest work we've ever done to save this democracy and it isn't going to turn on Senator Kerry's machinations most likely. It is going to be hopefulness dashed many times over.

[malatesta1137]

26. Kerry was handpicked by Karl Rove and James Baker

to run against Bush. They knew he wouldn't fight against fraud, he's too worried about his Senate seat and legacy. Cowardliness. The media also played a great part in convincing us he was the only one who could beat Bush, when exactly the opposite was true.

[ever_green]

31. I agree 100% It makes me sick. We were fooled big time.

Dean would've won by a LANDSLIDE. A LANDSLIDE! It makes me so sad.

[DemBones DemBones]

43. Come on, it's ridiculous to claim

that Dean would have won. You think they wouldn't have done all the same things, plus lambasted him as a draft dodger? The GOP will gut any Dem, and MSM will bring extra sharp knives.

[delphine]

27. While I'd love to see a surprise

with the electors being certified on Monday and the Ohio recount not even starting until Monday, it won't even fricken matter if it turns out he beat the shit out of bush in Ohio. The congress is not obligated to recognize the democratic electors even if Ohio sends them. Which it won't because it will have already certified republican electors.

So then what? The CBC challenges the electors in January and let's say they get 45 senators to sign on.

Then what? The house votes? And let me guess how they'll vote.

No. I say if there were going to be a "surprise" it's long since time for it to have happened.

It should have happened when the judge was about to tell the glibs that they couldn't have an expedited recount to meet the safe harbor deadline - because there was no real way the recount could make a difference to anyone involved in the case. Kerry should have joined in then.

I agreed at first about the laying low to avoid "being called a sore loser" and all that crap. But did he really have to stay silent until there was all but NO hope that any recount (even if he wins) will make a difference? Did he really have to stay silent about how poorly voters were treated - his voters? Besides, would it really have been wrong for him to just say, "hey, networks don't call elections, and the votes are not certified yet"?

I want to be wrong. Every day I log on when I'm supposed to be working to see if the latest breaking news is "Kerry announces at press conference that he's challenging the outcome of the election and/or decries the partisan manipulation of the election in Ohio and/or is fighting mad about how voters were treated".

But this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach started when the unthinkable happened in the summer -- the campaign let the shitload of liars run amok without response. I waited for "breaking news" of Kerry's outrage back then too, and it never came.

I really love and respect the man and want him to be president. The size of that love and respect is also what fuels this huge disappointment.

I still have the photo of him setting flowers on the soldier's casket on my desktop. Sometimes I turn my computer on and it's too much to bear without tears.

I'd love to see a surprise. I can't express how much I'd love that.

[Cyclical]

32. There's a roadsign for this.

I guess I just feel like he was completely a one-way street: We give of our time, and our money, and even just our support. We give of our friendships by debating with people we would otherwise find no quarrel with. We give of our personal safety, in some areas, by putting bumper stickers on our cars and signs in our lawns, even having heard about the attacks and vandalism on people's belongings who do such things.

Okay, I know, he couldn't somehow send out a message ONLY to the people that supported him, saying "Psst! Hey! You out there with the brain! We know we won - but don't say anything about it just yet, we'll blow the lid off it soon!"

But he has to do something. He has to, like... be present.

Calling John Kerry - John Forbes Kerry? There's half a nation waiting to see you in the lobby.

It's very, very hard, because every time I start talking to people about the obvious, rampant, pervasive fraud, they just say "Oh yeah? So how come Kerry's not saying anything about it?"

And it's tough not to look like you've got your thumb up your ass at that moment, to be blunt.

I really, really hate being on the losing side, especially when it's the side that deserves it. Sorry, John. You're an excellent man, and a true patriot. But if you don't come up big in '04 because you're holding out for '08, that's gonna be a Green year for me.

Having said all that... I really, really, really want to be wrong on this.

[earth mom]

42. I have to say that I'm also baffled by Kerrys silence....

But what I keep coming back to is the strength he's shown for years. It has to be a strategy to keep the repugs off his case. Think about how the Kerry/Edwards website is frozen in time...like it ain't over yet.

This is my first post...please be kind!

[molly]

45. NO! and her name is Teresa - not Theresa

and shame on you.

[PennyMan]

47. Kerry Will Be In Iowa Maybe Someone Can Talk To Him About Ohio

Kerry Will Be In Iowa On Friday Dec 10 Maybe Someone From Iowa Thats On The Board Can Talk to About Ohio And Let Him Know How Upset People Are.