Apologies if dup'd: Senator John Kerry to speak at Howard U this Thursday

[demdiva]

http://www.democrats.org/page/community/post/demdiva/BBj

RSVP here if you'd like to attend
http://forms.johnkerry.com/events/091406_dc.html

[TayTay]

1. Okay, now w need someone to live-blog the speech in DC

Any takers?

[demdiva]

3. I don't think I can make it ...

I have to be at Dulles at 1:45pm .... I think I'd be cutting it too close ...grrr....

[politicasista]

2. I am glad he is speaking there

I don't live in DC,:-( but Howard University is an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). I didn't attend there, but the school has a rich history (as do all HBCU's).

The reason that I said that I am glad he is speaking there because I remember reading at CNN.com about the youth vote. Maybe it was during the primaries, but an HU student (think she was a member of the SGA), didn't seem impressed with JK, saying that he gave a "long, drawn speech" that didn't sit well with the audience. (She may have been a Deaniac, who knows?)

I saw the speech last night. I thought that Kerry looked and sounded presidential (as always) and his speaking has gotten better since the 04 election.

Great speech! :patriot:

[Democrafty]

4. A long, drawn-out speech at Howard,

or somewhere else?

Just curious.

[politicasista]

7. Well more like "watered down" at Howard

Kerry's impact on African-American college voters has been negative. Democrats have been able to count on the support of the African-American vote since the time of Franklin Roosevelt, but Kerry's approach and lack of concern for African-American issues have many on Howard University's campus in Washington wondering if he is the candidate they want for the next four years. At a Kerry speaking engagement at Howard in April, students were disappointed to find that the candidate did not discuss their needs or concerns but instead gave a watered-down speech that was less than inspiring. With the choice of Kerry or Bush in November, Howard students are asking the question, "Is there a difference?"

-- Ruth Tisdale, Howard University Campus Vibe correspondent

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/30/dnc.analysis/index.html



And another from May 2004:

Responding to a student's question on the issue while speaking at Howard University recently, the Democratic Party's nominee said he opposes the idea of compensating Blacks for slavery because it might divide the nation and would “not heal any wounds.”

Ajamu Sankofa, national secretary of NCOBRA (National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America), told The Final
Call that Mr. Kerry's statement is not surprising, in that rich liberal Whites have always felt comfortable in defining the agenda of Black people.

lot of the students cheered Kerry in general, and that's because we've been conditioned to accept the lesser of two evils,” Ms. Sankofa said. “We must continue to put pressure on the presidential candidates and those running for Congress. At the Democratic National Convention, the issue of reparations cannot be pushed off the table.”

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_1412.shtml



Talk about ignorance. No wonder we have four more years of Bush. :(

[blm]

11. No surprise to me - Kerry never believed in speaking differently to black

audiences and neither do I.

Kerry believes their concerns are the concerns of ALL people and treats them as such.

Some issues Kerry has advocated for publically have impacted the black community, though, but only as a matter of circumstance. When he fightd for ex-felons to get their right to vote back, who does it effect? A disproportionate number of blacks have been put in prison and stripped of their right to vote.

Kerry pursued the issue for years, and it was hardly a popular psoition politically or in the media.

[politicasista]

12. But they don't see that

Everything is just "he just trying to get our vote or he is just doing this for 2008."

[TayTay]

14. Yeah, but that could be said of anyone

including Hillary Clinton.

[politicasista]

15. True n/t

[Democrafty]

13. Thanks for the info.

As usual, I have my doubts about the reporting. Since when does anyone cheer for "the lesser of two evils?"

(This is not to say that JK gave a great speech. It could have sucked. I don't know. I wasn't there. But look at the way the reporters pounced all over the most divisive possible topic.)

[politicasista]

16. No problem

It took longer to reply cause I wanted to find the links so no one would think I was making it up. :hi:

[Democrafty]

Haha, I didnt think you were making it up!

I was just trying to figure out how many times he'd been to Howard, and if the Howard folks were unimpressed with his performance there, or his performance at, say, the DNC.

I hope he will fare better this time - it seems like, since he's not specifically campaigning for himself, he can put more effort into really addressing Howard students, and not giving a stump speech on his own behalf.

[politicasista]

18. Oh, I know you didn't (smile!)

I have been cynical at times causing the comments to maybe seem like I am Anti-Kerry, but I am not. Comments like Ms. Tisdale's were things I heard during the election (in the real world).


As far as how many times he has been there, I think it's been more than once.


I hope he fares better there too (and every other appearance too).

[Democrafty]

22. I just remembered something interesting.

On that conference call about minority entrepreneurship training programs (blogged here: http://www.welovejohnkerry.com/2006/07/27/talking-shop-with-john-kerry-and-elijah-cummings/), JK and Rep. Cummings said that a lot of that $$ was going to go to traditionally AA universities like Howard. So this could actually end up being really exciting.

[politicasista]

23. This is also HBCU week too n/t

[karynnj]

19. These are college students - if they really didn't like him they

wouldn't have gone or they wouldn't have applauded. The student inteviewed was Ajamu Sankofa, national secretary of NCOBRA (National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America) and the previous line said Kerry said he was not in favor of reparations.

The other one was vague to the point of being meaningless - what did Kerry speak of? and what needs were they interested in?

[politicasista]

20. It was a speech on his economic agenda

The needs such as jobs, economy, education, health care and so on. They were hoping to hear more about those issues, but didn't. Maybe Kerry had a bad day or something.

:shrug:

[karynnj]

21. That's weird - especially on Healthcare

It seemed very clear that he was extremely proud of his plan on that. You may be right that it was just that he had a bad day - he has to have had some.

[blm]

24. Who didn't? Who is speaking for EVERY student? If Kerry was speaking to

jobs, education, healthcare and so on as part of the economic agenda, then what were they expecting that went missing?

What went missing was the "pandering" that so many do - Kerry talked TO them and WITH them just as human beings with the same goals as any other working American.

I am sure the few who look forward to the pandering aspect went away disappointed.

[politicasista]

26. Exactly

But Ms. Tisdale didn't seem impressed and I guess she was reporting on what she saw. This is the type of people we are up against. They are not easy to win over if your last name isn't Clinton.


Of course, CNN altered a lot of details.

[blm]

28. Ms. Tisdale's an IGNORANT FOOL to submit there's no difference between

Bush and Kerry.

Does she think students never picked up a history book and learned anything about Kerry's actual record in govt. that FAR SURPASSES anything Clinton or just about any other Dem offered over the last 30 years, as far as its POSITIVE IMPACT on the historic record of this country.

She really wants to leave the idea out there that if you put Kerry's economic proposals next to Bush's, they would impact black student voters the same way?

Fock her for being an incomprehensive fool who uses her platform to spout Bullshit. Tell her to read some REAL history before she attacks those who make it.

[politicasista]

29. Nah, she was probably lazy like the rest of them

Of course this article was put out before the DNC Convention and debates, but she and uninformed black leaders chose to repeat the spin.

[Mass]

25. Well, Kerry got more AA votes than anybody except Gore (yes, even the

great Clinton).

Of course, Kerry could have had a bad day, but it seems a lot more like CNN trying to spin the idea that black voters will vote for Bush (LOL). They tried again and again, but it did not happen.

The finalcall article says that the students cheered. Of course, they try to dismiss that, but they have to recognize it. Of course, the person has an agenda and the goal of the article is to push the agenda. One may agree or not with their agenda, but there is little (basically nothing) in the article that says that the speech was poorly received. Considering the goal of the article (push a petition), it is about as positive as it can be.

[politicasista]

27. You're right.

It was just one person's opinion/observation.

[TayTay]

5. The speeches are getting shorter

The First Faneuil Hall speech was about 44 minutes.
The second was about 42 minutes or so
The Third was about 40
This one came in right around 43 minutes.

That's not long for a political speech. Sat had an opening prayer (From the Minister for Radical Peace, Ah Massachusetts) and two introductory speeches and was a nice crips hour long from start to finish.

Perhaps there has been an improvement due to listening to critics and to the sharpening of rhetoric.

Peace my friend, peace!

:patriot: :loveya:

[politicasista]

17. I agree about the speeches

They are getting shorter and sharper, which is a good thing.


BTW excellent job of coverage on Saturday!



Peace to you too. :patriot: :yourock: :loveya: :hi:

[ProSense]

6. The students really seem to like him

2004:



2005:

[politicasista]

8. Yes they do!

Pictures don't lie. :)

[blm]

9. Kerry never really changed his style of speaking - the media changed.

The corporate media now tells people they don't WANT to listen to intellectual, solution-oriented speeches anymore.

When Kerry first started speaking publicly and on camera as a returning vet the media was agog about how strong and intelligent and charismatic he was.

Now the corpmedia will take the same style of speaking and call it boring and plodding in hopes people will NOT LISTEN to what is being said.

I think most people have awakened to the shallowness that's been pushed on them and long to hear truly competent men speak out of great and grounded thought.

[politicasista]

10. And those links posted above proves that people fell for that spin n/t

[whometense]

30. Fox News story

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Sep14/0,4670,KerryAfghanistan,00.html

Kerry Faults Bush's Afghanistan Strategy
Thursday, September 14, 2006
By ANDREW MIGA, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. John Kerry, the party's 2004 presidential nominee, accused the Bush administration of pursuing a"cut and run"strategy in Afghanistan that has emboldened terrorists and made the U.S. less safe.

"The administration's Afghanistan policy defines cut and run,"Kerry said in remarks prepared for delivery at Howard University on Thursday."Cut and run while the Taliban-led insurgency is running amok across entire regions of the country. Cut and run while Osama bin Laden and his henchmen hide and plot in a lawless no-man's land."

Kerry's "cut and run" accusation echoes criticism Republicans have leveled at Democrats who have challenged Bush's handling of the Iraq war.

A potential 2008 presidential candidate, Kerry lashed out at the administration on the same day the White House announced meetings later this month with the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The White House did not immediately return a call seeking comment on Kerry's remarks...