Introducing John Kerry
Finally John Kerry had his day before the nation, and finally America saw him for what he really is, not for what his opponents have tried to paint him as. The long introduction up to Kerry’s speech was spectacular, and showed the real heart and soul of the candidate and the campaign. From the hilarious-but-true hamster-rescue story to the stunning realization that this man truly put his life on the line for his comrades in arms, from the loving introduction from his daughters to the stirring endorsement from his shipmates and from a true patriot, a true American, Max Cleland, America finally saw the man John Kerry is and the president he will make.
Almost everything went perfectly that night, save for the CNN “screw-up” of putting on the air someone who should never have been put on the air (thank God in Heaven that the press mostly ignored it!–more on CNN’s “mistake” later). But the majority of America was focused on Kerry, riveted to the endorsements of real Americans, real patriots, real men who fought and risked their lives and truly gave to their country, for one of their comrades who did the same. They saw a beautifully produced film that gave us a real sense of who this man is (excellent choices using Spielberg and especially Morgan Freeman, and I swear that’s John Williams’ music, a variation of Jurassic Park).
But most of all, everyone got to hear John Kerry himself. Though not as smooth an orator as Bill Clinton or even Barak Obama, he got the message across. He portrayed himself as the son of a test pilot and diplomat, growing up seeing America and her allies standing strong in Berlin, deciding to serve in wartime, fighting for the disenfranchised as a prosecutor, serving as a Senator, and wishing to serve again as president. He brought home the importance of his military service, not just the three purple hearts as a campaign tactic, but that with his experience, with his understanding of serving in combat rather than in a champagne unit of the National Guard, that:
“As President, I will wage this war with the lessons I learned in war. Before you go to battle, you have to be able to look a parent in the eye and truthfully say: “I tried everything possible to avoid sending your son or daughter into harm’s way. But we had no choice. We had to protect the American people, fundamental American values from a threat that was real and imminent.” So lesson one, this is the only justification for going to war.And on my first day in office, I will send a message to every man and woman in our armed forces: You will never be asked to fight a war without a plan to win the peace.”
Kerry outlined his stark differences from the occupant of the White House, outlined his plans: enact the recommendations of the 9/11 commission and do what Bush has abysmally failed to do, that is, actually fund homeland defense! Take seriously the threats of terrorists instead of simply taking advantage of fear to accomplish a political agenda. Of acting out values instead of just mouthing them, using them as props. Funding education. Protecting Social Security. Strengthening health care. Putting more police on the streets and opening fire stations instead of firing cops and closing firehouses like Bush has been doing. Protecting jobs at home instead of giving tax breaks for companies to ship them overseas. Cleaner air. Cleaner water. Better jobs. Protecting the tax cuts for the middle class while taking away the obscene tax giveaways to the rich. And telling how he’s going to do them–and it’s not news, these plans have been public for a long time on John Kerry’s web site.
Bush has had four years. He’s an abysmal failure. He lied. He stole. He’s been corrupt. He’s made Bill Clinton look like a boy scout. Democrats have always grown the economy far better than Republicans. There are two, perhaps three Supreme Court positions that will open in the next four years, which Bush would use to fill the Court with young, far-right-wing judges that would leave the court stacked for as long as the next half-century if not longer.
We can’t afford four more years of this. We need someone who will be able to govern responsibly. Someone who will bring America back to a place of respect in the world. Someone who can create real economic growth and give Americans jobs that mean something, not burger-flipping minimum-wage jobs–and at such a pathetic minimum wage at that. Who will go to war only when necessary, not just because he wants to. Who will really fight the war on terror, not just use it as an excuse to get his agenda passed.
Someone who, if the Republicans give him even one-tenth of the chance that Democrats have given Bush, will in fact unite us, will in fact bring prosperity, will in fact make us safer, and will in fact execute the duties of the office that will make us proud and capable once more.
Vote for John Kerry.
In light of recent revelations, I think we should take a rather closer look at John Kerry. Kerry has pointed to his 4 months in Vietnam as proof of his leadership and character. Don’t we then have the right, the responsibility, to take a look at his proof? The book “Unfit for Duty” lists a number of incidents worthy of examining to learn about Kerry, excerpts from the book:
“George Bates, an officer in Coastal Division 11, participated in numerous operations with Kerry. In UNFIT FOR COMMAND, Bates recalls a particular patrol with Kerry on the Song Bo De River. He is still “haunted” by the incident:
With Kerry in the lead, the boats approached a small hamlet with three or four grass huts. Pigs and chickens were milling around peacefully. As the boats drew closer, the villagers fled. There were no political symbols or flags in evidence in the tiny village. It was obvious to Bates that existing policies, decency, and good sense required the boats to simply move on.
Instead, Kerry beached his boat directly in the small settlement. Upon his command, the numerous small animals were slaughtered by heavy-caliber machine guns. Acting more like a pirate than a naval officer, Kerry disembarked and ran around with a Zippo lighter, burning up the entire hamlet.
Bates has never forgotten Kerry’s actions. ”
Kerry claims that at the time he did not know these were violations of the Geneva Convention. I think it’s highly unlikely that as a Naval officer he never heard of the Geneva Convention. It’s also worth noting that Kerry confessed to this before Congress during the Winter Soldier investigation and again on Meet the Press in 1971.
Another example of courage: Two of John Kerry’s three Purple Heart decorations resulted from self-inflicted wounds, not suffered under enemy fire. This is documented by the medic that treated his “wounds” as well as others with whom Kerry served.
Even more courageous: Kerry lied about the conditions under which he applied for and received the Silver Star. Kerry’ citation reads: “The extraordinary daring and personal courage of Lt. Kerry in attacking a numerically superior force in the face of intense fire were responsible for the highly successful mission.” Who was that numerically superior force? A lone, wounded, fleeing Viet Cong teenager in a loincloth who may have not even been armed.” Commander Geoge Elliott, who wrote up the initial draft of Kerry’s Silver Star citation, confirms that neither he, nor anyone else in the Silver Star process that he knows, realized before 1996 that Kerry was facing a single, wounded young Viet Cong fleeing in a loincloth. Commander Elliott indicates that a Silver Star recommendation would not have been made by him had he been aware of the actual facts.”
Two of three Purple Hearts awarded for self inflicted wounds. A Silver Star for killing a wounded and possibly unarmed teenager as he fled – an award he had to lie to get. This is what passes for a war hero to the left?
Who says Kerry is a hero to the left? He is another rich kid of privilage who manipulated the system just like Bush.