Posted on 09/07/2004 2:54:50 AM PDT by Happygal
TONY BLAIR’S staunch alliance with George W. Bush is sending ripples of resentment across the Atlantic from US Democrats, as well as causing waves of anguish within the Labour Party.
The close links that existed between Labour and the Democrats in previous American presidential elections have been all but severed, with Downing Street and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office insisting that ministers keep their distance from John Kerry’s campaign.
The Prime Minister’s advisers have always believed that Mr Bush is likely to be re-elected in November and are wary of sanctioning anything that would disturb their special relationship with Washington.
Mr Kerry’s team is understood to have been irritated by Mr Blair’s appearance, alongside the Republican President, at a White House press conference last Easter, which was regarded as a launchpad for Mr Bush’s re-election campaign.
The Democratic presidential candidate was content to avoid meeting Mr Blair during that visit, partly because Mr Kerry is keen to focus on domestic issues such as jobs and the economy instead of the War on Terror, which is the foundation of Mr Bush’s platform.
But one source close to Mr Kerry’s campaign said: “We did not understand why Blair was so willing to let Bush wrap himself up in Britain’s undoubted popularity among American voters — he did not need to go so far.”
Mr Kerry’s sister, Diana, declined to comment on the incident when she visited London last week, telling The Times: “I’m not going to talk about that — my thoughts will remain private.”
Ms Kerry heads Americans Overseas for Kerry, an organisation which is seeking to mobilise millions of expatriate votes for her brother. She said that there were about 250,000 Americans living in Britain — more than enough to have swung the last presidential contest against Mr Bush in key states such as Florida.
“All Americans are concerned about our reputation around the world,” Ms Kerry said, “but those living overseas have had a first-hand opportunity to hear and see the reaction to the current administration, which has squandered the goodwill towards us after September 11 (2001).
“It would be inappropriate for John Kerry to meet with foreign leaders until he is elected. But, once he is President, I’m sure he will want to repair alliances across the world. We need to work with a coalition of international support if we are to combat terrorism.”
Mr Blair is facing criticism within the Labour Party over his failure to appear even-handed with the candidates. Peter Hain, the Leader of the Commons, recently went to America, where he was reported to have privately told Democrats that Mr Blair was desperate for a Kerry victory. Whitehall sources have said that such comments would have been unauthorised.
The Government is understood to be satisfied that Mr Kerry’s attacks on Mr Bush over the Iraq war have not been extended to include Mr Blair. “Kerry is saying Bush should have built a wider international coalition — that was exactly what we were trying to do,” a Labour adviser said.
But the close relationship between Mr Kerry’s camp and Gordon Brown’s continues to unsettle Blairites. The two men have met several times and Mr Brown is a longstanding friend of Bob Shrum, Mr Kerry’s senior adviser.
Prior to PM Blair I would have said moral clarity in a leftist was a contradiction in terms. I'm sure I would disagree with many of his positions if I lived in Britian. I think the common denominator is a strong faith in God, Blair is a devout Anglican, unlike most of the athiest leaders in Europe. Just goes to show you that is what is required to have a moral compass.
Well, la dee da...
Riiiight. Except for those "foreign leaders" that secretly want Kerry to win. Guess Blair isn't in that camp.
NFP
If recent poll numbers are correct, Blair is correct and the rest of the labour gang had better get used to it. It might help them to learn a little something about Americans and what life is like here before thinking John Kerry ever had a chance.
If this were true (good will), then why the dogmatic opposition to the Iraq intervention on behalf of the spineless, resolution issuing UN by our supposed allies, Frogland and Hunland?
A truly devout liberal...wow...
Blair is Britain's answer to Ed Koch or Ron Silver-a Liberal with integrity.
"Blair's people said he was quite the suckup, as you say," says a British foreign affairs reporter in London.
"We all understood that this man wasn't serious about anything, it was all for his domestic aims. None of us really knew who Edwards was."
I think the only thing Blair hates more than the Conservatives are the British news media, and the British news media LOVE Kerry. "The friend of my enemy is my enemy."
But it is okay for Mr. Kerry to meet with our Nation's enemies (NVA and Viet Cong delegations in Paris) as long as we are at war and our soldiers are dying on the battlefield.
I wonder if F'ing Kerry has met with Islamic terrorists lately? Just a thought.
I'm beginning to wonder if ANY liberal/democommie is capable of saying ANYTHING that doesn't come from a DNC "talking point" list. I mean, how many times and for how many years am I going to have to hear or read, "squandered the goodwill"?
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