The Guild 3-8-2004 Kerry 1997:The administration-don't believe that they need the U.N.

[BigWaveBetty]

Kerry 1997:The administration... don't believe that they even need the U.N. Security Council

During a 1997 debate on CNN's "Crossfire," Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry made the case for launching a pre-emptive attack against Iraq, according to Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who appeared with Kerry on the program.

King recounted the debate for WABC Radio's Monica Crowley on Saturday, recalling that at the time, the U.N. Security Council had just adopted a resolution against Iraq that had been watered down at the behest of the French and the Russians.

According to King, Kerry argued: "We know we can't count on the French. We know we can't count on the Russians. We know that Iraq is a danger to the United States and we reserve the right to take pre-emptive action whenever we feel it's in our national interest."

"Crossfire" transcripts from 1997 are no longer available, but King said he'd share a copy of the Kerry tape with Crowley, who said she looked forward to broadcasting it. Stay tuned. Link

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So far this post at a blog is all been able to find on these Kerry remarks:

In my earlier post today I commented about a news story from Newsmax which reported that in an 1997 episode of CNN's Crossfire John Kerry, who by the way served in Vietnam, advocated a pre-emptive strategy in dealing with Saddam. Now my frequent commentor and fellow blogger Jaws has fished the transcript from the bowels of LexisNexis and provided me with it, the relevant parts are as follows:

JOHN SUNUNU:...This whole process gave our allies an opportunity not only not to follow America's leadership, not only not to allow us to lead, but to tell us we'd better not do what the president is now saying he might do.

KERRY: Well, John, there's absolutely no statement that they (France, Russia) have made or that they will make that will prevent the United States of America and this president or any president from acting in what they believe are the best interests of our country.

SUNUNU: But isn't what he has seen is a loss of U.S. leadership and an erosion under an administration that has failed to lead?

KERRY: On the contrary. The administration is leading. The administration is making it clear that they don't believe that they even need the U.N. Security Council to sign off on a material breach because the finding of material breach was made by Mr. Butler. So furthermore, I think the United States has always reserved the right and will reserve the right to act in its best interests.

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Now the words aren't exactly the same as reported in the earlier story but there's no doubt Kerry, in 1997, thought that a resolution from the UNSC was not needed because proof of Saddam being in material breach had been found. Further more he then believed a president doesn't need to worry about the concerns of other countries when the "best interests of our country" are at stake. hmmmm...now between '97 and 2004 what has changed?...hmmmm, it brings his world renown perchant for flip floppage to a whole new level. Link

[BigWaveBetty]

From daisyscarlett's link at 152:

During a hiatus from her third year at Harvard Medical School (news - web sites), she filled a role similar to that of Karenna Gore Schiff, whose campaign appearances in 2000 often showed the lighter side of her stoic father, Al Gore (news - web sites).

Adeptly stumping from California to Iowa to New York, Vanessa Kerry offered anecdotes that contrasted the senator's aloof image. For example, there's the family vacation tale of Kerry performing chest compressions to revive young Vanessa's beloved hamster after its cage fell into the water.

I shudder to think what her area of medicine will be.

Heads Up!! Godless Americans PAC on C-span right now. Oy Vey!

[Endeavor]

Next time you have your SIL to dinner, pour her a glass of vinegar.

[mountaineer]

Assuming she ever sets foot in our house again (Mr. M is voting against it), I'm sure as heck not wasting good Clos du Bois on her like I did last night!

[mountaineer]

Apparently her plastic surgeon hasn't gotten to that area yet.

Your "bless her heart" was implied.

[mountaineer]

Who takes a hamster on vacation? Did Kerry recommend himself for some sort of medal for his heroic life-saving efforts?

[BigWaveBetty]

Probably when the staff refuse to look after the nasty rodent, sniff, sniff.

Speaking of hamsters....

Let's pretend that Kerry is the dad:

Just after dinner one night, my son came up to tell me there was "something wrong" with one of the two hamsters he holds prisoner in his

room. "He's just lying there looking sick," he told me. "I'm serious, Dad. Can you help?"

I put my best hamster-healer statement on my face and followed him into his bedroom. One of the little rodents was indeed lying on his back, looking stressed. I immediately knew what to do. "Honey," I called, "come look at the hamster!"

"Oh my gosh," my wife diagnosed after a minute. "She's having babies."

"What?" my son demanded. "But their names are Bert and Ernie, Mom!" I was equally outraged. "Hey, how can that be? I thought we said we didn't want them to reproduce," I accused my wife.

"Well, what do you want me to do, post a sign in their cage?" she inquired. (I actually think she said this sarcastically!) "No, but you were supposed to get two boys!" I reminded her, (in my most loving, calm, sweet voice, while gritting my teeth together).

"Yeah, Bert and Ernie!" my son agreed.

"Well, it's just a little hard to tell on some guys, you know," she informed me. (Again with the sarcasm, you think?)

By now the rest of the family had gathered to see what was going on. I shrugged, deciding to make the best of it. "Kids, this is going to be a wondrous experience, I announced. "We're about to witness the miracle of birth."

"OH, Gross!", they shrieked.

"Well, isn't THAT just Great!; what are we going to do with a litter of tiny little hamster babies?" my wife wanted to know. (I really do think she was being snotty here, too. don't you?)

We peered at the patient. After much struggling, what looked like a tiny foot would appear briefly, vanishing a scant second later. "We don't appear to be making much progress," I noted.

"Its breech," my wife whispered, horrified.

"Do something, Dad!" my son urged.

"Okay, okay." Squeamishly, I reached in and grabbed the foot when it next appeared, giving it a gingerly tug. It disappeared. I tried several more times with the same results.

"Should I call 911?" my eldest daughter wanted to know. "Maybe they could talk us through the trauma." (You see a pattern here with the females in my house?)

"Let's get Ernie to the vet," I said grimly.

We drove to the vet with my son holding the cage in his lap. Breathe, Ernie, breathe," he urged.

"I don't think hamsters do Lamaze," his mother noted to him. (Women can be so cruel to their own young. I mean what she does to me is one thing, but this boy is of her womb, for God's sake.)

The vet took Ernie back to the examining room and peered at the little animal through a magnifying glass. "What do you think, Doc, a c-section?" I suggested scientifically.

"Oh, very interesting," he murmured. "Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, may I speak to you privately for a moment?"

I gulped, nodding for my son to step outside.

"Is Ernie going to be okay?" my wife asked.

"Oh, perfectly," the vet assured us. "This hamster is not in labor. In fact, that isn't EVER going to happen... Ernie is a boy. You see, Ernie is a young male. And occasionally, as they come into maturity, like most male species, they um....um....masturbate. Just the way he did, lying on his back."

He blushed, glancing at my wife.

"Well, you know what I'm saying, Mr.. Cameron."

We were silent, absorbing this. "So Ernie's just...just...Excited," my wife offered.

"Exactly," the vet replied, relieved that we understood.

More silence.

Then my viscous, cruel wife started to giggle. And giggle. And then even laugh loudly.

"What's so funny?" I demanded, knowing, but not believing that the woman I married would commit the upcoming affront to my flawless manliness.

Tears were now running down her face.

"It's just...that...I'm picturing you pulling on its... its...teeny little...." she gasped for more air to bellow in laughter once more. "That's enough," I warned.

We thanked the Veterinarian and hurriedly bundled the hamsters and our son back into the car. He was glad everything was going to be okay. "I know Ernie's really thankful for what you've done, Dad," he told me.

"Oh, you have NO idea," my wife agreed, collapsing with laughter.

2 - Hamsters - $10...

1 - Cage - $20...

Trip to the Vet - $30...

Memory of your hubby pulling on a hamster's wacker........

Priceless

[mountaineer]

Oh my gosh, that was funny. My brother had several hamsters when we were kids. Thank goodness there were no such "episodes" in our house!

[Timeout]

Knowing you're leaving for France soon, did you read the op-eds in the Wall St. Journal today?

Jean-Marie Colombani, editor of Le Monde, tells us why we should elect Kerry! It's really hillarious, especially if you read "Readers Responses" at the end of the article.

http://opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110004818

(Registration is free.)

[mountaineer]

Wow, those responses are great.

[Iowa Granny]

Great Story!

[Timeout]

Has The Guild discussed Kerry's annulment of his first marriage?

As I recall he was married for 18 years and they had two children. His first wife fought the annulment. I read somewhere that it was common practice in Boston to pay $40-50,000 for the Church to annul such a marriage.

Does anyone have any information about this? Of course, the press haven't "pressed" Kerry on it.

[Iowa Granny]

Good Morning.

I can't help but wonder about the emotional impact on Kerry's children,,, to deny the marriage, in a way, is denying the children.

Somehow I've missed the fact that Kerry is a Catholic.

[pubmom]

Somehow I've missed the fact that Kerry is a Catholic.

So did he.

[pubmom]

Exotic or eccentric? Methinks she's just downright bizarre.

HLL, wonderful news about your sight! Prayer does work.

Mountaineer, sorry about your rude dinner guest. There's nothing like inviting someone into your home and serving an excellent meal, only to have them attack. Since she will not be setting foot in your home again, I suggest when she is in town to take her to a place more in keeping with her level of maturity, CHUCK-E-CHEESE.

[Carolina]

Excellent responses. Here's one:

C'est la Vie
P. Wilson - Syracuse, N.Y.

I'm thrilled to find out why John Kerry is, a priori, perceived with so much sympathy in France and that he personifies the promise of an America that will get back on track--more just, more cohesive, more generous. In brief, less "unilateral." Perhaps you should also know that he speaks French fluently and by the way he served in Vietnam. You must remember Vietnam, as it was part of your colonial empire for years and years. Unfortunately France was unable to practice containment after the fall of Dien Bien Phu and the resulting chaos was delegated to those unjust, less generous, less cohesive and pre-emptive Americans. C'est la vie!

Americans I think do perceive the true extent of the reality that has been created by the war in Iraq. The U.S. asked it allies to provide moral support and whatever aid was comfortable for them. The U.S. did not ask for troops or even material supplies, only moral support. The response from the French government was to threaten to block EU membership to those countries who responded favorably to our request and do everything possible to thwart us. Mainstream media aside, Americans understand only to well the meaning of French obstruction to removing the butcher of Baghdad. C'est la vie!

We also remember the unqualified support this nation gave to France in World Wars I and II. We remember our grandfathers and great uncles coughing and gagging from the gas attacks and our fathers and uncles without legs or arms and worse We remember the billions and billions of dollars coming out of our paychecks to deter a communist walkover of Europe. Oh yes we do remember. C'est la vie!

We do hope that "Old Europe" can still all remain "American" in years to come. Should evil strike you again we also hope you won't get your knickers all in a bunch if we "pre-emptively" refuse to send our family members for permanent residence in Flanders Field or to visit the sands of Normandy beach. C'est la vie!

Liberté, egalité, fraternité and John C. Kerry for President--of France.

Delicious!

[Timeout]

I liked this one:

There's a Reason the French Are So Stupid
Stu Harris - North Bend, Wash.

Mr. Colombani's pathetic scribbles confirm to us that the nation of France went through a terrible intellectual dysgenesis a couple of centuries ago. During their glorious revolution, anyone with an IQ over 100 ended up with his head lopped off. Mr. Colombani's thinking is another sad example of the gene pool that France has been swimming in since...

They lopped off their own gene pool!

[mountaineer]

John F'ing Pepe LePew may be coming to my neck of the woods Tuesday - dare I do a one-person freep? Suggestions?

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. Rocky, my friend in Africa, specifially asked for a 3 pack of Aquafresh toothpaste.

I went to Costco yesterday and get a 4 pack.

It was a cute request. I guess that the guys out there prefer Aquafresh.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

In response to your one woman freep of Kerry......Stay home, it's cold and why bother.

Story....

When I was at my eye doctor on Thursday he asked how I was and I said I was great and busy with the Bush campaign.

Then he said " He lost me, your guy lost me. We shouldn't have gone to Iraq, we should be worried about North Korea".

I said " North Korea didn't blow up the World Trade Center".

Then I went on to explain that we liberated 3 countries, disarmed Libya, Iraq has the only Constitution in the Middle East, and Iraqi's can wake up every day without wondering if today is the day they get thrown into the Human Shredder.

He was also concerned about the oil prices, but I had to explain that Michigan gets it's oil from the refineries and the reason it's high is because they have to completely shut down the refineries to change formulation from our gas to California gas. I also educated him how Saddam funded Al Queda for 911 through African Blood Diamonds. His whole attitude changed. He started seeing things more clearly.

If we speak rationally and with facts to back it up, we can change hearts and minds.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Where will you be when your diarrhea returns?