When Kerry's Words Obscure His Message

Washington Post ^ | 3/26/04 | John F. Harris

[NormsRevenge]

For a national security speech earlier this month, Sen. John F. Kerry's speechwriters produced a draft that included the story of a woman who was suddenly evicted from military housing. Because her husband was killed in Iraq, authorities brusquely told her, she no longer qualified as a military family.

Kerry's prepared speech had the words to crisply convey his outrage. "How can this happen in the United States of America?" the prepared text read. "Who among us could move on short notice when you don't even know where your paycheck will come from?"

But when the Massachusetts Democrat delivered the speech, those crisp words went a bit limp. "Now how can this happen in the United States of America in the way that it happens? . . . Who among us thinks it's right to say so quickly, on short notice, before you even know where your next paycheck's going to come from; before you know, if you haven't been working, what skill you can apply to be able to earn a paycheck; before you've been able to adjust to the loss and begin to be able to get back into life?"

Some Democrats are worried that their presumptive nominee's campaign is suffering from the candidate's inability to put a period in his sentences. They say an arguably trivial trait -- Kerry's penchant to wander off into the rhetorical woods -- has already proved damaging.

[NormsRevenge]

Ramble on, John.

Nobody knows what the hell you're saying anyway.

[Plutarch]

He has bloviated all his life, and he is going to change now?

[goldstategop]

John F. Seinfeld, like women, has a bad habit of resorting to indirect speech. You have to literally wade through his words to grasp what he says and then often its not clear exactly what he means. He leaves people scratching their heads about what it was he said. A President's biggest weapon is the bully pulpit and the Democrats' Seinfeld has problems with delivery! What where the Democrats thinking when they nominated this guy?? And I have yet to see the theme song for his campaign.

[NYCVirago]

His explanation about a vote on funding for Iraq -- "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it" -- was mocked by Vice President Cheney the next day, and was on the air in a commercial for President Bush the day after that.

And this comment was not mentioned on the alphabet networks at all until the Bush administration pointed it out!

[NYCVirago]

Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter noted that his bobbled line about his vote on the $87 billion Iraq funding came at a forum when he was taking questions from an audience -- something the Democrat does frequently and Bush does rarely.

Of course, the article doesn't mention how Kerry berates questions from citizens when they come from Republicans!

[Libertina]

And nobody cares... ;)

[js1138]

Just wait until the dems try to use Clarke's words in an ad...

[Spotsy]

Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter noted that his bobbled line about his vote on the $87 billion Iraq funding came at a forum when he was taking questions from an audience -- something the Democrat does frequently and Bush does rarely.

Ms. Cutter hasn't been paying attention - President Bush has conducted many townhall style events in the past few months where he speaks of the cuff - and Bush does it quite well

I caught a bit of Bush on c-span talking to a group about economics and I was thoroughly impressed with his ability to easily convey complex ideas without sounding condescending.

Kerry simply cannot connect with people the way W does. Of course, it is impossible to connect with people when you are a hollow, soul-less man.

[bayourod]

"a woman who was suddenly evicted from military housing. Because her husband was killed in Iraq,"

I was a military dependent during the Vietnamese war. It was official policy for families to be moved out IMMEDIATELY upon notice of death.

A girl I was dating wasn't at school one day. After school I went to her house to see if she was sick. It was empty. That night my father told me that her father had been shot down. I never saw her again.

That doesn't mean that the families weren't well taken care of. They probably had top priority and officers personally assigned to them with blank checks to provide anything they needed.

The Air Force's unofficial motto was "we take care of our own." Pilots flying combat missions don't need to be distracted by thoughts about how their families will be treated if they go down.

[Lil'freeper]

It's just his version of the Chewbacca Defense. "I don't know what I'm saying! It doesn't make sense! You must vote for me!"

[reformedliberal]

Did you catch Kerry's comment yesterday, as he got on a plane to resume the campaign?

"No more long answers"

I hope he can't change, but his handlers have identified the problem.

[NormsRevenge]

Just wait until the dems try to use Clarke's words in an ad...

---

Didn't have to wait long..

MoveOn Uses Richard Clarke Testimony in New Anti-Bush Ad

[js1138]

Didn't have to wait long..

It'll get nuked. One of the things we enthusiasts forget is that most Americns don't pay attention until the last month.

Bush has been targeting Kerry very selectively, using saturation ads in the places where Kerry goes to speak. the smart way to spend 200 million dollars.

[mombonn]

This is rather novel - the libs don't like the way kerry or President Bush talk. LOL

I know which one connects with real people all over the country!