Kerry, Bush not far apart on foreign policy (Liberal spin alert)

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | April 25, 2004 | Robert Collier

[FairOpinion]

On Iraq and many other key foreign policy issues -- such as the Israeli- Palestinian dispute -- what's more notable about the 2004 campaign is how much the two men appear to agree.

"In effect, the Kerry position is just, 'We're going to do a more efficient job of running Iraq than this administration.' "

"Kerry represents a more traditional internationalist who is certainly interested in maintaining U.S. power in the world but is not prepared to use the kind of ruthless military attack that has come to characterize Bush's drive toward empire," Bennis said.

[FairOpinion]

An interesting article. Worth clicking over to the SFChronicle and reading it -- there are quite a few interesting points. (Also, because they were one of the few, who asked us nicely to excerpt, so they can get some clicks, instead of threatening us with Doomsday, if we don't excerpt)

I think the main message I take away from it, is that Kerry is in trouble, people don't like his anti-US, "internationalist", pro-UN stance, so now he is trying to present himself as "Bush-lite". Well, thanks, but no thanks.

[Mr. Mojo]

Kerry's sprint toward the center (on some issues) isn't going to fool anyone.

[hole_n_one]

I think it was Nora O'Donnel on Chris Matthews' weekend yack show that said that Bush has moved left while trying to co-opt Kerry's position on Iraq.

I nearly fell off the sofa from laughing so hard!

[trebb]

Hey, in today's world, an ocean of difference is not that much of a gap - France is only a couple hours away from the United States...

[MizSterious]

I have seen liberal commentators advance this notion on some of the talk shows--usually with a straight face, too. I took the same meaning as you did--they're desperate now, and hope somewhere, someone will buy this ridiculous argument.

[Mike Darancette]

.....now he is trying to present himself as "Bush-lite".

How bad off does Kerry have to be to try and take foreign policy off the table at this early date?

Iraq, Arafat, al-queda and the liberal media have done their best over the last month to to drive down Bush numbers yet Bush numbers are up!!!

[weegee]

Definitely seems to be DNC Talking Points.

[mtnwmn]

I heard that too! Who are they trying to convince....us or them?

[FairOpinion]

They are trying to convince the moderate, middle of the road voters, who may be leaning Dem, but when the chips are down, they realize that Bush is the one who can keep them safe.

Kerry version 5.6 is trying to convince these voters that he would be just as tough on terror as Bush is. I just hope that the voters are smart enough to see through Kerry's latest flop.

[rs79bm]

THe SFChronicle? The most liberal newspaper in CA?

[FairOpinion]

I did say liberal spin -- but as I recall, they at least they were nice about asking us to excerpt it, unlike the rest of the bunch.

[rs79bm]

The chronicle has it's own bias website it's so bad over there.

[FairOpinion]

I have seen articles posted from ChronWatch, but never actually went to their home page and didn't realize they are mostly watching the SF Chronicle.

Thanks for the info.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

If this is true then all the democrats should go ahead and vote for Bush!

[FairOpinion]

"If this is true then all the democrats should go ahead and vote for Bush!"

===

Good point! :)

[Prime Choice]

Kerry, Bush not far apart on foreign policy (Liberal spin alert)

That must be a high-RPM spin. Kerry is nothing but a BOHICA-boy for the U.N.

[tioga]

What a joke this is. Bush-lite? NO way..... More like kerry flop sweat......

[Austin Willard Wright]

Sprint? Kerry voted to get us into this quagmire. Now, he wants to send even more troops. He is fairly consistent. Ain't a dime's worth of difference between the Demopublicans on this issue.

[pacpam]

Bush means what he says - Kerry can't decide what to say when and if he means it - now or later or maybe never, but it sounded good at the time. Get my drift?

[Austin Willard Wright]

A politician who means what he says. Not in this life time. BTW, wasn't Dubya the president who opposed nation building in 2000?