Posted on 07/29/2004 8:35:15 AM PDT by churchillbuff
Here's from Andrew Sullivan's blog this morning (in which he calls himself a "pro-war neocon" - go figure):
Edwards gave an immensely tough, hawkish pro-war speech. They really are pulling a Kennedy in 1960. One passage stood out, resplendent:
""We will lead strong alliances. We will safeguard and secure our weapons of mass destruction. We will strengthen our homeland security, protect our ports, protect our chemical plants, and support our firefighters, police officers, EMTs. We will always... We will always use our military might to keep the American people safe. And we, John and I, we will have one clear unmistakable message for Al Qaida and these terrorists: You cannot run. You cannot hide. We will destroy you.""
(By way of comparison, here's what yours truly, a pro-war neocon, proposed Kerry should say last Sunday night: To the murderers of al Qaeda, let me say this. Do not even begin to interpret a Democratic victory as some sign that we will acquiesce to your murderous intent and nihilist politics. In the war against Jihadism, there is no Democrat or Republican. There is simply American. We will unite to defeat you and to secure our country.)
But there was more. Edwards committed his party to victory in Iraq:
""With a new president who strengthens and leads our alliances, we can get NATO to help secure Iraq. We can ensure that Iraq's neighbors, like Syria and Iran, don't stand in the way of a democratic Iraq. We can help Iraq's economy by getting other countries to forgive their enormous debt and participate in the reconstruction. We can do this for the Iraqi people. We can do it for our own soldiers. And we will get this done right. A new president will bring the world to our side, and with it a stable Iraq, a real chance for freedom and peace in the Middle East, including a safe and secure Israel. Howard Dean may spin that as a way to bring troops home. But Edwards also pledged more troops and more defense spending as a whole. I fail to see how Joe Lieberman could quibble with much that was in Edwards' address.""
You bet. I'm still waiting for my 1993 middle-class tax cut the slickster promised me.
After reading this thread, and digesting the morning TV news, the thought struck me (perhaps it's not original...):
Have France and Germany been opposing NATO's involvement in the Iraq war as an overt political maneuver against George Bush?
Obviously, Kerry cannot come right out and say "Jacque talked to me the other day and said that France would support NATO involvement if you win." But the repeated statements by Kerry/Edwards for NATO involvement certainly imply that they have some knowledge about the French attitude that might change.
Kerry should be asked directly in the debates: "Why do you think France and Germany will change their attitude on NATO involvement in Iraq?"
the "Christopher Hitchens Web" (http://users.rcn.com/peterk.enteract/) does an ok job of keeping track of hitchens and there doesn't seem to be anything new since July 11 (as of July 28)
Did Edwards also take off his shoe and pound the podium with it? LOL
Kennedy had a record that let him criticize the GOP on defense. Kerry and Edwards pretending to be tough is a joke and an obvious fake.
"But Edwards also pledged more troops and more defense spending as a whole."
Voted against body armor, voted against the Abrams tank, voted against the F-15, etc etc etc.
we've already won the war in iraq.
Has Kerry been conducting secret negotiations with foreign governments against the interests of the American people?
Not exactly high on Sullivan, just happy that he also criticised Clinton. He seems to be a stopped watch.
Please stop posting stuff from his blog. He is an anti-Bush gay activist pretending to be a conservative. More you post things from him, more money he will make off of advertising, etc.
That's great that Edwards said that and all, but I simply don't believe that there will be any follow-through.
Ding ding ding! We have a winnuh!
Talk is cheap.
Their partisan rhetoric from the get-go shows the hollowness of their current words. When the going got tough, the Johns trimmed their sails, but Bush stood firm and resolute even when journalists were begging for him to admit a mistake.
bottom line: Edwards' grin belied the truth. They are unserious.
churchillbuff, you an Andy sullivan fan now?
If you are not his fan, you have a funny way of not showing it.
"They really are pulling a Kennedy in 1960."
Kennedy in 1960 invented a problem that wasnt there (the 'missile gap') based on phony intelligence, and used it for political purposes.
The equivalent to that has been happening, what with Half-bright's lies about Bush 'letting North Korea build nukes' ... ahem, they were doing it since 1994, what did you do about it Maddie?
This attempt to move to Bush's right on the war on terror is simply laughable ... it does nail down a few ignorant folks who lap up everything the Dems tell us, so it may 'work' electorally.
But as a guide to actual Presidential behavior? All it says is we have wind-blow air-dried pols running for office.
No
Aye! that is the $64,000 (or more!) question!!!
And when did he collude with Chirac and/or Schroder? And what did he, or will he, gain from it?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Masochism can be cured,get help.
I didn't say the criticisms were warranted. That's a whole different discussion. But at least with Kennedy, he could claim to want a strong defense and be credible. The guys who betrayed their country and voted against every single pro-defense bill ever put before them have no way to claim that they will be tougher on terrorists than Bush.
Yes, John Kennedy was a genuine hawk on defense.
Such animals ceased to exist in the Democrat Party when
the McGovern/Carter/Tedkennedy liberals took over; Kerry was in that crowd, touting the UN in 1971 and being anti-vietnam war.
Then the Democrat's last hawk Scoop Jackson retired and his neocon underlings (like Richard Perle) migrated to the Republican side.
The Democrats behavior since 9/11 only proves they are still the weak-on-defense mcgovernite party.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.