Kerry's North Korea Non-policy

weeklystandard.com ^ | 09/13/2004 1:05:00 PM | William Kristol

[crushelits]

John Kerry calls the New York Times with complaints, but no plans.

YESTERDAY, John Kerry called the New York Times to blast the Bush administration's North Korea policy. As David Sanger wrote in today's front-page Times http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/13/politics/campaign/13korea.html story, it is "highly unusual for Mr. Kerry to seek out a reporter on Sunday, when he had no public appearances scheduled, to attack Mr. Bush."

Still, the Bush administration's North Korea policy is a subject of legitimate debate, and Kerry is entitled to call a New York Times reporter, even on Sunday, to press his case. But what is stunning is how little of a case Kerry had to press, even though he had chosen the topic and the occasion.

Kerry did charge "that this is one of the most serious failures and challenges to the security of the United States, and it really underscores the way in which George Bush talks the game but doesn't deliver." He continued, according to Sanger: "'They have taken their eye off the real ball,' Mr. Kerry said, his voice almost shaking in anger. 'They took it off in Afghanistan and shifted it to Iraq. They took it off in North Korea and shifted it to Iraq.'" So far, so uneventful. But then Sanger apparently pointed out to Kerry that the Bush administration had, after all, organized negotiations involving North Korea's neighbors to try to deal with North Korea's nuclear program. Mr. Kerry dismissed those: "They haven't made it work, they haven't put anything real on the table.'' So what would Kerry put on the table? What would Kerry's policy be? Kerry might have expected this question when he placed the call. Here is Kerry's (non-) answer:

[CWOJackson]

The new Kerry campaign strategy...make everything a secret so no one can question your ideas...or lack there of.

[HawaiianGecko]

This really is a great article, one that shows the typical John Kerry.... all blow and no show!

[Asclepius]

Kerry reaches out to a sympathetic reporter only to humiliate himself AGAIN? Does the man not have a trusted advisor, a confidante, a consigliare, or even an able handler who can slap the telephone out of his hand? (Step away from the telephone, Senator.)

Has a candidate--a national candidate, vetted by a national party--ever come unglued so quickly or so completely?

Have you ever won a game or an argument or a contest only to discover that your opponent is--despite their bluff and bluster and palaver--weak and small and frightened? I feel like that now. Only this small and weak and helpless little man wants to our president.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Kerry has no idea at all.

[Jim_Curtis]

'Hypothetical questions are not real,'

Then whatever Kerry proposes he would do as President is not real because since he isn't President the proposals are hypothetical.

[N. Theknow]

Mr. Kerry dismissed those: "They haven't made it work, they haven't put anything real on the table.'' So what would Kerry put on the table? What would Kerry's policy be? Kerry might have expected this question when he placed the call. Here is Kerry's (non-) answer:

"Servants put things on tables. Of course I don't have any servants but the family does."

[GailA]

btt

[Jim_Curtis]

Then whatever Kerry proposes he would do as President is not real because since he isn't President the proposals are hypothetical.
---
Actually, he couldn't have a stance or a proposal unless he first asked himself the hypothetical question: "What would I do about x". Therefore he sees all decision making as "not real".

[sgtbono2002]

Kerry doesnt know his head from his azz.Where is Kennedy? Havent seen him for a while , is he embarrassed by Kerry too?

[aimhigh]

Kerry: "Teresa, do we have a policy on North Korea?"

[Wings-n-Wind]

John F'n K... should not open this can of worms.... methinks

Wasn't it a Jimmah Carter enabled Clintonian debacle that led to NK having this nuclear material and/or advanced processing technology in the fitst place...???

I make a motion we officially recognize ONLY the correct spelling of... DIMocrats...

[Condor51]

he (Kerry) declined to be "prescriptive"

Prescriptive:

1. Sanctioned or authorized by long-standing custom or usage.
   
2. Making or giving injunctions, directions, laws, or rules.
   
3. Law. Acquired by or based on uninterrupted possession.
   
4. Linguistics. Based on or establishing norms or rules indicating how a language should or should not be used rather than describing the ways in which a language is used.

So.... Kerry declined to ... TO SPEAK &^&%$ ENGLISH!
Just more Senate gobbledygook. No wonder the tax code is all screwed up, it's written by Senators who don't want to be 'Prescriptive'.