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Of course we back Bush: Downer (Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer)
News.Com (Australia) ^ | November 1, 2004

Posted on 11/01/2004 3:03:59 AM PST by Stoat

Of course we back Bush: Downer
November 1, 2004

IT WAS inevitable the federal government would show support for its American centre-right counterpart in the lead-up to the US elections, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

But while Prime Minister John Howard had a "very close relationship" with George W. Bush, the coalition would also work effectively with an administration led by Democratic challenger John Kerry, he said.

Mr Howard today came under attack from the opposition and Mr Kerry's camp for his open support of George W. Bush ahead of tomorrow's election.

Mr Howard last week said he hoped Mr Bush was re-elected because he had been a strong leader in the world fight against terrorism.

Labor said Mr Howard should not meddle in another country's politics, while former Clinton adviser Kurt Campbell said it was inappropriate for Mr Howard to publicly wish for Mr Bush's victory.

But Mr Downer tonight said the Howard government had "been very closely entwined" with the Bush administration for four years, and it was inevitable the coalition would support the Republicans.

"We are a centre-right government and so it's not surprising that centre-right governments sympathise with other centre-right governments around the world in a very narrow, sentimental sense," he said.

"But in practice governments operate on the basis of national interest.

"We had a good relationship with the Clinton administration, we have a good relationship with the Blair and Clark governments in Britain and New Zealand.

"If the administration changes in the United States we will work very well with the Kerry administration ..."

Mr Downer said no damage had been done by the comments, and that the Kerry camp had bigger things to think about.

"... It's a wonderful thing that of all the hundreds and hundreds of people who support Senator Kerry, we've found one (who objected)," he said.

"I suspect that Senator Kerry and his team will have many more electorally important things to think about than that right now.

"You can rest assured if Senator Kerry becomes President Kerry in January 2005, we'll have a very good and a very productive relationship with the Kerry administration just as we did with the Clinton administration."

George W. Bush and John Howard were very close, he said.

"I think everybody knows that John Howard and George W Bush have a very close relationship," Mr Downer said.

"We've done the hard yards together, the Howard government and the Bush administration."

AAP



TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: alexanderdowner; australia; bush; electon2004; georgewbush; johnhoward; ouraussiefriends; presidentbush
Mr Downer said no damage had been done by the comments, and that the Kerry camp had bigger things to think about.

"... It's a wonderful thing that of all the hundreds and hundreds of people who support Senator Kerry, we've found one (who objected)," he said.

"I suspect that Senator Kerry and his team will have many more electorally important things to think about than that right now."

 

Such a marvellously genteel way of saying "Kerry can go stuff himself".  I love it!  :-)


1 posted on 11/01/2004 3:04:00 AM PST by Stoat
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To: Stoat

"I suspect that Senator Kerry and his team will have many more electorally important things to think about than that right now."

OWNED. :)

Kerry is such a whiney little beotch. Whining about the Aussies after playing the "everyone supports me but I won't reveal their names" card.


2 posted on 11/01/2004 3:10:16 AM PST by Fenris6 (3 Purple Hearts in 4 months w/o missing a day of work? He's either John Rambo or a Fraud)
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To: Stoat

And this is after Kerry's sister tried to sink Howard's campaign. Howard has real class for not telling Kerry to ki$$ his a$$.


3 posted on 11/01/2004 3:14:59 AM PST by Sertorius (A hayseed with no greek and dam^ proud of it)
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To: Stoat

What did Kerry expect when he called the Howard government part of the coalition of the "bribed and coerced"? A warm, ringing endorsement?


4 posted on 11/01/2004 3:15:58 AM PST by conservative in nyc
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To: conservative in nyc

Indeed!


5 posted on 11/01/2004 3:19:30 AM PST by MEG33 (John Kerry has been AWOL on issues of national security for two decades)
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To: Stoat

"Mr Howard today came under attack from the opposition and Mr Kerry's camp for his open support of George W. Bush ahead of tomorrow's election"

The Democrats have a long history of meddling in foreign campaigns. Carville openly helped Barak win in Israel.


6 posted on 11/01/2004 3:19:45 AM PST by Sertorius (A hayseed with no greek and dam^ proud of it)
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