Posted on 01/10/2005 2:34:31 AM PST by kattracks
Does it ever seem like John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign just keeps going and going? The latest offering of campaign-like news coverage comes from the San Francisco Chronicle which published a Jan. 6 article about Kerry's visit to Iraq that reads as if it was written by his old campaign staff.
The focus of the story's headline - that Kerry was "cheered in Baghdad" - contains an assertion that is supported no where in the entire article. The dispatch also claims Kerry was "greeted warmly by soldiers in Baghdad," but contains nothing to support that assertion either. Did soldiers line up to vigorously shake his hand? Slap him on the back? Thank him for everything he had done regarding Iraq? Stand and applaud? Offer him their seat?
The article didn't say either way, but did note that during an apparently private moment at a local eatery, "U.S. soldiers approached Kerry inside the restaurant of the Rashid Hotel, asking him to pose for photographs and sign T-shirts."
While this is certainly a nice gesture, this chance meeting with a couple of soldiers falls far short of cheering and barely brushes up against the unqualified warm greeting reported in the article. I'll also make book that at least one of those photographs finds its way onto some GI's dartboard.
Then there's the 'why' surrounding Kerry's trip to Iraq. Stated almost immediately in the article's lead was the purpose of Kerry's visit, which was ostensibly to see for himself, "whether the country was moving toward stability or deeper into chaos."
Based on the itinerary described in the article, Kerry had apparently arrived at the conclusion of chaos, given that he was scheduled to visit Fallujah and Mosul, two cities marked by considerable violence. There is nothing to indicate Kerry's interest in visiting any of the hundreds of other Iraqi cities, towns and villages where peace is breaking out at an alarming rate.
Also reported in the San Francisco Chronicle article was a planned meeting between Kerry and interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, whom Kerry trashed in a September news conference after Allawi made an historic appearance before a joint session of Congress and had the audacity to say that most of Iraq was under control and recovering from the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Not surprisingly, there was no mention in the Chronicle article of Kerry's campaign attack on Allawi.
Kerry has apparently remained true to his campaign rhetoric in the months since his defeat. The Jan. 6 report in the Chronicle quoted Kerry lamenting the "enormous miscalculations and wrong judgments," in Iraq.
Almost four months earlier, while the senator was bashing the credibility of our biggest ally in Iraq, the New York Times quoted Kerry on Sept. 23 as saying, "These are miscalculations of judgment. And that's what we hire a president for, is to exercise the right judgment. I think this president has exercised the wrong judgment."
Clearly no one can accuse the Gentleman from Massachusetts of flip-flopping on this one; he's been consistent in attacking the miscalculations and wrong judgments of his political opponents.
Further inoculating Kerry from future charges of flip-flopping was the inevitable mention of his 100 days in Vietnam. In describing Kerry's visit with some soldiers, the best thing Communications Director David Wade could apparently come up with that was quote-worthy in the Chronicle story was, "They all joked about how living conditions had changed since Sen. Kerry was in Vietnam."
Did you know John Kerry served in Vietnam?
Perhaps the most distasteful aspect of the Chronicle story involves what it omits. The report took note of the senator being, "more interested in asking questions of soldiers," and others on the ground in Iraq. Missing from the San Francisco Chronicle article by Borzou Daragahi were the actual comments of the soldiers with whom Kerry met. Those remarks, however, were covered elsewhere.
According to a report by Agence-France Press, "Kerry also asked soldiers what he should tell Congress about the war in Iraq and was told that 'the good work that they are doing is not getting reported in the United States.'"
No kidding. We await reading in the Congressional Record Senator Kerry's comments about how "the good work that they are doing is not getting reported in the United States." Now that's something our troops in Iraq would cheer about.
Scott Hogenson is executive editor of Cybercast News Service.
It's the gift that keeps on giving! LOL
Revisionist history starts before it even becomes history by the writings of our tainted media.
Not surprisingly, there was no mention in the Chronicle article of Kerry's campaign attack on Allawi.]
Article does not add as well; whether Kerry did meet with him. . .I cannot remember that being reported; but perhaps it was just that. . .a 'plan' - so to speak. . .
They also did not mention that Kerry met with National Guard troops from Massachusettes. The same National Guard that Kerry trashed as being nothing less than a cowardly dodge organization in order to trash Bush's fighter pilot service.
Why is the MSM still covering him? He's nothing more than a senator that never showed up for his job.
Damn.
Who paid for this trip?
bump
Senator Kerry investigating the morale of our troops in Iraq is like Typhoid Mary caring for the sick in hospitals.
You mean serving in the desert like conditions in Iraq differ from the jungle conditions in Viet Nam. What a profound observation.
Are there any pictures of Kerry and the Troops? I saw two last week - no one looked especially happy to see the Senator..........
...you did!
I'm sure we can find details on his website. ;o)
He also met with that young King of Jordan on this trip. What on earth could he possibly have talked about with him?Uh,how about 'nothing of any value'?
Does it ever seem like John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign just keeps going and going?
I like it!
It’s like rewatching a scary movie. You can enjoy all the gore and mayhem, secure in the knowledge that the bad guy gets his comeuppance in the end.
SIGN FORM 180!
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