Mark Steyn: Kerry won't scare any of the big beasts

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 02/10/04 | Mark Steyn

[blanknoone]

This is the first time I have ever thought I could improve on a single word of Mark Steyn:

Steyn Version:John Kerry was heroic in a war that America lost and whose loss he celebrated.

Me: John Kerry was a junior leader and a hero in the war, but he was also a 'hero' and major leader to the protest movement that ultimately caused America to lose.

[Paul_B]

Thanks, Pokey. Super job, Mark.

The problem we have is that Kerry's stressing of his war medals makes for good soundbites. It's hard to combat soundbites, except by reasoned analysis, as Mark did here. In dumbed-down America, though, how many actually read political pieces?

I hope the Bush team figures out a way to deal with this.

[motzman]

What counts is not the fine print but the meta-narrative: Kerry was in South-East Asia, Bush was in the South-West United States. That makes Kerry seem "larger", which may be why the Bushies are waddling away from a fight on the issue.

Steyn's great, but Bush is better. When your holding a Royal Flush, you make your opponent think your holding a pair of Ace's and Eights to get them go all in.

Kerry's going to look really bad when they're done with him.

[gov_bean_ counter]

My take on John Kerry...

Kerry's enlistment in the Navy was a political move. He hoped to emulate his idol JFK and return a war hero. In Kerry's mind the best way to get the exposure at minimal risk was the Navy. He hoped to lob shells at the enemy from a distance. Unfortunately for Kerry about the time Kerry signed up the Navy came out with the "swift boat". Kerry wasn't counting on that. It put him far closer to the action than he ever counted on. After moving up the ranks he was named officer in command of PFC 66. He was at that position approximately 6 months. His injuries allowed him to leave 6 months earlier than the majority of commanders. When he returned to the US he found he was not the hero th thought he would be. He wet his finger, put it in the air and became a protester. The rest is history. He can mouth on all he wants about honor and duty. Bull, he enlisted for the wrong reasons and has been wrong ever since.

BTW, swiftboats.net has a very detailed accounting of swiftboat activity. Shows Kerry as commander of PCF 66. Unlike, most of the other boats no crew was identified as being under him. There are stories of firefights and even a man tossed overboard. Kerry isn't a part of those stories. Interesting that during Kerry's stint many boats were transferred from An Thoi to other staging areas. Kerry's wasn't. I don't think we have been told the truth about Kerry's time in Vietnam. He should fess up, less he continue to dishonor the service of others who sacrificed much more than he.

[Gunslingr3]

Well, the bottom line is that Kerry commanded a Swift boat and Bush commanded a nation at war. It's not quite the same thing.

It's certainly not quite the same thing. In one instance you can get the blood on you. Your mistakes are more immediate, the responsibility for those mistakes is very much your reality.

[alwaysconservative]

I might argue with the "overthrown two enemy regimes" statement however. Perhaps it's a few more - Libya, maybe Iran, Syria and perhaps even Pakistan?

Exactly so! We cannot forget why Libya gave up. Or Bush's role in Liberia. And, last but not least, President Bush made Arafat irrelevant.

[mc5cents]

Mark Steyn RULES!

[Malesherbes]

I subscribe to National Review and for a long time my first act would always be to turn to the "the back of the book," the last page, where Florence King's column appeared. Florence King is gone, and now to my delight Mark Steyn has replaced her. So I still go to the back of the book.

[malia]

Kerry is going to need help. Kerry needs help in relating to the people. Kerry needs one to carry his message in places he can't be. Kerry also needs help in his attire - it hurts rather than helps for Kerry to wear the type of jacket that President Bush wears so well! I have the perfect solution to his problem and this person brings along a dress co-ordinator to boot!

I highly suggest to Mr Kerry he belly up to the very wise and enthusiastic Mr. Gore. Oh, excuse me, for those not informed - that's Albert Gore of course!!!

[mylife]

LOL

[Renfield]

There are times when I tire desparately of living in the Corrupted Age...I feel as if our society will never recover from its slide, and no more moral advancement will be made, or even attempted.

And then I read another Steyn column.

In centuries to come, Steyn will be seen as one of the great lights of our age.

[mylife]

"When your holding a Royal Flush, you make your opponent think your holding a pair of Ace's and Eights to get them go all in.

Kerry's going to look really bad when they're done with him."


Thats my feeling as well

[HP8753]

IMHO,Kerry constantly mentions his Vietnam experience hoping it will overshadow his more than 30 years of Liberal Pantywaist behavior since.

[mc5cents]

IMHO,Kerry constantly mentions his Vietnam experience hoping it will overshadow his more than 30 years of Liberal Pantywaist behavior since.

HP you are on the money! It is all a facade. Can't wait for the real bullets to start flying in the general election. Should be a good one.

[ontos-on]

That's as profound a mis-understanding as the fellow on page 70 of my book, raising his butt to the mountain lion. And that's not a position most Americans will want to take.

LOL. How does he do it?... and so often!

[Ragirl]

Senator Kerry has done a good job of enlarging himself but the reality is simple: George W Bush's America has won two swift wars and overthrown two enemy regimes; John Kerry was heroic in a war that America lost and whose loss he celebrated. Since then he's been a model lack-of-conviction politician. The question for anyone who thinks Kerry has "credibility" on national security is a simple one: who do you think Iran, North Korea, Syria, al-Qa'eda's Saudi paymasters and the rogue elements in Pakistan's ISI would prefer to see elected this November?

GREAT ARTICLE!!!

[Redcoat LI]

There should be a prize for anyone who posts a Mark Steyn article.

[FairOpinion]

"Well, the bottom line is that Kerry commanded a Swift boat and Bush commanded a nation at war. It's not quite the same thing."

===

Well put.

[mseltzer]

Why should someone rub a raw potato on poison ivy?

[Britton J Wingfield]

Read this! :)