Kerry and Intelligence

The Reality Check ^ | 13 March 2004 | Isaiah Z. Sterrett

[Lando Lincoln]

THIS WEEK’S Reason to Support John Kerry is: He’s smarter than you!

According to his vainglorious wife, TEH-RAY-ZAH, his interests are “insatiable,” and according to the equally supercilious Maureen Dowd, he has a “vast palette of cultural preferences,” in addition to “an almost comically vast palette of aggressive masculine sports and hobbies.” (He married all members of the latter group.)

Apparently he has a “phantom Irish side,” and he can even be a little “corny.” He likes “The Deer Hunter”— I’m surprised he didn’t say he was the movie’s inspiration, as Al Gore said of “Love Story”—and he loves “Keats, Yeats, Shelley, and Kipling.”

“When I gave George W. Bush a culture quiz in 2000,” Dowd writes, “he gamely struggled to come up with one answer in each category, calling baseball his favorite ‘cultural experience.’ Mr. Kerry, on the other hand, struggled to stop coming up with a cascade of things in each category, rarely settling on a definite favorite.”

Make no mistake, Dowd says: “Mr. Kerry is not a simple brush-clearing, ESPN-watching fellow.”

Kerry may not be, but unfortunately for his campaign, a lot of people are. He probably doesn’t know any of them—and certainly Dowd doesn’t—but there are many Americans who both clear brush and watch ESPN. In fact, I’d venture to guess that more people watch the various sporting events than have ever read Trinity, Kerry’s favorite novel. (Incidentally, according to its publisher, the book is “…a masterful portrait of a beleaguered people”; had Kerry written it, he would have been writing about America.)

If Kerry was an overbearing nincompoop only when it came to his “vast palette” of cultural interests, it wouldn’t be so bad. But when it comes to the War on Terrorism, I prefer the national anthem to “The Rain in Spain.”

Making what I hope will go down in history as the most telling—and most damning—words of this election, one of Kerry’s advisers said recently, "It's hard to imagine John banging his fist and declaring that countries are `either with us or against us.'”

Perhaps the Bush Doctrine lacks the nuance of an Andrew Lloyd Weber hit (i.e., no singing pussy cats), but it seems to have worked thus far, inasmuch as the number of terrorist attacks against the United States since September 11, 2001 is precisely zero.

Also unfortunate for Kerry is that he has a voting record longer than his face, chock-full of anti-defense positions. As has now been widely reported, he voted for the cancellation of no fewer than 27 weapons systems that our military now uses to fight terror. He voted against the B-1, the cruise missile, the M.X. missile, the Trident submarine, the Patriot antimissile system, the F-14A, the F-14D, and the F-15.

Twenty years ago, Kerry called for an end to President Reagan’s military buildup—the military buildup that won the Cold War—and, rather astoundingly, a $50 billion cut in the Pentagon’s budget. He was also for the nuclear freeze, and, a few years later, he opposed the first Gulf War.

Liberation is evidently not his strongest suit.

Today, when reporters ask him to defend his record, Kerry notes that he was “ill-advised” and “stupid.” He’ll get no argument from me. But the question then becomes how we’re supposed to know he’s gotten any smarter. (He has, after all, consistently voted against intelligence.)

Either you’re for terrorism, or against it. Being against it means you support making the weapons and spending the money to defeat it, and being for it means bloviating about the U.N. and the strategic necessity of France. George W. Bush’s stance is pretty clear. Regardless of whether one agrees with him, it’s no secret where he stands on the issue of terrorism. But with Kerry, who knows? He says he supports the war, but, if he’d had his way all these years, we wouldn’t have anything with which to win it.

[Lando Lincoln]

I'm feeling infuriated today towards the mainstream media....oh, wait.....I guess I am most days.

Lando

[Redcoat LI]

For the last time Jean`,

You are not Irish!!!!

[John Thornton]

If Kerry had had his way, Clinton would not have even been able to lob a few cruise missles to get media attention off his impeachment.

[isthisnickcool]

We heard over and over Bush was stupid. Which was a lie.

Now we hear Kerry is some kind of genius. Which is the latest lie.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

That's Johnny O'Kerry to you...

[cwb]

"Mr. Kerry, on the other hand, struggled to stop coming up with a cascade of things in each category, rarely settling on a definite favorite."

Yeah...in other words, it is he who is indecisive, as he panders to them all. He can't leave anyone's "favorite" out, for that may offend someone. Waffleboy!

[Redcoat LI]

He's only Irish every sixth year.

The rest of the time he's English or Jewish or a Hutu or a Zoroastrian or Asian or Inuit.............................................................................................................depending on what crowd he's trying to sucker into voting for "him".

[Snardius]

He says he supports the war, but, if he’d had his way all these years, we wouldn’t have anything with which to win it.

Kerry is a limp d**k when it comes to protecting that which he supposedly loves, his country. Like Clinton who attacked terrorism with a few cruise missles and Carter who attacked terrorism with a couple of helicopters and a C-130, Kerry would attempt to make friends with the terrorists hoping they will eat him last.

[NonValueAdded]

Favorite movie "The Deer Hunter"? Whoa, add that tidbit to the psych profile. How about a new slogan based on the old AuH₂O ad ... "In your heart you know he's nuts"

[ottersnot]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1095052/posts
Do I dare eat a peach?

[ottersnot]

oh yeah, and as to the Zero comment on number of terror attacks here....it just occurred to me/scares the bejesus out of me, that an election year attack would make W look bad (possibly) and also be in Al Quaedas interest politcally...replace W with the weak on terror Kerry-Heinz.
God forbid, but it is a logical strategy if your interests are destroying western (Judeo/Christian) culture or trying to dictate the playing field.
and plese don't even go there. I am 1,000,000 percent behing the Big Dubyah and his leadership on this topic.

[binger]

[Mr. Mojo]

and according to the equally supercilious Maureen Dowd, he has a “vast palette of cultural preferences,” in addition to “an almost comically vast palette of aggressive masculine sports

[binger]

[sneakers]

Haven't read the article yet. Just wanted to say that "Kerry" and "intelligence" don't belong in the same sentence together! ;-)

[mrtysmm]

Considering that St. Patrick's day is coming...I wonder what kind of showing Johnny O'Kerry is going to make. Will he march with the protesting gays or with the real Irishmen in the parade? He's been an 'on again off again' Irishman for years. Just a thought.

[VOA]

Kerry and Intelligence

Hopefully the voter will realize that "Kerry and Intelligence" is a phrase
that deserves a hearty round of dismissive laughter...

...while "military intelligence" has assumed a place of respect...

[mewzilla]

How's this for intelligence? The Kerry campaign thinks Halliburton makes the Apaches that Kerry wanted to cut.

Click on this FR thread for more.

[Redcoat LI]

"but there are many Americans who both clear brush and watch ESPN"

The only brush he ever clears is when he shaves Therezas' back,and I wouldn't brag about watching mens' figure skating on ESPN,not if you want the NASCAR dad vote.

[Calvin Locke]

"Kerry" and "intelligence"

I'll take "Antonyms" for $1000, Alex...