April 07, 2004

OPPOSED, BUT NOT OPPOSING

John Kerry, already celebrated for his heroic stand on military funding in Iraq and Afghanistan -- "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it" -- now stakes out an unequivocal position on steel tariffs:

Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry said Monday the White House should not have scrapped steep tariffs on foreign-made steel last year -- but would not put them back in place if he is elected.

Doesn’t this guy have any advisors? Aren’t people screaming at him, day and night, "Stop being such a silk-spined, no-balled, both-ways slab of prime Boston wimp"? Maybe the habits of a lifetime are impossible to break; read P.J. O’Rourke’s recollection of Iron John’s unwavering authority 18 years ago in the Phillippines.

Posted by Tim Blair at April 7, 2004 03:10 AM
Comments

Hell, if it worked for Howard Dean, why not for J.F.Kerry?

Posted by: Joe Peden at April 7, 2004 at 03:43 AM

I'm an expat yank living in St. Kilda. Last year I voted for Gore. This year I'm voting for Bush.

Don't ever let them say the war protests didn't do anything.

Posted by: AuSkeptic at April 7, 2004 at 03:47 AM

time=year d'oh

Posted by: AuSkeptic at April 7, 2004 at 03:48 AM

The thing is, about 45% of the American electorate actually likes this sort of wishy-washiness. They think it displays sophistication and understanding of how complex the world is.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at April 7, 2004 at 03:56 AM

hey, that's 'cos we be nuanced, like them thar frogs

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 7, 2004 at 04:00 AM

It's just another satire.

http://www.opinion.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2004/04/06/do0602.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2004/04/06/ixopinion.html

Posted by: Sergio at April 7, 2004 at 04:02 AM

Kerry's negatives are rising - he has to pray that Iraq stays completely lit up or he is toast. Last job report was way up, diminishing his efforts to call job outsourcing - which has fueled America's expansion since the industrial age - wrong. Business optimism is at a 20 year high - which will bring investment in capital and jobs. Bush now leads him in the battleground states even before his annointing as the Dem nominee takes place.

Kerry carries the problem of a Washington insider - 18 years of votes leave a record. He is clearly looked at as a two faced spineless wimp. And Bush is blowing that up in his face - it is almost too easy. When is the last time a sitting senator won a presidential election?

Posted by: JEM at April 7, 2004 at 04:04 AM

"Last year I voted for Gore. This year I'm voting for Bush."

"The thing is, about 45% of the American electorate actually likes this sort of wishy-washiness."

With posters like these, who needs enemies.

Posted by: Mayor Daley at April 7, 2004 at 04:05 AM

One forgets that Kerry's grand or great grand uncle on his mother's side, was Gov. General
of the Phillipines, and look how long it took
to pacify that country. Neither Baby Fadlallah
Moquie Sadr or even Saddamm's brave resistance
are not of the caliber of Aguinaldo. We've faced
resistance in the Phillipines since, the Huks
the NPA, the Moro LF, and now Abdul Sayyaf

Posted by: narciso at April 7, 2004 at 04:11 AM

Kerry Caption Contest here> Amd yes, there's a real prize for the winner.

Posted by: Bill at April 7, 2004 at 04:19 AM

When is the last time a sitting senator won a presidential election?

That would be the real JFK, not this poser (more on the Senate Jinx at that site).

Posted by: Roger Bournival at April 7, 2004 at 04:32 AM

News Flash: Kerry Served in Military!

Article in today's "Atlanta Journal Constitution": "Kerry Promises Jobs for Georgia"

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/election/0404nation/06kerry.html

Kerry quote [last paragraph]: "I'm a former prosecutor and a veteran. A lot of people don't know those things about me."

(Wonder where he served?) :)


Posted by: F451 at April 7, 2004 at 04:34 AM

Mayor Daley, I'm not being wishy washy... I'm just young... the point is I voted democrat my first time and now they've probably lost me forever.

Posted by: AuSkeptic at April 7, 2004 at 04:45 AM

"One forgets that Kerry's grand or great grand uncle on his mother's side, was Gov. General
of the Phillipines"

How is this even remotely relevant? We don't even consider Kennedys or Bushes that distant to the current relevant, and they're the closest we have to modern political dynasties.

As for the rest, if you read the article O'Rourke is not criticizing Kerry for failing to single-handedly turn the Phillipines into a healthy democracy. He's criticizing him for failing to display a single iota of personal integrity when it wasn't to his clear political benefit.

Posted by: LabRat at April 7, 2004 at 04:48 AM

Now that the Botox has worn off, J.F.K. can really get flexibe & soon be bein' rad-nuanced rappin wit his bad self. Yeah, He be rappin' soon, against the goon, George Bush, who gonna get his tush in a twist, as J.F.K. deliver his fist, into Georgie's soul, he only find a mole, den nuthin but a hole, empty space, which we always knew the case. [please excuse me -- Kerry is just too funny]

Posted by: Joe Peden at April 7, 2004 at 05:03 AM

"...the point is I voted democrat my first time and now they've probably lost me forever."

AuSkeptic,

The Democratic Party has a way of doing that to people. Myself, I actually voted for Smilin' Jimmah Carter in the first two presidential elections that I voted in (1976 and 1980). Fortunately Ronald Reagan won the presidency the second time Carter ran. And Reagan, over the next four years, basically ensured that I would probably vote Republican the rest of my life. I doubt that I'm unique, there's a whole lot of people the Democratic Party has alienated over the last 30-35 years.

Posted by: David Crawford at April 7, 2004 at 05:47 AM

"News Flash: Kerry Served in Military!"

News Flash: Bush Almost Served in Military

Posted by: Wobblie at April 7, 2004 at 05:52 AM

Wobblie,
So flying an F-102 is "almost" serving in the military? Interesting.

Posted by: David Crawford at April 7, 2004 at 06:07 AM

Wobblie: Geo. W. Bush served in the Texas Air National Guard. He received an honorable discharge. Would you care to display some more ignorance?

Posted by: F451 at April 7, 2004 at 06:22 AM

How right you are David Crawford.

I wonder if wobblie was ever near any boot camp. Oh,I forgot,military means fascism to most lefties.

Posted by: Fly at April 7, 2004 at 07:25 AM

They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning,
No one you see, is smarter than he,
And we know Flipper, lives in a world full of wonder,
Flying there under, over you ’n’ me!

Everyone loves the Dem of the land,
Ever so foul-mouthed, tired, and bland,
Tricks he will do when cameras appear,
And how cats laugh when he’s near!

They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning,
No-one you see, is smarter than he,
And we know Flipper, lives in a world full of wonder,
Flying there—under, over you ’n’ me!

Posted by: ForNow at April 7, 2004 at 07:32 AM

Wobblie:

That line is old news, tromped down dozens of times. Maybe if you crawled out of your nest under the bridge now and then, you might be up to speed with current events.

Posted by: JeffS at April 7, 2004 at 10:05 AM

About Kerry and the steel tarriffs, is he not aware that the tarriffs were removed because the WTO said they violated international agreements we signed?

I mean, he is supposed to be some sort of internationalist, right?

Please tell him that France is part of the WTO, therefore, it is a legitamite organization.

Posted by: bsc at April 8, 2004 at 12:31 AM