We all owe a round of applause to the candidates who opposed Bush first

[Khephra]

Before it was popular with the base....

Sharpton
Kucinich
Dean
Braun
Clark


(I won't include Graham as he wanted a more expansive resolution)

For those of us who have suffered through the highs and lows, we can remember the point where everyone was afraid to step up to the bat and take Bush on directly.

The above people are those who stood against the word "traitor" from the likes of Coulter, Hannity and Rush.

And for that they deserve our thanks.

How often do we see ANY Democrat backing down these days? Oh, it happens...but for a time we were cursed with do-nothing reps.

Times have changed...there is blood in the water.

ONE of our candidates will win. Of that I'm sure.

But those who stood up against the RW onslaught should be applauded.

THANK YOU ALL!

:toast:

[frank frankly]

1. i agree with that

it really helped to have these candidates speak out. it kept me from completely losing my mind. well, almost!

[Khephra]

5. Now that we have them all speaking out against Bush

One or two of them could "take one for the team" and really say some things that normally aren't said, as they're leaving.

I've always been happy for this large of a field, because I knew that if we could get them all against Bush instead of saying "I agree with the President", then we'd beat him.

10 candidates....all that anti-Bush air-time. Who wouldn't want that?

[newsguyatl]

2. nice post

but take clark off the list




"President Bush and Tony Blair should be proud of their resolve in the face of so much doubt." - Gen. Wesley Clark


”We're going to war unless Saddam Hussein changes. We're not going to give Saddam a victory on this.” – Gen. Wesley Clark

"I want to clarify — we're moving quickly here," Ms. Jacoby said. "You said you would have voted for the resolution as leverage for a U.N.-based solution."

"Right," General Clark responded. "Exactly."



where's the opposition here?

[RandomUser]

7. I may be mistaken

but didn't Clark defend Moore's Anti-war stance on national tv the very week of the attack, and criticize the Bush campaign in Iraq long before the Dean surge? Are you saying this fact, written by Michael Moore himself, is untrue?

[Khephra]

9. Dunno... I haven't read that

But we celebrating anyone who stood up to Bush. I think your missing the point, since Clark is in the group I'm applauding.

[blm]

27. kef...where were you in 2002

when the the big flame wars here were Kerry and Gore supporters arguing which one of them was hammering Bush the most?

Is 2002 just an inconvenient memory now?

[Khephra]

30. Ok...you have a point with Gore

Remind me on what Kerry said....I'm not a memory god here. ;-)

[blm]

37. Here's Conason, August 2002:

Kerry Shows Courage In Challenging Bush
Thursday, August 8, 2002 By: Joe Conason

New York Observer

>>>>>>
But it was John Kerry who delivered the most interesting, substantive and challenging message. His subject was George W. Bush's shortcomings as a world leader.

The New York Times reported that Mr. Kerry "offered a long attack on Mr. Bush's foreign policy," although the paper gave short shrift to the details in the Senator''s speech. What he began to articulate was a Democratic critique of this administration''s blunt and myopic unilateralism, and a vision that restores international alliances to the center of American diplomacy.

He agrees with the objective of removing Saddam Hussein, but objected to the vague plans for what will replace the Iraqi dictatorship. He called the latest arms treaty with Russia a "cosmetic" one that inadequately safeguards decommissioned weapons. He denounced the "Cold War" approach to North Korea that has undone the progress achieved by the Clinton administration. He expressed scorn for the administration''s disengagement from the Middle East crisis before Sept. 11.


>>>>>

He is, however, no naïïve internationalist who abhors military force. As he has done before, Mr. Kerry wondered aloud why the President didn't muster sufficient firepower in Afghanistan to destroy Al Qaeda''s army when the chance arose at Tora Bora.

>>>>>

Mr. Kerry is staking out a politically perilous position at a time when conventional wisdom declares foreign and military issues to be the exclusive province of the President. As a Senator from Massachusetts--whose last Presidential nominee suffered humiliating defeat by a candidate named Bush--he risks highlighting negative assumptions about his own viability on a national ticket.
 
According to the scientific measurements made by political consultants, Mr. Kerry''s chosen path is marked "dead end." The safer domestic route is crowded with competitors who talk only about corporate responsibility, prescription drugs and Social Security. The boldest among them now criticize the lopsided tax cut that shouldn't have passed last year.


>>>>>>
There is, however, at least one benefit for Mr. Kerry in speaking out on those faraway places and problems. While his rivals sound as if they''re campaigning for the offices they already occupy, he sounds as if he is running for President.

In a sense, Mr. Kerry enjoys an unfair advantage that mitigates the burden of his home state. He''s a decorated Vietnam veteran whose Navy service may help shield him from attacks on his patriotism. Throughout his years in the Senate, that credential has allowed him to investigate and criticize disturbing excesses of American policy abroad, as he did when he probed U.S. aid to the contra gangsters in Nicaragua. (That rather lonely crusade made him a target of the notorious Arkansas Project, funded by Republican billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife to bring down President Clinton.)

Whether Mr. Kerry can engage the electorate in a discussion of America''s global responsibilities is far from certain. His own dispassionate style may hinder him. Yet he deserves great credit for reclaiming international leadership for his party when others cannot or will not.

[newsguyatl]

13. he didn't defend moore's stance

he defended moore's RIGHT to his stance...


BIG difference...

[Bread and Circus]

45. You are grasping....

at straws. Too bad Moore was so moved to
give Clark a big thank you in an open letter.

Newsguy, you take the cake in denial.

[zekeson]

8. Hey I mssed your top secret announcement

what was it? Has it come up yet? I saw you post something last week or so and haven't seen it yet.

[newsguyatl]

11. is it

october yet?

[zekeson]

14. missed when it was gonna be

thanks for the heads up

[Bread and Circus]

46. Your big announcement is that Dean raised...

a billion zillion dollars.

Yeah, that's something we are all kind of counting on.

[diplomats]

16. I think Clark belongs on the list

but that's my opinion.

[newsguyatl]

17. ok, fair enough

but for WHAT opposition???????????????




PLEASE find me opposition from clark during, before, or right after the war... (and not recently where he's just playing political opportunist)



you won't find opposition. you'll find support.


but good luck.

[Khephra]

18. I put him there in my list

so............?

[hippiechick]

3. applause applause

...and to those organizers out there who helped get the grassroots locals up and running before it was even a 'race' ...
nudge, nudge ...

:hi: Little Bro !!

sorry I missed your call last night ... was zzzzzzzzzzz.....

:loveya:


:hippie:

[Khephra]

10. I was called back to duty

Us "Grandparents" are needed.

;-)

:hi:

[CMT]

4. CHEERS!!

They deserve credit for explaining clearly why this president couldn't be trusted with any authority to wage war.

[alcuno]

6. It's called leadership.

Forging ahead and winning people over to your position by speaking the truth.

[Proudtobeprogressive]

12. It certainly is

That is why I am proudly voting for Dennis Kucinich on Feb. 7th at my local caucus in the great state of Washington. I plan on persuading others to do likewise.

What would you "drop out" advocates tell the late great Paul Wellstone if he were part of the field?

I will vote for the soul of the Democratic party in the primary. I can hold my nose and vote for any of the others in the general election(except for Lieberman).

[newyawker99]

22. Hi Proudtobeprogressive!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[DemBones DemBones]

25. Welcome to DU from another Proud Progressive Kucinich Supporter!

:hi:

Dennis is right on all the issues!

[JohnKleeb]

43. I agree with you completely!

welcome

[blm]

51. That describes DK perfectly.

.

[TacticalPeek]

15. Profiles in courage.

Especially when standing against these bushco thugs.

:kick:

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

19. Hell yeah...

This is what attracted me to Dean originally.

[gottaB]

20. "I'll take that as an endorsement"

Show your thanks at the ballot box.

:toast:

[VOX]

21. Good post, kheph.

There are those intrepid souls who went against the grain first, and they took their licks for it.

They should be thanked. Heartily.

:toast:

[CWebster]

23. Well, I heard the others loud and clear but Clark?

here is what Clark had to say:

"But the operation in Iraq will also serve as a launching pad for further diplomatic overtures, pressures and even military actions against others in the region who have supported terrorism and garnered weapons of mass destruction. Don’t look for stability as a Western goal. Governments in Syria and Iran will be put on notice — indeed, may have been already — that they are “next” if they fail to comply with Washington’s concerns.

And there will be more jostling over the substance and timing of new peace initiatives for Israel and the Palestinians. Whatever the brief prewar announcement about the “road map”, this issue is far from settled in Washington, and is unlikely to achieve any real momentum until the threats to Israel’s northern borders are resolved. And that is an added pressure to lean on Bashir Assad and the ayatollahs in Iran.

As for the political leaders themselves, President Bush and Tony Blair should be proud of their resolve in the face of so much doubt. And especially Mr Blair, who skillfully managed tough internal politics, an incredibly powerful and sometimes almost irrationally resolute ally, and concerns within Europe. Their opponents, those who questioned the necessity or wisdom of the operation, are temporarily silent, but probably unconvinced. And more tough questions remain to be answered.

Is this victory? Certainly the soldiers and generals can claim success. And surely, for the Iraqis there is a new-found sense of freedom. But remember, this was all about weapons of mass destruction. They haven’t yet been found. It was to continue the struggle against terror, bring democracy to Iraq, and create change, positive change, in the Middle East. And none of that is begun, much less completed.

Let’s have those parades on the Mall and down Constitution Avenue — but don’t demobilize yet. There’s a lot yet to be done, and not only by the diplomats."


http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0917-14.htm

[Enraged_Ape]

24. Word up, khephra

And I thought for sure I'd be choking on a Lieberman/Biden ticket. My, how things have changed.

[KoKo]

39. Liberman/Biden.....well.....I wouldn't be here now...I'd be in Canada!

or someplace very far....if that was the ticket..Blech!.......LOL's :D

[blm]

26. This is how Dean backed up Gore and Kerry in July 2002

when they were the only ones attacking Bush on his failed military strategy. Of course, this was at a time when Dean was running a centrist campaign.


 MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe the military operation in Afghanistan has been successful?
       
       GOV. DEAN: Yes, I do, and I support the president in that military operation.
       
       MR. RUSSERT: The battle of Tora Bora was successful?
       
       GOV. DEAN: I’ve seen others criticize the president. I think it’s very easy to second-guess the
       commander-in-chief at a time of war. I don’t choose to engage in doing that.

[Khephra]

31. Blm

You really don't want to play this game.

I can find even more embarassing comments from just about any candidate.

I like you as a person, BLM, but why do you have to shit in everyone's pool? This was a nice and happy "praise candidate" thread until you and a few others showed up.

[blm]

35. Because you refuse to give fair credit

when you know that half the DUers here in 2002 were arguing about whether Gore or Kerry was hitting Bush harder. You are "shitting" first when you expressly omit Kerry.

Here's more from July 2002 from Dean.

MR. RUSSERT: You heard Mr. Armey’s objection to the president’s TIPS Program, where cable
       installers, utility workers would observe what’s going on and report anything suspicious to the police.
       Do you support the president?
       
       GOV. DEAN: I tend to support the president, although I have some reservations about this one as well.
       All I’ve seen is what’s been on television, and I have something in me that is bothered by the notion that
       Americans are going to be spying on each other. So if the president is simply asking people to be alert,
       I think that’s fine. If the president really is encouraging Americans to spy on each other, I have a
       problem with that.
       
       MR. RUSSERT: You did say after the 11th that the United States may be prepared to have to sacrifice
       some personal liberties and civil liberties in order to fight the war on terrorism.
       
       GOV. DEAN: We already are. I think when I got on the airplane to come down here, it took me about
       25 minutes longer than it would have a year ago. And those are the kinds of liberties that we are going
       to be sacrificing and there may be some other ones.
       

[Khephra]

36. I wasn't "refusing" to give him credit

As I said, I'm not a memory god.

Give me some examples of Kerry bashing Bush and I'll add him to my congrats list. I'm fair.

[blm]

40. Sorry, I really expected you to remember

since they went on for months and were pretty hot, and half of them involved Will Pitt. heh.

I sent you the full Conason article. Joe Klein's New Yorker piece from Dec. covers alot of Kerry's pounding on Bush last year, but, it's not available on google.

[KoKo]

41. blm, If I'd heard Kerry ever Bash Bush like Dean did....I'd be in his Camp

right now......and like a bulldog...I wouldn't let go....I never heard it...sorry :-( and I understand how you feel about him.

[blm]

47. Whenever Kerry or Gore attacked Bush the media

would downplay it, usually mock them, and talk about the wildly popular president. The media wouldn't give their critiques the airtime.

Why? Because they were substantive critiques that, if explored further by the media, would have devastated the trust the American people had in Bush who they were conspicuously still propping up back then.

Why did Dean get the media attention that Kucinich deserved for being the real antiwar candidate who actually SPOKE at the protests to millions of people? Yet Dean got almost all the credit and the attention for taking halfsteps while Kucinich was taking full strides and got ZERO attention.

[2cannan]

28. How about adding Al Gore

for leading the charge?

[Sophree]

29. I know he's not a candidate either

But can we also thank Senator Byrd for opposing the cabal when it was most risky to do so?

[KoKo]

32. (((MAJOR HAND CLAP)))......(((APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE)))!!!! You all Did IT!

when our "spineless, weaseley Dems .....not Byrd and others...but they know who they are....left us "twisting in the wind....then yYOU ALL CAME ALONG! THANK YOU!

Yes....too many full caps...tired......weary.....tired...

[sistersofmercy]

33. Definite Kick.

[KoKo]

34. AND......(((APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE)))) ((THANK YOU, THANK YOU)) KEPHRA!.

Tiger Lilly, Lynn Sinn...and Hedda...and so many others who monitored the C-Span hearings..and kept us all going.......when we thought we were dead! Who gave us the will to continue.......

But, Keph started the threads......and so it was his inspiration......and we wore him down sometimes..but he kept coming back. Those days were the best of what DU can be.....when we folks "hang together.....and FIGHT!"

"Hanging together."......awhile back that was....but it was good...I'll always remember it...

[Feanorcurufinwe]

38. What a ridiculous post.

[KoKo]

42. To you maybe...but every once in awhile the "good shines" on DU!

n/t

[Khephra]

44. I'll add Kerry to the list...

Kerry Shows Courage In Challenging Bush
Thursday, August 8, 2002 By: Joe Conason

New York Observer

New York -- The most rousing speech at the Democratic Leadership Council's New York conference--according to both journalistic consensus and the applause meter--was given by Hillary Clinton, who definitely isn't running for President. Her poise and passion on the stump have grown exponentially since her Senate campaign, and she blew the doors off the Hilton ballroom.

But it was John Kerry who delivered the most interesting, substantive and challenging message. His subject was George W. Bush's shortcomings as a world leader.

The New York Times reported that Mr. Kerry "offered a long attack on Mr. Bush's foreign policy," although the paper gave short shrift to the details in the Senator''s speech. What he began to articulate was a Democratic critique of this administration''s blunt and myopic unilateralism, and a vision that restores international alliances to the center of American diplomacy.

He agrees with the objective of removing Saddam Hussein, but objected to the vague plans for what will replace the Iraqi dictatorship. He called the latest arms treaty with Russia a "cosmetic" one that inadequately safeguards decommissioned weapons. He denounced the "Cold War" approach to North Korea that has undone the progress achieved by the Clinton administration. He expressed scorn for the administration''s disengagement from the Middle East crisis before Sept. 11.

MORE....

(well, I don't have the address...BLM?)

[blm]

48. Not coming up on google...but,

thankyou...now you may understand better why it is so frustrating for those of us who support Kerry to see so many who refuse to give Kerry credit that he deserves in SPADES.

He and Gore really did break down that door throughout 2002 when most everyone else was playing it safe. And DAMN FEW supported the two of them or gave them backup on their charges against Bush.

[Khephra]

49. I understand

Beleve me, I'd love to praise Kerry. Kerry was my #1 pick until the resolutiion vote.

I only hold one abosolte negative opinon on a candidate...and that's Lieberman.

If it will make you happier, I'll admit to being wrong on Kerry. Bookmark this statement if you need too.

[blm]

50. It shouldn't be a matter of what makes me happy, kef.

It is shameful here at DU that the truth is not cherished enough on its own, and SBNA have set themselves up to destroy Kerry's candidacy over false perceptions and that they are not interested in applying critical thought to their assumptions and false charges.

Thanks for your retraction. It's a healthy start. ;).