Snatching victory from defeat- when Kerry tied AK-47's to Osama

[NewYorkerfromMass]

A question that could have lost him points, Kerry reached deep and hit a homer-
first noting how hard and dangerous it makes the jobs of cops, and then tying easy access to these guns to a bin Laden approved terrorism strategy, and finally noting that just because congress won't work for it doesn't mean you sit back and blow it off.
and he mentioned how it was a hard fought victory for BILL CLINTON!!!

Much more than a homer, this was a bona-fide grand slam.

Just ONE example of the brilliant substance Kerry brought last night.

[DarthDem]

1. ITA

This was one of the best moments of the debate. Perhaps using combat terminology isn't the wisest metaphor concerning this issue, but frankly, I thought Kerry completely and totally blew * away with this answer. It was measured, thoughtful, forceful, and * had no response whatsoever. Absolutely brilliant. The kind of thing that wins votes.

[tedoll78]

2. I was at a debate gathering last night..

and you could almost literally feel the air rush out of the room with that answer. The fact that bin Laden's training manual mentions this was not well-known with the folks I was watching with, and you could read the looks of shock/horror on their faces when Kerry mentioned this.

It was, in a word, brilliant.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. "This guy will make us safer"

that was my exact thought. Kerry knows how to do that part of the job.
He homed right in on Bush's supposed advantage.
It was brilliant.

[DinahMoeHum]

4. Remember, too, OKC bomber Tim McVeigh also attended gun shows.

and Lord knows how many other "home-grown terrorists" do as well. It's just a razor thin line from "state militiaman" to "terrorist" for these folks.


:nuke:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. Kick

because Kerry was so subtly brilliant.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. kick

This is a great counter to the "Kerry won't keep us safe" meme.

[ellie]

7. Yes, that

was great! I also liked how he said he was a hunter, exploding the minds of right wing NRA types everywhere.

[Minimus]

8. Thanks for reminding me of yet another great moment

from the debate. There were so many!

[democrat_patriot]

9. You forgot: "While I was HUNTING I spoke with a sheriff...

that was great!!"

*= scrub/chainsaw

Kerry=gun totin' hunter man.


Doesn't sway me, but good for freeptards.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. Y'a see? Kerry was packin'

packing SUBSTANCE!!!!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. kick (there's more to life than Mary Cheney)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

12. 'CHENEY' Mary Cheney!!! eom

[meow2u3]

13. He hit that one over--and I mean OVER--the Green Monster!

A stroke of genius! :wow:

[CityHall]

14. And we get to watch * waffle

The debate gave a clear view of who's the waffler and who changes positions to fit the audience. Bush refused to take a stand either way on the assault weapons ban, just like on abortion and the minimum wage. Remember this next time a Republican says Kerry is trying to be all things to all people.

[shawmut]

15. agreed

I was thrilled with how he answered that question. He could not have done a better job.


:kick:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. Text of full answer

KERRY: I believe it was a failure of presidential leadership not to reauthorize the assault weapons ban.

I am a hunter. I'm a gun owner. I've been a hunter since I was a kid, 12, 13 years old. And I respect the Second Amendment and I will not tamper with the Second Amendment.

But I'll tell you this. I'm also a former law enforcement officer. I ran one of the largest district attorney's offices in America, one of the ten largest. I put people behind bars for the rest of their life. I've broken up organized crime. I know something about prosecuting.

And most of the law enforcement agencies in America wanted that assault weapons ban. They don't want to go into a drug bust and be facing an AK-47.

I was hunting in Iowa last year with a sheriff from one of the counties there, and he pointed to a house in back of us, and said, "See the house over? We just did a drug bust a week earlier, and the guy we arrested had an AK-47 lying on the bed right beside him. "

Because of the president's decision today, law enforcement officers will walk into a place that will be more dangerous. Terrorists can now come into America and go to a gun show and, without even a background check, buy an assault weapon today.

And that's what Osama bin Laden's handbook said, because we captured it in Afghanistan. It encouraged them to do it.

So I believe America's less safe.

If Tom DeLay or someone in the House said to me, "Sorry, we don't have the votes," I'd have said, "Then we're going to have a fight. "

And I'd have taken it out to the country and I'd have had every law enforcement officer in the country visit those congressmen. We'd have won what Bill Clinton won.

http://www.debates.org/pages/trans2004d.html