John Kerry on CNN’s “American Morning” (VIDEO & TRANSCRIPT)

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry on CNN’s “American Morning” (VIDEO & TRANSCRIPT)
December 6th, 2006 @ 10:54 am

John Kerry is on another media blitz today, discussing the release of the Iraq Study Group report on Iraq. Today the bi-partisan Study Group panel said, that the “conditions in Iraq are “grave and deteriorating,” with the prospect that a “slide toward chaos” could topple the U.S.-backed government and trigger a regional war unless the United States changes course and seeks a broader diplomatic and political solution involving all of Iraq’s neighbors.”

In what amounts to the most extensive independent assessment of the nearly four-year-old conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 2,800 Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis, the Iraq Study Group bluntly warns that “current U.S. policy is not working.” Citing rising violence and the Iraqi government’s failure to advance national reconciliation, the panel paints a grim picture of a nation that Bush has repeatedly vowed to transform into a beacon of freedom and democracy in the Middle East.

John Kerry discussed the panel’s report earlier today on CNN’s “American Morning.” For our readers who have followed Kerry position on Iraq including his speeches and OP/ED’s over the past couple of years and various debates on the Senate floor, it’s clear that the Iraq Study Group report recommends much of what Kerry has been calling for, for some time now (see links below transcript).



The transcript is as follows:

O’BRIEN: Former Secretary of State James Baker, former Congressman Lee Hamilton, and the eight members of their blue ribbon panel, briefing the president as we speak. It is a bipartisan group, but will reaction to their findings be bipartisan? With a view from the Democratic side of the aisle we turn now to Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Senator Kerry, good to have you with us.

KERRY: Good morning.

O’BRIEN: Timetables, supposedly not in this particular report, no specific deadlines for withdrawal. You would suggest that’s a good idea?

KERRY: I do. I believe it is. But I think they are about as close as you can come without getting into direct confrontation with the president. The fact is they are saying that most of the combat troops ought to be out by next year. General Caldwell –

O’BRIEN: So, is this a timetable?

KERRY: I believe that is a timetable. I also believe there is a timetable for the shift of responsibility to the Iraqis, which is what we wanted. General Caldwell — that’s on the front page of today’s newspapers — so I think it’s moving in a very important direction. And the key is for the president to embrace that and to recognize the importance of it.

O’BRIEN: Is it realistic to think about the Iraqis really taking substantive control over the security situation in Iraq soon?

KERRY: Sure.

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=4898

[Ninja Jordan]

1. Thanks, I needed a sleeping aid....

:7

[kerrygoddess]

2. Try xanax

same old same old around here. The Iraq Study Group panel has taken Kerry's positions on Iraq and shown he is right. Too bad that puts you to sleep. Most folks want out of Iraq and have the sense to listen to someone who has been on the money on Iraq for a very long time.

[Ninja Jordan]

3. I merely jest.

Kerry's right.

[bigmonkey]

4. But your joke reinforces stereotypes

that were the product of Republic PR. The situation is serious. You can say what you want. Others can say what they want about it.

[talk hard]

8. or reflects what most people think

[bigmonkey]

9. Undercuts someone who is speaking out now.

I'm saying lots of people think that too - it's a _stereotype_. I'm just saying that that situation is, at least partially, perhaps mainly, the result of propaganda. Most people thought Bush was on the up-and-up for a long time too. That doesn't make it correct.

[talk hard]

12. maybe it's a stereotype

But it's also true. Gore talks in a monotone, H. Clinton is shrill. Bill Clinton is a great speaker. So is Obama. It's really nothing personal.

[blue cat]

16. Kerry sounds eloquent

and intelligent to me, always has since I have been a kid. I have always loved to hear him speak, but I understand nuance. I think the media bought the right wing view on Kerry.

[talk hard]

19. it isn't spin

it's how people view him and they got a good look at him in 2004. It doesn't mean he isn't eloquent, it just mean some people think he's a boring speaker regarding delivery. Not a lot of charisma there.

[LittleClarkie]

10. Who, you and your multiple personalities?

You speak for you, and let "most people" speak for themselves, please.

[talk hard]

11. well if you consider the results of polling "multiple personalities"

so be it

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

[WildEyedLiberal]

14. Polling showed most people believed Iraq had WMDs in 2002 also

Polling reflects nothing but the efficacy of the latest propaganda push.

The media tells people that Kerry is boring, so they believe it. Not surprising. What is surprising is when Democrats who criticize the media's pro-war propaganda seem to unthinkingly accept whatver those exact same spinmeisters are willing to say about Democrats.

[talk hard]

15. most people that read the paper knew there were no WMDs

Mostly the only people that believed the lie were FoxNews people who were told that.

It is not untruthful or a stereotype to say many people find Kerry boring. It is an impression based on people's first hand experience watching him during the 2004 election and during the debates.

A gut reaction is not spin. An impression is not spin. The fact that it is picked up in the media is because it is a widely held impression based on personal experience. I don't think you understand what a stereotype is because the impression that Kerry is boring is based on actually listening to him speak.

[LittleClarkie]

17. I don't have a problem with you thinking the dude is boring

I have a problem with you generalizing what most of America thinks. But if you insist, pointing out a majority of people believe something doesn't make it true. That is the bandwagon fallacy. A majority re-elected Bush, where they right that he was the better man?

Meanwhile, the man isn't trying to run for anything. He's just giving info. I'm sorry that foreign policy puts you to sleep, but that would hardly be Kerry's problem.

[talk hard]

18. here's a fact

The fact is a lot of people think Kerry is a boring speaker. How do I know that? Because people make reference to it all the time in all walks of life. Like H. Clinton being polarizing and Gore being wonky and such. Are you going to pretend that that isn't true?

It is the impression of enough people that makes it mainstream. Of course not everybody agrees, but enough people do. Kerry has a reputation for being boring based on the fact that people find him boring, not because of spin. They got a good look at him in 2004.

You should just say you disagree and let it go instead of continuing to argue something just because you don't agree and it pisses you off.

[kerrygoddess]

21. Well and then

some think he's a very engaging and brilliant speaker. It's all perception and perspective. Fact is though he's been leading the charge on Iraq - it's great to hear him continuing to do so.

[WildEyedLiberal]

23. Basically you are saying people should accept conventional wisdom

"Conventional wisdom" being the chatter from pundits and media personalities that is designed to form a specific impression of a particular person. Gore was wooden, Hillary is polarizing, Kerry is boring, Bush is tough, etc.

Since you are on DU, you are more politically aware than most, which is why I'm so disappointed that you are telling people to just shut up and accept conventional wisdom, regardless of whether its grounded in reality or not. The whole point of going to DU is become better informed, not to parrot the talking points the media does.

And people didn't really get a very good look at Kerry in 2004 - the convention and the debates were maybe 5 hours total of actual coverage, and, in the debates, he was actually SUPPOSED to be serious. No one is watching a presidential debate expecting to see American Idol.

[LittleClarkie]

25. Gore's a good example. Teddy is another. I thought the first was a wooden teller of tall tales

and the second was a clown. That's when I was a sheeple, mind you. But imagine my surprise when I found out otherwise. Daily Howler helped with the first. Hearing Teddy speak helped with the other.

And being shoved into the arms of John Kerry because of my disgust with the current administration helped me find out that our John was not the "Mr. Styrofoam Personality" person I thought he was in February of 2004, and turn me from ABB to Kerry supporter.

[talk hard]

26. JEEZUS who said anything about telling people to shut up?

Why do just makes stuff up like that? That's really a poor debate technique. It's a straw man argument. The fact is many people think Kerry is a boring speaker. That says nothing about whether or not he is eloquent or the content of his speeches. It is about his delivery. He is parodied for that trait. Just like Gore is for being wonky. I don't know why some of you have to be so argumentative. It isn't conventional wisdom at all (do you even know what that means?), it is just an easily recognizable trait. You would be better informed to open you mind a little bit and be more relaxed about stuff like this. It's really not nearly the big deal you are making of it.

[WildEyedLiberal]

22. It wasn't just Fox News talking about WMDs

The New York Times was eagerly reporting Chalabi's stories, too - remember Judy Miller? Saying that only the Fox News crowd ever believed there was a possibility that Saddam was not on the up and up is pure historical revision.

And yes, people are heavily influenced by what "conventional wisdom" tells them to think. Bush is a straight talker, says CW - so it must be so. Kerry is boring, says CW - so it must be so. If you think that people do not, as a general principle, swallow conventional wisdom, I'm not sure where you've been the past 6 years.

If you want to think Kerry is so boring, that's your right - it's a relatively subjective judgment, anyway. I do not think he is "boring," but then again, in the debates, he sounded intelligent and very knowledgable about policy. I'm not sure how thrilling that is to most people, but it is nevertheless a good quality to have when seeking the presidency. BTW, polls also indicated that Kerry resoundingly won all three debates - whereas I've never seen any "poll" that asked if Kerry was boring and if so, did it decrease his chances of being elected president.

I think most people's complaint with your arguments is that you are presuming to speak for everyone - "everyone" thinks he's boring, blah blah, "everyone" was ABB, blah blah. Again, you're more than entitled to your own impressions, but you don't get to speak for everyone.

[talk hard]

27. I don't presume to speak for everyone,

Where do you come up with this stuff? You'd have to have your head in the sand to be in such denial. From what I can tell that seems to be exclusive to a certain group of people that are big fans of Kerry. It is you that has an exaggerated view of this whole dumb thing because you can't stand it that people think Kerry's boring and have no tolerance for anyone that doesn't conform to your way of thinking. This isn't a discussion, it's your attempt to marginalize me and I'm done playing along.

[LittleClarkie]

28. Not "people." YOU.

Who are these "people."

[blm]

6. Unfortunately many people DON't enjoy hearing about solid policy - Kerry's book on terror

issue and its network of international financiers would have been a best seller when he it came out in 1997. I doubt Larry King even had interviewed him for THAT book tour that was roundly ignored.

Too bad for this country and the 9-11 families.

[zulchzulu]

5. K&R, KG!

Thanks!

[kerrygoddess]

7. My pleasure - Hardball interview too

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=4896

[oasis]

13. k&r

[stevedeshazer]

20. K & R for President Kerry

That was an excellent segment, thanks for posting.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

24. K&R GREAT OP....

Keep up the good work... thanks for all you do for a great American patriot.