Kerry's lack of political courage

[windansea]

"So far in this campaign Mr. Kerry has shown little interest in being daring, expressing a thought that is unexpected or quirky on even minor issues. We wish we could see a little of the political courage of the Vietnam hero who came back to lead the fight against the war."

-- The New York Times

AND THAT, believe it or not, is from the Times's endorsement of John Kerry in Tuesday's presidential primary. The editorial's wistful words get to the heart of the character issue that troubles so many of those who have looked closely at Kerry's career in public life. The Democratic front-runner is increasingly being described as a "flip-flopper" or a "waffler" or "two-faced." But the real problem with Kerry is something more fundamental. As the Times rightly notes, he lacks political courage. Perhaps that is why he and his campaign talk about it so much.

The search engine on Kerry's campaign website lists 167 pages on which "courage" appears. When he formally announced his candidacy at Faneuil Hall last September, he uttered the words "courage" or "courageous" 19 times ("courageous Americans always rise to the occasion . . . the courage of our people to change what is wrong . . . we must have the courage to stand up . . . the courage of Americans can change this country"). The sign behind him read: "The courage to do what's right for America." When he took his announcement speech on the road, the trip was billed as the "American Courage Tour."

No one doubts Kerry's physical courage. He is a Vietnam veteran, with a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts that attest to his battlefield bravery. But courage in combat doesn't necessarily translate into courage on the Senate floor or the campaign trail. That kind of courage -- the courage of a leader who knows his own mind and speaks it fearlessly, who doesn't trim with every shifting breeze, who doesn't court unpopularity but isn't afraid of it, either -- has never been a hallmark of Kerry's career.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/02/29/kerrys_lack_of_political_courage/

[Monte Carlo]

1. Jeff Jacoby alert...

... known Kerry-hater and media whore...

[windansea]

2. shoot the messenger alert

I like Kerry but see this as his biggest weakness..or are we in praise only permitted mode now??

[Monte Carlo]

6. He's no messenger.

He has a job to do. This needs to be made clear.

Criticism is fine, but relying on this guy for it is not.

[windansea]

10. he's just saying the same things

many threads here have discussed...

[blm]

21. who are you supporting now that Clark is out, windansea?

You came on DU hitting at Dean, then said you were for Clark while attacking Kerry and now all of your posts attack Kerry. Odd. Especially for someone who said they supported Clark.

Are you undecided at this point or just decidedly anti-Kerry?

[windansea]

22. all my posts do not attack Kerry..check again

but I will "hold his feet to the fire" where I think necessary...overall his record is very good...but his recent history of playing both sides of some issues disturbs me...it's obvious he will be the nominee and my level of support will be determined by his VP pick and how he handles certain issues.

[jonnyblitz]

3. Jacoby is a right winger and a big homophobe to boot.

he has been around awhile and is notorious.

[SaddenedDem]

4. That may be the case, but...

I can't disagree with him. This is EXACTLY how I feel about John Kerry - a Washington Insider who will say anything to win the race and do NOTHING courageous to help the American people.

I caution Kerry supporters NOT to ignore this because it's exactly what a LOT of voters are thinking.

[RichM]

5. While Kerry is indeed two-faced, the NYT is in no position to say so.

Who the hell are they to talk about lack of political courage? When it comes to cowardice & dishonesty, the NYT "wrote the book."

In fact, if Kerry DID have political courage (like for example, Dennis Kucinich), the Times would treat him with disdain, ridicule, or complete marginalization.

7. which makes the ironies really convoluted

Since they have endorsed Kerry.

[bigtree]

13. I prefer many faces to single-mindedness

[bucknaked]

8. Any Skipper that'll turn his boat around, pulls somebody from the drink,

... while recieving FIRE!!! That man has EARNED the label of "courageous."

[Mairead]

16. Easy enough to do at the age where you secretly know you'll live forever

'Courage' is when you're wetting yourself in fear because you know goddamn good and well you could be dead in a minute, but you act anyway.

[blm]

17. Wrong. Kerry had already lost friends in combat at that point.

Including his BEST friend.

You think it took NO courage to push for gay friendly legislation in 1985 and then advocate for gays to serve openly in the military?

It took NO courage to go after the entire powerstructure in DC, Republican, Democrat, FBI, CIA and their press whores in BCCI, IranContra and CIA drugrunning?

It took NO courage to work with other world leaders on the Kyoto Protocol while most every corporation weighed in against?

When you have ONE name who has put themself out more than Kerry over the last 30+ years, please post it.

[Mairead]

19. I was only responding to Bucknaked's post, blm

As I've often said, I don't have many problems with the old Kerry, the one you refer to in your response. I do understand why you think he's great even though I don't have as high an opinion of him as you do. It's the new one, the DLC one who votes with the GOP, who turns me off.

I know that's hard for you to hear, and I truly wish I could think as well of him as you do.

[blm]

20. Well, there's the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s Kerry you like...

and you feel he no longer exists.

I disagree. Kerry was also very comprehensive in his attacks on Bush from early 2002 and on. The media wouldn't allow him the airtime to be heard.

I also know that Kerry showed far more courage over his political career that many here refuse to acknowledge. It is SO easy to accuse him of political cowardice and so HARD to back it up with honest proof.

[Raya]

9. Why do we keep posting Slams from known enemies of the people.

They will destroy Dean FOR NOT being disciplined and try to
destroy Kery FOR being disciplined.

[bigtree]

11. What? This guy speaks and it's gospel?

Kerry's investigations into BCCI and the uncovering of the drug connections to the contras, and the money-laundering that tarred figures like Kissinger and Bush pal Bath to the Democratic stalwart Clifford took courage. His stand with Wellstone to break the hold of money's influence in campaigns was courageous. Courage I guess is now to be defined as where the candidate stood or stands on pet issues. Don't be so quick to slap down a lifetime of public service with your cynicism. Kerry has fought for our party and will continue to do so.

[DrFunkenstein]

12. Several Courageous Votes For Kerry, Not So Courageous For Edwards

For people who doubt Kerry's progressive credentials, he is remarkably in line with the very-progressive Public Citizen (founded by Nader).

Here's his voting record there:

http://action.citizen.org/pc/officials/congress/?lvl=C&only_votes=1&az...

His only blight is supporting Fast Track, but that is all-but negated by the Kerry Amendment that Public Citizen vigorously supported.

http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=1112

Kerry often put his neck on the line to promote many progressive issues, but he was not always followed by his Southern colleague:

Energy: Subsidized Insurance for Nuclear Power Plants

Agreed to: 78-21
Edwards: Yea
Kerry: Nay

This vote was on an amendment offered by Sen. George Voinovich to the Senate energy bill, which would reauthorize the Price-Anderson Act. Price-Anderson provides an unfair taxpayer subsidy to nuclear plant operators by limiting their liability to the public in the event of a nuclear accident. This mitigates the industry’s investment risk and dramatically reduces the cost of retaining liability insurance. Estimates of the value of the annual subsidy range from $366 million to $3.4 billion.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=42&chamber=S&congre...

Increasing Reliance on Renewable Energy

Rejected: 29-70
Edwards: Nay
Kerry: Yea

A groundbreaking renewable energy portfolio standard - in which Congress would set concrete goals to increase America's reliance on wind and solar energy - was rejected. Amendment 3017, sponsored by Sen. Jeffords, would have mandated that 20% of America's electricity be generated from renewable energy like wind and solar by the year 2020.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=50&chamber=S&congre...

Consumer Bankruptcies

Passed: 83-15
Edwards: Yea
Kerry: Nay

This vote was on final passage of an overhaul of bankruptcy law. It would place more restrictions on Americans who file for bankruptcy. The bill would mean more legal and paperwork burdens for lower-income families while creditors gain more opportunities to file lawsuits against borrowers. Also, this dream bill for banks and credit card companies does not require loaners to provide information about how long it would take to pay off the credit balances and what borrowers’ total costs would be if they made minimum payments on their debts.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=36&chamber=S&congre...

Energy: Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Site

Agreed to: 60-39
Edwards: Yea
Kerry: Nay

This vote was on whether to override the state of Nevada’s veto and approve the Yucca Mountain nuclear dump (S.J.R. 34), despite broad-based opposition from environmental and public interest organizations. The Department of Energy’s recommendation of the Yucca Mountain site has been plagued by compromised research and numerous safety issues. Far from solving the nuclear waste problem, sending waste to Yucca Mountain would require tens of thousands of radioactive shipments through communities in 44 states.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=167&chamber=S&congr...

And that's before you get to the Defense of Marriage Act...

[windansea]

15. these are some good comparisons

but since Edwards is probably not going to be nominee...:shrug:

[quinnox]

14. Yea, well this guys opinion should be compared to Kerry's success

Polls that show Kerry beating Bush by as many as 12 points, winning 18 out of 20 primaries so far. It's hard to argue with success.

Kerry is a master politician, he knows what he is doing. Sometimes having a black and white answer isn't feasible on issues with shades of gray, nor is it politically smart either IMHO.

[maxanne]

18. yes

Kerry tells us we must have courage, while displaying little himself.

IWR
Patriot Act
No Child Left Behind
confirmation of Antonin Scalia

his failures in showing up to even vote this session

waffling on same sex marriages

His military record isn't going to mean spit in this campaign.

[sangha]

23. Well, it must be true. A journalist said so

and we all know that they are the 2nd most authoritative source on the planet. So I'm gonna believe this until someone on the Internet tells me different.

[Forkboy]

24. Please do not use Jacoby as a source for anything ever

He makes Rush look like an amatuer.If I want to see Jacoby's opinion I'll just go down to I/P :)

[windansea]

28. ok how bout some Kaus??

:evilgrin:

get a grip...there have been 1000s of threads and posts saying the same things about Kerry's "stances" on IWR, NCLB, NAFTA, gay marriage, Irael's security fence etc...who cares who says it??

are we in praise only permitted mode yet? are you 100% satisfied??

[Carolina]

32. hang in there, windansea

some folks here can shoot the messenger and rightly so because of his background, BUT you're right on target about the message.

Kerry has not exhibited much in the way of political courage during the Bush regime, and what Jacoby wrote is exactly why so many of us Dems have serious concerns and reservations about him.

[windansea]

33. thanks Carolina

ever since Kerry got a serious case of Presidentitus his positions have become somewhat convoluted...

[Forkboy]

34. Satisfied? Not even close

but I wont use blatently racist,bigoted,homophobic people as support either.

[Scott Lee]

25. Nay! Kerrytox has courageously backed Bush many times!

Look at his record. It's all there.

[gulliver]

26. Anybody else feuding with Tom DeLay?

When they were questioning our patriotism, Kerry put the smackdown on DeLay. I remember that well.

And more here.

http://www.hillnews.com/news/021004/delay.aspx

I don't think Kerry likes DeLay much. I would love to see Kerry in a position to work over DeLay with the chickenhawk stick right from the White House bully pulpit.

[MAlibdem]

27. Jeff Jacoby? Really?

I read the Boston Globe ever day. The guy's an ass.

[windansea]

29. and the NY Times quote

they endorsed Kerry but still have some questions...as do I and many others

[MAlibdem]

30. good for you

i'm just saying, using jacoby as a source isn't exactly convincing to most bostonians, at least liberal ones (which, coincidentally, are most of us, jacoby is pretty much kept around to provide balance).

[windansea]

31. I know

:) but I think some of the questions he raises are valid...and many threads here ask them as well

[sangh0]

35. If you don't have any questions

then you're not paying attention.