Walking and Talking with John Kerry, About the Blogosphere

[kerrygoddess]

I know some of you have seen the photos on the Dem Daily of me with JK yesterday. It's taken a while to collect my thoughts in between other stuff I needed to catch up on and write about my conversation with JK. We basically had a long talk about the blogosphere yesterday and JK had a request to the bloggers and a message for everyone...

Walking and Talking with John Kerry, About the Blogosphere
April 11th, 2006 @ 10:03 pm

John Kerry was in Los Angeles yesterday touring downtown L.A. with Rep Xavier Becerra (CA-31) to meet with immigrant hotel workers, healthcare workers and high school students about immigration reform. I was at two of the events and had the opportunity to speak with Kerry after the last event at South Los Angeles High School #1.



Through out the entire 2004 election we all heard those rumors about Kerry being stiff, cold, aloof and a myriad of other crazy talking points perpetuated by the Rovian machine. Whenever I have shared my past experiences with people, of meeting John Kerry, the reaction is always the same, “Wow, he’s really not like they say he is.” “No, he’s not,” I always reply. So, it’s time to share another story about the real John Kerry, because the fact is he really is “The Real Deal.”

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2601

[Vektor]

1. That is my favorite...

...pic of the two of you.

Marvin takes great photos, and you and JK look to be having a terrific time.

*SQUEEEEE*

[JI7]

2. so what exactly was going on in that pic ?

what were you talking about during that moment ?

[karynnj]

3. That is a fantastic report

The real question is how can we keep the issue Iraq.

[TayTay]

4. It is a critical issue in America

And the call for withdrawal is growing. Even Gingrich weighed in on the side of withdrawal the other day.

The issue will keep itself in the news. We need to talk about solutions, rather than the mindless blather coming out of the Admin.

[whometense]

5. FYI, about that Newt thing,

check out today's Liberal Oasis when you get the chance. A little clarification.

http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/040906.htm#041206

[wisteria]

6. Republicans all play the same old games. Being dishonest and foolng the

public into thinking they actual mean what they say. Maybe it's time for the Democrats to make more of an issue out the expensive bases being built in Iraq for what we are being mislead into believing are just for temporary use.

[ProSense]

8. Yeah, smoke and mirrors.

Tuesday :: Apr 11, 2006
Gingrich Says Iraq Occupation Was A Mistake - Talks Up Iran

by Steve Soto
Newt Gingrich told an audience at the University of South Dakota yesterday that it was a mistake to occupy Iraq after the summer of 2003, and that we should pull almost all of our troops out of the country now, and leave only a small force behind. <[b>But just when you think he sounds sensible about Iraq, he then says that we could deal with Iran with our navy and air force, and that they won't come to the table until we convince them that we will topple their regime.

more...

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/007336.php

[kerrygoddess]

10. We should kick around some ideas

One is to point out JK's plan when posting about stories in the news about the growing conflict in Iraq or to point to JK's plan when someone brings up Iraq. Viral blogging... I've brought this up before. Spread the word around. Alot of blogs aren't talking about it, they need a nudge!

[TayTay]

11. It's also a background issue to everything else that is going on

It's a big background issue to the 'hot' topic of Iran. We can't trust the Bushies to do anything right about Iran because they got nothing right about Iraq. It's a background issue on the budget because so much money is going to support that war without end. And so forth.

Iraq is the background of what is wrong with the Rethug Party and it's 'goals' for America. It is the giant shadow that covers everything. Kerry is calling for definitive action based on what is realistic now, in April of '06, not what we were sold with smoke and mirrors in '02.

LTTE like what Beachmom did. And keeping the waters roiled on the web. The issue comes up in the damnest places. And we need to collect what we hear on the ground so that it can be sent back as feedback on what works and what doesn't with people.

[kerrygoddess]

12. Yes... yes and yes...

It is the background to everything and with this Iran thing heating up it's nuts. We can't trust them and oh - god(dess) forbid the Bushies head into Iran - we have no troops! JK talked a bit about this Monday.

Definately good to get feedback to him about what works.

[TayTay]

13. Any overt military move against Iran will backfire

It's just an awful and untenable thing to propose. And the Bush Admin's moves in Iraq have been a series of one lie or mistake or bungle after another. Add to that the lies that started the war and you have a disaster.

It will be no different in Iran. In additiona to all that we have a broken military and we have troops who have done 3 or 4 rotations in Iraq. It's just nuts.

[kerrygoddess]

14. All this talk about Iran

is just like when they began the spin on Iraq. Our troops are overburdened. We have stop this madness and out of Iraq is the first step.

[beachmom]

15. My take is slightly different than some on the Left

I do think that Iran is a threat, and it would be a disaster for them to go nuclear. However, we need to hold the hand of all the main countries on the planet, and if all else fails, then the military option would be on the table. But this is impossible for several reasons:

1. * has, about, ZERO credibility in the world. Because he gave WMD as a reason to go into Iraq, and there weren't any WMD, he'll be seen as the boy who cried wolf.

2. Like many of you have already said, our military is stretched too thin. Unlike when Israel attacked Iraq's nuclear plants in the '80s, Iran has cleverly spread it all out, so I just don't see how bombing them -- conventional OR nuclear -- will be effective, if the goal is to deprive Iran of the Bomb.

3. We are not just thought of as liars but also thought of as evil warmongers. Iran has made sure that civilians are nearby their various nuclear facilities, so any bombing of those plants will result in innocent civilian deaths. The world needs to come to a consensus that "collateral damage" is a price worth paying to stop Iran from going nuclear -- * can't be the leader of that.

4. Even if people were willing to go along with * on this, he and his team simply lack basic diplomacy skills. Like Kerry has said before, all they know how to do is "cowboy diplomacy". They'll end up making more enemies than friends.

In short, guys, I am not a pacifist in regards to Iran, and I think the Democrats should not be either. But you don't just make war on a whim; you do it in a way that at least a good majority of the civilized world will have your back, when the propaganda from al Qaeda and other groups come out. This is important, and is not about what the Right talks of ceding our sovereignty to the U.N. or majority world opinion. This is about winning the hearts and minds of all peoples, so that less of them decide to go down the road of becoming a terrorist. Doing smart diplomacy and war as a last resort makes us MORE safe, not less.

[TayTay]

16. This is much worse than Iraq

Iran is a bigger country, has 3 times the number of people and has many, many more ties with the international communities than Iraq, under that brutal lunatic Hussein ever had.

Syria has a pact with Iran that if Iran is attacked, Syria will defend. China has pacts over oil with Iran and has a reason to not support the US in this action and can do some real damage in sanctions against US. If this conflict spreads then Pakistan, which is not in great shape, vis a vis their own Fundamentalist Taleban faction, could experience a coup d'etat. Pakistan goes, then India goes nutty, cuz Pakistan has the bomb. Ahm, Afghanistan is also not in great shape and aggressive pre-emptive action against IRan could topple that government as well.

This could make Iraq look like a child's playground fight over toys. It's much, much worse than IRaq with dire consequences that could lead to a virtual WWIII, and a lot of the major players here have real nukes, like Pakistan and Israel. Not a happy prospect and the reason why the Brits called even talking about a nukes option on IRan 'nuts.'

[ProSense]

7. This is a wonderful report.

I read it a couple of times and reviewed the photos. Excellent stuff. Despite the loud-mouthed loonies, the blogosphere is transforming politics. It's a source of great dialog, terrific analysis and original reporting. One problem: bloggers who don't stick to the facts and promote disinformation, which is often the criticism levied against the MSM. Hey, but it gives everyone left of center a tremendous opportunity to real voice. I can't imagine where the news would be without it.

[emulatorloo]

9. KG -- thanks for the excellent report - N/T