Kerry statement on Mubarak's decision

[karynnj]

“This was an important announcement by President Mubarak to bring his presidency to an end and pledge that free and fair elections will be held. I believe that President Mubarak should now work with the military and civil society to establish an interim caretaker government.

“It remains to be seen whether this is enough to satisfy the demands of the Egyptian people for change. We arrived at this point because millions of Egyptians spoke with one voice and exercised fundamental rights we Americans hold dear. They made it clear the future they want is one of greater democracy and greater economic opportunity. Now, that future belongs to them to shape. The Egyptian people are writing the next chapter of Egyptian history.

“Much work remains to be done to turn this auspicious moment into lasting peace and prosperity. Egyptians must now prepare for elections and achieve a peaceful transition of power. The military must continue to show the restraint it has so admirably exercised these past days. And opposition leaders must come together to develop a process that will ensure that all of Egypt’s voices are heard.

“As friends of the Egyptian people, there is much that the United States can do as well. Egypt has been a close ally of the United States for many years, and it is my fervent hope that our relationship can grow stronger as the Egyptian people take control of their destiny.”

http://kerry.senate.gov/press/release/?id=b436f32e-6e20-4306-9118-656e5598f74c

[flpoljunkie]

1. Perfect pitch, Senator Kerry.

[global1]

2. Sounds Like What Obama Would Say.....

I wonder if the President and his speech writers helped Kerry draft this statement. I think Kerry is the messenger of the Administration here. This is what the President wants telegraphed to the Egyptian people and Mubarek. If the President makes a statement it will be a little more diplomatic bordering on being wishy washy - because he can't say what he'd like to say about this situation. He is walking a fine line to placate the Egyptian people and U.S. backed despots - both present and future.

[JoePhilly]

6. I think you have this right ... Obama is intentionally avoiding Bush like BLUSTER

and Hubris because those are what helped get Hamas elected in the Palestinian elections.

Much smarter to stay calm, and walk Mubarak out the door ... and give ALL the credit to the Egyptian people.

[politicasista]

10. Obama is listening to top people on FP

And Senator Kerry is one of them. Obama isn't doing this by himself.

[politicasista]

7. They have same (or similiar) FP DNA

and a former Kerry speechwriter now works for Obama.

[vaberella]

15. To add to Karynnj's post...

I'd like to add that President Obama for all intents and purposes writes his own speeches. I'm sure he helped to draft his own speech most of the time. The speech writers are probably there for effect and to edit---but all in all it's well known that Obama writes his own words.

[karynnj]

18. True - there were some articles going back to 2008 with Jon Fabreau

describing the process for some of the speeches. Some speeches are like you described. Given the sheer number of speeches that a President or Presidential candidate has to give, some are drafted by the speechwriter based on the content the President asks him to include. The President then edits it to make it his own. This means - in either case - the final product is the President's or the Senator's.

What is also interesting is that the speechwriters learn their bosses style. Fabreau worked for Kerry (right after he graduated as the valedictorian of Holy Cross in MA) and then Obama. If he were given the same input, he would have written different speeches for each drawing from how he knew each would express themselves.

Obama and Kerry are interesting as you can look at their writings when they could not have had speech writers. (Obama's first book and excerpts from Kerry's journal written as a 25 year old quoted in Brinkley's book.) Both are very good writers in their own right. You can also look at the consistent style over time - where there in no common speech writer. In addition, there are similarities in the words chosen by them in speeches and in non prepared conversations.

With Kerry, I know that the 5 Faneuil Hall speeches given in 2006 and 2007 were written 100% by John Kerry on his own - because several of us were told this by people in Kerry's inner circle. These speeches, especially the one on Dissent, are among the best speeches he ever gave. The highly praised ending of Kerry's 2008 convention speech is taken almost entirely from the Dissent speech. The media reported that Kerry's 2008 convention speech was self written and the Obama people opted not to vet it.

[politicasista]

20. Ok

you and karynnj also make sense. :)

[karynnj]

8. I doubt Kerry, who has made these types of comments for 25 years

needs the President's or the President's staff's help writing. THis is a man who at 27 wrote a speech with lines that are still remembered. Not to mention, he gave a speech on foreign policy with respect to Vietnam when at Yale that Madeline Albright quoted in her 2006 book on foreign policy. He also showed his incredible knowledge of foreign policy as the 2004 nominee. I don't think Kerry was a messenger for the President. Kerry was in Davos because he was on a panel on the future of the Middle east and spent the last few days speaking with leaders of many countries in the region.

It is insulting that you think that Kerry could not not have a position of his own - or craft a 4 paragraph statement. Frankly, I have far more respect for Kerry's foreign policy vision than I do for Obama's, Clinton's or Biden's.

By the way, Kerry suggested the Mubarak's not run back on Friday - which was NOWHERE near Obama's position.

His earliest statement (Thursday) also linked the peaceful protest to that of Ghandi and MLK.

"I call on the Egyptian government and security forces to exercise restraint in dealing with protesters and to respect the human rights of its citizens to seek greater participation in their own government. The Egyptian government also should immediately restore communications and access to social networking sites," he said.

"I hope the people of Egypt will continue to remember the lessons and legacy of peaceful protesters from Gandhi to Dr. King and to exercise their right to be heard in that tradition, which will rally peaceful people everywhere in solidarity," Kerry added.

Still, he stressed, it's "not with rubber bullets and water cannons that order will be restored" in the four-day-old street protests in which demonstrators have been clashing with and even chasing down riot police.

"President Mubarak has the opportunity to quell the unrest by guaranteeing that a free and open democratic process will be in place when the time comes to choose the country’s next leader later this year," Kerry said.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/140929-kerry-to-egyptians-protest-like-gandhi

Do you think Obama wrote that one too?

[politicasista]

9. Good post

and he is Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which is important.

IMO this is another example of some (not all) of Obama's supporters sort of disrespecting Senator Kerry and his value as one of Obama's best surrogates/alies.

[Name removed]

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[ProSense]

12. Kerry isn't a member of the administration.

He Chairs the SFRC, and while his goals are likely in line with the administration's, his role as a member of Congress is oversight.

In fact, in his CNN interview, he made it clear he was not speaking for the administration.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

14. I wish they could have encouraged Mubarak to go years ago!

why does it take a revolution?

[karynnj]

17. Without the unmistakable call from the Egyptian people, it would have been

wrong for us to push a leader to leave. If we did it, our actions could have made the resulting government seem tainted. This really is the best of circumstances (though I doubt the WH thinks it that way as they respond to a crisis.) This is the Egyptian people, peacefully and forcefully demanding change - and it seems they will get it. In addition, you had the leaders of the army see there authority coming from the people of the country more than the President - when they made clear they would refuse to attack the people.

Egypt as it emerges with a new government may be less likely to do everything the US wants, but they shouldn't. However, it is highly likely that the government will be better for the people of Eqypt. If El Baradei becomes the leader, he is not anti USA, but he is will not be a US puppet.

[vaberella]

16. Great post as always. n/t

[politicasista]

3. Kick

On edit, it does sound like something Obama would say :) :kick: :patriot:

[Mass]

4. It is not exactly surprising given that Obama and Kerry are close.

[politicasista]

5. It really isn't

Think the have the same (or similar) foreign policy DNA.

[Mass]

13. In the same vein, his interview on PBS

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june11/johnkerry_02-01.html

[karynnj]

19. That is a great interview with excellent questions and candid answers

(I like that they provide both the video and transcript.)