"In '72 speech, a different kind of Kerry" - Ironic Kerry comment on Nader

[Snivi Yllom]

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2004030501040

Friday, March 5, 2004
In '72 speech, a different kind of Kerry
By Matthew Kelly, The Dartmouth Staff


Probable Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry will likely face a challenge on the left from Ralph Nader soon, but 32 years ago, Kerry showered his possible electoral spoiler with praise in a speech at the College.

Kerry implored Dartmouth students "to be their own Ralph Nader" in opposing the Vietnam War, urging the audience to "break the cycle of non-involvement."

Kerry, who had recently served as president of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, spoke on Jan. 10, 1972 at the Top of the Hop, where he urged students and Americans who opposed the Vietnam War to involve themselves in politics with greater zeal. Regarding Ralph Nader, Kerry said that opponents of the war "must be public citizens in every aspect of our lives," as Kerry apparently thought Nader did.

......................................snip.........................

The irony is unbelievable.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. Isn't it incredible how corrupt Nader has become

and how he has betrayed everything he supposedly stood for?

[Colin Ex]

2. What makes you say that?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. His actions, and his blatantly self-serving statements.

The lie that Gore would have invaded Iraq just like Bush is a good example of how Nader is completely unconcerned with the truth.

It is disheartening to see someone who once did good things become such a sickening egotist.


http://www.realchange.org/nader.htm

[buff2]

7. I agree with you......

He's all too eager to help bu$h steal the White House again,instead of putting his support behind Kerry. What a useless pile of garbage.

[buff2]

3. What's your point?

People change through the years......it's a fact of life.

[Raya]

4. Nader's Guilt over installing Bush and the bloody outcome has Blinded him

to the real

Public Interest.

[Raya]

5. Just another GUILTY Bush-Installer lashing-out

[DrFunkenstein]

6. Where Is The Irony?

Is Kerry somehow not a public citizen? Did he fail to break the cycle of non-involvement?

I'm sorry if he doesn't lockstep to your personal ideology, but Kerry has amassed one of the strongest progressive records at the national level, and certainly in the Senate. If you don't believe me, go to Public Citizen's website and check out his record. Year after year, he comes in as one of the top Senators, voting for virtually every pet issue they have. Then we can start talking about his LCV rating.

A few months ago, Nader even suggested that he liked Kerry best of all the candidates, barring Kucinich.

If you want to see progressive reform in your day, it is not going to come from pulpit smackers like Nader. It is going to come from those who sound "mainstream" and "conventional" and "common sense." That's certainly the only way we'll get anything resembling universal health care and clean, renewable energy in this country.

[Snivi Yllom]

8. I find the fact that Nader could cost Kerry the race to be ironic

...considering Kerry once trumpeted Ralph Nader.

[sangh0]

10. Fact?

:shrug:

[Raya]

11. Nader Should be coming out and giving CHARACTER TESTIMONY for Kerry

instead of stabbing him in the back.

This election is a matter of life and death at home and abroad.
Nader is playing with people's lives for an ego boost. It's
unspeakably disgusting.

[no name no slogan]

12. And the more democrats chew their cheeks about it...

...and keep Nader in the spotlight, the more damage they will do to Kerry's chances.

Nader is a non-issue in this election. He has no party, and therefore no network of activists. Right now, he has little going for him except for name recognition.

However, if we Democrats keep talking up the "Nader threat" and make him our target instead of GeeDubya, we'll have a self-fulfilling prophecy on our hands.

Why don't we concentrate on the REAL enemy: GWBush and his corrupt administration.

[peacetalksforall]

13. Nader morphed

from a true citizen-green-advocate-simple living guy to a divider, splitter, spoiler and a major hypocrite. He goes from (supposedly not owning a car, legend or not) to owning expensive ones (if stories are true) and investing in companies that he exoriates today - weapons co's, polluting co's, and all the corp's you can't regard highly).

Yes, he morphed - a lot of people said exactly the same thing as Kerry in 1972.

[AntiCoup2K4]

14. It's also ironic

...how people can willfully ignore the fact that Nader's not the only one who is far different than he was in 1972. You didn't see the Kerry of '72 telling those of us opposed to an unjust and illegal war to "stop crying in our teacups"

[peacetalksforall]

15. You're right

I am one who cannot bear thinking about all the blankety-blank congresspeople who gave Bush the green light. My heroes are all the ones who voted no. I have posted many times against Kerry. I am very disappointed in the outcome. Kerry, Clinton, Shurmer, Biden, Bayh and all those cowards will never be forgiven. But, I'll speak out when the right lies and smears all the other stuff.

Wellstone

First vote in the Senate - against Iraq War 1.
Last vote in the Senate - against Iraq War 2.

(I'll repeat my thanks...)

Good job, Paul!