Larry King: Are you concerned about Sarah Palin? KERRY: No. No, why would I be concerned?

[ProSense]

KING: One more political thing. Are you concerned about Sarah Palin?

J. KERRY: Concerned?

KING: Yes.

J. KERRY: No. No, why would I be concerned?

KING: What do you make of her?

J. KERRY: Well, she is -- I mean, look, she is interesting. She represents some of the transformation in American politics into entertainment. And I think, you know, if you come up with a phrase like, how do you like that hopey-changey stuff, that's a pretty good phrase, to be honest with you.

But it's more on the hot-button, push-button side of politics than it is, I think, on the real answers side of where we're going to go. I have a feeling that as we go through the next year, Larry, I think American politics is going to change a little bit.

It's never static. And no election is where you think it is today. That I know for a certainty. So as we come in to the fall and go into 2012, I think we're going to go through a transformation. Maybe I'm a little old-fashioned, maybe I'm actually getting older in the system, but I still believe that accomplishment and ideas and thinking and sort of a record makes something of a difference.

And I don't see a lot of that --

KING: For the better.

J. KERRY: -- there.

Yes, for the better.

link

Great response.

[rd_kent]

1. What a really eloquent way to say "She is full of shit, Larry."

[KingFlorez]

2. He said a mouthful

That's enough to make Palin's empty head spin.

[Raven]

3. Good, gracious, thoughtful and at the point of a razon sharp sword.

[karynnj]

4. Brilliant - with nothing the right can use against him

It is funny that Larry King has Michelle Obama's and Joe Biden's excerpts on what they think of Sarah Palin - which says more of his obsession that theirs, but he did not add Kerry's to the collection.

Kerry, at a different point spoke again of the dysfunctional "celebrity" political news. King asked whet they thought of the bad press Elizabeth is getting, JK responded:

. KERRY: Larry, I've got to tell you, truthfully, Teresa and I have reached a stage where we don't read it, we don't watch it, don't pay any attention to it. Whether it is about us or someone else.
<snip - a clueless LK asks Why not" >

J. KERRY: Because we're focused on trying to get some serious things done. And we just don't have time for it.

T. KERRY: And it hurts. To see that.

J. KERRY: Yes, I think a lot of people in-in, in-there's too much of it in our politics. Our politics has become too celebrity oriented, too trivial, too superficial. We have some -- I mean, it is interesting.

I know this isn't the topic for the night, but I just came back from a security conference in Germany, last weekend. And it was fascinating to listen to people from so many different parts of the world talking about the ways in which the world is changing and we're missing a lot of it. China is moving forward in its economy, India, Germany, Europe, different places. We're stuck.

We are very stuck right now. And I have huge empathy for the president's struggle to try to get over this partisanship and find a way for us to make real decisions that are just critical to our nation. And if we don't, we're sliding backwards at a time when every moment counts.

This is a great summary of what is wrong with the celebrity political news - given so politely that one of the worst offenders did not seem to have any idea what they were saying - not Kerry saying it was trivial and unimportant, not Teresa saying it was hurtful, not Kerry speaking of the REAL things that we were missing. (Seriously, the JK group had some articles on the important conference that Kerry was speaking of, but there was little or no MSM coverage - but Sarah Palin's speech at the tea party conference was carried live by many stations - and there was tons of coverage of the 600 people conference - seriously, how many people were at Take Back America in 2006 or 2007?

Our media is dumbing down the population.

[JuniperLea]

5. Kerry doesn't believe in palm readers...

Good to know!

[karynnj]

6. That's for sure

It likely would amuse the former Yale debate champion to think that she could not remember such key points. (Although I wonder if he believed the stories of Bush being wired at their first debate. I don't think he ever commented.)

[JuniperLea]

7. I always wondered what it would have been like to have Kerry as prez...

The fact that he never commented makes me think he was a right proper gentleman;)

[karynnj]

10. He clearly is - two extremely impressive examples

are that he and Teresa never returned the Edwards' negative comments about them and Kerry never spoke against Edwards - though he did exclude him when he praised the other candidates.

More impressive than that is that when he chaired the POW/MIA committee, they had testimony from people lie Kissinger and other Nixon administration people. Many Democrats on the committee wanted to call Nixon in - but Kerry had him answer written questions and when the answers were consistent with the others from that time period, he did not have to appear. Given that Nixon put war hero Kerry on the enemies list and had the FBI following him, even though he had not done anything questionable, it is remarkable that "exceptional prosecutor" Kerry did not make him appear.

His parents raised a "right proper gentleman" alright.

[tomm2thumbs]

8. hopey changey is old news - Palin didn't come up with it

I've seen earlier versions, but one as an example from April 2009
http://kyprogress.blogspot.com/2009/04/hopey-changey-update-for-kentucky.html#links

The 'pretty good phrase' credit Kerry seems to send her way doesn't go to the 'palm pilot Palin' - she's just the one who vomited it lately

[karynnj]

11. If you saw if in context, I don't think Kerry was realy giving her credit

There was a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice and in his smile. Note what he next said.

Do you think it a clever line? When's the last time a Presidential candidate kind of baby talked?

[tomm2thumbs]

12. I wish I could find it online

I was going from the 'to be honest with you' because it seemed he was making a point of giving it credit, but I'll take your word for the context. Thanks

[ChicagoSuz219]

13. Didn't he call her an entertainer? n/t

[karynnj]

18. Yes, but that was not a compliment

Kerry raised the issue of the celebrity coverage of news and politics at least 3 times in the entire interview - once going on to speak of the real important things that are being ignored. Larry King was, of course, oblivious to the fact that Kerry was essentially calling him out on this.

[ChicagoSuz219]

21. That's what I meant. n/t

[mascarax]

9. Good responses by Kerry

Thanks for posting the transcript.

[EFerrari]

14. John Kerry, grown up. n/t

:applause:

[burning rain]

15. Watch out, Johnny, Palin could move to Massachusetts & unseat you in 2012!

That'll be the day. Still, a Kerry-Palin debate would be hilarious--and enlightening. Something that would look great on her resume--not so much on his. Of course, the outcome wouldn't be in doubt. Kerry got the better of Bill Weld, a smart guy, in their epic series of debates in 1996, let alone George W. Bush.

[karynnj]

17. Palin might try that - not realizing it is Scott Brown up in 2012

Kerry managed to keep a straight face through all of Bush's odd actions - but Palin is possibly stranger.

[burning rain]

22. D'oh! You're right--Kerry's seat is up in 2014.

At least I don't picture Palin sporting a box on her back; she can improvise her effervescent craziness all day long. I would like to see her in a town hall style debate: that would give her frenetic faux populism full scope, unlike the more staid format of her single-moderator debate with Biden.

[Vinca]

16. Larry seems to have a "thing" for Sarah.

[ericgtr]

19. Actually the "hopey changey stuff" phrase makes her sound retarted

That was in no way catchy or a good phrase, it just makes her sound like an idiot.

[BeyondGeography]

20. Very reassuring on the transformational front...I think he's right

As for Palin, she is a waste of time.

[politicasista]

23. Kick

Palin is loca, loca, loca, loca, and an ugly distraction. :kick: