Blair warns ministers off Democrats

[emad]

The Times:
By Tom Baldwin and Roland Watson



TONY BLAIR’S staunch alliance with George W. Bush is sending ripples of resentment across the Atlantic from US Democrats, as well as causing waves of anguish within the Labour Party. The close links that existed between Labour and the Democrats in previous American presidential elections have been all but severed, with Downing Street and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office insisting that ministers keep their distance from John Kerry’s campaign. The Prime Minister’s advisers have always believed that Mr Bush is likely to be re-elected in November and are wary of sanctioning anything that would disturb their special relationship with Washington.

Mr Kerry’s team is understood to have been irritated by Mr Blair’s appearance, alongside the Republican President, at a White House press conference last Easter, which was regarded as a launchpad for Mr Bush’s re-election campaign. The Democratic presidential candidate was content to avoid meeting Mr Blair during that visit, partly because Mr Kerry is keen to focus on domestic issues such as jobs and the economy instead of the War on Terror, which is the foundation of Mr Bush’s platform.

But one source close to Mr Kerry’s campaign said: “We did not understand why Blair was so willing to let Bush wrap himself up in Britain’s undoubted popularity among American voters — he did not need to go so far.” Mr Kerry’s sister, Diana, declined to comment on the incident when she visited London last week, telling The Times: “I’m not going to talk about that — my thoughts will remain private.” Ms Kerry heads Americans Overseas for Kerry, an organisation which is seeking to mobilise millions of expatriate votes for her brother. She said that there were about 250,000 Americans living in Britain — more than enough to have swung the last presidential contest against Mr Bush in key states such as Florida. “All Americans are concerned about our reputation around the world,” Ms Kerry said, “but those living overseas have had a first-hand opportunity to hear and see the reaction to the current administration, which has squandered the goodwill towards us after September 11 (2001).

“It would be inappropriate for John Kerry to meet with foreign leaders until he is elected. But, once he is President, I’m sure he will want to repair alliances across the world. We need to work with a coalition of international support if we are to combat terrorism.”
Mr Blair is facing criticism within the Labour Party over his failure to appear even-handed with the candidates. Peter Hain, the Leader of the Commons, recently went to America, where he was reported to have privately told Democrats that Mr Blair was desperate for a Kerry victory. Whitehall sources have said that such comments would have been unauthorised. The Government is understood to be satisfied that Mr Kerry’s attacks on Mr Bush over the Iraq war have not been extended to include Mr Blair. “Kerry is saying Bush should have built a wider international coalition — that was exactly what we were trying to do,” a Labour adviser said. But the close relationship between Mr Kerry’s camp and Gordon Brown’s continues to unsettle Blairites. The two men have met several times and Mr Brown is a longstanding friend of Bob Shrum, Mr Kerry’s senior adviser.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,171-1249901,00.html
(pay site)

[Mokito]

1. Blair, ever "The British Poodle" (btw google it)

[truthspeaker]

2. Talking point: Blair is a Tory. Push it.

[BillZBubb]

3. I hope President Kerry treats the poodle with equal disdain.

His first post-election visit to Europe MUST have a very public snub of B-Liar. Kerry should also, not to subtly, talk about the strain in Anglo-American relations caused by B-Liar's policies.

Somehow, though, I don't think Kerry has it in him to do it.

[AspenRose]

4. Do they know something we don't know?

"The Prime Minister’s advisers have always believed that Mr Bush is likely to be re-elected in November and are wary of sanctioning anything that would disturb their special relationship with Washington."

:tinfoilhat:

[stickdog]

5. I find that statement ominous as well.

Remember that the UN sanctioned our Afghan invasion based on Brit assurances that OBL was behind 9/11.

[unionjack]

6. Ominous, maybe .....

......but it seems straight forward enough to me that any foreign government, British or otherwise, would look at your upcoming election and conclude that a Bush win is a strong possibilty.

It's inevitable they'll position themselves according to that assessment.

Has OBL actually denied responsibility for 9/11 stickdog ?

[leesa]

9. Yes, he has as a matter of fact. Your beloved Poodle was to have provided

clear evidence in the form of the White Papers which were supposed to have proved OBLs involvement. He never produced them.

[unionjack]

10. Dunno why.....

....you would you take it that I'm a fan of Blairs exactly.

The only other electable choice here, if you didn't know, is a Conservative. Maybe you'd be happier to learn I support them. Or some irrelevent also ran.

Are you saying though that it would be wise of the UK Government to plan for a Kerry victory ? Why ?

You are refering to someting I wasn't aware of before where OBL's denial is concerned. Nor have I previously heard the case made that it was the UK that secued UN approval to invade Afghanistan. Where is this from ?

[goforit]

7. So He won't let them stand on their own two feet?

[Placebo]

8. GEORGE W BUSH & TONY BLAIR: INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTS

'nuff said.

[AP]

11. Once again, all anonymous sources for the meat, and a crazy tale to tell.

Is Blair a staunch Bush ally? Or does he want Kerry to win, as the article notes.

Just a couple weeks ago a less conservative paper said that Blair was encouraging support for Kerry within his government.

Another report said that Bair is snubbing Bush (to Bush's great anger) over not coming to the the US to pick up a C. Medal of H.

It's so obvious that Blair is almost out of the woods. It's so obvious that the RW press in the UK knows that Blair's in the clear if Kerry wins. And it's so obvious they're trying to pull out all the stops before it's too late.