If Only Kerry Were From the Bronx - - by Robert Scheer

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-scheer14sep14.story
ROBERT SCHEER
If Only Kerry Were From the Bronx
With some street smarts, he might call those Republican bums out.
Robert Scheer

September 14, 2004

How I wish that John Kerry had grown up in my old neighborhood in the Bronx. It drives me crazy that he doesn't have the street smarts to call those GOP bums out.

He's got to be outraged. Not only have his combat-shy opponents stood idly by as their surrogates trashed his Vietnam War record, Vice President Dick Cheney, stooping to a despicable low, said a vote for Kerry was tantamount to a vote for Osama bin Laden and terrorism.

Yes, Kerry is rightly pointing out in his stump speech that the war in Iraq is a deadly distraction from the very real fight to prevent Al Qaeda and like-minded groups from committing more atrocities. But it seems the veteran senator is too much of a gentleman to point out the elephant in the room, the obvious flaw in the Republican Party's claim that it is the only party that knows how to keep us safe: After all, it was Cheney and George W. Bush who were on watch when 19 poorly trained hijackers were easily able to breach the nation's security apparatus and commit mass murder despite frantic, prescient warnings from the CIA. Yet, not only has this administration not held anybody accountable for this mind-boggling dereliction of duty, it shamelessly milks the tragedy for political gain.

"It is absolutely essential … on Nov. 2, we make the right choice," Cheney said this past week. "Because if we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[cyclezealot]

1. Thank You Papau

I read Sheer this AM..Great story..How can we influence Kerry to get nasty...? Call his office..How can we help him when he is such a "Gentleman" dealing with bar room brawlers....Public is not impressed with pansies...We learned that from Jr. High school. No..There is a time when you turn you check too many times...
Kerry looses if he does not come to grips with these bullies before the debates start..
Do not agree with Kerry on the war, trade, or health care; and I fear the war will become an albatross about Kerry 's neck; but still he must win or our freedoms are in peril. Thanks for posting this..
How can we slip this to Kerry's handlers sometime soon.

[papau]

2. I keep hoping Kerry handlers read DU - Sadly I have better contacts

with the GOP via my years working for a Reagan/Ike friend.

I knew Tip - but not much more than handshake and a smile - and indeed no person in the Dem structure is more than that - if that - nor should they be as I have little money to give..

I hope, hope, someone in the Kerry camp is reading DU.

:-)

[KoKo]

5. Unfortunately those of us advocating "fighting" get trashed so much I

think anyone reading here would decide that Kerry's reluctance to "call Bush out" is the correct strategy. Having been accused myself of being a freeper/mole/whatever, I can tell you it's not popular. AND, I am actively trying to work for Kerry spending my time on a person who I wonder if he really appreciates it.... It's his "strategy" we are told, so we've got to hope he and his campaign ops and folks here know something I don't from my years of observing elections. :shrug:

But as "Magistrate" says: "Gotta Get those Bush Bastards Out!"

[papau]

8. "Gotta Get those Bush Bastards Out!" - the media does not realize the

problems they will have as individuals if he is elected in 04.

I hope they get lucky and he loses, as I did mot like the 68-71 weathermen and their reaction to "institutional lying".

"Gotta Get those Bush Bastards Out!" is my mantra through the election!

[readmylips]

3. I like Kerry the Gentleman...

which means bush is the un-gentleman...or Mad Man. Bush is putting out hate and lies, drama the media loves. Kerry is putting out policy and challenging bush's record. To the media, boring facts that don't bring ratings. We the people, get screwed.

We all know bush is a phony. He's no cowboy. He's no Texan. He's not one of us less affluent Americans. He's a boy-toy made up by the GOP extremists. He's no Christian. He uses religion and sacraments for political gain. He hides our dead soldiers, and he glorifies himself on the death and suffering of 911 victims.

[demnan]

4. We may know that

but many are fooled - and they'll vote for Bush!

[KoKo]

6. Some pundit commented that average Americans think Kerry can't lead

if he doesn't call Bush out. That Bush looks mean and tough and so Americans see him as stronger on fighting terrorists. When Kerry allows Bush to do this average Americans see this as weakness.

It's an interesting way of looking at it.

[Vitruvius]

7. If you like this article, you may also like

Paul Vitello's take on this, at http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-livit143967086sep14,0,1847495.column

(DU thread at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x73469 )

You may also like today's "Boondocks" at http://www.ucomics.com/boondocks/ ; it begins with little Huey tellephoning Kerry and telling him "Senator, the country thinks you're weak on defense because you won't even defend yourself! Vietnam is history. We need to see you fight TODAY!..."

[Vitruvius]

9. KICK

And Tuesday's Boondocks is now at http://www.ucomics.com/boondocks/2004/09/14/