WashPo: - Giuliani Charges (against Kerry)Lack Context

[papau]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50256-2004Aug31.html

Giuliani Charges Lack Context

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 31, 2004; 6:44 PM

<snip>For example, Giuliani said: "In October of 2003, he told an Arab American institute in Detroit that a security barrier separating Israel from the Palestinian territories was a barrier to peace. Okay. Then a few months later, he took exactly the opposite position."


The context: When Kerry made his statement about a "barrier to peace," he was referring to, as he put it, the "Israeli government's decision to build the barrier off of the Green Line -- cutting deep into Palestinian areas."Kerry's stance was similar to the position taken by President Bush a few months earlier, in July 2003, when he said in the Rose Garden: "I think the wall is a problem, and I discussed this with Ariel Sharon. It is very difficult to develop confidence between the Palestinians and Israel with a wall snaking through the West Bank." The Bush administration has spent months negotiating with the Israelis the precise route of the fence. Both Kerry and Bush opposed involvement of the International Court of Justice in the matter.


Giuliani: "I quote John Kerry: 'I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.' "

The context: The administration's request for the funding was controversial, even among Republicans, and various attempts were made to split off $67 billion for the troops from the $20 billion for reconstruction, or to turn the $20 billion grant into a loan, or to fund some of the spending by raising taxes on incomes greater than $312,000. Kerry voted for a different version of the bill, just as Bush had vowed to veto a version that originally passed in the Senate that would have converted half of the Iraq rebuilding plan into a loan.


Giuliani: "Just a few months ago, John Kerry kind of leaked out that claim that certain foreign leaders who opposed our removal of Saddam Hussein prefer him."

The context: The reporter who provided a pool report on Kerry's comments at a fundraiser in March later said she had mistranscribed the comments, and Kerry actually did not use the word "foreign." He also did not refer to Saddam Hussein. Speaking to supporters who noted the opposition to Bush overseas, Kerry said: "I've been hearing it, I'll tell you. The news, the coverage in other countries, the news in other places. I've met more leaders who can't go out and say it all publicly, but boy they look at you and say, you gotta win this, you gotta beat this guy, we need a new policy, things like that." From the full conversation, it appears clear Kerry is speaking about dislike of Bush and his policies by leaders overseas, but not necessarily the invasion of Iraq. <snip>

[louis c]

1. There is a God

The first day after Giuliani's speech for Bush at the Repuke Convention in NYC, his beloved Yankees suffered their worst defeat in history, 22-0.

Rudy, get the message?

[BeFree]

2. Isn't Guli the guy who...

Had a mistress in the NYC mayor's house?
And this guy is asking us to believe in him?
Is this the best the pukes can puke up?
If it is... they're toast. LOL

[DarthDem]

3. Yup

He's also reducing his cred with New Yorkers substantially, which will hurt him if he decides to take on Hillary next cycle. However, he didn't look all that healthy or vital to me, and she is quite popular, so I have a feeling he may decline that considerable challenge.

[jrthin]

5. Yep. And this is the same guy, while

mayor, made NYC one of the most race divided city. He is also the guy who when an innocent African immigrant was shot umpteenth time just for standing in front of his home, Guilliani sent police to his apartment to try and dig up dirt that would make him look like a criminal. This man is contemptable.

[Julien Sorel]

4. Some of the make-goods the media owe us

for the Swift Hoaxers? We will see. It's one hell of a bill.