KERRY Should Confront the Flip-Flop Charge Head-on

[liberalpragmatist]

At the debates he should say something along these lines. It should be designed to appeal to wavering moderates and even principled conservatives (hence the favorable allusion to Reagan):

"Look, from the start I said we should only go to war as a last resort and with international support if we can get it. But when the President went to war in March of 2002, I supported him and I supported our troops because when my president tells me he must go to war to protect the security of the American people, I believe him. I trust him. And I trusted the President to do the right thing. I trusted him when he said there were WMDs. I trusted him when he said he would plan properly for the aftermath. I trusted him when he said war was absolutely necessary. Every single one of those assumptions has been proven wrong. My trust was entirely misplaced and every single assumption on which we went to war has been proven wrong. I would be a fool not to reconsider my position. When the facts change, I change my mind. But to you, the attitude is 'facts be damned.' You call that leadership. But true leaders - FDR, Truman, FDR, and Reagan - know that when a policy isn't working, you change course! That's common sense. And if, just because I believe that, you, Mr. President, want to call me a flip-flopper, then dammit, call me a flip-flopper!"

It totally defangs the GOP argument. They can't call him a flip-flopper if Kerry embraces it and turns it into a plus.

What do you think?

[Catch22Dem]

1. Perfect

Absolutely brilliant. Good work. Forward it to the campaign. It couldn't hurt, right?

[camaro69]

2. Excellent strategery

Better late than never. He can use this to springboard into what his real plan for Iraq could be.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. I think it is a good idea

Hope Kerry says something like this tomorrow night.

[grannylib]

4. I would say this is great except that Kerry HAS NOT flip-flopped!

But the first part of your proposed statement, about trusting * and having that trust misplaced, is excellent.
Kerry's position has been very clear and consistent; * and his minions/handlers have simply been assisted by the wrong-wing media whores in pulling the wool over the eyes of a gullible and ignorant electorate.

[dumpster_baby]

5. During Debate, Kerry tosses pair of flip flops to Bush: "Try these on!"

That kind of stunt would get some screen time.

[phish420]

6. I agree

I think from the get go - in the opening remarks (if there are any) - he should say "Look, you are going to hear this man say I flip flop on this or that, but here is the story. President Bush and the Rep Congress voted against the aid package that I voted for that paid for the war in full, up front, with no blank check for no-bid contracts. The President and Rep Congress then changed their minds when a new bill was introduced that borrowed money for the war, making us pay billions in interest, and guaranteed billions of dollars for Halliburton. More truths about my so-called flip flops will come to light as these debates go on".