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A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL
Fourth in a Series of BuzzFlash Editorials
John Kerry, Don't Apologize For Telling The Truth: The Future Of Democracy Depends Upon Exposing The Chronic Lies And Deceptions Of The Bush Cartel
John Kerry surprised BuzzFlash the other day. He actually challenged the administration in more than his usual cautious "I am terribly afraid if I tell the truth about Bush's lies and incompetence, people will stereotype me as a Massachusetts liberal and I will never be able to win in 2004" strategy.
This is what Kerry declared as he pursued votes for the 2004 New Hampshire primary:
''What we need now is not just a regime change in Saddam Hussein and Iraq, but we need a regime change in the United States,'' Kerry said in a speech at the Peterborough Town Library. (See: Article Link)
Needless to say, Kerry's words were music to the ears of BuzzFlash readers. In two editorials, BuzzFlash had just taken Kerry and Hillary Clinton to task for their "politically safe" route of supporting the Iraq War, despite the fact that they know that it was sold to the American people on a foundation of lies, phony documents, manipulation of fear, bullying, and bribery. Kerry, of all people, a Vietnam Vet honored for his heroism, shouldn't have taken the cowardly route of supporting Bush's "perfect war" by voting to give him the green light to start it, particularly because our soldiers are dying due to the Bush Cartel incompetence.
But we give credit where credit is due, and we are heartened by Kerry's resonating call for "regime change" in America.
Of course, at the first sign of any criticism of Little Caesar, the Bush Cartel dogs are unleashed to rip apart the flesh of any Democrat who dares to speak out for democracy. That's why the Republican Party sent out the following e-mail on April 3 to its "GOP Team Leader" e-mail alert list, launching its standard "faux patriotic" assault, this time on Kerry.
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April 3
Dear XXXX,
Yesterday, John Kerry shocked many Americans when he called for "regime change" right here in the U.S. By comparing our commander-in-chief to Saddam Hussein's brutal regime at a time of war, Kerry showed just what he is willing to say to appeal to liberal Democrat primary voters.
RNC Chairman Marc Racicot quickly responded saying, "Senator Kerry crossed a grave line when he dared to suggest the replacement of America's commander-in- chief at a time when America is at war. Critical analysis offered in the best interests of the country is part of a healthy democracy. But this use of self-serving rhetoric designed to further Senator Kerry's political ambitions at a time when the lives of America's sons and daughters are at stake reflects a complete lack of judgment."
Senator Kerry's shocking comments come just three weeks after he said he would end any criticism if America goes to war, saying, "It's what you owe the troops ... if America is at war, I won't speak a word without measuring how it'll sound to the guys doing the fighting." It appears Senator Kerry is more interested in appealing to a small, radical faction of voters than leading all Americans.
These comments are just the latest example of Democrat leaders blaming America first. Last week, Tom Daschle echoed the French line, blaming our nation for the war, even after the United Nations gave Iraq 12 years to disarm. Joe Lieberman called President Bush a "greater threat to peace than Saddam Hussein." Dick Gephardt claimed that President Bush is "bullying" the world.
Do you think these Democrat comments go too far? Let us know your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Jack Oliver
Deputy Chairman
Republican National Committee(If you want to join the "GOP Team Leader" e-mail alert list to keep track of their latest Kremlin-inspired propaganda, go to http://www.gopteamleader.com/about.asp)
Now that Kerry has been put on notice by the GOP attack squad, he better not retreat. In fact, he should even more aggressively expose the lies that form the foundation of this Hollywood stage-front government.
Unfortunately, the almost universal pattern of Democrats is to make a tentative criticism of the Bush Cartel and then apologize and retreat to a corner when Cheney or some other GOP heavy is sent out to bark at them. This just happened to Daschle who, in the last two weeks, appropriately criticized Bush for making a mess of diplomatic efforts to seek support for the Iraq War. The Republican Bush Royal Court "enforcers" jumped all over Daschle, and then Tom -- as he always does -- apologized to a South Dakota paper saying that his remarks were ill-timed. (As BuzzFlash has editorialized in the past, Daschle is always watching his "red state backside." In 2000, South Dakota gave Bush a victory by a greater percentage of votes than in Trent Lott's Mississippi. Daschle is up for election in 2004.)
As BuzzFlash has said for two years, DO NOT APOLOGIZE TO ANY REPUBLICAN WHEN WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS THE TRUTH. You are dealing with the Grand Hypocrisy Party that never apologizes for the daily outpouring of lies they heap on the American public. Why in God's name should a Democrat ever, ever apologize for telling the truth?
But, the Democrats are a timid lot and they persist in being bullied by our battery-operated vice president and the likes of Tom DeLay. In fact, Daschle's cowardly and unnecessary mea culpa led DeLay to subsequently patronizingly praise the Democrats for now acting "more responsibly" in supporting the Vietnam-evading "Commander in Chief." If anything should indicate to Daschle how wimpy his apology was, DeLay's compliment should etch it in stone.
But that brings us back to Kerry. If he wants a chance to beat Howard Dean in the New Hampshire primary (and we are not endorsing Kerry, just pointing out strategic realities), he better not apologize for his perfectly appropriate comments. American soldiers are dying in Iraq because of the gross incompetence of Rumsfeld and Bush in putting together a war that they were not qualified to lead. Democracy is under threat of being slowly, but inevitably dismantled, in a politically calculated strategy.
John Kerry can decide to play the usual Democratic patsy, or he can choose the strength of the truth and break through to the other side of the standard Republican effort of intimidation and threats of political retribution. If he chooses truth, he will find an opportunity to lead Americans back on a course of informed democracy and help SHAPE public opinion and polls.
Otherwise, he will be just another Democratic wimp who squeals and whimpers back to the reassuring comfort of fawning aides.
More than 30% of Americans oppose the war, despite the disinformation that they have been fed. We predict 70% would have opposed the war if the Democrats had had the balls to simply expose the Bush lies -- lies that made it seem Saddam Hussein was responsible for September 11th (among a trunk full of other phony "evidence" and disinformation leaks.)
What's more, the Democrats who oppose the war oppose it far more intensely than the Americans who only lukewarmly support the attack. These are the Democrats who are going to turn out in droves in the Iowa caucuses and the Democratic primaries. Remember more than 30% of Americans opposing the war translates into roughly 100,000,000 people. That's a lot of motivated Democratic primary voters.
The traditional NDLC Democrats make the fatal mistake of believing that Americans would still support the Iraq War if they knew the truth about the Bush Cartel's motivations in starting it. The NDLC is the epicenter of Democratic Party mushy, flaccid wimpiness, urging a strategy of passivity rather than leadership. But, we repeat, public opinion for the war, which is a mile wide and a millimeter deep, would have turned against it if the Democrats had merely pulled aside the curtain of the Bush Cartel's deception -- a deception that obscures their very real self-serving political and financial agenda in Iraq.
The Liebermans and the Gephardts of the world are going to get creamed in the early primaries for their pro-war stances (despite the GOP laughably deriding them for being antiwar, which is news to BuzzFlash.com). John Kerry needs to decide if he is going to remain competitive by being a leader and educating Americans by exposing the pattern of lies, deceptions, and anti-Constitutional machinations of the Bush administration, or whether he is just going to be another mealy-mouthed wannabe who responds to the polls.
It's your choice John. If you apologize for your belated, but most truthful remarks, you can start writing your concession speech to Howard Dean in the New Hampshire primary. (Kerry's advisers obviously read the polls and have seen Dean surge in New Hampshire. If Kerry loses there, he is finished, because it borders his home state and the southern part of NH is even in the Boston television market.)
Americans yearn for leadership. The Republicans have learned that you don't inspire trust in your ability to be tough with foreign adversaries if you run around apologizing to the opposing political party in your country for merely expressing the truth.
Tom DeLay, among others, mercilessly attacked Clinton when he sent our troops into combat. He, among other GOP extremists, never apologized -- and look who's running the country now.
Are you getting the message John Kerry?
A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL
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BuzzFlash Note: We are not endorsing a Democratic candidate in the primaries at this time. (In fact, we haven't decided if we will endorse anyone at all.) However, we have stated that we are firmly opposed to the candidacies of Dick Gephardt and Joe Lieberman, because of their failed leadership and their unqualified support for the Iraq War. (We also opposed Tom Daschle running for president for failing to use a Democratic majority in the Senate to launch probes of the voluminous Bush Cartel potential illegal activities, ethical lapses, and corporate corruption.) They are simply "business as usual" Democrats, which means losers in 2004.
And yes, we know that Dennis Kucinich is running, but Dean is the anti-war candidate with the most momentum, money and organizational resources at this point. But again, that does not mean we are endorsing anyone, primarily because winning a general election is about a lot more than just expressing a position on an issue. The person who can successfully beat the Bush Cartel in 2004 will have to be part street fighter, part idealist, part charismatic leader, part truth teller, part public policy visionary -- and full-time "take no prisoners" pugilist. A successful Democratic candidate for president in 2004, will -- most importantly -- have to define the terms of the media debate and put the Bush Cartel on the defensive.
Except for Bill Clinton, we have had 20 years of Democratic candidates who have spent almost their entire campaigns with their defensive team on the football field. No football team wins a game when their offensive squad is only on the field 5 - 10% of the time.
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Updates on Kerry's comments:
Kerry Angers GOP in Calling For 'Regime Change' in U.S.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23490-2003Apr3.html
Kerry stands by Bush remark
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20030404-329912.htm
Hastert and Delay Assail Kerry Speech
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23427-2003Apr3.html
Also see:
Part
I: The "Infallibility" of America's God King
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/03/31.html
Part II: The Democratic Leadership Doesn't Even Have a Clue
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/04/01.html
Part
III: These Men Died in Vietnam While George W. Bush and Dick Cheney
Avoided Combat Like Cowards
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/04/02.html
The
Perfect War
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/03/27.html
We
are in a Nation Ruled by Madmen Who Will Bury the U.N.
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/03/21.html
Endgame
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/03/17.html
The
U.N. "Win-Win" for
the Bush Cartel: Security Council Supports Iraq War Or U.N. Disbands
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/03/04.html
George
W. Bush Can't Tell the Difference Between a Democracy And a Puppet
Government
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/03/03.html
There
Tom Daschle Goes Again
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/02/06.html
In
Just Two Weeks, Rumsfeld Insults, Disparages and Demeans Veterans,
the French, the Germans and the Joint Chiefs of Staff: The Ship of
Fools
is Running Our Ship of State
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/01/27.html
Welcome
to the Muscle Beach Party
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/03/01/23.html
