North Korea warms to Kerry presidency bid

Financial Times ^ | March 4, 2004 | Andrew Ward and James Harding

[inkling]

North Korea's state-controlled media are well known for reverential reporting about Kim Jong-il, the country's dictatorial leader.

But the Dear Leader is not the only one getting deferential treatment from the communist state's propaganda machine: John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic candidate, is also getting good play in Pyongyang.

In the past few weeks, speeches by the Massachusetts senator have been broadcast on Radio Pyongyang and reported in glowing terms by the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), the official mouthpiece of Mr Kim's communist regime.

The apparent enthusiasm for Mr Kerry may reflect little more than a "better the devil you don't know" mentality among the North Korean apparatchiks. Rather than dealing with President George W. Bush and hawkish officials in his administration, Pyongyang seems to hope victory for the Democratic candidate on November 2 would lead to a softening in US policy towards the country's nuclear weapons programme.

But both Mr Kerry and Mr Bush are committed to North Korean disarmament. Mr Kerry, however, would renew bilateral negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, while Mr Bush has sought to manage the conversation with North Korea through multilateral talks. Mr Kerry has also been more forthright about setting out the economic rewards for North Korea if it disarms.

The Bush administration appears in no hurry to tackle the North Korea issue before the election, aware that a US compromise with Pyongyang would represent an embarrassing climbdown, while confrontation would risk a bloody - and electorally disastrous - war.

If North Korea is hoping that a Democratic victory would herald a return to Bill Clinton's policy of engagement with Pyongyang, then Gordon Flake, head of the Mansfield Centre for Pacific Affairs in Washington, cautions Mr Kim against expecting too much from Mr Kerry. "It would be harder for a Democratic president to do a deal because there would be a lot of pressure on him not to be a soft touch," he says.

Either way, the North Korean media is a constituency Mr Kerry could do without. Second only to the warm words Mr Kerry has enjoyed from Jane Fonda, the actress and antiwar liberal who is still a bugbear of the American right, a signal of support from the Dear Leader will delight conservative talk-show hosts and Republicans eager to paint Mr Kerry as soft on national security.

A small group of Vietnam veterans has already branded Mr Kerry as "Hanoi John" - a reference to his antiwar activities in 1971 after he returned from serving in Vietnam.

Mr Kerry was first introduced to North Korea's information-starved people in early February, when Radio Pyongyang reported that opinion polls indicated he was likely to defeat Mr Bush.

A few days later, the station broadcast comments by Mr Kerry criticising Mr Bush for deceiving the world about Iraq's elusive weapons of mass destruction. Later in February, KCNA welcomed Mr Kerry's pledge to adopt a more "sincere attitude" towards North Korea if elected.

"Senator Kerry, who is seeking the presidential candidacy of the Democratic Party, sharply criticised President Bush, saying it was an ill-considered act to deny direct dialogue with North Korea," said the news agency.

Pyongyang's friendly attitude towards Mr Kerry contrasts with its strong anti-Bush rhetoric.

[SAMWolf]

Kim Jong-il endorses Kerry!!

[atomicpossum]

John Kerry. The People's candidate.

[VadeRetro]

North Korea warms to Kerry presidency bid

Al Qaeda has to love it, too.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Good! Line up leaders of China, Vietnam and Cuba!!!

[Shermy]

But both Mr Kerry and Mr Bush are committed to North Korean disarmament. Mr Kerry, however, would renew bilateral negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, while Mr Bush has sought to manage the conversation with North Korea through multilateral talks. Mr Kerry has also been more forthright about setting out the economic rewards for North Korea if it disarms.

NK doesn't want China breathing down it's neck so the Kerry unilateralist position is a win for them.

[VOA]

If Kerry doesn't win with the support of North Korea and Iran...he can blame his
defeat on Dubya due to taking Iraq out of the picture!

[Tailgunner Joe]

Hanoi John Kerry: the Stalinist choice!

[PRND21]

John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic candidate, is also getting good play in Pyongyang.

As well he should.
Bush kicks ass, Kerry kisses it.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Prediction: This will net no media attention in the United States.

[cdrw]

I see a good campaign commercial coming here that will never be produced (unfortunately). Every enemy of the US is going to rally behind Kerry. Somehow we've got to collect that information and point it out to the public when it occurs.

[TomGuy]

First, Iran, now North Korea 'leaning' toward Kerry.

That speaks volumes!

[Dog Gone]

But who does Hugo Chavez of Venezuela support?

[Shermy]

John Kerry, August 6, 2003, Washinton Post:

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2003_0806.html

"....President Bush has said that he wants a diplomatic resolution of the crisis. If the coming talks are to be more than show, however, the Bush administration must commit itself to negotiate directly with the North Koreans -- no matter who else is at the table -- and have a viable negotiating strategy. The threat posed by North Korea is too dangerous to allow someone else, be it our allies or China, to negotiate our interests. ..."

Yet the bulk of his foreign policy dispute with Bush is that Bush didn't allow France to negotiate our interests in Iraq.

[Fun Bob]

A vote for Kerry is a vote for nuclear arms proliferation.

A vote for Kerry is a vote for Korean children starving to death.

A vote for Kerry is a vote for instability in Asia between nuclear powers.

[mystery-ak]

Kerry has N. Korea's endorsement...show that to your rat friends.

[dokmad]

"North Korea warms to Kerry presidency bid"

That, in and of itself is a red flag for voters. LOL What an endorsement.

[sport]

You know that they would.

Communist China got their nuclear program and their intercontinental ballistic missile program on track courtesy of Loral and bill clinton.

North Korea figures that kerry can at the least do the same for them.

[blam]

Kommies for Kerry. LOL

[ambrose]

Kerry is a filthy traitor, and the N Koreans know this.

[Wolverine]

Are You Sleeping, Bourgeoisie

Traditional American song, sung in rounds to the tune of "Frere Jacques".

Are you sleeping, Are you sleeping,
Bourgeoisie, Bourgeoisie,
And when the revolution comes,
We'll kill you all with knives and guns,
Bourgeoisie, Bourgeoisie

Bourgeoisie, Bourgeoisie, See How They Run

Usually sung in rounds after "Are You Sleeping, Bourgeoisie". Sung to the tune of "Three Blind Mice".

Bourgeoisie, Bourgeoisie,
See how they run,
See how they run

And when the revolution comes,
We'll kill them all with knives and guns,
Bourgeoisie, Bourgeoisie

[okie01]

"Yet the bulk of his foreign policy dispute with Bush is that Bush didn't allow France to negotiate our interests in Iraq."

And what John Kerry wants is exactly what Kim Jong-Il wants: direct negotiations between "equals", with South Korea and Japan on the sidelines...and Red China in his backfield, calling the plays.

[Stultis]

"....President Bush has said that he wants a diplomatic resolution of the crisis. If the coming talks are to be more than show, however, the Bush administration must commit itself to negotiate directly with the North Koreans -- no matter who else is at the table -- and have a viable negotiating strategy. The threat posed by North Korea is too dangerous to allow someone else, be it our allies or China, to negotiate our interests. ..."

Yet the bulk of his foreign policy dispute with Bush is that Bush didn't allow France to negotiate our interests in Iraq.

And, of course, Kerry complains about the "arrogance" of George Bush's "unilateral" foreign policy, yet wrt to N. Korea advocates arrogantly pushing aside the regional parties.

BTW, remember how the 'Rats and their pundits claimed that Bush was overreaching, and could never get the N. Koreans to agree to six party talks? My recollection is that many, at the time, conceded that multi-party talks would be preferable, but since this was not achievable they argued Bush must agree to North Korea's demand for direct, bilateral talks.

Now that Bush has (again) done what the 'Rats claimed couldn't be done, these concessions have disappeared down the memory hole. Somebody should run a Lexis/Nexus search to see if Kerry was among those conceding (when they thought Bush couldn't pull it off) that multi-party talks would be desirable.

[eeriegeno]

WOW? Endorsed by North Korea, Iran, Hillary, Ted, and Ramsey!!! What else could a guy ask for????????

[Dog Gone]

Dang. The post #24 to me was deleted before I even saw it.

I feel almost as bad for the mosquitos who die of bug spray before they bite me.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET


...Just like former Free South Vietnam Vice-President NGUYEN CAO KY has been playing golf with Communist leaders in Hanoi for the last 2 months...

...so has JOHN KERRY ever since he returned home from the Vietnam War.


See:

JOHN KERRY = Enemy of Vietnam Vets

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1320


..............vs..................


MEL's -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=39081



Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer / Vet-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
(IA DRANG-1965 Photos)


NEVER FORGET

[piasa]

Got Pink?^TM

[He Rides A White Horse]

But the Dear Leader is not the only one getting deferential treatment from the communist state's propaganda machine: John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic candidate, is also getting good play in Pyongyang.

In the past few weeks, speeches by the Massachusetts senator have been broadcast on Radio Pyongyang and reported in glowing terms by the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), the official mouthpiece of Mr Kim's communist regime.

Democrats are communists. This is not surprising in the least.

The Communist Party USA issued a favorable statement regarding Gore in 2000............anyone see a pattern yet?

[He Rides A White Horse]

A horse is a horse, of course, of course,

And no one can look like a horse of course

That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Red.

Go right to the source and ask the horse

He’ll give you the answer that lefties endorse.

A liberal agenda he wants to force

Talk to Mister Red.

People yakkity yak a streak and waste your time of day

But Mr. Red will never speak unless he makes political hay

A horse is a horse, of course, of course,

And this one’ll lie ‘til his voice is hoarse.

You never heard of a talking horse?

Well listen to this: "I'm Mister Red."

[Pylon]

Ping Pong

[Stallone]

PERFECTION!

If only Binnie himself would come out and endorse Kerry, we'd have a two-fer!

Binnie would be greeted with the very latest in military salutes in fine U.S. tradition, and Kerry too would go down in flames.

[Valin]

Well this COULD be trouble! It looks like Kerry's locked up that all important homicidal manic vote!

[BikerTrash]

Quite obviously the hope is for at least one other country to have a leader that looks more like a freak than the one they have.

[daybreakcoming]

**WOW? Endorsed by North Korea, Iran, Hillary, Ted, and Ramsey!!! What else could a guy ask for????????**

Al Gore??

[Happy2BMe]

"North Korea warms to Kerry presidency bid"

Well, well, well . .

[Airborne Longhorn]

Good morning, y'all!

Come on over here and play...

Communist Party of USA and Democrats: ALLIES (read for yourself from CPUSA website!!)

[Airborne Longhorn]

.

[nmh]

North Korea warms to Kerry presidency bid

Not surprised. He's got the same philospohy.

What Bush ought to do is link him with the Communist complete with the Communist endorsement and then have scenes flashed on the ad with the reality of Korean COmmunism.

[madison10]

John Kerry should be proud to be endorsed by a communist country. After all Communism does seem to be his "-ism" of choice. This is scary.

[Callahan]

Bush should run Kerry's glowing North Korea coverage straight as a campaign commercial. I'm waiting for an Al Qaeda to issue their endorsement.

[jaykay]

So let's spread the word ourselves, to everyone we all write to, e-mail to, speak to on the phone or in person. Every endorsement that Kerry earns that he and the press don't want the American public to know about, North Korea, ChiComs, Iran, Syria, Al Queda, Hezbollah, Hamas, Arafat, Castro, etc...

Surely Osama will soon release a tape endorsing Kerry, No? Then get Saddam out of jail to endorse Kerry. Who else can endorse him? Johnny "American Taliban" Walker Lindh? Speaking of the Taliban, how about an endorsement form Mullah Omar? Anyone else? Richard "Shoe-Bomb" Reid, maybe? Zacharias Mousouie? Too bad Qusay and Uday are dead, darn!

[dixierat22]

Great pics in yer profile. John "The next Loser" Kerry should probably spend a weekend doing a fundraiser in North Korea and Viet Nam.

[greenwolf]

What more should anybody need to know?

[Airborne Longhorn]

.

[alaskanfan]

Mr Kerry has also been more forthright about setting out the economic rewards for North Korea if it disarms.

Didn't we already try this?????

[ArrogantBustard]

Fascinating: John Effin' Kerry, the preferred candidate of murderous tin-plated dicatorial thugs...

[FairOpinion]

[July 4th]

Great! We can get a 'dear leader' too!

[Airborne Longhorn]

.