Posted on 07/29/2004 2:23:59 PM PDT by Indy Pendance
BOSTON - Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) was to challenge President Bush (news - web sites) over the war in Iraq (news - web sites) Thursday in the climactic speech of the Democratic National Convention and was to pledge an administration where "America never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to."
"I defended this country as a young man and I will defend it as president," the Massachusetts senator planned to say, a decorated Vietnam War veteran now trying to oust an incumbent commander in chief.
Vowing to build a stronger military at home and strong alliances overseas, Kerry was to say the nation then will be able to tell terrorists: "You will lose and we will win."
"The future doesn't belong to fear; it belongs to freedom," he was to say in excerpts of remarks prepared for delivery.
Kerry's speech capped a four-day national convention designed to present him to millions of undecided voters as a man tested by war and ready to take command in an era of terrorism.
He and vice presidential running mate John Edwards (news - web sites) depart Friday for a 3,500-mile, coast-to-coast campaign swing through 21 states.
After spending the week at his Texas ranch, Bush, too, intends to resume campaigning with a bus tour through battleground states stretching from Pennsylvania to Missouri.
In remarks aimed at a prime-time television audience as well as the thousands of delegates packed into the FleetCenter, Kerry was to paint a portrait of a nation suffering economically after four years of Republican rule.
"Wages are falling, health care costs are rising and our great middle class is shrinking. People are working weekends; they're working two jobs, three jobs and they're still not getting ahead," he was to say.
"We can do better and we will. We're the optimists," he was to say, and added, "We value an America where the middle class is not being squeezed, but doing better."
Kerry did not mention Bush by name in the excerpts, but his criticism was unmistakable.
"I will immediately reform the intelligence system so policy is guided by facts, and facts are never distorted by politics," he was to say in reference to claims that the president relied on faulty intelligence in deciding to invade Iraq in 2003.
"And as president, I will bring back this nation's time-honored tradition: the United States of America never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to," Kerry was to say.
The four-term senator voted in October 2002 to give Bush the authority to use military force to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), but later voted against legislation providing $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan (news - web sites).
He must not have heard about the Flip Flop video.
He's setting it up PERFECTLY with this speech.
He's done.
So wha...he's admitting he has nothing intelligent to say about it?!
It's too bad Kerry doesn't know anyone who was a Senator or something. He might have been able to convince that person to vote against going to war in the first place.
Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) was to challenge President Bush (news - web sites) over the war in IraqWas? John Kerry was to challenge President Bush? Did Cheney whisper 'boo' and terrify the wrinkly girly-man from Boston into an awkward silence--again!?
I want a war when we feel like it.
Kerry is such an idiot. War hero my rear. The real heroes don't talk about it. I am going to try very hard to watch this moron, but it sure isn't gonna be easy.
"America never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to."
YOU VOTED FOR IT, PUTZ.
maybe Kerrrry thinks we should have waited until Boston was wiped out, too...THEN we would 'have to..."
He's singing your song, Neville.
I took the liberty of modifying the title.
when we are talking murdering scum, beheading-type terrorists, then I really feel like it!
John F*ckin's idea of defending this country in effect, is to wait til a mushroom cloud goes over an American city. Fine, President Bush should happily debate him over those terms. Its a reckless and irresponsible stance in the Age Of 9/11. But it fits the mood of the Party Of 9/10 to a T. Kerry is unqualified to serve as our Commander In Chief.
That is the way these doofuses actually think.
Gold.
Before he voted against it. We cannot afford to have a President who is indecisive in the face of danger leading our country in a time of great peril.
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