Posted on 09/29/2004 8:00:45 AM PDT by finnman69
GMA
John Kerry was apparently on Good Morning America and The Note snippets this baffling exchange:
DIANE SAWYER: Was the war in Iraq worth it?
JOHN KERRY: We should not have gone to war knowing the information that we know today.
DS: So it was not worth it.
JK: We should not — it depends on the outcome ultimately — and that depends on the leadership. And we need better leadership to get the job done successfully, but I would not have gone to war knowing that there was no imminent threat — there were no weapons of mass destruction — there was no connection of Al Qaeda — to Saddam Hussein! The president misled the American people — plain and simple. Bottom line.
DS: So if it turns out okay, it was worth it?
JK: No.
DS: But right now it wasn't?p>
JK: It was a mistake to do what he did, but we have to succeed now that we've done what he's — I mean look — we have to succeed. But was it worth — as you asked the question — $200 billion and taking the focus off of Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda? That's the question. The test of the presidency was whether or not you should have gone to war to get rid of him. I think, had the inspectors continued, had we done other things — there were plenty of ways to keep the pressure on Saddam Hussein.
DS: But no way to get rid of him.
JK: Oh, sure there were. Oh, yes there were. Absolutely.
DS: So you're saying that today, even if Saddam Hussein were in power today it would be a better thing — you would prefer that . . .
JK: No, I would not prefer that. And Diane — don't twist here. Notice how Kerry loses his cool and accuses the questioner of twisting; Is this guy thin-skinned or what?
In tomorrow's debate, Kerry will benefit from lowered expectations because his image among voters is something of a caricature right now. But he still has to do better than he did on GMA. You can bet President Bush has a list of zingers that he will deploy if Kerry gives him an opening.
What an outstanding and completely accurate assessment.
You have summed up the war on terror, what dangers we face and the need to keep a strong President in charge in just a paragraph.
My take on this:
It will not matter if seniors have a prescription drug plan, or we all have a national healthcare plan, or the stock market is up or down, or are schools are failing or succeeding, or crime rates are low or high, or the environment is polluted or clear, or we are hated throughout the world - - if the terrorists are allowed to strike us in America again and again with weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological or whatever) - a great many of us will be dead in the next four years.
This election of the year 2004 is the decision between life and death - literally.
Good Lord!
I'd say he's both -- with an abundance of delusions of grandure and blind ambition.
Perhaps you are the one stalking - you have become a habitual first responder to anything I post to Peach. I find that odd, because my impression has been that you actually think about the positions you take rather than regurgitating what you are told.
And the libs claim that President Bush is a moron?!
If Kerry flips when questioned by Sawyer, he doesn't stand a chance in a 90 minute bout with Bush.
Wouldn't the debates be a great place for a Kerry concession speech?
More transcripts:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Politics/Vote2004/kerry_interview_transcript_040928-1.html
DIANE SAWYER: Was the war in Iraq worth it?
SEN. JOHN KERRY: We should not have gone to war knowing the information we know today.
SAWYER: If it turns out OK ... it was worth it?
KERRY: We have to succeed now that we've done. Look, we have to succeed. There are more terrorists in Iraq today then there were before, and you can't allow it to become an unstable regime that's a haven for terrorism. I've laid out a plan for success. I am not the president today. But each step of the way, I've laid out a plan for success, and each step of the way the president had always been following — always later, never the one who is initiating the things to make it successful. He's gotten us into this mess. It was his decision as to when to go, his decision as to how to go, his decision not to listen to his own advisers.
SAWYER: I want to come back to this issue of the Bush campaign's insistence about flip-flopping, waffling on positions. And, indeed, the polls show 53 percent of the voters — a recent poll — think that you change your mind too often.
KERRY: I think their advertising, and their effort over these last months — to use that word — have been particularly successful. I give them credit for it. But it doesn't reflect truth, nor does it reflect the truth of George Bush's record, who said he wouldn't go to the U.N., then he goes to the U.N., who said he didn't support homeland security and then he supports homeland security, who said he wasn't going to support the 9/11 commission and then he supports it, then he says he won't testify, then he goes to testify.
I can run down the longest list I've ever seen of switches in George Bush's position, you see, but I think it's important for the American people to focus on what we're going to do to change their lives. I've got a very clear program and over the course of the next few weeks, the American people will see the clarity of that.
Seriously, he doesn't inspire confidence at all. He looks so soft. He makes David Cassidy look butch. He has a lovely family. I wouldn't mind having him as my neighbor, but right now we don't need him prosecuting the WOT.
well said in #11
Amazing..if this is the best that the "Poodle" can do, the debates might as well be conceded in Bush's favor....
agreed
Indefensible.
Unfortunately the debates wont allow back and forth interaction that would likely produce the types of responses from the interview.
No. My impersonation.
John "Rainman" Kerry (above): "Yea... yea... Wanna be president. Yea... president..... George Washington... First president... Yea... Quantas... Never had a crash!.... Yea.... I was in Vietnam.... Vietnam..... Vietnam.....Yea.....Orange....I'm orange..Not agent orange!... Just orange!.....voted for it then against it.....Yea.....bring it on.....where is my bicycle?....need to get some cash.... seen TereSa's purse?....need TereSa's purse....yea....."
That's why it's scary that he's even polling upwards of 40%. What is wrong with those people!
That sort of defeats the whole purpose of having a debate.
Blue Collar Windsurfer's Association of Martha's Vineyard.(BCWAMV) Sure.............
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