It's a completely new remark from Kerry, but consistent with his "shattered alliances" and "Traditional allies" rhetoric.
Actually the Global Test is a misnomer. It appeals to Globalists and anti-american left/corporate liberals who privelege foreign anti-american sentiment. It's a misnomer because Kerry really means "French Test." Or "Parisian Test". He has no problem dumping this rubric of globalism and multilateralism for North Korea.
Adding to the confusion he is instructed not to say the words "Chirac" or "France" lest the peeps recall the events before the war. Bush has done nothing to remind people of such so Kerry basically gets a free-ride on his francophilism. He signals it in code words like mentioning DeGaulle, as did his buddy Sen. Biden did at the Democratic National Convention. Biden is the one who had a private meeting with Chirac.
Your British press is enchanted with levels of Eurocentrism and anti-Bushism and liberal/conservative politics, blinding itself to the fact that Kerry wants to tilt away from the UK to France. He's a longtime Francophile. So are some of his advisors.
Well, if you guys are right and this is enough to cause Senator Kerry some problems down the line, so much the better. As I see it, all Bush needs to do is draw the debates and he wins the election, and while I am disappointed that he didn't "hit Kerry out of the park", even the BBC seems to be saying that it was pretty much a dead heat.
BTW, welcome aboard WildTurkey!