Comments on: Bush running against Saddam Kerry

By: Deep Blade

Deep Blade — Tue, 21 Sep 2004 23:50:40 +0000

Oh, I should mention, some of the newest polls that last couple of days are encouraging, as Kerry’s post-RNC sag seems to have evened back out. But note that, as cs posted a few days ago, polls are “snake oil” these days. This election really is a toss-up. So whatever critiques I make of his campaign, and dangers for Kerry I point out, I’m NOT saying despair or pessimism is warranted, just hard work.

By: Deep Blade

Deep Blade — Tue, 21 Sep 2004 23:21:13 +0000

I’m glad his actual campaign story now takes Bush on more directly. And we see how Bush hurls back. It’s only going to get worse if Saddam is brought to a tightly controlled trial.

I hope to God Kerry can overcome the onslaught. But he hasn’t put himself in a very good position to do that. Meanwhile, the Dems have wasted way too many resources fighting Nader — Democrats Fight Tigers Against Nader, Pussycats Against Bush is the way one Counterpunch piece puts it.

By: cs

cs — Tue, 21 Sep 2004 22:45:22 +0000

DB, I have the deepest respect for you and you perspicacity on the issues of peace, war and progressive politics. But in the case of John Kerry I prefer to watch what he and his campaign are doing, rather than what they are not. Admittedly, they are focusing their campaign on the niche of uninvolved, undecided or independent voters in the middle of the highly motivated and partisan extremes. And in the process they have to dodge and defend against the dirtiest of campaign opponents . . . I didn’t agree with Kerry’s vote for the resolution at the time, but I understood what it meant and why he did it. In the climate of midterm elections, the first anniversary of 9/11 and totally unanalytic media support for the administration, the resolution was an attempt to get Bush to commit to a process of addressing Saddam’s apparent intransigence through UN inspections and short of war.

Kerry is a politician and was even then in the process of putting together his campaign for the presidency. He walked a fine line then in his speech on the Senate floor at the time of the vote, and he continues to walk that line now. I think it’s because he understands we’re all walking a tightrope these days. The only way to keep us from falling into the abyss is to move slowly, cautiously and with as much coordination and cooperation as possible as we step.