Time interview with Kerry

[Guest Cerebus]

I think it was Ripper who said something similar, but I didn't think the Democrats could run anyone that would make Bush look good enough to win a second term but here's the proof. (italicized comments are my remarks)

 

As he flew to Florida the morning after Super Tuesday, Senator John Kerry spoke to TIME's Perry Bacon Jr., Lisa Beyer and Karen Tumulty:

 

TIME: What would you have done about Iraq had you been the President?

KERRY: If I had been the President, I might have gone to war but not the way the President did. It might have been only because we had exhausted the remedies of inspections, only because we had to—because it was the only way to enforce the disarmament.

 

TIME: But it turns out there was nothing to disarm.

KERRY: Well, if we had kept on inspecting properly and gone through the process appropriately, we might have avoided almost a $200 billion expenditure, the loss of lives and the scorn of the world and the breaking of so many relationships.

 

TIME: Would you say your position on Iraq is a) it was a mistaken war; b) it was a necessary war fought in a bad way; or c) fill in the blank?

KERRY: I think George Bush rushed to war without exhausting the remedies available to him, without exhausting the diplomacy necessary to put the U.S. in the strongest position possible, without pulling together the logistics and the plan to shore up Iraq immediately and effectively.

 

TIME: And you as Commander in Chief would not have made these mistakes but would have gone to war?

KERRY: I didn't say that.

 

TIME: I'm asking.

KERRY: I can't tell you.

 

TIME: Might the war have been avoided?

KERRY: Yes. Um...

 

TIME: Through inspections?

KERRY: It's possible. It's not a certainty, but it's possible. I'm not going to tell you hypothetically when you've reached the point of exhaustion that you have to [use force] and your intelligence is good enough that it tells you you've reached that moment. But I can tell you this: I would have asked a lot of questions they didn't. I would have tried to do a lot of diplomacy they didn't.

 

TIME: You would have asked more questions about the quality of the intelligence?

KERRY: Yes. If I had known that [iraqi exile leader Ahmed] Chalabi was somebody they were relying on, I would have had serious doubts. And the fact that we learn after the fact that that is one of their sources disturbs me enormously.

 

TIME: As a Senator, could you not have asked that question?

KERRY: We asked. They said, Well, we can't tell you who the sources are. They give you this gobbledygook. I went over to the Pentagon. I saw the photographs. They told us specifically what was happening in certain buildings. It wasn't.

 

TIME: You were misled?

KERRY: Certainly by somebody. The intelligence clearly was wrong, fundamentally flawed. Look, the British were able to do a two-month analysis of what happened to their intelligence. This Administration wants to put it off to 2005. (Well, that was with the BBC and what not and it was done so quickly that everyone cried whitewash)  It's a national-security issue to know what happened to our intelligence. We ought to know now.

 

TIME: Obviously it's good that Saddam is out of power. Was bringing him down worth the cost?

KERRY: If there are no weapons of mass destruction— and we may yet find some—then this is a war that was fought on false pretenses, because that was the justification to the American people, to the Congress, to the world, and that was clearly the frame of my vote of consent. I said it as clearly as you can in my speech. I suggested that all the evils of Saddam Hussein alone were not a cause to go to war.

 

TIME: So, if we don't find WMD, the war wasn't worth the costs? That's a yes?

KERRY: No, I think you can still—wait, no. You can't—that's not a fair question, and I'll tell you why. You can wind up successful in transforming Iraq and changing the dynamics, and that may make it worth it, but that doesn't mean [transforming Iraq] was the cause [that provided the] legitimacy to go. You have to have that distinction. (Man these two idiots are going to debate each other? It'll be like a debate Special Olympics)

 

TIME: You've said the foreign policy of triumphalism fuels the fire of jihadists. Is it possible the U.S. show of force in Iraq tempers the fire of jihadists?

KERRY: I'm all for strength when appropriate, and, you bet, there are a lot of countries in the Middle East that understand strength, and it's a very important message. But in my judgment, the way it was applied this time, it has encouraged street-level anger, and I have been told by people it encourages the recruitment of terrorists. I mean, look, even Rumsfeld's own memo underscores that they haven't discovered how to stem the tide of recruitment.

 

TIME: Why would internationalizing the occupation of Iraq be a more effective strategy for stabilizing the country?

KERRY: The legitimacy of the governing process that emerges from an essentially American process is always subject to greater questioning than one that is developed with broader, global consent.

 

TIME: How do you bring in others?

KERRY: I spent the time to go to the U.N. and sit with the Security Council before the vote, because I wanted to ascertain what their real state of mind was and whether or not they would be prepared to enforce the resolution, provide troops, whether or not they took it seriously, whether or not they would share costs and burden, and I came away convinced after a two-hour conversation, a lot of questions, that they would.

 

TIME: You've criticized the pre-emptive nature of the Bush doctrine.

KERRY: Let me emphasize: I'll pre-empt where necessary. We are always entitled to do that under the Charter of the U.N., which gives the right of self-defense of a nation. We've always had a doctrine of pre-emption contained in first strike throughout the cold war. So I understand that. It's the extension of it by the Bush Administration to remove a person they don't like that contravenes that.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I don't believe this article is legit.

 

Where's the Vietnam references?

 

If I had been the President, I might have gone to war but not the way the President did.

 

I would have used walkie-talkies instead of guns...

[Guest Sagrada3099]

Y'know, speaking as a Democrat here, I can say without a shadow of a doubt...

 

 

 

...we are SO fucked.

[Guest thebigjig]

Well... the debates should be entertaining... if they could find someone on SNL that could actually do a good Kerry impression, the material should write itself

[Guest thebigjig]

Y'know, speaking as a Democrat here, I can say without a shadow of a doubt...

 

 

 

...we are SO fucked.

eh, I'm not so sure. I dont like Kerry, but allow me to steal a quote from my independant friend "I'm gonna vote for the lesser of the two dumbfucks... Kerry"

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Y'know, speaking as a Democrat here, I can say without a shadow of a doubt...

 

 

 

...we are SO fucked.

Nah, Kerry has all of the bigger "blue states" in his pocket. All he needs is an Ohio or Florida to sway his way...

[Ripper 0]

Y'know, speaking as a Democrat here, I can say without a shadow of a doubt...

 

 

 

...we are SO fucked.

eh, I'm not so sure. I dont like Kerry, but allow me to steal a quote from my independant friend "I'm gonna vote for the lesser of the two dumbfucks... Kerry"

I don't know, I watched Kerry pull his "brotha" card at this black church while giving a speech, because he wants to be the second black president you see...we will see who will out dumb fuck the other in the coming months. Bush would have to work hard to top that.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Oh my God.

 

I saw that clip on a local talk-radio guy's cable TV show.

 

There were black people calling in to DEFEND Kerry as America's second black president...

[Guest thebigjig]

Y'know, speaking as a Democrat here, I can say without a shadow of a doubt...

 

 

 

...we are SO fucked.

eh, I'm not so sure. I dont like Kerry, but allow me to steal a quote from my independant friend "I'm gonna vote for the lesser of the two dumbfucks... Kerry"

I don't know, I watched Kerry pull his "brotha" card at this black church while giving a speech, because he wants to be the second black president you see...we will see who will out dumb fuck the other in the coming months. Bush would have to work hard to top that.

No, he'll have to work hard NOT to top that... so basically, minimal press conferences (check), no more sit down, one on one interviews to expose the puppet strings, no improvisation, and a minimum 9 hours a day of study time with Karl, including intense drilling

 

Say what you will about the tool known as John Kerry, but if he allowed himself to be REAL and not a really stupid overthetop politican, he would kill Bush in a one on one debate

[Ripper 0]

I am considering trying to pull a Face Off with Kerry and John Edwards...you know, one that wouldn't end with Kerry stabbing the Kerry-faced Edwards screaming DIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!.

 

If anyone had actually listened to what Edwards was saying, they would have saw he had the best chance of beating Bush. One debate and it would have been over.

 

Now we are just going to have two guys screaming "9-11!" and "VIETNAM" back and forth at each other for an hour and saying good night.

[Guest thebigjig]

I am considering trying to pull a Face Off with Kerry and John Edwards...you know, one that wouldn't end with Kerry stabbing the Kerry-faced Edwards screaming DIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!.

 

If anyone had actually listened to what Edwards was saying, they would have saw he had the best chance of beating Bush. One debate and it would have been over.

 

Now we are just going to have two guys screaming "9-11!" and "VIETNAM" back and forth at each other for an hour and saying good night.

lol dat's bea-u-ti-ful babay

 

And yeah, Edwards would've have destroyed Dubyah... Clark would have destroyed Dubyah... Dean may have even destroyed him as well (although he would have come off looking like a total arrogant dick)

 

fuck... my retarded uncle Joe, who is 300 lbs, has a metal plate in his head (he was also in Vietnam!) wears rainbow suspenders, and has a speech impediment could out debate this guy

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I don't know, I watched Kerry pull his "brotha" card at this black church while giving a speech, because he wants to be the second black president you see...we will see who will out dumb fuck the other in the coming months. Bush would have to work hard to top that.

[Guest thebigjig]

hmmm... so Kerry is supposed to avoid black churches? Because he's not black?

 

And nice picture... alot to make fun of there... you see, Kerry is clapping... and watching a black guy dance... wow... what an idiot

[BX 0]

We should have gone with Dean.

[Vyce 0]

Now we are just going to have two guys screaming "9-11!" and "VIETNAM" back and forth at each other for an hour and saying good night.

That's probably about right.

 

Clark would have destroyed Dubyah...

 

You didn't listen to any of Clark during his campaign, did you?

 

He was fine UNTIL he opened his mouth.

[Guest thebigjig]

Now we are just going to have two guys screaming "9-11!" and "VIETNAM" back and forth at each other for an hour and saying good night.

That's probably about right.

 

Clark would have destroyed Dubyah...

 

You didn't listen to any of Clark during his campaign, did you?

 

He was fine UNTIL he opened his mouth.

He did fine until one of his final debates when he stumbled several times

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

hmmm... so Kerry is supposed to avoid black churches? Because he's not black?

No. But to pander by saying "I'll be the second black president" that is a joke.

 

And nice picture... alot to make fun of there... you see, Kerry is clapping... and watching a black guy dance... wow... what an idiot

 

Oh it's funny, mostly for the guy dancing. Kerry probably told him he wasn't a VP nominee and is throwing a fit...

[Guest thebigjig]

hmmm... so Kerry is supposed to avoid black churches? Because he's not black?

No. But to pander by saying "I'll be the second black president" that is a joke.

 

And nice picture... alot to make fun of there... you see, Kerry is clapping... and watching a black guy dance... wow... what an idiot

 

Oh it's funny, mostly for the guy dancing. Kerry probably told him he wasn't a VP nominee and is throwing a fit...

Yeah... but wasnt that a joke?? I very seriously doubt he was serious, and doing that is really no different than Bush pandering to the redneck NASCAR crowd

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I never supported Kerry, but it doesn't matter, really. And none of the mud about Kerry matters either.

 

Kerry is nearly irrelevant in this election, as it comes down to those who desperately want Bush to have a second term versus those who despeately want to see someone, ANYONE, replace Bush.

 

Besides, it's not like Bush is a great public debater.

[Justice 0]

I never supported Kerry, but it doesn't matter, really. And none of the mud about Kerry matters either.

 

Kerry is nearly irrelevant in this election, as it comes down to those who desperately want Bush to have a second term versus those who despeately want to see someone, ANYONE, replace Bush.

 

Besides, it's not like Bush is a great public debater.

I'll concur in part and dissent in part. Agreed, the bases of both parties are as solid as they are ever going to get right now, but there is still a big undecided vote that can swing either way. Otherwise this election wouldn't be so in the balance right now.

 

And I'll point out that Bush held his own against Gore, who was far more seasoned that him. He's improved a bunch on his public speaking and Kerry is pretty wooden. It should be interesting, though.

 

And on the stuff that bigjig said:

 

Clark? HA! HA HA HA! No chance in HELL! The guy was a poser candidate: He didn't know what his own stances on the issues were. The guy would have gotten massacred, big time.

 

Edwards? Probably a good chance, though he's slicker than Clinton without the country charm. I don't think he'd crack the South, but he is definitely the most presentable of all the previous candidates.

 

Dean? HA! HA HA HA HAAAA! Kerry isn't half as bad as what Dean could have been. Dean was fricken insane with some of the gaffe he was making. You should be very, very glad he's gone.

[Guest hunger4unger]

Kerry isn't going to be a perfect president (who could be) by any means but hopefully the American people will take him over Bush.

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

I was originally a Dean fan...and then went with Kerry. Why? Because I agree with him on more issues than I do anyone else. For example:

 

Gay Marriage: Let the states decide, but no federal Constitutional amendments. Civil unions appear to be the way to go in more states.

 

Pre-emptive War: Only with absolute PROOF that it is necessary. Kerry made a good distinction in the article: We were presented with WMD being the cause to go to Iraq, and then somehow it became the liberation of the Iraqi people. The line of logic doesn't follow. I'm not going to push the issue, because then it'll really be getting off-topic.

 

Education: More student GRANTS instead of LOANS. Education spending has increased (inflation-adjusted) under every President since Kennedy.

 

Taxes: [rant start] Fuck Bush tax cuts...I made the same amount of money last year as I did the year before...with the same exact deductions, etc. I wound up needing to PAY MORE. Tax cut my ass. [rant over]

Back to the true topic: we need to work on the national debt. We are the richest country in the world and yet we somehow owe the most money. Someone else see something wrong here?

 

But to end this, I just want to give a quote from my roommate about Iraq:

"We're spending $40 billion a month over there, and we're still dying? Just nuke the place! We need more parking anyways! We'll be able to pay off the war in Iraq just by charging for parking. Iraq: Parking Center of the World, Established 2004."

[Guest Cerebus]

Back to the true topic: we need to work on the national debt. We are the richest country in the world and yet we somehow owe the most money. Someone else see something wrong here?

Actually, our Debt-to-GDP ratio is 40% one of the lowest among industrial nations. The reason its higher is because we have a higher GDP than most other industrial nations.

 

Btw, wait a week. All those positions will change.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I was originally a Dean fan...and then went with Kerry. Why? Because I agree with him on more issues than I do anyone else.

Hey, that's odd. So do I.

 

Of course, I also disagree with him on more issues than anyone else out there, but that's only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

 

Oh, and regarding your taxes -- was that just federal, or did that include state and local?...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Of course, I also disagree with him on more issues than anyone else out there, but that's only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

"I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation-building. I think our troops ought to be used to fight and win war." —George W. Bush, October 11, 2000

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Don't question my patriotism, bitch...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Okay, okay. Back to the free-speech zone.

 

If you guys need me, I'll be in Alaska.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

lol -- I was going to discuss Bush's comment, but I'm too freaking lazy. I like this "John Kerry defense."

 

And if you dare question my patriotism while in Alaska I'll have John Ashcroft's gall bladder make sure you have a snowmobile "accident"...

[Art Sandusky 0]

Kerry, the second black president? Suuuuuuuure.

 

I wonder what would happen if he chose a black VP candidate. I might actually like him then.

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

That'd be federal taxes, all on their lonesome.

 

My state ones went up too...damned Taxachusetts.

 

My locals, though, went down...surprisingly.

 

Yes, I know Kerry waffles on the issues. But then again, regarding gay marriage, Mr. Bush ran in 2000 saying it was a states' rights issue. Then again, he had to back away from Jesus Day, too...