Would Senator Kerry have made a good president?

If we're judging people based on their past, then personally I'd rather have someone with a conscience who served honorably in war and then later objected to the atrocities of Vietnam as opposed to some drunken frat boy who never had the balls to go.

That being said, I think it's pretty dumb when the past (so far removed) of either politician was brought up during the election. Bush is obviously not an alcoholic anymore and Kerry hasn't been marching in any anti-war rallies. I think back to the person I was 30 years ago and... well.. actually I wasn't a person 30 years ago... but even 10 years ago I was a completely different person than the man I am today. Shockingly different.

I'm not sure I agree that Bush has always been doing what's in the country's best interest, but I'm not interested enough to argue the point. Of course it's impossible to know what decisions Kerry would have made differently, or how they would have been motivated. But I guess this whole thread is purely hypothetical...

you have solid proof of this. please present it. i viewed it as more mean spirited propaganda that bush and his crew are well known for. i read alot that indicated this was horse manure. he won the election for governor of texas, in part, because rumors were spread that anne richards had alot of homosexuals working for her, and would put them into high places in texas government if elected. the guy will stop at nothing to win. and when he wins, we lose. bush senior also had cronies that spread rumors about ross perot having a lesbian daughter. these people are really mean - the dems need to do the same, and they have alot more ammunition. i want more mud from the left. it apparently works.

i wish we could agree on something one of these days. haha. given your major and my profession, it would be fun to "talk shop" sometime. we have the "archie bunker and meathead" thing going in reverse here tho. (i do very sincerely apologize for trashing your school in a previous post months ago)

rich

Kerry is an intelligent man with a conscience. He went to serve his country in good faith, and when he got there he found things were not what they were supposed to be. "Rat" is something grade-school kids call each other, a man of conscience does not check that conscience at the door- anywhere. He saw things he thought were wrong, and he said so, I would do the same. Having the courage of one's convictions is admirable, I'm sorry more people don't see that or even grasp the concept. Saying America was wrong for being there was just truth, sorry if it stings sometimes. I love my friends, but I'll still tell them when they're wrong, and I'll take it to heart and give it serious consideration if they tell me I'M wrong. Disagreeing with a decision your government has made does not mean you don't support your country, it may mean you want your country to be it's best.

Being stubborn and inflexible, even in the face of having erred greatly is just stupid. I have no doubt that Kerry would have been better, he would not have undermined the constitution to the degree bush has, and we all lost there. They're both overspoiled aristocrats, but at least Kerry has the ability to think and consider evidence. I like a person who attempts to correct a mistake rather than sticking his fingers in his ears and chanting "I'm right, I'm right, I'm right!"

We voted in who we voted in for better or for worse so suck it up people and start planning the next move You cannot change what has been done just use it as a learning device 2008 is not that far off so it would be nice to start seeing who either side is planning to push out front for the next round.

I dunno HOW I came upon this thread but glad I did.

Most definitely he would have been an excellent president. He may not be the most charming man in politics but give me Intelligence over pseudo-charm any damn day.
KERRY served his country proudly and with distinction in Vietnam while W dodged Vietnam. How odd that his military records are SEALED ????
Look at the great record of senatorship of KERRY opposed to Bush's abysmal record in TX.
A trained chimpanzee who would be W's intellectual superior would be a better president. Sad fact is without his advisors he would be COMPLETELY LOST, as it is he's just somewhat lost.
I LOVE that he was arrogant enough to think that him campaigning for the GOP would help keep them omnimpotent with an approval rating hovering at 30%, yet HE was the very reason DEMocracy returned to our country on Tuesday night.

Thx Dubya, you FINALLY did something good for our country after 6 yrs of incompetence



HORSE

I don't buy the botched joke excuse for a second. It doesn't make any sense. I watched the clip over and over and I'm convinced he spoke from the heart. Then he tried to cover up his poo and completely reverse his position. I think he's a liar.

As much as you may hate him, at least with Bush what you see appears to be what you get.

I voted for Kerry and often wonder how differnt things would be today if he had won. I don't hate Bush he just comes across as dumb? Which may be an act. He is no more from Texas than I am and he wanted to potray that good old boy mystique and it worked. I travel in Europe often and have for 25 years so I have a lot of friends in Belgium,Austria,England....they all think Bush is an idiot.Kerry reminds me more of our founding fathers----elite,smart,well spoken, a wonderful vocabulary.Just thoughts from as gay guy in AThens,GA.Y'all come vist.

Hey at least Kerry went to WAR while Bush hid out in the National Gaurd???And then tried ti HIDE it.Bush is no hero.He was home snorting nose candy and getting DUI'S.

......... and that would be a reason to feel safe and confident?

"Benito Mussolini is a Fascist but at least you know he's fucking nuts!"

Whew.. I feel better already.

oh and what part of "we know they have WMDs" isn't a lie?

Shelby really

I don't buy the botched joke thing either. But I don't think what Kerry said was that egregious. It was a botched joke from the standpoint that nobody got it, not that he misspoke.

and I'm not sure I agree about Bush, either. I think there are ulterior motives behind most of what he does. Whether he's aware of them or not. We may see President Bush, but what we actually get is a secret agenda from Karl Rove and Dick Cheney.

NIC?

I was so pleased when Senator Kerry initially said "no way! No apology!" Then he went on to say "that's enough!". He was right too.

But next he went on to explain his way out of it.

That was the frosting on the cake to me. He should have not responded further or dignified these asses with any explanation. They were owed none. I can hear Don Imus now saying in his stage whisper "JUST SHUT UP!!!!"

Senator Kerry should have taken Imus's advice too.

Agreed. That polish, unfortunately, was Kerry's undoing, as it has for other politicians.

Given how popular anti-intellectualism is in the U.S. it might have been better for Kerry to have affected the mannerisms of a "good ol' boy" who enjoys swilling beer and munching hot dogs at NASCAR races, pro wrestling events or other redneck pastimes. Softball plays much better in Peoria than windsurfing does. But then Kerry would have been excoriated for being a fake.

Republican handlers proved to be more skilled at portraying W as the average working guy despite the fact he is a child of wealth and privelege and accustomed to traveling in private jets.

[quote=Stronzo;615629]NIC?

quote]

yes?

If you're asking for clarification to my post, I meant that I don't buy that he was trying to make a joke about Bush and forgot a word, whether they say it was written in the speech or not. Even without the word "is," though, it could still be construed as a joke and/or a jab at the president and his policies. Either way, it obviously wasn't meant as it came to be interpreted.

No sorry NIC. I wasn't looking for clarification. I was just taking the point further.

For my part, I'm less interested in Kerry's intent in saying it than his right to say it versus the Commander in Chief who got our sorry arses into this mess. Fact remains the statement intact was accurate.

How the Republican spin doctors spin it into negative pro-war rhetoric is their business. Kerry's right. Do a good job in school or you'll find your dumb ass in Bush's vendetta war with Saddam Hussein.

Beyond that the President is equal to the 'jabs' out there or ought to be. He'll be taking lots more now that both the House and Senate have to be addressed and answered to ... high time the feeb had to be accountable.

I still maintain that GWB owes us, as Americans, one great big fat apology for his lies and deception in getting us into this Iraq thing when he hid in the Air National Guard during Vietnam.

Kerry's Swift Boat dilemma was paid for lock stock and barrel by the "righties" who wanted to make sure John's military service was denigrated to deflect attention from that war whore Bush who'd better have the twins enlist post haste, in my opinion.

Send the little cherubs off to Iraq I say! God knows they're good for little else by all indication.

well said. Personally I find it deplorable how those who would send our troops into harm's way will say anything they can to keep up the morale of those that they are using as cannon-fodder and improve their poll numbers among those who are ignorant enough to fall for their Amerocentric nationalistic flag-waving rhetoric. Yet at the same time if anyone who speaks out against the president's agenda and for the cause of bringing the troops home is painted as unpatriotic, cowardly, bashing the troops or as a terrorist sympathizer. It boggles the mind how anyone can swallow this garbage.