Saturday, September 04, 2004
Meanwhile back in the U.S. of A
In a sort of Michael-Dukakis-moment, John Kerry has hit back at the smears and innuendo and not a moment too soon. He is quoted as saying:
"For the past week, they have attacked my patriotism and even my fitness to serve as commander in chief. Well, here is my answer to them. I will not have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could've and who misled America into Iraq.
"The vice president called me unfit for office last night. Well, I'm going to leave it up to the voters to decide whether five deferments make someone more qualified than two tours of duty.
"Let me tell you in no uncertain terms what makes someone unfit for office and unfit for duty. Misleading our nation into war in Iraq makes you unfit to lead our country. Doing nothing while this nation loses millions of jobs makes you unfit to lead this country. Letting 45 million Americans go without health care for four years makes you unfit to lead this country.
"Letting the Saudi royal family control the price of oil for Americans makes you unfit to lead this country. Handing out billions of dollars in government contracts without a bid to Halliburton while you're still on the payroll makes you unfit to lead this country."
The problem is that the agenda is still that of the incumbent President. He is talking mostly about leadership when he should be primarily focussing on the economy and Bush's domestic policy failures. At least the fightback is not as late as that led by Michael Dukakis on the 'l-word'. Let us hope that Kerry can sustain this tone up to the election.
"For the past week, they have attacked my patriotism and even my fitness to serve as commander in chief. Well, here is my answer to them. I will not have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could've and who misled America into Iraq.
"The vice president called me unfit for office last night. Well, I'm going to leave it up to the voters to decide whether five deferments make someone more qualified than two tours of duty.
"Let me tell you in no uncertain terms what makes someone unfit for office and unfit for duty. Misleading our nation into war in Iraq makes you unfit to lead our country. Doing nothing while this nation loses millions of jobs makes you unfit to lead this country. Letting 45 million Americans go without health care for four years makes you unfit to lead this country.
"Letting the Saudi royal family control the price of oil for Americans makes you unfit to lead this country. Handing out billions of dollars in government contracts without a bid to Halliburton while you're still on the payroll makes you unfit to lead this country."
The problem is that the agenda is still that of the incumbent President. He is talking mostly about leadership when he should be primarily focussing on the economy and Bush's domestic policy failures. At least the fightback is not as late as that led by Michael Dukakis on the 'l-word'. Let us hope that Kerry can sustain this tone up to the election.
