Goose the Blog 2.0

It is easy to cherry pick sentences from many speeches or discussions over a period of dynamic situation changes to make it look like Kerry is changing his position. For anyone who has actually followed his *position on the war* (rather than GOP talking points and ads) it is, as the SF Chron states, much more consistent than you or Bush's campaign has stated.

The GOP has made a whole campaign of this one trick. It's too bad so many people have bought into it.

If you are really interested in the truth, you might want to actually look at the transcipts of these speeches (I bet many are on johnkerry.com) and find out what Kerry was talking about, not just what Weekly Standard said he said.    

And just for "balance", here are Bush's top ten *policy* flip-flops (I'll discalim now that one is actually just a verbal flip-flop) compiled by CBS news.

Bush's Top Ten Flip-Flops    

John Kerry’s actual speech of Dec 16, 2003 (with my comments in parentheses)

Shortly after he took office, Thomas Jefferson – America’s first chief diplomat – laid out the goals of American foreign policy: “We are pointing out the way to struggling nations who wish, like us, to emerge from their tyrannies.” For 225 years – and with gathering force during the course of the last century – these words have guided an America that has come to believe that the surest way to defend our people is to advance our ideals.
Saturday evening, halfway around the world, in a dark hole beneath a mud shack on a sheep farm, Jefferson’s promise was fulfilled again. Saddam Hussein was a totalitarian who waged a reign of terror against his people and repeatedly endangered the peace of the world. And no one can doubt that we are safer – and Iraq is better – because Saddam Hussein is now behind bars. (Weekly standard quote was true to nature of this speech)
His capture is a great tribute to the skill and bravery of the U.S. Armed Forces, who showed Saturday as they do everyday what it means to have the greatest military in history – and why we must never retreat from having the strongest military in the world. This nation stands united with a single message for our troops: Job well done. (vs. his latest message to the troops – it’s the wrong war, wrong place, wrong)
Saddam Hussein’s capture also represents a two-fold opportunity. For President Bush, it is still another chance to transform the situation in Iraq from an American occupation to a global coalition. And it is an opportunity for America to reclaim the best of our historic role overseas and to once again lead the world toward progress and freedom. .” (vs. a “grand diversion”)
From the Battle of Belleau Wood to the Battle of the Bulge, from Korea to Kosovo, the story of the last century is of an America that accepted the heavy responsibility of its historic obligation – to serve as not just a beacon of hope, but to work with allies across the world to defend and extend the frontiers of freedom.
But today, we confront a dual danger – two major detours from the true path of American leadership. On one side is President Bush who has taken America off onto the road of unilateralism and ideological preemption. On the other side are those in my own party who threaten to take us down a road of confusion and retreat. (you mean the road you are now taking?)
Iraq has been ground zero in that ideological tug of war, with difficult decisions that had to be made, and complicated issues of national security that had to be discussed with Americans honestly and responsibly.
When America needed leadership on Iraq, Howard Dean was all over the lot, with a lot of slogans and a lot less solutions. (vs. your brilliant plan of holding a summit and doing everything the Bush admin is doing, just faster)
One moment he supported authorizing the use of force, the next he criticized those who did. He said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, then he said he’d figured out that he didn’t. He said he opposed the war all along, but less than a month before it began he said that if the U.N. wouldn’t enforce its own mandates, then ‘unilateralism is a regrettable, but unavoidable choice.’ (Are you sure you’re talking about Dean here and not John Kerry? Often when Kerry criticizes his opponent, he’s actually demonstrating his psychological problem of transference – transfering his own flaws to others)
And at other times, Governor Dean said that we should not go into Iraq unless the UN Security council gave us authorization. That is a fundamental misunderstanding of how a President protects the United States. (Wait a minute, aren’t you saying we should have focused on building “alliances” to deal with Saddam, aka UN?)
I have said many times I believe that America should have worked to get international backing before going to war. Our diplomacy should have been as good as our soldiers. A true international coalition would have been better for our troops, better for our security, better for Iraq’s future. (Oh, okay, so you are saying UN Backing – it’s bad when Dean does it, but good when you do it – flip-flop)
Perhaps it reflects inexperience, but for Howard Dean to permit a veto over when America can or cannot act not only becomes little more than a pretext for doing nothing – it cedes our security and presidential responsibility to defend America to someone else -- a profound danger for both our national security and global stability. (another contradiction – you say you want “International backing” but you don’t want to “cede our security to someone else”. This is what most rational thinkers take issue with when Kerry speaks – he wants to have his cake and eat it too. He plays both sides so that he can use his favorite phrase “I’ve said all along” and then he can fill in the blank for what is most politically convenient to get him elected)
The Democratic Party has always been stronger than that. Woodrow Wilson led America in a fight for self-determination and against old empires. Franklin Roosevelt defended freedom from fascism. Harry Truman contained the expansion of communism and introduced the Marshall Plan. John F. Kennedy pledged a “long twilight struggle” to end the Cold War. (oh and started the “biggest nothing in history”, the Vietnam war)
Jimmy Carter renewed America’s commitment to human rights around the world. And from Haiti to Bosnia, Bill Clinton placed America’s might on the side of America’s values while he expanded our circle of allies at the same time. And none of them would ever have given others the power to prevent America from defending its interests or its ideals. (he keeps implying a lack of a coalition on Bush’s part – and in the process insults the allies we’ve already built. He recently called them the bribed and coerced. He insults Allawi – a crucial ally right now. He completely disregards South Korea, who have contributed a significant number of troops, a couple of thousand, even when they’re living right next door to North Korea, the list goes on.)
(The speech goes on and on and on as well, and I’ve run out of time. One last thought. I know the democratic plan right now is to paint Bush as a waffler vs. Kerry, another attempt at transference. Bottom line. Kerry wants to play both sides, to have his cake and eat it to – He played dove when he first introduced himself as a candidate, then hawk when Saddam was caught and it played better politically against Dean, and now dove again because he thinks it’s the best chance to get elected. In all of the speeches I’ve heard and read, I’ve never once heard Kerry express an understanding of the nature of our enemy. . I know I’m not the only one scared of what Kerry might do as President if he gets elected without it.)