Politics: Onward from New Hampshire

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Yeah, the President thinks he's done more for human rights than Abraham Lincoln, but John Kerry is an egomaniac.

A. I thought it was funny. Nary a thought of Bush or JC involved. I bet you try to interpret all of Dylan's songs, too.

B. Ever listen to Kerry back in the day? He was an incredible and insufferable egomaniac.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
I thought drawn as in 1971. It was actually from 1971? Was Kerry a well known activist? Was the cartoon from a student paper?

He was a very well known activist, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee several times, leading the anti-war returning-soldiers contingent, and generally publicising himself at every opportunity. (It was from the first Doonsberry book, drawn while GT was at Yale.)

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by bilmore
. Ever listen to Kerry back in the day? He was an incredible and insufferable egomaniac.

In the upfront way, like Thurgreed, or coy like Atticus?

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
In the upfront way, like Thurgreed, or coy like Atticus?

More the coy, Yalie model, but with fewer actually funny lines.

[leagleaze]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
{Sigh.} I meant it to be an ironic request, not a real one. I guess I should leave the irony to PLF.

I understood how you meant it.

[Secret_Agent_Man]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
I thought drawn as in 1971. It was actually from 1971? Was Kerry a well known activist?

After he returned from Vietnam, he became a leader of Vietnam Veterans Against the War -- and was prominently involved in some large protests by that group (as well as many rallies).

At one point, he threw his medals (or copies therof) down on the steps of the Capitol Building(?) as a gesture of protest. Some opponents have tried to make hay out of that over the years. I think that's not too likely this time around. The ready rejoinder would be that -- well, Kerry served his country in War and earned the medals (which none of the GOP nominees can say).

Clark's biggest problem may be that he entered the race as the"anti-Dean" -- and Kerry as the front-runner destroys his raison d'etre.

S_A_M

[Secret_Agent_Man]

Originally posted by bilmore
B. Ever listen to Kerry back in the day? He was an incredible and insufferable egomaniac.

Not too uncommon among those who make the SEALS.

[or any young male in his 20s who is that much of a stud.]

S_A_M

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by sgtclub
a candidate has ever won Iowa and NH, but not the nomination?

It depends on how you figure. In 1972, the first year of the Iowa caucus, Muskie won New Hampshire. In Iowa, "uncommitted" was first, Muskie right on uncommitted tail, and everyone else trailed far behind. At the time, people would have said Muskie won Iowa.

But it is not a great predictor because it doesn't happen that much. No one won both Iowa and NH on the Republican side until Bush did it in this year. On the Democratic side, Carter did it in 80, Clinton in 96, and Gore in 00, and 76 was a rerun of 72 (Uncommitted won Iowa with Carter in a close second, then Carter won NH).*


* But in 80, uncommitted's win was seen as a Carter loss.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Secret_Agent_Man
Not too uncommon among those who make the SEALS.

[or any young male in his 20s who is that much of a stud.]

S_A_M

Was Kerry a SEAL?

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Secret_Agent_Man
At one point, he threw his medals (or copies therof) down on the steps of the Capitol Building(?) as a gesture of protest. Some opponents have tried to make hay out of that over the years. I think that's not too likely this time around. The ready rejoinder would be that -- well, Kerry served his country in War and earned the medals (which none of the GOP nominees can say).

Don't forget - he later denied this, and claimed that he threw medals that belonged to a WWII vet who had asked him to toss them for him. His story on this has changed, depending on his needs. He commented to a friend back then that throwing the medals made him more politically viable. He's always been another Clinton, in that he's been building towards a political life ever since he gave the anti-war speech to his graduating class before enlisting in the Navy.

My dislike for Kerry is definitely not a current, bandwagon thing.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by sgtclub
Was Kerry a SEAL?

No. That was Kerrey, Neb Senator.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by bilmore
Don't forget - he later denied this, and claimed that he threw medals that belonged to a WWII vet who had asked him to toss them for him. His story on this has changed, depending on his needs. He commented to a friend back then that throwing the medals made him more politically viable. He's always been another Clinton, in that he's been building towards a political life ever since he gave the anti-war speech to his graduating class before enlisting in the Navy.

My dislike for Kerry is definitely not a current, bandwagon thing.

Uncle Bilmore,

Please tell us again about W's great military record! Please! Please!

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Flinty, how's progress on that invention that allows you to stab people in the face over the Internet? I think I want in on the ground floor.

there was the device that lets you transfer tactile stimuli over the internet. maybe you/Flint can patent the non-porno uses.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Uncle Bilmore,

Please tell us again about W's great military record! Please! Please!

Surely no one here would quibble with his military record. We can take issue with a calculated and contrived use of the record as a building block for a political career. I doubt if Jonh McCain spent time in Hanoi trying to decide whether to look dishelved or preserved for his release photo.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Surely no one here would quibble with his military record. We can take issue with a calculated and contrived use of the record as a building block for a political career. I doubt if Jonh McCain spent time in Hanoi trying to decide whether to look dishelved or preserved for his release photo.

Kerry is someone I've watched closely and known distantly for a long time; and I know many of his top staffers quite well.

He goes in and out of periods when he worries incesantly about how to position himself politically and periods when he is willing to stand up and spend his political capital and consequences be damned. His first term in the senate was clearly the consequences be damned Kerry; the most recent term was pure grooming.

So, yes, you'll see a fair bit of ambition motivating what Kerry does. I think that is true of any politician, and very true of George Bush. But when you see Kerry commit, he can commit very fully.

Also, Kerry has one feature you don't see much in politicians. He is not one for retribution (unlike, say, Ted Kennedy or Mike Dukakis). This means his organization is not as tight as the Kennedy or Dukakis organizations have been, but is more open.