This radio blog has a story from the front lines concerning John Kerry's recent trip to Iraq.
Sen. Kerry found himself all alone while he was over here. HeThat quote plus the attending picture is worth the link alone. Maybe it would have been this way even without the "botched joke" but after that, no one can help but make the connection. It's become pretty obvious to everyone that John Kerry is over in presidential politics. Well to everyone except John Kerry that is. And the campaign advisers on his payroll.
cancelled his press conference because no one came, he worked out alone
in the gym w/o any soldiers even going up to say hi or ask for an
autograph (I was one of those who was in the gym at the same time), and
he found himself eating breakfast with only a couple of folks who are
obviously not troops.
What is amazing is Bill O'Reilly came to visit with us and the troops at
the CSH the same day and the line for autographs extended through the
palace and people waited for two hours to shake his hand. You decide who
is more respected and loved by us servicemen and women!"
So the troops are setting the tone: the best thing to do with John Kerry is to ignore him. Eventually he will go away.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 3)
31. It seems well worth noting that “Ben of Mesopotamia” — aka Benjamin Runkle — one of the RW bloggers who first really pushed hard on this non-story about the photo in question, is a self-described communications specialist (which means, in some quarters, ‘propaganda specialist’) who has worked for the DOD, the NSC, and according to his blog’s ‘About Me’ blurb is a “Harvard PhD and Presidential speechwriter called back to Active Duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom.”
Is this another example of BushCo’s proven policy of planting propaganda mouthpieces into supposedly non-partisan bailiwicks so that they can churn out pro-administration spin and misinformation? Could this be another sock-puppet soldier embedded with the troops so that he can influence them on the ground and feed back pre-canned points to the folks at home?
I’m not saying that he’s just another paid BushCo spokespuppet hiding behind a blogname, because I don’t have access to enough facts to prove or disprove that. But given the little bit of facts that are available to us on this end, especially coupled with this administration’s known history of using plants and fake pundits to feed false information to the public, it certainly seems to me like this is something that bears further investigation by those with more access to the details.
M. Loutre at 7:35PM on Dec 28th 2006
32. Why was my comment moved to the 24th spot from the 4th. Just wondering.
Eddie Ellington at 12:12PM on Dec 29th 2006
33. Steve is correct.......Why IS he there and WHO is paying for it? Kerry is another example of what the State of Mass. inflicts upon us. They re-elect murderers and morons. It's a joke and unfortunately the joke's on us.
b. matherson at 12:43PM on Dec 29th 2006
34. Wow,talk about being fickle and just plain brainwashed. I see many of you have never read a history book and care not to expand your own minds.
Now for some TRUTH. I know it is hard for many to even know what TRUTH is since they have been living in a state of denial for 6 years now.
This is a statement from Frank Lowenstein ( Kerry staffer and security adviser) and who was actually sitting at the table when this picture was taken by a certain person to spout an agenda of hate from the right. Well it didn't work.
Statement of Frank Lowenstein
“It’s a weird feeling seeing this photo of Sen. Kerry debated and decoded like some artifact out of the DaVinci Codes. It’s strange to me because I was there when the photo was taken. I traveled with Sen. Kerry throughout his Middle East trip. I’m his foreign policy staffer. Myself and Major McKnight were sitting right there when this photo was snapped.
Snubbed? Alone? Hardly. Sen. Kerry isn’t eating alone. In fact that photo is at an off the record breakfast meeting Senator Kerry conducted early Sunday morning with the very real Marc Santora of the New York Times Baghdad bureau and his younger colleague from the newspaper.
The man shown in the green shirt across from Sen. Kerry is Marc Santora. Right after that interview was completed, Senator Kerry videotaped a message expressing his and the country's support for the troops, to be shown on the armed services network in Iraq. Just the night before, Sen. Kerry was in that very same mess hall at a table where he ate dinner with about 10 U.S. soldiers.
Additionally, Senator Kerry spent nearly a day and half (out of two days in Iraq) outside of the Green Zone because he felt strongly that he wanted to hear from troops on the front lines. On Saturday morning, he greeted U.S. soldiers in Basra, and also met many British troops while he was there. On Saturday afternoon, he flew to FOB (Forward Operating Base) Warhorse, where he had a town hall meeting with over 100 soldiers. On Sunday morning, he was briefed by U.S. commanders at a training camp for Iraqi security forces. On Sunday evening, he traveled to another FOB where he had a long dinner in the camp mess hall with soldiers, including many from Massachusetts.
These troops are nothing short of amazing, and my boss knows that with every fiber of his being. He’s a combat veteran. He’s been there.
Sen. Kerry knows that if you’re in public life, you’re going to have things you say and do taken out of context, sometimes photos even. It goes with the job. I just wanted to set the record straight about this photo not just because I was there and I know the truth, but because Sen. Kerry enjoyed his time and his conversations with the troops, and I hate to see anyone try to make some political hay out of all this or pretend this photo is something it's not.”
Truth prevails.
Oh and to those questioning Senator Kerry's visit, he is doing his JOB, to bad Bush has never done his.
fedup at 8:04PM on Dec 29th 2006
35. The article that generated this controversy was written by a man, who now is in Iraq, who was formerly a Bush speechwriter. His story of Senator Kerry being alone could be seen as a lie even from the photo given to illustrate it - Kerry was clearly speaking to someone. Additionally to prove the photo was aythentic, Malkin linked to another photo of Kerry eating with soldiers. (Cool way to prove the soldiers wouldn't eat with Kerry.)
Senator Kerry did not go to Iraq for a photo op press conference in the Green Zone like soem other Senators (Leiberman and McCain come to mind.), but to learn more about the situation. Because of this non-story, the foreign policy staffer who traveled with Kerry wrote the following about Senator Kerry's trip:
Statement from Frank Lowenstein:
“It’s a weird feeling seeing this photo of Sen. Kerry debated and decoded like some artifact out of the DaVinci Codes. It’s strange to me because I was there when the photo was taken. I traveled with Sen. Kerry throughout his Middle East trip. I’m his foreign policy staffer. Myself and Major McKnight were sitting right there when this photo was snapped.
Snubbed? Alone? Hardly. Sen. Kerry isn’t eating alone. In fact that photo is at an off the record breakfast meeting Senator Kerry conducted early Sunday morning with the very real Marc Santora of the New York Times Baghdad bureau and his younger colleague from the newspaper. The man shown in the green shirt across from Sen. Kerry is Marc Santora. Right after that interview was completed, Senator Kerry videotaped a message expressing his and the country’s support for the troops, to be shown on the armed services network in Iraq. Just the night before, Sen. Kerry was in that very same mess hall at a table where he ate dinner with about 10 U.S. soldiers.
Additionally, Senator Kerry spent nearly a day and half (out of two days in Iraq) outside of the Green Zone because he felt strongly that he wanted to hear from troops on the front lines. On Saturday morning, he greeted U.S. soldiers in Basra, and also met many British troops while he was there. On Saturday afternoon, he flew to FOB (Forward Operating Base) Warhorse, where he had a town hall meeting with over 100 soldiers. On Sunday morning, he was briefed by U.S. commanders at a training camp for Iraqi security forces. On Sunday evening, he traveled to another FOB where he had a long dinner in the camp mess hall with soldiers, including many from Massachusetts. These troops are nothing short of amazing, and my boss knows that with every fiber of his being. He’s a combat veteran. He’s been there.
Sen. Kerry knows that if you’re in public life, you’re going to have things you say and do taken out of context, sometimes photos even. It goes with the job. I just wanted to set the record straight about this photo not just because I was there and I know the truth, but because Sen. Kerry enjoyed his time and his conversations with the troops, and I hate to see anyone try to make some political hay out of all this or pretend this photo is something its not.”
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5019
K Newjersey at 8:50PM on Dec 29th 2006
36. Wow, thanks for the real story....We can only hope both men start doing their elected duty to bring home those military personell ASAP.
The only *&#@! surge should be to send Bush's propoganda machine back to the Armidillo Ranch in Crawford....What does he raise there, anyway....dental floss?
Manfred at 11:58PM on Dec 29th 2006
37. In the face of so many ignorant comments (including the last one by L.Walters on Dec. 31st) it's no wonder the mess in Iraq is now likely to expand into Iran! John Kerry, for all the envy he generates (notice how many people ridicule his education, his national service, his RICH wife!)would have led this country in a manner which befits the world's only super-power and he would have generated the world-wide RESPECT normally associated with a President of the USA. The Last President who truly understood the importance of the USA's role in the WHOLE WORLD was John F. Kennedy !! Every single overseas newspaper (in friendly countries as well as the rest) mocks President Bush and the citizens of these countries disapprove of what he has done to destabilise the whole world (not just the States)in far greater number than even the dismal poll ratings he presently has in the USA.
WAKE UP ...it takes COURAGE to admit you are wrong and then try to correct things...
John Kerry was a much worthier candidate ...and would have formed a much worthier government ...
Let's make sure the same mistake is NOT made in 2008 ...because of ignorance, or misleading slander put out by opponents who have little interest in the good of the nation and far more interest in their own agenda(s).
Instead of spewing venom on these blog spaces...examine the FACTS.
SO WHAT if the joke John Kerry tried to tell fell flat; it was deliberately mis-interpreted anyway and ....it didn't cost a single soldier his LIFE !
SO WHAT if John Kerry didn't serve as long as some people think he SHOULD have ..the fact remains..he DID serve.
SO WHAT if John Kerry's injury was not life-threatening ...he was injured serving his country ...unlike those slandering his service today.
Terry McAuliffe blasts Kerry for not attacking Bush enough...for not fighting back, for not throwing the same amount of dirt as was thrown at him. He's right that this has become the way to "WIN" elections...but the people who employ these tactics ultimately drag the country into the sewers where these tactics belong! John Kerry lost because he is a gentleman ...something this country and the world could use right about now !!
And the fact that he had the courage and voice to speak out for so many who served and disapproved of the Vietnam war does NOT make him a traitor...but a man of courage and moral integrity.
For those of you, like L.Walters, who have so little understanding and so much anger ...WHAT have YOU done that compares with what John Kerry has done for his country ?????
elle at 12:14PM on Jan 18th 2007