| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Politix |
| Kerry: Blow Osama’s brains out |
| 2004-03-10 |
| EFL. Hat tip LGF Though he always has opposed the death penalty, Sen. John Kerry said Tuesday that the Sept. 11 attacks made him realize that he would want to "blow Osama bin Laden’s brains out." Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, makes an exception for terrorists in his otherwise unflinching opposition to capital punishment. That exception, he said, was sealed by the realization that war had been declared against the United States that balmy autumn morning more than two years ago. "That status of war led me to find it impossible to suggest I wouldn’t want to blow Osama bin Laden’s brains out and treat him as an enemy," he said in an interview with the Tribune while visiting the Chicago area for several campaign stops. "I walked out of the Capitol and said, `We’re at war."’ said Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran. "That was my instant reaction as I looked in the air for another airplane that was heading toward us. I think you destroy the enemy." That’s what he says now. But wait a few days
The death penalty is a subject that Kerry’s political opponents have tried to use against him over the past two decades, to little effect. Other Democrats have not been so fortunate. In 1988, presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis suffered great political damage when he said during a televised debate that he would not want to impose capital punishment even if his wife were raped and murdered. From that point, being in favor of capital punishment was seen as an important marker for Democratic candidates who wanted to appear tough on crime. In 1992, for example, Gov. Bill Clinton dramatically traveled to Arkansas just before the New Hampshire primary for an execution. The national debate over the death penalty has heated up anew after numerous high-profile investigations proved that Death Row inmates had been wrongly convicted, most notably in Illinois. Those cases have prompted a re-examination of capital punishment, though a clear majority of Americans continue to favor it. According to the Gallup Organization, which has been polling on the subject for more than five decades, about 70 percent of Americans favor the death penalty. "The public likes the death penalty for psychological revenge reasons," said Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll. "Kerry is out of sync with mainstream America on that, no question about it." President Bush’s campaign has held out Kerry’s evolving position on the death penalty as just one more in a string of flip-flops to portray him as unprincipled, indecisive and blowing with the political winds. That’s it exactly. Except that if Kerry gets elected then Theresa Heinz-Kerry will be the strongest wind. Exit Uncle Sam, stage left. |
| Posted by:Steve from Relto |
| #19 Selusus Secundus,training ground for the Emperor's Sadurkar. |
| Posted by: Raptor 2004-3-11 9:14:33 AM |
| #18 Kerry's a decorated Vietnam veteran??!!?? Gee, I'm always the last to find this shit out... |
| Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) 2004-3-11 1:31:59 AM |
| #17 If Kerry's against Capitol Punishment, fine. I can live with that, as long as he's against it all the time. The problem I have with CP is the possibility for error, besides I think CP is way too good for most of the scumbags that get it. Buy Pitcairn Island from the British and just dump the assholes on it |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-3-10 6:32:53 PM |
| #16 He's got a fifth position not listed; it's bent over, pants down, grabbing his ankles wherever the UN (and Europe) is involved. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-3-10 5:57:49 PM |
| #15 Sounds like his position's changed a bit... assuming he ever had a position. Of course he has a position. In fact, he's got four of them: North, South, East, West. Just depends which way the wind's blowing. John Kerry - Whether Vain. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-3-10 5:26:31 PM |
| #14 BH -- OK. I thought we had seen another flip-flop. Oh, pardon me. THIS IS ANOTHER KERRY FLIP. He voted AGAINST the death penalty for terrorists who attack Americans overseas. At the time -- and since -- he claimed that was because it would make it harder to get them extradited to the US. Sounds like his position's changed a bit... assuming he ever had a position. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-3-10 5:07:08 PM |
| #13 Kerry sounds like some kind of gang leader. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-3-10 4:40:03 PM |
| #12 ...and, then there is this: GREENVILLE, S.C. — Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts said during last night's Democratic presidential debate that the threat of terrorism has been exaggerated. "I think there has been an exaggeration," Mr. Kerry said when asked whether President Bush has overstated the threat of terrorism. "They are misleading all Americans in a profound way." http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040129-115023-8966r.htm So what happened to this "war" he declared on 9/11? I hope this comes back to bite him. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2004-3-10 3:44:15 PM |
| #11 RC: I believe that was Dean. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-3-10 3:38:56 PM |
| #10 Wait. Was it Kerry or Dean that wasn't sure where Osama should be tried? |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-3-10 3:24:51 PM |
| #9 President Bush’s campaign has held out Kerry’s evolving position on the death penalty as just one more in a string of flip-flops to portray him as unprincipled, indecisive and blowing with the political winds. Not to mention overly concerned with what Europe thinks. If bin Laden were to be caught on the watch of a President Kerry, would Osama be executed? I have my doubts, especially if the EU was to check in with its opinions. And no doubt it would. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-3-10 2:39:16 PM |
| #8 ...blow Osama bin Laden’s brains out. But two years later, Kerry just wants to blow him. |
| Posted by: badanov 2004-3-10 2:36:07 PM |
| #7 "I walked out of the Capitol and said, `We’re at war."’ said Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran. "That was my instant reaction as I looked in the air for another airplane that was heading toward us. I think you destroy the enemy." But then the Republicans started saying the same thing, and so naturally he had to take the opposing view. I think Lil Dhimmi nailed it: this guy's bipolarity puts Gollum to shame. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-3-10 1:52:34 PM |
| #6 Isn't pandering still a crime? |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2004-3-10 1:38:22 PM |
| #5 "I walked out of the Capitol and said, `We’re at war.'" Whoa, he's quick. Speaking of which, does anyone know where Kerry was on 9/11 and how he spent the day? I know where Rumsfeld was and what he was doing. |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-3-10 1:36:49 PM |
| #4 money quote, summarizing the DNC's position on most otherwise morally clear issues: "as an important marker for Democratic candidates who wanted to APPEAR tough on crime." It's all about appearances, not substance. Sound and fury, signifying nothing... |
| Posted by: mjh 2004-3-10 1:35:10 PM |
| #3 Any chance the 9-11 families will protest Sen Kerry using the Sept 11th attacks for political advantage? Hello? (crickets) |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-3-10 1:29:47 PM |
| #2 Wow! I'm amazed at his ability to straddle both sides of the fence on everything. Are we sure this guy isn't Smeegul? We hates the war! No we luvs it! |
| Posted by: Lil Dhimmi 2004-3-10 1:28:42 PM |
| #1 "That’s what he says now. But wait a few days… " Damn, you took the words right outta my mouth! But more specifically wait until his audience is anti-war... |
| Posted by: Damn_Proud_American 2004-3-10 1:25:51 PM |