Why doesn't Kerry give those of us on the left a bone?

He's already given one to the right so I'm surprised he hasn't given one to us.

He should come right out and offer Kucinich (or someone else similar to him) a position in his admin. He wouldn't even have to say what position if he's not sure yet - just say "a position".

I can't speak for others, but if he offered Kucinich a position in his admin I would get a hell of a lot more excited about him. I sure wish he would realize this. It would go along way in uniting the party.

in modern history, and one of the most liberal members of the Senate *IS* a bone for the left.

The problem is you don't want a bone - you want the whole carcass.

If I wanted the whole carcass, I wouldn't vote Kerry at all and just go Green. I'm willing to compromise I just hope Kerry is too.

Nice spin btw.

in Kerry.

He's more progressive than Clinton or Gore.. combined!

So true. :yourock:

You guys really need to retire that line, because nobody buys it. Kerry hasn't done anything "liberal" in a decade, and the liberals know it. You won't get their votes by lying to them.

he continues to be a liberal senator.

The American Conservative Union gave him the following ratings:
1999: 0
2000: 12
2001: 4
2002: 20
2003: 13

Of course, I have no idea who A2K is for, but we certainly know who he is against.

Who do you support Anticoup2K? Why not share with us who you support, rather than the tired old anti-Kerry posts that seem to be the only tune you play?

Perhaps you like things just the way they are?

except for Bush ones.

Thanks for trying.

Please play again.

Chew on that!

I hardly need to chew. Since we aren't going to get Dennis in the WH, I think this is the best place for him at this juncture.

...like the fact that once of his central priorities is the establishment of alternative energies so as to do away with fossil fuels and Mideast involvement?

Or:

"John Kerry believes that women have the right to control their own bodies, their own lives, and their own destinies. He believes that the Constitution protects their right to choose and to make their own decisions in consultation with their doctor, their conscience, and their God. He will defend this right as President. He recently announced he will support only pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court. Kerry also believes that we should promote family planning and health plans should assure women contraceptive coverage."

Or:

"John Kerry has worked to ensure women receive access to health care, and he has focused particular attention on breast cancer research and funding. Kerry was an original cosponsor of the Women's Health Equity Act, which ensures women of all ages receive information and access to the highest quality and most advanced health care. He has worked to require health plans to cover hospital stays for breast cancer treatment and to preserve and increase funding for breast and cervical cancer research. Kerry supports requiring insurance plans to cover contraception and he will continue to fight for a meaningful Patient's Bill of Rights, which would ensure women direct access to their OB/GYNs."

Or:

"John Kerry was an original cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Act, which has provided over $1 billion for battered women's shelters, hotlines, and other crucial resources. The Violence Against Women Act also significantly strengthened federal law by including several new federal crimes and enhanced penalties for acts of domestic violence. John Kerry will take this commitment to the White House and support those working to help crime victims and put attackers behind bars."

Or:

"John Kerry supports expanding our nation’s hate crime law. He supports efforts to provide equal justice for all victims of hate violence, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender or disability."

Or:

"As lifetime appointees, judicial nominees will shape fundamental issues such as civil rights, religious freedom, privacy rights and freedom of speech for decades to come. Conservative judges bent on enforcing ideology rather than interpreting the law have recently undermined landmark achievements such as the Violence Against Women Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. John Kerry believes that individuals appointed to all of our federal courts must be committed to interpreting the law and preserving constitutional and civil rights."

Or:

"John Kerry believes that the practice of racial profiling should be prohibited and that remedies should be established for its victims. It is more important than ever that the nation’s laws are enforced without resort to discrimination. John Kerry received a 100 percent rating from the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People and the Human Rights Campaign for his work in support of civil rights during the 107th Congress."

Or:

"Nurses work around the clock to take care of our most vulnerable citizens. John Kerry stood shoulder to shoulder with Senator Ted Kennedy to fight against mandatory overtime for nurses. Mandatory overtime is having a negative impact on patient care, forcing medical errors, and driving nurses from the bedside. Unfortunately, the problem is only getting worse. The Kennedy-Kerry legislation will place strict limitations on the mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work."

www.johnkerry.com

How many bones do you want, exactly, from a national candidate who has to run nationally? Or is it just a "My-bone-or-I-go-home" kind of thing?

By the way...Kucinich is getting killed in his Congressional race. If Kerry were to offer him a position, it would likely damage Kerry in Ohio, which would be suicide. That's not Kerry's fault. Dennis should be paying attention to his home base, and he's not, and he is probably going to lose his seat because of it. Sad but true.

with facts. ;)

They just ignore the facts

Maybe you need a reality check?

1. Nader is back to play again. If Kerry puts a true progressive who has done a hell of a lot for his party and country in his admin it would do A LOT to win over Greens. This really isn't too much to ask and it benefits everyone. Would Kucinich do any harm in kerrys admin? None on any realistic level.

2. Yes, I'm aware Kerry has good positions on a lot of issues. Unfortunately there are some issues that override a multitude of other issues. Kerry has an image of being weak on more progressive issues such as Iraq. Kucinich being there would do a lot in this regard.

3. The party is divided right now. Even though it has consolidated a great deal because of the alternative many progressives are only voting kerry because he is not bush. Thus we don't really have a true consolidation - more simply an alliance held by weak glue because the alternative is so bad. Some people will just be staying home especially when the media starts running the "there is no difference between the two" theme. Yes, there is most certainly difference - and Kucinich in the admin would do A LOT to highlight that fact and it would bring many progressives from "eh, fine he's not bush whatever" or "damn it it's just not progressive enough" to "I'd crawl over two miles of broken glass to vote kerry!". Well, not such a great example but you get the idea.

Remember - progressives count for a decent amount of the grass roots. Getting progressive people fired up to REALLY WANT KERRY = MORE VOLUNTEER ACTION = MORE CONTRIBUTIONS = MORE SPREADING THE WORD = MORE VOTES.

1. It is waaaaaaaaay to early for Kerry to be naming people to his as-yet-unborn administration. Hell, he hasn't even tagged a VP yet. If you think he should do so NOW, remember that Reagan didn't choose Bush until the convention. You're asking for something months before it is time, and using the fact that it hasn't been done yet as a stick to beat the guy with. Unreasonable.

2. Kerry has a reputation for being weak with a small portion of the electorate, i.e. anti-war progressives. I do not denigrate this group, but again, Kerry has to run nationally. The poll numbers today suggest he is doing very well nationally on Iraq/Terror issues, the two things that will win or lose the election. He is also, by the way, kicking Bush's ass on health care, economics, environment and tax issues.

3. The party is not nearly as divided as you think. When was the last time progressives were happy with a Democratic nominee? Adlai Stevenson comes to mind. I've been all over this country speaking to progressive groups, and while not everyone is going "Whoopie!" over Kerry, they sure as fuck are united behind beating Bush. With so fractious a group as the progressive Left, that is nothing short of a goddam miracle. As for your cure - Kucinich in the administration - I say again that you're months early on demanding that particular bone.

1. If you read my post better you will see I realize it may be too early to name a specific position. He can simply say he will get "A" position. Or if even that is too early, then simply say he is considering it.

2. Yea, a small portion of the electorate. Maybe you didn't check out the size of anti-war protests ALL OVER THE BLOODY WORLD? Check out the numbers of the ones that were held all over the nation. When was the last time even close to that many people got together to protest a war? Nam? If you think this is a "small" part of the electorate then I'm wasting my time even talking to you.

3. All I have to say here is get out more. Where do you live? New York? I think you are looking out of rose colored glasses in this regard. The swing states don't have the luxury of dismissing division. A "small" part of the electorate could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

1. He hasn't even spoken of a VP. Why would he discuss cabinet positions?

2. The bloody world doesn't vote in American elections. The size of the protests in America - many of which I attended - were definitely incredible, but still represent a fraction of the 200 million voters that exist in the country. Face it. It's true.

3. I have been to Denver, Phoenix, Houston, Austin, San Diego, Missoula, Evanston, Indianapolis, Manchester, Concord, Portland, Asheville, Greensboro, Birmingham, Montgomery,, Kent, Seattle, Los Angeles, and a dozen other places while traveling 60,000 miles in the last 10 months spreading the word about everything you care about. Don't hand me that "Get out more" hoohah. I've been "out" more than any 100 people you know, speaking to hundreds of thousands of people all across the country. I know what I know.

1. I've already said why.

2. I never said the world did. Now let me make a similiar statement - 200 million voters in this country do NOT vote. You've just lost credibility right there. Take a look at actual voter turn outs before you go around making that kind of claim. When you get the actual real number of people ACTUALLY VOTING the anti-war votes can count for a hell of a lot especially in swing states.

3. Ok, you've been around. And who were you with? Oh right - people who think a certain way clustered together at partisan political events. Gee, you must know a lot about the common person on the street with that kind of exposure.

Bush has been around the nation too, but that doesn't mean he has a bloody clue about the segments of the population he doesn't associate him self with. If you surround your self with similar thinking people then you lose all perspecitive eventually. You also see arrogance - the kind that sounds like "I've been "out" more than any 100 people you know, speaking to hundreds of thousands of people all across the country." So has Bush and it doesn't mean a damn thing.

and then I'm off to the bar.

1. I keep bringing this up because you have apparently posited (and tell me I am wrong if I am) that Kerry tapping Kucinich for something would make you feel better about him. I'm not saying he won't. Frankly, he should and I hope he will. But now is not the time for reasons already stated.

2. 100 million people didn't vote in the last election, but all of them are registered voters and should be considered in the equation. The first person to get even a fraction of that group to go to the polls has an unstoppable advantage, so I say 200 million. Your point about actual voters, however, is well taken...but even if you pare down my 200 million by 100 million, the numbers at the rallies are still a very small fraction. An important fraction by any measure (and I still maintain your 'divided left' theory is wrong), but a fraction nonetheless.

3. I also do a lot of call-in radio shows from everywhere on both sides of the political spectrum, and write a lot and get a lot of feedback. I have a fairly decent idea of where the country is at. My point in bringing all that up was not to say I have the undisputable pulse of the common person. I brought it up to tell you that I have met the progressive Left all across the country, and they are way way way way way more united than you would have us believe.

Beer for me. Good talking to you.

that those at the protests weren't protesting Kerry. In fact, many of them ended up voting for Kerry in the primaries. nutrition's assumption that all of those protestors disagree with Kerry is disproven by the fact that there are DUers who went to those protests and support Kerry's Iraq policies.

You're right. If Kerry toes the centrist line and further empoweers the corporate stranglehold by ignoring it, he will be mighty weak glue indeed.

ABB is a valid liferaft, but it isn;t a real boat. (Or some better metaphor.)

As far as uniting the party, the party is united. Or didn't you get the memo?

when part of the united status is based largely on people such as yourselves "Where are you going to go?" attitude. That's right - just tell us that. Don't bitch when progressives stay home and there is another 4 years of hell though.

We may gripe a little now, but come November, the griping will end while all of us are joyfully voting Bu$h out of power. And by November, Bu$h will have succesfully scared most of the Naderites, Greens, and moderate swing voters into voting for Kerry.

" scared most of the Naderites, Greens, and moderate swing voters "

This is NOT a reliable strategy - if you can even call it that - to get votes. Sitting around NOT taking steps to attract people (you know, the good old concept of EARNING votes) is reckless and idiotic. You shouldn't sit around assuming that because the alternative is so bad victory will just fall in your lap.

Overconfidence is many times that key factor that leads to the defeat of a party that has no legit reason to lose.

1. The segment of voters you are looking for Kerry to court (Kucitizens, if I read you right) is pretty small when compared to women, African Americans, blue collar workers, white males, and all the other HUGE groups he needs to win. Trust me, I know. I worked for Kucinich, and I know down to the decmal point what kind of support he drew nationally.

2. The segment of voters you are looking for Kerry to court are not the most reliable group in terms of loyalty. Purity is prized, and seldom found, and once sullied, the segment walks. A candidate isn't going to spend a lot of capital courting a group that will probably bolt, especially if that courtship costs him ground in Ohio and other border states.

Truth, yo.

This election is not about policy minutae. It's about getting rid of the most dangerous and dimwitted President in our history. The bonus is, we have rallied around a man that is intelligent, progressive, and will make a fantastic President of the United States.

Your "divided" party meme is pure baloney. I voted in my 1st election in 1972 and I can tell you that I have never seen the Democratic Party so energized and together as it is for Kerry. You've got choices this election:

Bush
Nader
Kerry

C'mon, who you gonna for? It's a no brainer.

He wants to get off of oil and move towards wind, solar, biomass and other renewable energies. Gasp. So does Kerry.

He wants to sign on to the land mine treaty, biological and chemical weapons treaties, nuclear treaties, ICCC, etc. Gasp. So does Kerry.

He wants trade agreements with environmental, labor and human rights written into them. Gasp. So does Kerry. (And has actually written legislation and attempted to get them into treaties in the past)

He wants public funding of campaigns. Gasp. So does Kerry and actually introduced public funding in the Kerry/Wellstone Clean Money Campaign Reform.

He introduced legislation repealing certain portions of the Patriot Act. Gasp. So did Kerry! Including limitation on roving wire tapes, authority to dealy search warrants, privacy protection for library, bookseller, and other personal records, oversight of requests for production of records, extension of the Sunset Provision and more.

The problem isn't that the left doesn't have plenty of things to vote for with John Kerry. The problem is that the left isn't paying attention.

then we have problems, all of us, and those who did not vote for Kerry will be to blame, period. Liberals should be energized by Kerry by looking at his record. It's something to be very proud of, no it's not perfect but neither is Kucinich's.

I also think that poster was using sarcasm.

with these type statements and this type of attitude. Ralph Nader IS running again; therefore, people do have somewhere else to go.
If we lose this election, or if we win it and the Progressives issues are not dealt with, then there is a good chance that there will be more movement from the Democratic Party to the Green Party (or something similiar).

Democrats in hopes of a 2004 defeat this year, right? Because they want to kill the Democratic Party and take it's place. Rather strange as their agenda is not substantially out of sync with mainstream Democrats. But it won't happen, not now.

It would be suicide for the Left to splinter in the face of a monolythic RW political landscape. When the Republican Party splits (as it very may well in the next 10 years), then the Greens can run to the Left and become a viable entity when there are 4 or more political parties vying for Presidency. Until then, Greens ought to be working with Democrats to move their agenda to the left.

...any bone he would throw would only be "happy news" for a segment of the left. The rest would say, "Why didn't I get that bone, why wasn't my pet issue catered to?" That's just my guess. I have my "pet issues", and on those three or four things, a "bone" could very possibly win my vote, support and devotion. As it is, Kerry gets my vote. And there's like a .05% that Kerry would ever address "my issues", and a .0001% chance Bush would...

I have always thought the Kucinich would make an absolutely great Secretary of Labor.

When he needs to, and I'm betting he will need to, then he'll throw us a bone.

trying to wait out your opponent's supposed impending implosion for months on end, while also trying to be all things to all people, I guess it's pretty hard to find the time to throw a bone.

Remember when bush* stole the election and said he'd be a uniter not a divider? Well, some were miguided enough to think we'd get thrown a bone back then, instead we got the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, Wolfowitz and Perle taken out of mothballs from the Nixon, Reagon and bushI admins. so, don't hold your breath.

edited for spelling, I really need to use the spell check feature and the preview button.

Earlier I said Gephardt, but Kucinich would be much better.

Kerry was taught to play by the rules, at Yale. shrub went there too , they have the same grooming , and elite past, used to privelege, but Kerry does seem to know working people, shrub doesn't.

You can probably find a significant portion of our entire county's anti-war, pro-union leftists in our office. It's all about spending a lifetime working fulltime for the things the left stands for. Bumper stickers you'll find in our parking lot include "Union Yes, War No" and
"Robin Hood was right". Information about anti-war demonstrations is regularly distributed in memo form.

I have not heard one person there say there were considering voting for anyone but Kerry. There was one person who didn't like Clark based on the RW talking points that had been spread throughout the left, but not one word have I heard against Kerry. These people see the effect of each administration on the least well off in society. They are by necessity well informed about things that aren't so visible to the general population. They know about current legislation and court rulings and who's funding what and who's cutting funding. Don't tell them that Kerry is not the most progressive candidate we've had. They know better.

There are lots of people on the left who don't need a "bone."

First things first: Clear the Chimp clan out of DC!!

if not, it is highly assumptive for Kerry to publicly even consider Kucinich for anything at this point.

while I agree with some of the original post, and also with some of the negative responses to that post, this is just as logical as it comes.

Thank you progressivebebe.

doesn't last long. enjoy. LOL :hi:

but he doesn't give me a bone because he's just not my type.

Bones are for dogs

You and your leftist friends might get excited if Kerry promised Kucinich a position in the administration, but moderate swing voters -- voters who will decide this election -- would be horrified. It would be a grave mistake for Kerry to publicly offer Kucinich (or any other fringe leftist) anything this election year.

In most European countries and Japan, Kucinich would be a left-centrist.

How about Poland, which opposes abortion and supports the war? Would DK be center-left there?

What about Italy, where the right-wing Berlusconi got elected?

And what about all those Eastern European nations? They are pretty conservative.

And even Spain, which recently elected a Socialist Prime Minister is pretty conservative.

And Japan, known for it's rigid adherence to conformity, is far from a liberal paradise. In Japan, DK (who I like btw) would not be considered right or left. He'd be considered a nutcase, if they even knew who he was.

Isn't there something more constructive you can be doing, like looking at his health care proposals, or his renewable energy proposals, or his initiatives to get at the ROOTS of terrorism (joblessness, lack of education, corruption, etc.), not just the symptoms?

There are so many progressive ideas that Kerry has forwarded, from corporate crime fighting to fighting environmental racism. Do your homework instead of complaining all the time.