I am TIRED of people saying Kerry = bush-lite. ARGH.

[malachibk]

Here we go:

Bush thinks the LORD ORDERED HIM INTO IRAQ. Kerry does not.

Bush cannot SPEAK ENGLISH WELL. Kerry can.

Bush is PRO-LIFE, PRO-DEATH PENALTY, PRO-BIG OIL, PRO-CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, PRO-OUTSOURCING, ANTI-SCHOOL FUNDING. Kerry is not.

Bush is controlled by DICK CHENEY. Kerry is not.

Bush lied about Sadaam and WMD/OBL. Kerry did not (though he did, like most of the country, fall for it.)

Bush went AWOL and SNORTED COKE for years. Kerry did not.

Bush is BEST FRIENDS with the HOUSE OF SAUD. Kerry is not.

Bush is a DUMB, IGNORANT, DANGEROUS ZEALOT. Kerry, though dry and sometimes inaccessible, and oh yeah, he may have the capability to rethink old positions and appreciate nuance which doesn't make for nice media couplets, but anyway, Kerry is NOT.

And if you still think there is no difference, don't forget DONALD AND CONDI AND PAUL AND KARL AND DID I MENTION DICK CHENEY?!

Come on. If you are really "on the fence" about Kerry you are out of your heads! He's certainly no Kucinich (for whom I voted in the Primary, so trust me, Kerry isn't my first choice either) but he is so much better than Bush.

It's so obvious. What the hell are you all talking about??

Exasperating.

[WilliamPitt]

1. Don't bother

You'll just get a lot of Kerry sucks bla bla bla in response to this. DU is the internet version of a circular firing squad on most days when it comes to the '04 race.

[malachibk]

2. You're probably right.

Who needs that bad energy?

[stepnw1f]

3. I Know What You Mean

A lot of people here seem to be rooting for his demise. Very strange to say the least. Four more years of this asshole and they'll be begging for somebody. It'll be a one party system, unrepairable.

[progressiveBadger]

4. No one is perfect..

most people will disagree with at least SOMETHING about every candidate. While watching meet the press yesterday, I had my share of cringes. But give me a break... EVERYTHING Bush does makes me sick to my stomach.

[Direckshun]

5. malachibk

malachibk,

You are absolutely right. Any visit to issues2000.org will show you the distinct separation between the two candidates.

I do disagree on a couple of your points:

Bush thinks the LORD ORDERED HIM INTO IRAQ. Kerry does not.

Where did you get this information?

Bush is ... ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS ... ANTI-SCHOOL FUNDING. Kerry is not.

I think Bush is actual "pro" for both of those. He just does a very poor job of it. There's a difference.

Bush went AWOL and SNORTED COKE for years. Kerry did not.

Unless I'm mistaken, there is no evidence that Bush abused cocaine.

Bush is a DUMB, IGNORANT, DANGEROUS ZEALOT.

Well, this is personal opinion. I don't think Bush is dumb or a zealot, but I will agree he is ignorant and dangerous. Kerry, as you say, is not.

There are many many differences between the two candidates. And I agree with you, anybody claiming Kerry is Bush Lite doesn't fully grasp his stances on the issues.

[malachibk]

10. Well,

during that Woodward interview it came out that Bush listens to "another father" (cue pointing up to the heavens) and other such "manifest destiny" allusions to explain why we're in Iraq.

I must disagree with the Bush being Pro-Environment -- he's lifted regulations, covered up 9/11 air pollution in lower Manhattan as well as that waste-spill in the Ohio River. There are many other examples too. Maybe instead of Anti-School Funding I should have said Anti-Education -- by not funding NCLB he's really put public schools (esp inner-city, minority schools) in a bind. Here in NYC, no child is learning anything other than how to fill in bubbles on a standardized exam answer sheet.

The coke rumors have been "substantiated" for me by so many folks, my gut says it's true. But you're right, I never did lines with him myself.

But I'm glad we agree about the basic point: there's a difference!!

[quinnox]

6. It's mostly the same old

members that are eternally sore losers that their man Dean went from the top of the heap to a total disaster in less than a heartbeat. These folks are so obsessed with Dean, they still follow his every move and post about every sentence he utters like he is some sort of god. Maybe he is to them, who knows.

The truth is Kerry has an amazing level of support among 90% of democrats and it is of no import of the complaining and whining a tiny but vocal minority on Du do.

[blm]

13. Same old hypocrites who LOVED Dean's centrism

and rationalized it every step of the way, even on his picks of conservative judges while governor.

They trust Dean's 11 years as a centrist and his current hot rhetoric from the recent campaign trail over Kerry's three decades as a lefty with the record to prove it. Kerry's use of moderate language for the campaign doesn't get throughto them and their predisposed hatred of him.

[wyldwolf]

14. Well said! Here here!

[kitkatrose]

15. That may be true for some,

but the majority of the ones I see that don't like Kerry, but will vote for him, seem to be Kucinich supporters. You can't really lump all of the people who don't like Kerry in the same category. Of course, I haven't been to GD2004 in a few months, so some things may have changed. I doubt it some how.

[blm]

18. Kucinich voters who REALLY get what DK is doing don't dump on Kerry

every chance they get. That is SO not what Kucinich is about.

I don't trust EVERY poster who says they support DK. There is a distinct difference between those who REALLY get him and those who are blaspheming him to throw mud at Kerry.

[kitkatrose]

21. That's also probably true. I'm not going to pretend know.

I support Kucinich; if I could have voted at the time of my primary, I would have voted for him. I think that a lot of people right now are sick of the game Kerry has to play to get swing votes. Because he now has to shift to the moderate side (just like Bush* is doing), they may feel that he is turning into a moderate. Yes, I do know about his liberal voting record, but you know that the here and now is what matters to some people; that's how Dean was able to be perceived as a left wing radical, even though his record was more central.

Any way, I also think that a lot of people are disappointed with his current comments on the Israeli assassination of the Hamas leader and with his plan (or lack thereof for some) for Iraq. And then there are some, a minority I believe, that are just antagonists and will say anything to get a rise out of DU. Those people don't bother listening to.

I personally don't agree with all of Kerry's positions, and it's unrealistic to expect to, but I'm not going to call him Bush-lite* Although sometimes they appear to be the same. Hopefully, that's just pre-election pandering on both parties.

[quinnox]

17. Yea, it is more of a cult of personality thing though for a few of them

I think rather than what Dean's policies actually were.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. To borrow a phrase, I feel your pain

[lastknowngood]

8. I know it is but Kerry needs to stop making tandem or simultaneous

statements in which he agrees with the shrub. i.e. Israel Spanish withdrawal I know theres a difference but it's like he's underling their similarities and ignoring the differences in the statements coming out of his camp. That really ticks me off.

[blm]

9. Kerry'e lifetime liberal rating is to the left of Kucinich, but people

can't seem to grasp that fact because they are predisposed to rail against Kerry's use of moderate language for the campaign.

In 92 there were many liberal Democrats angry with me for supporting Dennis Kucinich because he was too conservative based on his prolife stance and his support for a flag amendment, but I trusted DK had the heart of a real liberal that was masked by his more conservative stands.

He proved me right.....eventually, and I am proud of who he is today.

I trust Kerry every bit as much as I trust Kucinich.

[Rainbowreflect]

11. But they are both "skull & bones" therefore the other

things do not matter.

[Hippo_Tron]

12. Kerry wants kids to go to college, Bush wants kids to go into the military

Big difference? I think so.

[John_H]

16. Could it be that more DUers are FINALLY realizing that the Kerry bashers

aren't dems? Freepers figured out long ago that they could get just as much, if not more, milage attacking our candidates from the "ultra left" than crashing the party as Freeprs.

Ask yourself--how many Dems do you know in real life that continually harp on the fact that Kerry and Bush are the same? Not many, eh?

[malachibk]

19. Hmmm....sneaky

What are the repub goons doing while we're distracted? Should we go to their boards and berate Bush from a neo-nazi perspective??

[Malva Zebrina]

20. Yeah we are all commie Kerry bashers

the truth is that we are NOT groupies who automatically support without intelligent question any person who happens to be in the limelight.

There is something wrong here with the Kerry campaign and it is NOT against any rules of groupieisms to point that out.

We are NOT the only ones saying this,

and we are NOT freeps

WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO AUTOMATICALLY SUPPORT KERRY WITHOUT CRITICISMS ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS FALLING BEHIND.

w
we are human beings who can see beyond a blind adoration of any one candidate or any one person and not realize the faults that may lead to a defeat.


There is something in the Kerry campaign that obviously needs revamping. It is falling flat.

It will have a hard time to win if it continues in this way. It will go the way of the 'Gore campaign.

It is the intelligent thing to recognize this and to work to change it.

We need to alert the Kerry campaign.

It is NOT intelligent to insist it is perfectly fine the way it is, and those who point out it's flaws, and they are becoming obvious flaws, are "freepers" or to make jest of those who are concerned about the way they perceive the campaign of Kerry.

Stop that. Kerry is not perfect and has NOT exhibited that he is in control of things. He is falling behind.

Or are not groupies who blindly follow without question any person who others are following because--well because it is accepted as the way to go,.

We will LOSE if Kerry continues in this fashion. His performance over the weekend was extremely weak.

[malachibk]

24. No one is saying Kerry is perfect..

but to suggest he's no different than bush? Or to not vote for him?? That's crazy talk.

Even if you don't *like* Kerry it's still better than 4 more years.

Right? RIGHT??

[Malva Zebrina]

25. Right but, Kerry is being so weak that a Bush win will be certain.

if Kerry continues on in this mode and on this path.

That is what the angst it about.

We all want to get Bush out. Kerry though is a disappointment and if he really really wants to win he needs a stronger vision. He has not convinced a lot of people, myself included that he is willing to take the RISK

And that tells me he is really not that all committed.

AS I said, he reiminds me of Lieberman who could not give up his senate seat, and that meant he really did not have any confidence in '
Gore or himself to win the White HOuse.

[0007]

22. HMmmm seems I saw Kerry walking backwards the other day

..or maybe it was what he was saying about the past.

[number6]

23. good points

I don't think Kerry is perfect, but he is hardly
Bush-lite, thot that was Leiberman (at least on the war)