kerry - brief resume

[Pez]

from vote-smart

Current Office: U.S. Senator
Current District: Junior Seat
Office Seeking: President
First Elected: 11/06/84
Last Elected: 11/05/02
Next Election: 2008

Committees:
Finance (Senate)
Commerce, Science & Transportation (Senate)
Foreign Relations (Senate)
Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Senate), Ranking Member

Professional Experience:
First Assistant District Attorney, Middlesex County, MA, 1977-1982
Attorney, Admitted Massachusetts Bar, 1976
Lieutenant, United States Navy, 1966-1970
Received Silver Star, Bronze Star, 3 Purple Hearts, 2 Presidential Unit Citations and a National Defense Medal.

Political Experience:
Senator, United States Senate, 1984-present
Lieutenant Governor, Massachusetts, 1983-1985
Democratic Nominee, United States House of Representatives, 1972.

Organizations:
Leader, Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Co-Founder, Vietnam Veterans of America.

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Comittees:
Co-Chair, Congressional Vietnam-Era Veterans Caucus
Chair, Democratic Steering Committee
Chair, Hispanic Task Force
Senate New Democrat Coalition

Awards:
Kerry received the Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V, three awards of the Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation for Extraordinary Heroism, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, three Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medals, and the Combat Action Ribbon for his service in Vietnam.

The Association for Enterprise awarded Senator Kerry their 'Leadership Award' for his work on the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

In 2002, Kerry received the 'Powerful Friends Recognition Award' from the Federation for Children with Special Needs and Parents for Residential Reform.

He received the National Health Association's 'Legislator of the Year Award' for his support of expanded child care and attention to at-risk children.

On February 26, 2003, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) awarded Kerry a Friends of the National Parks award.


endorsements - 2004


scorecards

Environmental Scorecard

League of Conservation Voters
Senator John Kerry (MA) 92% 94% 100% (107th 106th 105th Congress)

LABOR RIGHTS SCORECARD

AFL-CIO
Senator John Kerry (MA) 90% (Lifetime)

CIVIL RIGHTS SCORECARD

NAACP
Senator John Kerry (MA) 100% (A) (107th)

ANIMAL RIGHTS SCORECARD

Senator John Kerry (MA) 8 - pro; 1 - anti (out of 9 bills in 107th congress; sponsored $$ for animal welfare, voted against some farm animal thing as far as i can figure?)

overall: environment 96%; labor rights 90%; civil rights 100%; animal rights pro 8 - anti 1 - n.a. 0

same order as above, compared to other candidates (with votes):

-environment, labor rights, civil rights, animal rights(pro/anti/n.a.)-
(Kerry: 96% 90% 100% 8/1/0)
Edwards: 76% 94% 94% 5/2/2
Gephardt: 66% 88% 89% 2/1/6
Kucinich: 90% 98% 89% 9/0/0
Lieberman: 93% 81% 94% 6/1/2

He received "F" from the NRA, and 100% from The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

good site for kerry info: independents for kerry
campaign site

[Pez]

1. doesn't really look like a bush-lite cockroach to me

O8)

[blm]

2. But, True Leader say Kerry "Bushlite"

Why would he lie to us?

[mzmolly]

3. Well, Kerry said he's an Irish asthmatic, why did he lie?

:shrug:

Hate to pop into the Kerry love fest, but I figure what's good for the goose........... ;)

[JohnKleeb]

5. I dont care lol

and I am not a Kerry supporter, there was a time where I thought I was Serbian and Czech where in reality lol I am a Slovenian and Slovak as well as Irish and German. Some people dont find out their true heritage until they are older. I dont blame Kerry for thinking he was Irish, plus heh hes honorary I guess.

[LuminousX]

6. I wish you hadn't

There are enough threads that bash candidates. I've cleaned the slate, willing to start from scratch and evaluate the candidates by the positive threads posted.

Of course calling Dean True Leader is a big turn off for me.

[blm]

9. As was Dean's calling Kerry, "Bushlite" was a big turnoff to many of us.

We're human, too, L_X. And we were human in January. Thanks for noticing that namecalling is wrong and a turnoff.

[LuminousX]

10. Will it be perpetuated?

I've asked in another thread what the Dean supporters had to do to cleanse this sin from us so we can move on. Obviously there is nothing that can be done. Which is why I renounced Dean and require to be won over all over again.

The 'True Leader' comment was more an attack on the Dean supporters. That is sad.

[blm]

22. Yes, it is a little sad. I don't disagree.

But, it sure felt like crap for 10 months having "Bushlite" parroted by Dean supporters, especially when Dean used that word to describe Kerry again just last month.

Wounded animal theory.

[LuminousX]

31. At what point do we end it?

New people come to DU everyday. If a brand new Dean supporter came today and read that and didn't know you were reacting to 10 months of Dean supporters calling Kerry 'Bushlite' what opinion would they walk away with?

It doesn't matter who started it, it only matters who perpetuates it.

[blm]

36. Dean just called Kerry Bushlite again last month.

Shouldn't your question be directed to his blog?

Many Democrats still aren't over Nader saying that Gore wasn't much different than Bush. Should Dean be working from that playbook?

[LuminousX]

38. Citation? Where was Dean when he said it so I can verify?

Please.

I have no control over Dean. So if Dean spazzes out and urinates all over a picture of Kerry, does that give Kerry supporters the free reign to come in here and beat up on Dean supporters?

[blm]

48. Haha...you guys think YOU get beat up?

You get precious little of what other supporters get. The gang ups have been fast and furious for many months now. And very personal and insulting.

Dean gets his record and his actions noted by me. Some people are glad to find out he's a centrist and prefer his compromising way of governance. So, it's not like my words bash him as much as reveal traits that some people prefer while others who are more liberal, may not.

[LuminousX]

49. I don't support Dean.

And I personally apologize for all the previous wrongs that have been done to you while I was a Dean supporter.

So, what do we do now?

I would like to verify that Dean called Kerry Bushlite recently. Can you assist me in doing that?

[blm]

51. I'll search for it when I can...

but, it was in several threads here when it occurred in Sept.

[LuminousX]

53. I have the September notation of Dean using the term

although he didn't directly say Kerry was Bushlite.

[blm]

7. MWO already blasted that "lie" out of the water.

But, you're welcome to try again.

[JohnKleeb]

8. whats the truth to it? I dont care really considering my boo boo

lol had I been Serbian, I would be Orthodox perhaps.

[blm]

25. Globe assumed he was Irish and

included it in several articles, then Kerry who was unsure of his ancestry (because of his grandfather's suicide noone talked about in his family) was skewered when it was revealed that his grandfather was Jewish.

My own inclination is to believe that Kerry was keeping his mother's confidence and spoke more openly about his Jewish roots which he learned more of after her death. It sounds more like a "family" thing than a political one.

[LuminousX]

34. Kerry says he is part Irish

I guess I refer to myself as Irish but technically I am part Irish. I would sure hope that I am not suddenly called a liar for saying that.

[blm]

35. He has some Irish on his Forbes side

but not the Irish "Kerry" as once thought.

[DrFunkenstein]

11. Daily Howler Trashed That (See Below)

On last night’s Special Report, Brit Hume got busy dissembling:

HUME: Senator John Kerry, who was shown by the Boston Globe recently to be of Jewish ancestry, has insisted he’s always been, quote, “clear as a bell” in never claiming Irish ancestry despite his Irish-sounding last name. But the Globe has now uncovered a statement Kerry made on the Senate floor back in 1986 just after St. Patrick’s Day which began, quote, “for those of us who are fortunate enough to share an Irish ancestry, we take great pride in the contributions that Irish-American, have made, from the time of the Revolutionary War to the present.”

An aide explained that the Senator did not really make that statement—that it was written for him by staff, and entered into the Congressional Record without the senator ever reading it.

Amazing, ain’t it? In the first paragraph, Hume tells you that Kerry “made a statement on the Senate floor.” In the second paragraph, he notes that Kerry apparently didn’t make the statement. But so it goes as the spinners at Fox laugh in the face of their dittohead viewers. Predictably, Tucker Carlson engaged in the same sort of clowning on last evening’s Crossfire.

But then, the Globe had behaved the very same way in yesterday’s front-page report (as Media Whores pointed out). Frank Phillips and Brian Mooney put their names on the Globe’s latest puzzler:

PHILLIPS AND MOONEY: US Senator John F. Kerry’s insistence that he has been “clear as a bell” in never having claimed Irish ancestry is undercut by a statement introduced the day after St. Patrick’s Day 17 years ago in which he identified himself as Irish-American.
“For those of us who are fortunate to share an Irish ancestory, we take great pride in the contributions that Irish-Americans, from the time of the Revolutionary War to the present, have made to building a strong and vibrant nation,” Kerry told Senate colleagues in a March 18, 1986 statement.

Kerry’s remarks, recorded in the Congressional Record, were part of his introduction of a St. Patrick’s Day message by then-Boston mayor Raymond L. Flynn that the senator wanted printed in the publication.

Kelley Benander, a Kerry aide, said the senator did not make the statement in person, but rather his staff prepared a written statement that was submitted to the clerk for recording. She said Kerry never saw the statement.

“John Kerry did not deliver these remarks nor did he see this line,” Benander said. “Anyone familiar with Capitol Hill knows that it is common routine for statements to be inserted in the Congressional Record rather than being delivered on the Senate floor. These particular remarks were drafted by a staffer who made an understandable and common but erroneous assumption.”

In the first three paragraphs, the Globe writers assert that Kerry “identified himself as Irish-American,” “told his Senate colleagues” that he “shared Irish ancestry,” and “wanted printed in the .” But the Globe then quotes a Kerry aide saying that Kerry never saw the statement—and offers no evidence rebutting this claim. How then could the great paper say that Kerry “identified himself as Irish American?” Easy! It was a story the great paper liked, so the Globe went ahead and got typing.

Any sane person can grasp the shape of this latest bizarro work from the Globe. The fact that the paper has to go back seventeen years for this non-event proves that the Globe’s basic thesis is false. Duh! If Kerry goes around saying he’s Irish, the Globe wouldn’t haven’t to beat the bushes digging up such a foolish “example.” But the Globe is a deeply troubled paper, as has been clear for a good long time. The paper covered Candidate Gore in this very same way, as we’ll discuss here next week.

The Globe has behaved in this way for some time. When will major voices tell the Globe that it really must stop?

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh030703.shtml

[DrFunkenstein]

12. And Here Is The (Ridiculous) GOP Talking Points on Asthma

KERRY SUFFERS FROM ASTHMA?

Kerry Implied He Started Using Inhaler As Result Of Asthma. “Many of the parents and some of the children in the group complained of asthma. ‘Until I went to Washington, I had never had asthma in my life,’ Kerry said in response. He said pollution in the city has prompted him to use an inhaler like those used by some of Roxbury residents.” (Glen Johnson, “Kerry May Make GOP Wealth A Campaign Issue,” The Boston Globe, 4/23/03)

Well, Not Exactly . . . “In an interview afterward, Kerry clarified his remark by explaining that he used an Albuterol inhaler for common springtime allergies, but his condition is not serious enough to limit his physical activity. ‘I rarely use it; I haven’t used it in months,’ he said.” (Glen Johnson, “Kerry May Make GOP Wealth A Campaign Issue,” The Boston Globe, 4/23/03)

http://www.rnc.org/Newsroom/RNCResearch/research061203.htm

Oh my gosh! He didn't clarify that he was talking about a debilitating asthma! That lying son of a bitch! I'll never trust him again. Nixon was right!

[DrFunkenstein]

14. First PAC Free Senator? I Don't Think So!

KERRY FIRST PAC-FREE SENATOR?

On Campaign Website, Kerry Claims To Have Run “The Nation’s First Successful PAC-Free Senate Race” In 1984. (John Kerry For President Website, www.johnkerry.com, Accessed 6/12/03)

Well, Not Exactly . . . In 1978, David L. Boren (D-OK) was elected to the U.S. Senate without PAC money, and in 1980, Warren Rudman (R-NH) also was elected to the Senate without taking PAC money. (Glen Johnson, “Doubt Cast On Kerry’s ‘PAC-Free’ Claim,” The Boston Globe, 6/12/2003)

http://www.rnc.org/Newsroom/RNCResearch/research061203.htm

Nice try, two-face! You were third!

[DrFunkenstein]

15. First Speech Defending Right To Choose? Nuh-Uh!

KERRY’S FIRST SPEECH ON SENATE FLOOR WAS ON ROE V. WADE?

Kerry Claimed First Speech On Senate Floor Was About Abortion. “As I said 18 years ago in my maiden speech in the U.S. Senate: ‘the right to choose is a fundamental right … neither the Government nor any person has the right to infringe on that freedom.’” (Senator John Kerry, Remarks At NARAL 30th Anniversary Dinner, 1/21/03)

Well, Not Exactly . . . “he Congressional Record shows that Kerry’s first speech in the Senate, on March 19, 1985, was made in opposition to President Reagan’s push to build 21 MX missiles.” (Glen Johnson, “Kerry Admits To An Error In Boast About 1st Speech,” The Boston Globe, 5/1/03)

http://www.rnc.org/Newsroom/RNCResearch/research061203.htm

Lying sack of sugar! You made your first speech attacking the right to MX missiles!

[LuminousX]

13. Even if Kerry HAD said it....

EVERYONE is an Irishman on St. Patrick's Day.

[LuminousX]

33. What's the difference between being Irish and being part Irish?

Last night on Hardball Kerry said he was part Irish.

MATTHEWS: Favorite book. Favorite book. I mean, who’s asking about your (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
KERRY: My favorite novel is “Trinity” by Leon (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MATTHEWS: Oh, that was good. Yeah. My mom loved that, too.
KERRY: But my favorite-but my favorite...
MATTHEWS: You are Irish.
KERRY: No, I’m part.
Reference Link - Hardball Transcript

fixed link on edit

[JohnKleeb]

4. Not bad at all

Also I had no idea he was once ADA and that he ran for congress in his late 20's, you know who also got involved young, "unelectable" Kucinich. I like Kerry's record, thanks for confirming why I like him and how he is good on the issues.

[quinnox]

16. Very impressive

A lot of credentials, and an "F" from the NRA. As a Democrat this is good to see, an "A" from the NRA raises red flags.

[Pez]

18. i particularly like 100% from The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence...

gun violence has to be dealt with-- from little kids shooting each other accidentally with parents' hand guns in rural america to people buying weapons across state boarders and bringing them into nyc.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

26. an "F" from the NRA?... Kiss those red state goodbye

but I care not. Gore proved we don't need those states and people wil respect John FK more if he runs as an unabashed liberal. Shit, most people would vote for him just based on this resume. And when Kerry repeatedly hits him over the head with it, Bush is as good as gone.

[Pez]

27. his platform is impressive...

...and a positive direction for the country to go. what we need right now is someone with experience to resolve the problems in the ME and the international relations hole dubya has dug for us-- and kerry is the man. i think he should press his ideas/experience on foreign relations more... and the importance of dealing with this before the goodwill of the rest of the planet is gone.

[LuminousX]

28. On Chris Matthews, Kerry supported guns

Kerry came out and said he was a hunter and gun owner. If he can speak the language of a gun owner in the Red States, I don't think the people there will care about his NRA rating.

[Pez]

29. yeah; he is for...

...responsible gun ownership where hunters are involved, but realizes a lot has to be done as far as legislation for handguns, etc goes... there are far too many accidents where children are involved, and since we have the technology to reduce the danger it should be taken advantage of.

[DrFunkenstein]

17. His Record Of Slashing Defense Pork (GOP Despises This)

Kerry is very gung-ho about soldiers, but has a record of fighting the military-defense industry.

http://www.rnc.org/Newsroom/RNCResearch/research071803.htm

The special interests will stop at nothing to keep their special deals. That’s why I’ve joined John McCain in calling for a “Corporate Subsidy Reform Commission” modeled after the military base-closing commission. A bipartisan group would recommend corporate subsidies to be eliminated and Congress would have to vote up or down on the entire package.

It’s the only way to stop the games that go on in Washington. When I first came to the Senate, each year millions upon millions of dollars were lavished on a wool and mohair subsidy cooked up during WWI to make sure we’d have plenty of wool and mohair for our soldiers’ uniforms. But even after we stopped making our uniforms out of wool and mohair, the subsidy continued. I came to the Senate floor again and again - finally we killed it. Or we thought we did. Last year it came back. This kind of wasteful, no-growth, special interest giveaway is alive and well -- again. But it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

We were presented a defense bill that gave away $250,000 to an Illinois firm to research caffeinated chewing gum; $750,000 for grasshopper research in Alaska; $250,000 for a lettuce geneticist in Salinas, California and $64,000 for urban pest research in Georgia. This is our defense budget?

http://www.johnkerry.com/news/speeches/spc_2002_1203.html

Tell me that doesn't make you proud to be a Democrat?

[Pez]

21. alaskan grasshoppers = first responders in war on terror

i think kerry is dead wrong on one point... we need to make available adequate funding for our first responders who brave immesurable odds to serve our country, braving the soles of those that would attempt to erode our dignity and attack our homeland-- the alaskan gasshoppers. how can he turn his back on the grasshoppers who, day in and day out, risk their lives here and abroad to bring peace, justice and the american way for all citizens of the world? i am disappointed in senator kerry's short-sighted stance on this critical issue. we must give these grasshoppers the respect and funding they are due.

[DrFunkenstein]

46. In All Fairness, They Did Use Chickens and Dolphins

Against Saddam Hussein. The dolphin went AWOL (giggle giggle) and the chickens were strapped to tanks to detect chemical weapons (by dying).

[Pez]

47. dying is an effective way to prove existance of chemical weapons.

yep.

[DrFunkenstein]

19. Kerry On Spirituality (Bill Moyers Fans Read This!!!)

Spirituality is a fundamental for us. I mean, it's the-it is the overpowering, driving foundation of most of the struggles that we go through here on earth, in my judgement. I am a believer in the Supreme Being, in God. I believe, without any question in this force that is so much larger and more powerful than anything human beings can conceivably define.

I think the more we learn about the universe, the more we learn about black holes and the expansion of the universe and the more we learn what we don't know about: our beginnings and-not just of us, but the universe itself, the more I find that people believe in this supreme being.

I'm a Catholic and I practice but at the same time I have an open-mindedness to many other expressions of spirituality that come through different religions. I'm very respectful and am interested-I find it intriguing.

I went to Jerusalem a number of years ago on an official journey to Israel and I was absolutely fascinated by the 32 or so different branches of Catholicism that were there. That's before you even get to the conflict between Arabs and Jews.

I have spent a lot of time since then trying to understand these fundamental differences between religions in order to really better understand the politics that grow out of them. So much of the conflict on the face of this planet is rooted in religions and the belief systems they give rise to. The fundamentalism of one entity or another.

So I really wanted to try to learn more. I've spent some time reading and thinking about it and trying to study it and I've arrived at not so much a sense of the differences but a sense of the similarities in so many ways; the value system roots and the linkages between the Torah, the Koran and the Bible and the fundamental story that runs through all of this, that connects us-and really connects all of us.

And so I've also always been fascinated by the Transcendentalists and the Pantheists and others who found these great connections just in nature, in trees, the ponds, the ripples of the wind on the pond, the great feast of nature itself. I think it's all an expression that grows out of this profound respect people have for those forces that human beings struggle to define and to explain. It's all a matter of spirituality.

I find that even - even atheists and agnostics wind up with some kind of spirituality, maybe begrudgingly acknowledging it here and there, but it's there. I think it's really intriguing. For instance, thinking about China, the people and their policy-how do we respond to their view of us? And how do they arrive at that view of us and of the world and of life choices? I think we have to think about those things in the context of the spiritual to completely understand where they are coming from.

So here are a people who, you know, by and large, have a nation that has no theory of creationism. Well, that has to effect how you approach things. And until we think through how that might effect how you approach things, it's hard to figure out where you could find a meeting of the minds when approaching certain kinds of issues.
So, the exploration of all these things I find intriguing.

Notwithstanding our separation between church and state, it is an essential ingredient of trying to piece together an approach to some of the great vexing questions we have internationally.

[JohnKleeb]

30. I didnt know he had a spirtual side

Isnt it interesting my 1 and 2 are both Catholics like me and they are among the most liberal too.

[blm]

37. The 60s Catholics were traditionally liberal in their politics.

They grew up believing that God's work was being done whenever you lifted another and worked to enrich the lives of the poor and infirmed.

[JohnKleeb]

39. Ive read a little

Its just kind of neat that two of my favorite candiates I share a faith with and heh almost to a degree ethnic blood, and of course views. Yes you are right about Catholics, describes both sides of my grandparents pretty good.

[SayitAintSo]

41. Just curious .... is he Opus Dei (sorry ... reading the Da Vinci Code :)

Inquiring minds ....

[JohnKleeb]

42. Kerry lol opus dei

I dont know for sure SayitAintSo but knowing Kerry who is quite a liberal isnt Opus Dei imo. BTW some of the most leftist posters at DU are Catholic including me, and I hate Opus Dei :puke: agh. Robert Hannsen, Rick Santorium, Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas are members. There is no churches to my knowledge that say Opus Dei Catholic Church, Opus Dei is a sect I think, real conservative, if you find a democrat in that I would be shocked. Sorry its an honest question.

[SayitAintSo]

43. o.k. o.k. just had to ask ... LOL ... thought I knew the answer....

anyway .... Kerry's my man ... had a hard time envisioning him flogging himself :).... you know the 'corporal mortification' stuff ... Enduring the Bush mis-administration is punishment enough... glad you got a good chuckle ....

[JohnKleeb]

44. I like Kerry, hes second after Kucinich for me

No I havent read the book, Da Vinci Code and I hear good things though. Yea I am glad I did too, its ok, oh yeah on Opus Dei another member is Robert Bork who was rebapitized Catholic, I dont think he flogs himself lol. Opus Dei is a group that I dont like, I wonder if my right wing friends who like me are Catholic, I wonder if they are affiliated. I think Opus Dei originally started in Spain I may be wrong though. Catholics have always been democratic voters since the Irish first arrived here now they are getting more republican but Ive read thats just amongst white Catholics. I am still amazed we only had one non protestant president, that is JFK, its kinda interesting like that in Rome in a way too, most of the popes have been Italian, Pope John Paul II is unique really in that hes Polish, I am part Irish so I always wonder what it would be like to have an Irishman in the Vatcan.

[blm]

52. No way. That's very strict fundie Catholic.

They would never let a humanistic Catholic like Kerry or Kucinich in it.

[DrFunkenstein]

20. Kerry Got Anti-Terrorism Chair After Fears He'd Impeach Reagan

Suddenly, Kerry's theories didn't seem so far-fetched. He hoped this would be his moment to help lead the investigation into this extraordinary episode. The Iran-contra scandal was the top story in town, and there was worried talk in the halls of Congress that the United States might suffer another failed presidency.

But when congressional leaders chose the members of the elite Iran-contra committee, Kerry was left off. Those selected were consensus-politicians, not bomb-throwers.

The feeling among a disappointed Kerry and his staff was that the committee members were chosen to put a lid on things. "He was told early on they were not going to put him on it," Winer recalls. "He was too junior and too controversial . . .. They were concerned about the survival of the republic."

Even some Democrats "thought John was a little hotter than they would like," says Rosenblith.

As a consolation prize, the Democratic leadership gave Kerry chairmanship of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations and a charter to dig into the contra-drug connection.

While disappointed, Kerry stuck with his investigation and the subcommittee published a report in 1989 that concluded the CIA and other US agencies had turned a blind eye to drug trafficking occurring on the fringes of the contra network.

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/062003.shtml

<>

[Pez]

23. *kick*

...

[Pez]

24. link to boston globe series on kerry

7-part series on the K man

[Feanorcurufinwe]

50. These are a must read even if you don't like Kerry.

The Globe is famous for, well, let's say its less-than-glowing coverage of Kerry. So this series really is warts-and-all. If you want to find lines of attack against Kerry, this would be a good start. But I think even the most biased will find something to like.

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/

[Pez]

32. environmental initiatives = job growth

Bush Takes a Backseat by John Kerry for Time

09.18.02

<snip>
First and foremost, we must lead at home, where Americans' unrivaled ability to drive economic growth through innovation can protect the environment and create jobs. Why not set a national goal of having 20% of our electricity come from domestic alternative and renewable sources, including wind and solar power, by the year 2020? Isn't that a vision worthy of America? Developing new energy technologies can create thousands of good new jobs. Renewable energy can be generated, transported and consumed in America. And we can export our technology.
<snap>

[Meshuga]

40. Very nice resume

Very impressive. BTW I was really impressed by Kerry yesterday on HardBall.

[Pez]

45. Kerry-The Case of the Bush Majority vs. Justice and Opportunity

National Council of Negro Women, Washington - 10.03.03

<snip>

We will soon surpass the record for the longest period of time without a vacancy on the Court. By the end of the next President’s term, six of the current members of the Court will be over 70 years of age. The average age of retirement over the past century has been 71 – and so we are likely in for an unprecedented wave of retirements. It is entirely possible that whoever is elected next November will have the power to appoint a new majority of the members of the Supreme Court. No President will have made this many appointments since FDR. And when it comes to making this deep of a mark on the nation, I somehow trust Franklin D. Roosevelt more than George W. Bush.

Imagine the impact of a Bush Majority on the Supreme Court. In the next few years, the Supreme Court will be making decisions that will have an impact for generations. Restrictions on affirmative action, hate crimes, the right to choose and the right to privacy, basic civil liberties in an era of a global war on terrorism, the right to counsel, voting rights. All these are up for examination – all these are up for grabs.

We don’t have to imagine the kinds of Justices President Bush would appoint in his second term. We need only look at the kinds of judges he has appointed thus far. Since he has taken office, President Bush has pursued a strategy of quietly but steadily packing the courts with judges whose thinking is shared by the tiniest sliver of the far right. He’s made judicial nominations red meat for the right wing, hoping the rest of us aren’t paying attention. Last year he said, and I quote, “We’ve got to get good, conservative judges appointed to the bench and approved by the United States Senate.” With all due respect, I disagree. I don’t believe we need conservative judges or liberal judges or anything but patriotic American judges who will enforce the laws and the Constitution of the United States.

Instead of acting on his promise to change the tone in Washington, the President’s appointments have hardened partisan decisions and poisoned the atmosphere of justice. He has turned judicial discussions into political debates – and, in the process, diluted the independence of our legal system.

<snap>

[Pez]

54. out of the committees kerry is on, which do you think...

...provides the most relevant experience for the problems the you.s. faces?

[Pez]

55. ok i'll go first

maybe foreign relations:

JURISDICTION

1. Acquisition of land and building for embassies and legations in foreign countries
2. Boundaries of the United States
3. Diplomatic service
4. Foreign economic, military, technical and humanitarian assistance
5. Foreign loans
6. International activities of the American National Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross
7. International aspects of nuclear energy including nuclear transfer policy
8. International conferences and congresses
9. International law as it relates to foreign policy
10. International Monetary Fund and other international organizations established primarily for international monetary purposes (except that, at the request of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, any proposed legislation relating to such subjects reported by the Committee on Foreign Relations shall be referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs)
11. Intervention abroad and declarations of war
12. Measures to foster commercial intercourse with foreign nations and to safeguard American business interests abroad
13. National security and international aspects of trusteeships of the United States
14. Oceans and international environmental and scientific affairs as they relate to foreign policy
15. Protection of United States citizens abroad and expatriation
16. Relations of the United States with foreign nations generally
17. Treaties and executive agreements, except reciprocal trade agreements
18. United Nations and its affiliated organizations
19. World Bank group, the regional development banks, and other international organizations established primarily from development assistance purposes.

The committee shall also study and review, on a comprehensive basis, matters relating to the national security policy, foreign policy, and international economic policy as it relates to foreign policy of the United States, and matters relating to food, hunger, and nutrition in foreign countries.

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we need a president who has experience with the details of foreign policy and can grasp the situation immediately, without taking time to be caught up to date. BUSH INC. has made a mess not only here, but abroad, and security for the you.s. and the rest of the planet rides on the ability of our president to resolve the conflict as soon as possible. at the very least, open the dialogue and create an environment in which tensions are eased and progress can be made on all sides.

[Pez]

56. *punt*