John Kerry Responds to Bush Comment on ‘America’s strained psyche’

[whometense]

Below is a statement from Senator John Kerry responding to President Bush’s press conference today:



“President Bush is profoundly wrong about Iraq, and profoundly wrong about the American people. Today President Bush said America’s “psyche” has been “strained” by “challenging times.” Americans are a strong people. The American psyche isn’t the problem. The problem is this Administration’s disastrous Iraq policy.



Our military has been strained by the Rumsfeld policy of going to war with too few troops, sending troops into battle with inadequate body armor, and overextending the National Guard. Faith in this Administration has been strained by exaggerations and miscalculations from the promise of “mission accomplished” to Vice President Cheney’s declaration of an insurgency “in its last throes.” Patience is strained because almost five years later, Osama Bin Laden is still on the loose, and gone is the promise of ‘wanted dead or alive.’ The Administration’s credibility is strained because the President’s mantra that “U.S. troops will stand down as Iraqis stand up” is another misleading myth, and “stay the course” is a recipe for disaster when the course is broken. Budgets are strained by record deficits, while critical needs, from homeland security to Katrina rebuilding go unaddressed while each week we spend two billion dollars in Iraq.



This Administration’s Iraq policy has been an unmitigated disaster and has set us back in the War on Terror. Iran is profiting because the United States is bogged down in Iraq. Our troops are stuck in a civil war. The violence is worse than ever. 100 Iraqi civilians are being killed every day in a brutal civil war that Administration still denies, and it’s getting worse every month. Over 9,000 Iraqis have died in the last three months alone. Since the bombing in Samarra, 182,000 Iraqis have fled their homes due to sectarian violence and intimidation. IED attacks against American troops have nearly doubled since January.



We must change course in Iraq. We need to set a date to force Iraqis to stand up for Iraq, force the Administration to finally do the diplomacy necessary to find the political solution our generals say is needed, move American troops to an over the horizon position, and refocus the United States on waging and winning an effective War on Terror.”





# # #

[babylonsister]

1. Wow, that was fast, and the perfect response to dimson's b.s.! nt

[sandnsea]

2. Excellent

It was decent of him to leave "you stupd fuckhead you" off the end there, doncha think?

Great statement, and speedy fast too.

[babylonsister]

4. I would have LMAO if that had been added! Not very

statesmanlike, so it'd never happen, but I just bet he was thinking that!

[whometense]

7. ;-)

Kerry on vacation - you've got to love it!!!

[ginnyinWI]

21. well he does have a lot of material to work with!

The incompetence just never stops piling up. So it's like shooting fish in a barrel. With one hand tied behind your back.

It looks like JK has swung into full campaign mode for the fall elections. A very welcome voice.

[karynnj]

24. Kerry seems to do more on vacation in a day

than many Senators in a month when Congress is in session.

[ProSense]

11. Agree! Excellent statement from Senator Kerry.

It's not the American psyche it's Bush the psycho!

[sandnsea]

14. lol, ooh that's a good'n - Bush the psycho! n/t

[karynnj]

50. True - but I guess it's not ok for Senators to say so

[gratuitous]

3. Fast and accurate response

The problem is not with us, it's with the poor leadership of our country. Sorry George, the American people are giving their all, including a hefty chunk of tax dollars and our sons and daughters, for your misbegotten invasion. What have you given up? When is your base - the haves and the have-mores - going to help pull this war wagon?

Don't blame us for your failures, Mr. Bush. Don't you dare.

[MaineDem]

5. I love it!

Great response, Senator.

[whometense]

8. I love it too -

especially the exasperated tone.

[GreenArrow]

6. nevermind

.

[quiet.american]

9. I like how Kerry has taken the lesson to lessen the pontificating.

He's speaking straight and direct, and frankly, even after being sorely disappointed, angry and frustrated by his concession in 2004, I am liking him again lately -- and his spokesman David Wade, who has forever earned a place in my heart for labeling Rove the "porcine political operative."

[whometense]

17. Someone should compile

a David Wade's greatest hits list - he's had some really great lines.

Some of my favorites:

"The closest Karl Rove ever came to combat was these last months spent worrying his cellmates might rough him up in prison."

on Kerry’s hotel request list: “Dick Cheney drinks Perrier and refuses to watch anything but Fox News. John Kerry hates Evian, eats meatloaf, and snacks on chocolate chip cookies. If these documents had been leaked during the campaign we’d have won in a landslide.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53128-20...
"After 86 years of failure, why would anyone in their right mind fake being a Red Sox fan?" asks Kerry spokesman David Wade.

And this beauty: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/NotedNow/Noted_...

BC04 spokesman Steve Schmidt says "John Kerry's position on Iraq descended into complete incoherence" in paper statement...
...
KERRY RESPONSE TO RESPONSE: "Wanna talk about complete incoherence -- let's do that -- how about taking us to war without a plan to win the peace... how about saying we're at war in Iraq over weapons of mass destruction, then liberation, then human rights, then democracy, then 9/11, then having Colin Powell say there was no 9/11 connection -- that my friend is incoherence."

The man has a tongue like a razor.

[quiet.american]

19. Great "clips," all. Thanks, lol. n/t

[karynnj]

25. Imagine a JK/DW conversation

They're both pretty quick and sharp.

[ProSense]

35. LOL! n/t

[BootinUp]

10. Pretty good statement.

[sinkingfeeling]

12. The only 'strained psyche' around is Bush. And he's psychotic.

[JRob]

33. how do you strain a wet noodle?

[vickitulsa]

57. You're right! He was speaking about HIMSELF (as usual).

IMO, he's getting closer and closer to that very public breakdown I keep thinking I see coming. The criminal creep is so eat up with his arrogance and his dreams of being dictator that he HATES IT when anyone challenges his actions.

And just about everyone (except Faux unfair-and-imbalanced "news" channel) is questioning and challenging babyboy dimson these days, so the "strain" he's describing is the strain on HIM. A great many of us are stressed out from our concern over the horrendous things this criminal moron has been doing with the world's most intimidating military machine at his disposal. We're sickened to see what he's done to our country and very worried about its future -- and our own.

But we all know very well that Bu$h does NOT empathize with the common folk out here in the real world where he rarely needs to go. It isn't OUR stress or strain he's thinking about when he describes the effect these "challenging times" are having.

I was so surprised he held an actual news conference! If things continue in the direction they've been going ever since he took office (and I do mean TOOK), and if he keeps making public appearances where people can actually ASK him hard questions, I still think we'll see him eventually snap and reveal his true inner self in all his ugliness. Maybe even ON CAMERA, since he's so constantly photographed and filmed no matter what useless or inane thing he's doing.

[bdamomma]

76. he is the whole problem

to the american psyche.

[indepat]

13. The problem is the Administration's disastrous every policy

[gulliver]

15. If Kerry had said "strained psyche" he would have been ...

... bludgeoned with it for the remainder of his political career.

[whometense]

16. You know.

that exact thought occurred to me as well. What's all this liberal psychobabble??????

[democrank]

18. What the hell does Bush know about strain on Americans?

In Bush`s life-long bubble, the economy is thriving, the war is going according to plan, and he`s spreadin` freedom through excellent diplomatic relations with the entire universe. What`s the problem?

[midnight]

54. That is exactly how he said things were, and

That he wasn't bringing the troops home until the job was done. What is that job our troops now have to do.

[wisteria]

20. Good response time and excellent reburial to Bush! OK Kerry! n/t

[tridim]

22. Whoa! Did * make a "malaise" speech?

Sure sounds like it.

[karynnj]

26. Good point .... I didn't think of that, but it is

Nice catch

[whometense]

28. hmmmmm...

nice take. Think we can hang that around his neck along with the dozen or so other albatrosses he's carrying???

[blm]

39. heh...it's our job to at least TRY and make the media SEE the albatrosses

What do we need - a black light?

[whometense]

70. perhaps

we need one of these!



Yes - you got me - I admit it. I'm a Monty Python geek.

[nsd]

83. That was exactly my reaction too. /nt

[ananda]

23. lol.. I'm sure that Bush ..

.. feels that his own psyche has been strained, so he figures
that everybody else must be like him.

Yes, in a way, the psyche of America has been strained by
having to suffer through the power machinations of a group
of criminals, forcing us to witness daily horrors and suffering
on the part of Americans and others overseas. This is not
good for any psyche..

.. but of course the only solution is to get rid of the psychic
stressors: criminals; war; poverty; etc...

Sue

[whometense]

27. :D

The Bush version of empathy. "ouch, my psyche hurts."

[mucho macho]

29. RUSH LIMPJAW

JUST QUOTED KERRYS SPEECH AND SAID THAT KERRY VOTED AGAINST BOTH MORE TROOPS AND MORE BODY ARMOR. ANYONE HAVE ACCESS TO THE VOTES????ID HATE FOR LIMPDICK TO BE RIGHT OR FOR HIM TO MAKE A LIAR OUT OF JFK.

[JRob]

31. anyone who takes Rush seriously is a moron anyway and will...

more than likely never turn from the dark side.

[mucho macho]

34. I only listen to hear what the enemy is saying n/t

[JRob]

36. as do I...

I listen in periodically to various sociopathic right-wing neocon pundits to hear what they are saying during a given news cycle. My point, based on what they say (in chorus) and the pontification of their listeners is that no truth offered by anyone will sway them or their

[blm]

38. Untrue - Kerry voted FOR the 87 billion WITH accountability written in

to the bill that also assured the money would go to body armor.

That version didn't pass, and Kerry voted AGAINST the 87 bil bill that was written with NO ACCOUNTABILITY For the money and no assurance the body armor would be a priority purchase.

Why do the GOPs and BushInc hate our military so much they want to steal the money from their equipment purchases and funnel it to their war profiteering cronies?

[TayTay]

46. Kerry voted for the appropriations bills in the Senate

that fund this occupation. (Sigh, sometimes. There was this one time that he voted against an $87 billion dollar appropriations bill because he thought the Repubs should state where the money was goiong to come from, count it in the budget and pay for it. Ahm,he voted for an amendment that did just that. When those sensible provisions were dropped, he voted against it because he thought it should be on the budget and paid for. Perhaps you have heard of this incident, no?)

The votes on Iraq are located here: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_se...

There have been a lot of votes on funding for various aspects of the Iraq War and on related issues. Can you be more specific on this?

[JRob]

30. What will it take for all DEM's to start screaming these points...

like a mantra?

When will we start holding them accountable for not?

When do we start tailoring our participation in the economy that allows these politicians to conduct business as usual regardless of how it affects our lives?

[texpatriot2004]

32. Kerry is right! nm

[symbolman]

37. Let's add SCANDAL FATIGUE to the list

strained psyche is for babies, saw a jar of it for sale by Gerber the other day

Here's my latest work all about Joe LIEberman's ridiculous run as a "Party of One", which reminds me of "Army of One" (which gives ME a mental image of a guy stuck under fire in a foxhole, looking around and saying, "WHERE the hell IS EVERYBODY!!") -- Makes about as much sense in a marketing vein. Party of One, Translates into "Party of NONE" when it involved LIEberman, might as well be saying, "Party of ME", eh?

This flash also incorporates the fact that the Terror Lockdown on Liquids, etc came so close on the heels of Joe's Smackdown by Lamont as to not be considered credible - even today they are confirming that people will walk FREE because they don't have the evidence to hold them, let alone that there were NO Explosives in their possession, they hadn't even made reservations, etc, etc..

Meanwhile they talk about charging a PREGNANT woman for having some water, and a face wipe - this flash addresses those concerns as well, the fact that WE are being used as PUPPETS in a The Politics of Terror.

Remember, a republican said they'd ride this last nonThreat all the way into November. Let's prove them wrong.. Let's VOTE for Lamont, as we all know this last Primary was a referendum on Bush and his faked "war". The Nerve of LIEberman to shit all over the Democrats. It's like using a girlfriend to get you through medical school and then snatching up the Trophy Wife once you've graduated. How can we ever trust this Puppet again?

One of my best Flash works ever, and to the Tune of "Masters of War" by Mr Bob Dylan, and no truer words were spoken in our time.

Have a look at:

http://web.takebackthemedia.com/geeklog/public_html/sta...

[MH1]

68. "Army of One"

As someone who served under "Be All You Can Be", I thought "Army of One" was about the worst slogan they could come up with. Totally against everything I was taught when I was in, about the importance of teamwork.

Guess they already back then figured they had to appeal to the selfish set.

[demdiva]

40. On top of it as usual

Way to go Senator!!!!!

[ProSense]

41. Sen. Salazar needs to read Kerry's statement.

In fact, his brother needs to have a heart to heart with him.

Salazar, a military veteran, disagrees with many fellow Democrats - including his brother, Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo. - who are calling for a troop withdrawal timetable.

"This administration's Iraq policy has been an unmitigated disaster and has set us back in the war on terror," Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said in response to Bush's speech. "Our troops are stuck in a civil war. The violence is worse than ever."

Reflecting on his previous trip to thecountry 18 months ago, "I am more optimistic in some respects that we are turning control over to the Iraqis," Salazar said, citing improved numbers of trained Iraqi security forces. "But at the same time I am not as optimistic when I see the sectarian violence that's breaking out."

Salazar met with Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, who repeated what he said the first week in August that the hope of troop reductions by year's end is diminishing, and that civil war is possible.

Salazar believes some of that violence will ease as American troops eventually pull out. "We're seen as occupiers," he said. "Once Iraqis are in control, I believe there'll be less violence."

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4215229?source=rss

It appears he's having trouble making a definitive statement.

[Terre]

42. Would you happen to have a link

to his response?

[MH1]

45. Got it in email...Raw Story covered it

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Kerry_fires_back_Bush...

[Terre]

48. Great!

Thanks for the link! Maybe I'll get my email from Kerry as well.

[mnhtnbb]

43. Kerry is right on with this statement.

[rosesaylavee]

44. WTG JOHN!

I am sure enjoying Kerry this week. He should take a vacation more often and spend the time sniping back at these morans.

He could add economically fatigued. How many of us are working overtime or two jobs to make ends meet? I don't when I have heard so many friends, neighbors say that they are cutting back or juggling payments or selling off a car and taking the bus, or working a side job, or selling on eBay, etc. just to make their bill payments on their current salary.

*co has NO CLUE what the real world is like. How does he think the gas gouging is being paid for? Who does he think is paying for Exxon and Shell's great revenue increases???

Bubble boy. Any one got a pin?

[Guaranteed]

47. Nice job, Senator. nt

[wisteria]

49. Wonderful. He keeps hammering in the good points. Yeah!!! n/t

[MH1]

51. Excellent, excellent statement by Kerry.

Blogged it here, with comments:
Bush: America's "strained psyche"; Kerry: Bush "profoundly wrong" (as usual)

[Cha]

52. Whose bright idea was it for

bush to be talkin' about the "strained American psyche"? That was the perfect intro for John Kerry to come in and start blasting away.

It certainly has set us Waaaaaaaaaay Baaaaaaaaaaaack on the "WAr On Terror"! You think the Murikens are getting a clue just how far back and how many terrorists multiplied exponentially in Iraq when bush and blair bombed them for no good reason?

[alfredo]

53. Remember when he was asked about what if his strategy

isn't working? He said something about if the Generals thought they needed to change they would.

bush was pushing the responsibility onto the military. He won't even own his own "stay the course."

Will the Generals take the fall for him?

[JanusAscending]

55. I was watching CSpan when the press conference came on.

I said "oh shit, I don't feel like listening to bush this AM"!, but I was totally glued to the TV, only because I saw how "agitated" he was, and I was hoping and praying for him to have a total "meltdown". I listened VERY CAREFULLY to every word he said and your post brought it to mind. Did you catch his "freudian slip"???? He said "if I think, uh...if the Generals think we need a change in strategy, then he'd would consider it", etc. etc.etc.......Hope someone has this recorded for "posterity"!! I cannot leave unsaid how WOWED I am by Sen. John Kerry,but lately he has been showing the world how cheated they were by Bush in the 04 elections because we don't have a real man as POTUS!!!

[alfredo]

74. It's important because it shows he is trying to dodge

responsibility for staying in Iraq. Now it is the General's fault.

[JanusAscending]

86. Thanks for validating my sentiments,

exactly!! Did anyone else catch this slip of the tongue?

[alfredo]

87. I hope so.

Validation is important. You don't want to have to pay for parking.

[JanusAscending]

89. Wise ass!!

I'm goin' to bed after that one!!

[alfredo]

90. Good night

[Vidar]

56. Good for Kerry.

[tomreedtoon]

58. Gee, is Kerry running for something?

How can he do that when he theoretically won the last time, but refused to fight for his victory?



"No, we're not running - we're dancing for Dubya, silly!"

Kerry must apologize to everyone who voted for him in 2004, and prove that he wants to do more this time than sit on his hands and allow the Republicans to steal the next election. He can send all the fundraising e-mails he wants, but some of us remember.

[MH1]

62. Oh, bullshit.

Take your rovian democrat-undermining nonsense elsewhere.

[ray of light]

67. well, you notice the lack of facts and all baser spin in his post?

Just proves the point.

Yep..you said it...he needs to take his Rovian democrat-undermining nonsense to freeperville.

[nolies32fouettes]

72. ...

[nolies32fouettes]

69. ...

[bdamomma]

78. no matter what others may think about Kerry

I still like him and he was so screwed by the bush crime family.

[whometense]

80. absolutely.

With a big assist from the corporate media.

Check out this post (and especially listen to the audio!): http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=3932


That attitude tells you everything you need to know about what Kerry was (and still is) up against.

[karendc]

63. Some of us remember WRONGLY

and some of us took the time to find out what happened. I do not remember sitting on hands; I remember lots and lots of investigations, lawsuits (two still going on), and a determination to raise enough money for Dem. candidates to take back the House and Seante and fix what's wrong.

But really, I think you need to do your own research on this. I know you can do it!

[whometense]

64. What is wrong with you?

Has Karl Rove made out your paycheck yet?

[nolies32fouettes]

66. a right winged pajama blogger...?

[nolies32fouettes]

65. you owe the people at DU an apology for your lampoon of

Kerry when John Kerry has spent the MOST MONEY and MOST TIME to get Democrats elected in 06.

Though how should you know that? You're head is burried in 04 and you don't even have anything but smears and baser whiney emotions to respond to.

Delete your post. You appear to be nothing but a troll and your effort doesn't help get Democrats elected...now or ever.

[karynnj]

73. Actually, you owe every person in the world an apology

I assume you would not post this accusation unless you had proof of the quality that could be taken to court that Kerry did win the election, preferably by December 2004 when Ohio certified its electors, or at least by January 6, 2005 when the Congress met.

You didn't make that information public, so you are complicit in stealing the Presidency from John Kerry. In addition to Senator Kerry, you owe apologies to all of us living in a world that is less safe. Senator Kerry has spoken out repeatedly on the various ways the vote was suppressed and the various problems in the election process. He very sincerely told the kids at Kenyon College, in what may be the most exceptional commencement speech ever, that they conceded because they simply couldn't find enough votes cast for him.

Others, like RFK jr, have enumerated estimates of "lost votes" that were not counted for Kerry, that made the difference between winning and losing Ohio and the Presidency. The problem is that most of these "lost votes" were votes never cast. You can't count votes not cast. The Republicans cheated and went against the spirit of honest elections, but some methods they used were not against the law - because no one ever thought to make a law that an adequate number of voting machines had to exist.

I'm waiting for your response as to your proof.

[blm]

77. Name ONE OTHER PERSON in office who's made more of a difference to this

nation's governance over the last 35 years. The one person who actually investigated and exposed MORE government corruption than any other lawmaker?

And it ain't BILL Clinton - Hillary Clinton - bartcop - tomreedtoon.

[Blaukraut]

82. This picture has been floating around for about 5 years now

The heads aren't always the same - evidently they are interchangeable depending on the poster and the current scapegoat.
The point is simple; nobody will ever be completely satisfied with all Democrats in office at all times. This is especially true if the Dems are in the minority in all three branches of the government. Of course there are the Dinos who really do throw wrenches in any progress attempted by the real Demcorats. However; putting Kerry and Leahy into that group is beyond ridiculous, as they are as far removed from Dino as they could possibly come.

I don't agree with everything our Senators do - not by a long shot. If I want my perfect Democratic Senator in office, I need to run for that office. Even if I won, I might find myself in the unfortunate position to have to compromise.
Face it; as a purist, you will forever condemn yourself to sitting on the sidelines, powerless, but with a lot of wonderful concepts and ideas. The real world is not pure, and it is not perfect.

Concerning Kerry 'not fighting for his victory': Do you seriously believe that he went through 2 years of grueling campaigning and character maligning by the Rethugs to turn around and hand Bush a victory? What are you smoking???
Kerry is a prosecutor. Had there been any concrete evidence come to light before the vote certification, he would have fought! As another poster pointed out before me; there was no smoking gun. Votes were suppressed? How do you count those? John Kerry did what was in his power to do, and has kept the promise he made to us ever since the election. He has continued fighting for us, introducing bills, speaking out, attempting a filibuster - you name it. He has nothing to apologize for at all! If anything we owe him an apology for every time he stands up for us and we do nothing but sit in front of our computers bemoaning our fate.

[MH1]

93. Excellent point, about the swapping heads to suit an agenda. n/t

[_dynamicdems]

59. The list of reasons why I support this guy just keeps getting longer and

longer. He's doing us proud.

and Rec

[buddhamama]

60. Why is that so few Republicans

on so few occasions mention the lost Iraqi lives when speaking of Iraq?!

This is not a new observation or any big revelation but I was reminded of it again while reading Kerry's statement.

to Sen. Kerry

[hijinx87]

61. ah, I can't help but imagine . . . .

if he had been that fast, that "on message", and that lethal in his
campaign in 2004 . . . . .

the "coulda-beens" are staggering.

[The Count]

71. Great answer! Was that jr's "malaise" speech though?

What a thing to say... "Are we there yet?"

[MH1]

75. only if

the media pounds it over and over.

Sigh. Guess not.

[LoZoccolo]

84. This is a great observation.

Information on the "malaise" speech for people who are unfamiliar with it.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/peopleevents/e_mala...

[leesa]

79. Wrong. We are strained because we are in an ILLEGAL war

More of the 'too few troops to run the war well' bullshit...more of the 'Iraqis have to stand up for themselves' crap, as though our illegal invasion was their fault...more BS about 'winning a war on terror' which is a ludicrous thing to say and an impossible thing to do.

It's no wonder people don't care about voting for Democrats.

[ProSense]

81. Pointing to failed policies does not negate the illegal nature of the war.

You can listen to Senator Kerry's 18-minute indictment of Bush for starting an illegal war here.


I disagree, people are obviously interested in voting for Democrats, just ask Ned Lamont!

[politicasista]

85. Kick!

Go Kerry!

[iilana X]

88. John Kerry is right.

We are a strong people. And we'll prove it in November when we give the Bush enablers the boot.

Who writes this crap for Bush anyhow. You know he'd never talk about anyone's psyche being strained.

[Lefergus70]

91. Still not tough enough

Kerry: "This Administration’s Iraq policy has been an unmitigated disaster and has set us back in the War on Terror."

That's certainly true, but I think his language is a bit soft and ineffective. Latest polls show that most Americans still trust Republicans more than Democrats in combatting terrorism, and you can bet that those perceptions are created by punchy Republican sound bites that lodge in people's minds.

I offer one to Kerry in case he ever goes on the campaign trail again: "George Bush has created terror in Iraq and it's spreading toward us every day."

[politicasista]

94. Got suggestions?

A vocal dem is better than a silent dem anyday.

[saltpoint]

92. Kerry burns Dubya's haze away and what's left is a lame-ass president

who's entire presidency is a failure.

When 61% (recent poll) of the nation thinks Iraq is not a worthwhile engagement, there's not much Dubya can do politically to revive support.

These terra threats are getting old fast.

A nice sure-footed piece of work by Senator Kerry, as usual.