Statement of Kerry Staffer with Kerry in Iraq on Photo Controversy

[kerrygoddess]

Statement of Frank Lowenstein, Kerry Foreign Policy Staffer With Kerry in Iraq, on the Photo Controversy
Posted by Pamela Leavey
December 29th, 2006 @ 12:40 pm

Okay, let’s put the controversy over the Kerry photo in Iraq to bed once and for all. The right wing blogs have had a heyday over this for days and as I have pointed out here in two posts (here and here), it’s nothing but the typical hype and lies from the right wing blogs.

My sources at Senator Kerry’s office just sent over this statement from Frank Lowenstein, Senator Kerry’s foreign policy staffer who was with Kerry in Iraq. Lowenstein serves on Senator Kerry’s Senate staff, and is a longtime Kerry national security advisor.

Statement from Frank Lowenstein:

“It’s a weird feeling seeing this photo of Sen. Kerry debated and decoded like some artifact out of the DaVinci Codes. It’s strange to me because I was there when the photo was taken. I traveled with Sen. Kerry throughout his Middle East trip. I’m his foreign policy staffer. Myself and Major McKnight were sitting right there when this photo was snapped.

Snubbed? Alone? Hardly. Sen. Kerry isn’t eating alone. In fact that photo is at an off the record breakfast meeting Senator Kerry conducted early Sunday morning with the very real Marc Santora of the New York Times Baghdad bureau and his younger colleague from the newspaper. The man shown in the green shirt across from Sen. Kerry is Marc Santora. Right after that interview was completed, Senator Kerry videotaped a message expressing his and the country’s support for the troops, to be shown on the armed services network in Iraq. Just the night before, Sen. Kerry was in that very same mess hall at a table where he ate dinner with about 10 U.S. soldiers.

Additionally, Senator Kerry spent nearly a day and half (out of two days in Iraq) outside of the Green Zone because he felt strongly that he wanted to hear from troops on the front lines. On Saturday morning, he greeted U.S. soldiers in Basra, and also met many British troops while he was there. On Saturday afternoon, he flew to FOB (Forward Operating Base) Warhorse, where he had a town hall meeting with over 100 soldiers. On Sunday morning, he was briefed by U.S. commanders at a training camp for Iraqi security forces. On Sunday evening, he traveled to another FOB where he had a long dinner in the camp mess hall with soldiers, including many from Massachusetts. These troops are nothing short of amazing, and my boss knows that with every fiber of his being. He’s a combat veteran. He’s been there.

Sen. Kerry knows that if you’re in public life, you’re going to have things you say and do taken out of context, sometimes photos even. It goes with the job. I just wanted to set the record straight about this photo not just because I was there and I know the truth, but because Sen. Kerry enjoyed his time and his conversations with the troops, and I hate to see anyone try to make some political hay out of all this or pretend this photo is something its not.”

LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5019

[MH1]

1. Gee, I wonder if Michelle Malkin will post this information?

Thanks for posting this, kg!

[kerrygoddess]

3. I emailed it to her. n/t

[kerrygoddess]

15. Email Malkin here

[e-mail]

[Cell Whitman]

14. Bartcop on Malkin

from BC via elsewhere

http://www.bartcop.com/1899.htm

"We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens' creme brulee."
-- Ann Coulter

You know who I feel sorry for? Michelle Malkin.

She wants to be the most quoted, mean-spirited, harpy radical right-wing bitch in the country
but we already have one of those so Michelle is having trouble finding her niche.

[emulatorloo]

32. Maybe she'll have a conversion -- less competition on our side n/t

[rox63]

2. Thanks for posting the truth!

Now I hope that Malkin her despicable ilk wll publish it, and apologize to the Senator.

[kerrygoddess]

6. I'm not holding my breath!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. This would never happen to a republican

They'd have photoshopped in soldiers before allowing the pic to be released. It's all about appearances to them, not what's real.

It's a shame that Senator Kerry was out doing good work and a photo taken in the process gets taken out of context.

[kerrygoddess]

5. No shit! n/t

[Jo March]

7. The shame is that some here might buy the whole load of crap

Sigh. The Kerry hating gets a bit old at times.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

18. Just show them this

Same day, same dinner.

[enough already]

35. This shit sticks to Kerry because he doesn't fight back

He had the truth on his side with the swiftliars during the campaign, but he let it go on. Sorry, but I'm done feeling sorry for him.

[karynnj]

37. He did fight back -

The media had everything it needed from Kerry - the oficial Navy records backed him 100%, Senator Warner (R,VA) who had been the Secretary of the Navy vouched for Kerry's medals in 2004. Kerry proved lie after lie after lie, but the media continued to take more charges from the discredited source. Kerry's records were complete and exemplary and the Nixon tapes show they investigated him in 1971 (when all this would have been recent) and he was clean - so they order people to DESTROY him. Given that command, if there were ANYTHING in the records, it would have been used to discredit the only anti-war person Nixon feared.

Compare how the rest of the media jumped on Rather when his story - which had backup and where Bush's records WERE incomplete and indicated some problem, but some documents were not completely authenicated - even though the secretary who said they were not authentic said she typed something with similar content)

[beachmom]

8. Actually, they DID photo shop in soldiers -- remember that Bush ad?

Where there were all these soldier clones. We have to remember this stuff, but it becomes so overwhelmingly the amount of lying they've done.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

19. See, I told you they would never let it happen to them!

I used that photo as the inspiration for my post.

[karynnj]

11. You're being kind to the RW

The picture was knowingly taken and is purposely a very badly framed picture. John Kerry is the subject of the photo and it is clear he is listening to someone, who you can't see because the photographer opted to get more on the other side of Kerry - where no one was. Then when you find the person who submitted it was on Bush's speech writing team - the photo angle and the story are a very cynical attempt to use Senator Kerry's trip to Iraq to diss him.

In an odd way, because Senator Kerry kept his itinerary quiet - it was NOT a photo op, this RW nonsense allowed his staff to explain what he did do. It is great that he spent that much time listening and talking to the troops. I am amazed that he spent that much tme outside the Green zone.

But I assume the RW will decide the correct thing for a Senator to do in Iraq is to hold a press conference in the Green Zone like McCain and Leiberman did.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

21. You've got the story right

I had never seen the pic until a DUer (now former) posted the picture in an attempt to cause trouble. It took me all of a few seconds to find out that it was deceptive and being exploited.

I suppose that since Senator Kerry was actually working, and not merely seeking photo ops, it sent the RW into a tailspin.

[ChiciB1]

9. It's Stuff Like This That Keeps Kerry From Being A Front-Runner

for '08. It is just too bad, he's a very good man, but they aren't going to get off his ass.... not ever!

I don't like it one bit, but I don't know what to do about it!

[beachmom]

10. If you think any Dem is immune to this stuff, think again.

I don't think him being attacked by the Right is a reason for him not to run in '08. In fact, I think of it as a badge of honor, really.

[ChiciB1]

12. Oh, NONE Of the Are Immune.... I Just Think They Are Enjoying Some

sort of personal glee when they go after Kerry! But it's what THEY do!

I'm sure if Clinton declares they have it ALL stacked up and ready to roll with it!! But for her, I don't feel so bad. Sorry if that sounds crass, but it's just how I feel.

[beachmom]

13. Yeah, my crazy neighbor hates Hillary, the "socialist"

Pretty nuts, since most of us are annoyed by her corporatism (how many socialists have served on the Board of Directors of Walmart?). So yes, they're going to go after her BIG TIME.

But don't forget your guy and Walmart -- how dumb was that? They're just ridiculous!

[onager]

41. Tell your neighbor Rupert Murdoch donated to Hill The Socialist

Amazing but true. Reported in the long New Yorker profile of Murdoch a few months ago. (Sorry I can't be more specific. I'm working in Egypt, and a visiting American left me a huge stack of New Yorker back issues. Since it's hard to find good reading material over here, I read them and then passed them on to other expatriates.)

As I remember, Rupert Murdoch donated $60,000 to Hillary's 2006 re-election campaign. When this news got out to the Nutcase Right, as you can well imagine, there was a great gnashing of teeth and rending of cheap suits, etc.

A Murdoch staffer explained that his boss disagreed with many of Hillary's policies (duh!). But he based his donation strictly on Clinton's record as a Senator. And as Murdoch discovered, that record was exemplary when it came to delivering for the people of New York State.

That bit of news should (but won't) drive a stake thru the heart of the "elitist" claims against Sen. Clinton. According to the article, she's as well-regarded in Upper New York State as she is in Manhattan. Again because she's simply doing the job any elected official should be doing--taking care of her constituents.

You should be hearing about this any day now from Sean Hannity and Rush. And I am the King of the Universe...

[blm]

20. It will happen to ANY Dem they view as a threat to DC establishment - this is not new to Kerry

It's been going on for over three decades, since the Nixon WH tried to take him down. Kerry was Arkansas Projected long before most here heard of Clinton.

The problem for the operatives against him is that Kerry is the real deal so they have to keep making crap up to use against him.

[politicasista]

23. Exactly

This will happen to anyone. We better be prepared to back them up with truth and facts when the smear campaigns hit.

[ChiciB1]

24. I Do Feel It's Been Especially Distasteful For Kerry....

Clinton was a good President, but some of the attacks on him were of his own making. I may have missed a few things here or there, but bottom line John Kerry really seems to be an especially caring person. A good person IMO.

As for John Edwards & Walmart... I don't feel he was being malicious, I think he feels it was correct to expose them for how they operate. When you have more money than God and still expect your employees to be insured by "the government" I find that distasteful myself. Does it do him much good, I really can't say. I do know many people who are frustrated with Walmart.

I dare say that what they keep slinging around about some of the Democrats certainly "pales" in comparison when you consider what THEY have done!

I still have been unable to understand how a man like John Kerry could have gotten "Swift-Boated!" Then the mockery of how they attacked him regarding a "joke" simply doesn't make sense. It really makes me wonder how seemingly intelligent people can actually say some things when they MUST know it's a lie on it's face. The fact that John McCain is so respected boggles my mind. He KNOWS John Kerry and yet he attacked him too! He KNOWS the truth about Viet Nam too, but yet people think he can do no wrong. John Kerry is a much better man than John McCain. Even Colin Powell has ghosts in his closet... My Lai to name an early one, but he has suffered no retribution to date! He KNEW about Viet Nam, AND he also knew about Iraq but was a coward up until just recently!

Oh, I have to stop.... I could go on down the line but won't. Still, all of our candidates are going to have to deal with the slime, but even the fact that John Edwards has money seems to be a problem for them. Seems to me like I heard Cheney's income from last year was at least $200,000.00... does THAT bother anyone??

I don't think either Kerry or Edwards are MEAN or despicable.... but they are politicians and it's a "dirty" game and has gotten so much worse these past 6 years! If they make honest mistakes, a person can be forgiven, but to have done what these people do is simply malicious!

[blm]

44. It happened because bigname Democrats wouldn't show up n TV everyday and

back Kerry up in 2004 the way Bush had his bigname GOPs doing day in and day out for him.

Kerry had 4 years of the LAST Dem president supporting PUBLICALLY almost every major policy decision Bush made in his first term.

[karynnj]

22. Stuff like what???

He went to Iraq. He's on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Even on the right, the picture was not convincing - he is clearly with someone who was outside the intentionally poorly framed picture. Also - even if he were sitting completely alone, that says absolutely nothing bad about him.

In fact, what this has done is to call attention to the fact that Kerry is one of the few (if not the only) Senator who has left the Green Zone. Leiberman and McCain spent all their time in the Green Zone and had a press conference - they think Iraq is a photo op. Kerry is doing serious work. If anything - if they (and we) get the Kerry staffer story out, this rebounds to the Democrats and Kerry's favor.

[ChiciB1]

25. You Misunderstand Me... I'm Talking About The Stupid Stuff That

seems to stick to Kerry no matter what! I don't believe it, but I certainly know people who take real delight in the "stupid" stuff they say about him. Kind of like he's a tar-baby or something, when what they attack him for is completely idiotic! People around me know NOT to attack John Kerry because I will fire right back. Normally I ignore their stupidity for bringing up Clinton all the time, but don't go there with Kerry. Kerry is a GOOD man and a respectable man, I'm just sorry that too many idiots have written him off. I know you've heard it yourself.... pundits who just say he's "dead in the water" and this isn't anything I made up. I'm sure you know it's been said ad nauseum and it's a real shame!

I was thrilled to death when I got to shake his hand during the campaign, and looking into his eyes is something I will ALWAYS remember. John Kerry is so much more and the fact that we have to deal with the likes of those in this WH is a travesty! Actually is a CRIME!

[karynnj]

27. I do see where you are coming from in this post

and in the other long one. I really think that no one has been hit with the amount of lies as much as Kerry has. The Clintons were hit with a huge amount too, but as you say the sad truth was that admidst the despicable lies were many things which were true. The Clintons also had the platform offered by being President from which to defend themselves.

One of the things that hit me the most when Kerry lost after we were sure he was winning on election day was how unfair it was that this brilliant unusually good man had had every part of his life, character, personality, marriage, accomplishments slimed by villains. He had gained recognition but
his reputation (and even more so Teresa's) was unrecognizable compared to what it was in 2003.

I don't think things naturally stick more to Kerry than anyone else. I think the difference is that very few others have been attacked that much yet. With the Clintons, they have had far more support in fighting back. Part of the problem was that the Democrats - for the most part, don't defend Kerry. Some have said that Kerry's response to the RW attacks on the botched joke was too much. Can you tell me with a straight face that Kerry appeared angrier or more out of control than Bill Clinton attacking Wallace? Not really. Now, if he would have simply quietly explained things - and not attacked the fact that there was a lot of over the top RW lying, we would be hearing that he still doesn't fight back.

My reasons for sticking with Kerry are included in your posts:
- He is an exceptionally good person
- He can be trusted because he is honest and moral
- He is an incredibly capable person with an enormous range of issues that he is knowledgable on.
- In spite of being that informed, he genuinely listens
- I agree with his positions more than I do any one else's

Kerry is a canddiate who I can genuinely say would make an excellent President - and we need a really really strong leader to fix the mess that will be there in 2009. At this point, Kerry may be the only one who has the character, strength and sense of purpose to do he hard things that need to be done. Watch his Real Security speech - Kerry, with his history, can let us be moral leaders in the world. (I know edwards put that in his priorities, but to me at least it rings true with Kerry who has been using those words for pnearly 2 years)

If Kerry doesn't run or doesn't win, I intend to still support Kerry's efforts in the Senate because I believe that he has been the strongest voice for truth in my generation - and supporting someone like that can never be wrong. As to President in that case - there is no Republican I would vote for against any Democrat. Whether I actively work for them is another story - there are some I could not work for.

I understand what you mean about looking into his eyes. I was lucky enough to have met him and Teresa earlier this year. In addition, his real smile is amazing. Teresa was equally wonderful. The reason I think he could have a chance is the fact that there are many many people who sound like you do - Who are sold on Kerry as a leader and as a person, but fear he can;t win. If other candidates stumble as they are attacked and Kerry gets ANY good publicity - he should be able to pick people up. then having picked a noticable number of people up, he may pick up more.

I think of comments of a group of active Democratic woman in my county. Many of them were speaking of the two sides of Bill Clinton - he was so charming, but so obviously sleasy. This was a group - upper middle class NYC area (NJ) woman who should have been Hillary's. No one was excited - other than a few who wanted Bill back (which led to the Clinton discussion). I mentioned Kerry - sveral spoke of really liking him .. but then saying they were afraid he couldn't win. Many absolutely loved Teresa.

[ChiciB1]

31. You Said It Much Better Than I...

I honestly find it very very sad. I wrote in another post that I had waited for years for Kerry to run for President and I was so sure his goodness would pull him through. I recall many instances throughout 2004 and my ire with "the corrupt ones" grew and grew. I vividly remember his acceptance speech and what I was doing, so he obviously affected me.

Part of my reasoning for thinking as I do could be that I live in Florida and in the District that used to be Cruella's. Further north of here they were much kinder about him, and that is where I went to see him, in Tampa. The crowd was huge and most people said that if he lost they just knew the election would be stolen again. I do think it was to this day. I recall watching returns and I won't go into all of it, but I still have a break-down of each county somewhere and even the Democratic counties were off by huge numbers. In a way, I finally just gave up on it because I sort of saw that he just couldn't catch a break after the election. No matter what he did, or how he did it, he got criticized. I don't know how it can be repaired.

I KNOW he's come from behind on more than one occasion, but reality tells me that it's too much to overcome. I know I battled with many people in this area because they constantly talked about Teresa, and when they would repeat actual lies and I would show them proof that they were lies, it just didn't seem to matter. Now more than ever, after the flap with the joke when the pundits began the negative reporting, they weren't very subtle about any of it, I felt the mountain just grew even larger.

I DO agree with you that he more than anyone else would probably make the best leader and has the capacity to pull us together as a nation, but he's like a David against Goliath. Maybe if I lived in a more Liberal place I might fight harder, but from where I'm at too many people, many many Democrats have just written him off. I have never attacked him or put him down as I've seen so many others do, but I just moved on. As I said it IS a very sad and troubling situation. If, by some miracle he can plow his way through I will gladly work for him again. I wonder sometimes what HE must be thinking.

So for now, I'm supporting Edwards because I think he might be able to excite the younger generation and we can find a way to move on from the nightmare we've had foisted upon us. It's still very early, but the negative treatment they've given Kerry is just way over the top. Even his fellow Senators haven't been there for him and it does upset me a lot. I realize Hillary doesn't come to his aid because she is probably running, but still she could have come to his defense more strongly.

[The Wizard]

34. Any Senator

with more than one term in the Senate will never be President. They have a voting record that can be spun and manipulated. Setting the record straight takes too much time and effort away from the campaign. They also get into Senate Speak where they can't give a short concise answer to a question. Everything said has a string of qualifiers. No one in the Senate ever gets to the point except for when Frank Lautenberg started calling the neocons chickenhawks.
As for Malkin: Her mother should have swallowed.

[zulchzulu]

36. We should willingly submit to what the Reich Wing Liars tell us about Kerry

[BlueIris]

16. Score one for sanity.

WOO HOO!

[BlueIris]

17. Okay, I'm not really this excited about it.

I find it appalling that so many were taken in by a ridiculously bad forgery, and I am really, really tired of the Kerry haters glorying in their ignorance. Sigh. Bring on '07. Maybe they'll be less hateful then...? Sigh.

[ladym55]

26. Kerry is an obvious threat to the right

The hatred directed at Kerry never quits. It's never true, but it never slows down or gives up. What makes ME crazy is when progressives (who should know better) buy into the Right-wing garbage and write off a class act and hard-working guy.

Of course, no one has paid any attention to the fact that Kerry left the Green Zone unlike all the brave chickenhawks of the Republican Party who visit.

[karynnj]

30. Exactly

In addition, he actually spoke with a large number of soldiers on the front lines and did it quietly to get real information rather than as a photo-op.

I find that the funny thing about this is that it made Kerry's staffer put out information on the trip - that really really reflects well on the Senator - that otherwise would not have been put out to avoid exploiting the soldiers. Seriously, there was NOT a single word of these details on johnkerry.com - though they were following where he was and had a few photos.

[Skittles]

28. freepers like to think the soldiers are as stupid as they are

well, they are not

[kerrygoddess]

29. True on both counts! n/t

[MethuenProgressive]

33. The drip drip drip drip drip water torture/propaganda technique

As mentioned in a comment on the link, this constant death-by-a-thousand-cuts propaganda war against Kerry is working. Keep saying shit, say it over and over, say it everywhere - and some people will start thinking it's true. This current bullshit was even posted on a popular Appalachian Trail hiking website by one of Malkin's devotees.
I'm thinking of throwing my '08 support fully behind John Kerry - just because the FringeRight hates him so much!

[HuffleClaw]

38. what is really funny about this is had it been BUSH they'd be saying

'the troops gave bush some space to eat in peace...'

[orleans]

39. what picture?

[beachmom]

40. Go to the OP's link -- she links to Powerline, etc.

It's pathetic and BS. Kerry had some empty chairs next to him while eating breakfast in Iraq, so the Right said the troops "shunned" him. It ends up he was doing an interview with the NYT. It's a stupid, stupid story.

[Major Hogwash]

42. What controversy? What photo?

I hope somebody will tell me what the hell is going on.

[MH1]

43. Be glad you missed it.

Despite numerous photos on Yahoo showing Kerry talking with troops in Iraq during his recent visit there, including one showing him sitting at a dining hall table talking with several, Malkin borrowed and cropped an amateur photo where they managed to capture Kerry almost "alone" in a dining hall, then claimed that the troops were "snubbing" him. Given the amateurish nature of the photo, the bad lighting which STILL leaves open the possibility that some photoshopping was done, and so forth, there was a raging debate about the authenticity of the photo. However that misses the real point, that it is all one more right wing attempt at reinforcing their smear job memes against someone they desperately need to discredit.* The op is merely a corroboration that the photo could be authentic (if conveniently cropped), and what the situation was when it was taken.

* Desperately need to discredit because of what he knows and what he might do, re: Iran/Contra, BCCI, and the web of corruption and evil that is still out there. For a glimpse at just one piece of that web, don't miss Robert Parry's great article about the Washington Times: http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/122706.html

[mtnsnake]

45. People who use doctored photos for fraudulent purposes need to be brought to justice

Does anyone know if anyone was ever held accountable for that doctored photo of Kerry with Jane Fonda, the one the right wing used to smear him in 2004? Supposedly, a lawsuit was in the works, but I never heard anything about it since.

If these people can't be held accountable, then there's only one option: Get even with the right wing with some crafty pictures of our own, only ten times over. Fuckers.