Has Kerry even responded to Chavez YET?

[borat sagdiyev]

Its been almost 24 hours and I haven't heard a peep.
Oh wait, where is DemStrategist to tell us its OUR fault since we didn't form an organized petition to ask the campaign?

[oasis]

1. Kerry's advisors are aware of the Chavez victory. Should Kerry call him

to congratulate him? What should he do?

[NWHarkness]

2. Whine whine whine

Give it a rest.

[still_one]

3. Why should he?

Don't we have more immediate issues to deal with in this country, then to try to get involved in a "socialist" verses "non-socialist" debate?

[leftistagitator]

4. It's not Kerry's job to congradulate foriegn politicians.

Repeat after me, "Kerry is a candidate for the Presidency, not the President". On the otherhand it is Kerry's job to issue statements on foriegn policy, like his prior pledge to honor Chavez's position if he won the referendum. If Kerry as President breaks that pledge than I will be the first one here bitching about it, but in the meanwhile I think Kerry is being about as nice to a Socialist politician as a valid American presidential candidate could be.

"Stay Neutral in Free Elections: When the United States picks favorite candidates, we weaken the integrity of those political processes - and as often as not, our support can cause a backlash within a populace hypersensitive to meddling by the United States, as it did in Bolivia. -- Support Democratically Elected Leaders: Governments that uphold democratic principles deserve our support We should not countenance mob rule nor military force or inaction to oust an elected president, even an imperfect one such as Aristide in Haiti or Chavez in Venezuela. Instead, we should exercise our considerable diplomatic and moral force in support of democratically elected leaders."
http://www.bigleftoutside.com/archives/000425.php

[JI7]

5. Chavez doesn't need Kerry to congratulate him, he needs Kerry to win

[Old and In the Way]

6. Exactly.

Well stated.

[Dookus]

7. got issues?

What should he do? And what does this have to do with DemStrategist?