WSJ: John McCain's JFK Opportunity

[Omaha Steve]

I only post this. I didn't write it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121486862248217593.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

July 1, 2008; Page A15

One presidential candidate says our Latin American neighbors are "drifting away" because we do not support our democratic friends. That "our failure to help the people of Latin America to achieve their economic aspirations" is a moral and strategic tragedy. And that we need to confront those who are "exploiting domestic distress and unrest, encouraging growing dislike of the United States, working to impose Communist rule."



No, the words are not John McCain's. They are John F. Kennedy's. But on the day that Sen. McCain leaves for a quick trip to Colombia and Mexico, they present him with an opportunity: The chance to remind American voters that his opponent has more in common with the party of Ted Kennedy than the party of John Kennedy.

JFK spoke the words quoted above on the steps of a Tampa, Fla., courthouse during the 1960 campaign. As president, he would transform those words into a new Latin American policy. Though it covered many parts, the gist was that only freedom could transform Latin America, and that both our interests and our ideals compelled us to support those making brave stands for freedom.

If these words have more of a Republican ring to them, it's probably because it has been some time since any Democratic Party leader has offered such muscular language – especially with regard to trade and opportunity and American purpose. To the contrary, JFK would have a hard time reconciling his outward and optimistic vision with the crabbed protectionism the Democratic Party now stands for. And there's no better example than the way House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to schedule a vote on a U.S. trade agreement with Colombia.

Even the critics have mostly given up arguing the economics of this agreement. Under legislation Congress has approved, most Colombian goods already enter the U.S. duty free. The same is not true for what we export to Colombia. So mostly what this agreement would do is level the playing field for American goods and send an important signal to the region that we know who our friends are.

FULL story at link.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. LOL

A few things:

1.) This is not one of JFK's more memorable moments, as evidenced by the fact the author tried that "Do you know who said it? JFK!".

2.) People remember JFK for hope and change.

3.) JFK is noted for his charisma.

Can McCain become the youthful agent of hope and change?

[tishaLA]

2. Only difference? JFK has been dead for 45 years

and McCain for only 35.

[anonymous171]

4. zing!

:rofl:

[cliffordu]

10. ROFL

:rofl: :rofl:

[blogslut]

3. Bwahahahahaha!

Guess that didn't work out for old Johnny McSame.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. Gee, it's not like anything has happened since 1960 that might make Latin America distrust the US

:eyes:

[karynnj]

13. You mean you could see McCain more in the Reagan/Bush mold

Supporting right wing thugs to attack governments he perceives as too leftish?

[Hippo_Tron]

15. I think the days of CIA toppling Latin American governments are over, but...

Our history and lack of repentance for it is certainly a reason for Latin America to distrust the United States when we claim that we want to "help" them. I'm all for expanding trade with Latin America, but only to the extent that they feel comfortable doing so. We shouldn't be bullying any countries into trading with us and I am far more inclined to offer those like Hugo Chavez carrots rather than sticks. Or at the very least, leave Chavez alone.

[AllentownJake]

6. WSJ was bad before Newscorp

Good to see that its transformation to total evil is now complete.

The WSJ=Foxnews, same ownership, same coverage.

[Mz Pip]

7. McCain = JFK???

:rofl:

I remember JFK. JFK was my president for all to short a time. He was a statesman and a scholar. John McCain is a hack and not a very good one.

Drawing a comparison between the two is not just laughbable, it's pathetic and desperate.

[last1standing]

8. John McCain: Building the bridge to 1962!

It's very telling that the best the Wall Street Journal can do to prop up the rotting carcass of John McCain's campaign is to suggest that his major selling point is in advocating for Cold War strategies in 2008, a full 20 years after we won the Damned thing!

[A-Schwarzenegger]

9. Two Words:

Lloyd Bentsen.

[SoCalDem]

11. John's closest JFK moment was the day he found a kennedy half-dollar

in Cindy's bra-drawer:)

[karynnj]

12. McCain has nothing to do with the alliance for the Americas

McCain has not distanced himself from the Bush policies which have made us very unpopular there. In 2005, Bush had almost no support at the meetings in Argentina. Both Bush and McCain support not JFK's policies, but Reagan's.

Kerry, in 2004, directly invoked the JFK effort in Latin America - and especially given his background (that the WSJ hates) of fighting against Reagan's illegal support of the Contras, he spoke of a foreign policy there that would have been close to JFK's. (I admit that John Kennedy might have been pushed to support anti communist guerrillas - even if they were thugs, but it would be inconsistent with his policies and something he was moving away from). Obama is likely, with his respect for other cultures to be closer to John Kennedy's words than John Kennedy himself might have been.

[Overseas]

14. WSJ Online carries the dusty old right wing tone of its editorial pages to the net.

Yeah, fight those pinkos Captain John !!

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

16. Interesting how most elections have gone to the center-left in

Latin America for the last ten years.

As usual, the WSJ is horseshit on stilts.