Hugh Hewitt explains why Senator John "I voted for it before I voted against it" Effing Kerry will lose this fall.

And I loved this part of Dick Cheney's speech yesterday, in which he gutted the putative Democrat nominee's "nuance" like a Rocky Mountain trout.

A few days ago in Pennsylvania, a voter asked Senator Kerry directly who these foreign leaders are. Senator Kerry said, "That's none of your business." (Laughter.) But it is our business when a candidate for President claims the political endorsement of foreign leaders. At the very least, we have a right to know what he is saying to foreign leaders that makes them so supportive of his candidacy. American voters are the ones charged with determining the outcome of this election - not unnamed foreign leaders...

... Senator Kerry speaks often about the need for international cooperation, and has vowed to usher in a "golden age of American diplomacy." He is fond of mentioning that some countries did not support America's actions in Iraq. Yet of the many nations that have joined our coalition - allies and friends of the United States - Senator Kerry speaks with open contempt. Great Britain, Australia, Italy, Spain, Poland, and more than 20 other nations have contributed and sacrificed for the freedom of the Iraqi people. Senator Kerry calls these countries, quote, "window dressing." They are, in his words, "a coalition of the coerced and the bribed."

Many questions come to mind, but the first is this: How would Senator Kerry describe Great Britain - coerced, or bribed? Or Italy - which recently lost 19 citizens, killed by terrorists in Najaf - was Italy's contribution just window dressing? If such dismissive terms are the vernacular of the golden age of diplomacy Senator Kerry promises, we are left to wonder which nations would care to join any future coalition. He speaks as if only those who openly oppose America's objectives have a chance of earning his respect.

Now this is a thoughtful commentary on Kerry's claim of foreign support.

GO RAND, GO!!

It's a remarkable campaign for the Presidency that suggests that the desires of French bureaucrats are more important than the wants and needs of Americans who actually have a vote on the matter.

Oh my god, I hope there is video footage of Kerry's "that's none of your business" line!

ALL that Rove would have to do is buy increasing amounts of that choice clip as the election approached.

And for good reason, as someone who not only thinks that but is so out of touch with this country that they'd say it and think it no big deal? Christ on a stick that's rich. That's the best the Dems can do?

Perhaps since Bush and Kerry are both Skull and Bones members it was Kerry's turn to 'take one for the team?'

Cheap populism and distortions by Cheney, as usual. For example, his frequent use of the phrase "foreigners" or "foreign leaders" which Kerry didn't use. The message is Kerry has been spending time with the wrong people here! What is good for those foreign appeasers must be bad for true American patriots who, of course, don't vote for Kerry.

As Will Saletan points out in Slate, this is the message segregationists delivered to white voters 50 years ago about white politicians who met with blacks. "Foreigners" were the subjects of a different message: McCarthyism. Cheney's speech combines the two: What is Kerry saying to our enemies that makes them so supportive of his candidacy?

Kerry's comment about all other nations (except Britain) being mere "window dressing" is also very accurate. It is the height of hypocrisy for Cheney to accuse Kerry of contempt for Italian and Spanish voters, who overwhelmingly opposed the Iraq war from day one.

> Now this is a thoughtful commentary on Kerry's
> claim of foreign support.

It will be interesting to see if 200 million dollar's worth of smears, lies, distortions, deception and fear-mongering will be enough to save a presidency whose main justification for four more years seems to be "it is not my fault!" and "we are working hard to make things better." A "Morning in America" message it sure ain't. To John McCain's credit, he is now defending his friend Kerry against some of the nastier attacks on Kerry's patriotism.

MARCU$

Here goes MARCU$ again...

"Cheap populism and distortions by Cheney, as usual. For example, his frequent use of the phrase "foreigners" or "foreign leaders" which Kerry didn't use. "

So just what phrase do you think he used? In fact, 'foreign leaders' is EXACTLY the phrase Kerry is quoted as using at a Dem fundraiser. The following is the exact quote: "I've met with foreign leaders who can't go out and say this publicly," he said. "But, boy, they look at you and say: 'You've got to win this. You've got to beat this guy. We need a new policy.' Things like that."

Then you have the nerve to equate Cheney with McCarthy?! Of course, with a neo-socialist Democratic party that's been conducting months of relentless non-factual attacks, smears and other lies, why not join right in... And, of course, once the Bush camp begins responding, not with vile baseless attacks, but simply pointing out factual matters of public record, that gets called "smears, lies, distortions, deception and fear-mongering". Right in keeping with the left's tradition of redefining things arbitrarily in an attempt to change reality (can you say 'depends on what your definition of is is'?).

- Eric.

MARCU$,

I'm hardly a Bush enthusiast. The current administration has done so much with which I disagree it isn't funny.

I'm also not a Kerry enthusiast. I suspect his administration, if he is elected, will also be quite flawed.

I think it not only reasonable but in fact quite good that Kerry is raising questions about the Bush team's diplomacy. There's something wrong when the majority of European citizens oppose U.S. action against a brutal dictator. Just indulging in name calling about Europeans is not a good response in my view -- no matter who is doing it or from what position. So this time I wound up siding with Cheney over Kerry. On another occasion it could be the reverse. I do know I want to see both camps addressing the issues as much as possible, not engaging in empty rhetoric.

I know I've decided to get involved in 2004 politics. I've got a lot to say about the aerospace industry and NASA. I also have a great deal of knowledge that few others have about that field.

No matter what effort I join, though, I suspect at least some of the time I will be critical of the people I support.

Oh my god, I hope there is video footage of Kerry's "that's none of your business" line!

There is.

Cheap populism and distortions by Cheney, as usual.

When you typed "cheap populism and distortions," I think you misspelled "the truth."

For example, his frequent use of the phrase "foreigners" or "foreign leaders" which Kerry didn't use.

It's very clear from the context that it's exactly what he meant.

Kerry's comment about all other nations (except Britain) being mere "window dressing" is also very accurate.

Even if that nonsense were true, the question remains--is it diplomatic to say so? Is that how Mr. Kerry will conduct international affairs--to insult our allies?

It is the height of hypocrisy for Cheney to accuse Kerry of contempt for Italian and Spanish voters, who overwhelmingly opposed the Iraq war from day one.

Which is irrelevant to the fact that he insulted their nations.

There are, in fact, all sorts of interesting things Kerry has said on tape that can and will be used, ranging from the time he compared Vietnam veterans to the rampaging hordes of Geingas Khan to when he said, "I voted for the 87 billion dollars, just before I voted against it." Some confused people may consider using a pol's own words to illuminate the pol's fitness (or lack there of) for office to be "unfair", but oddly enough I don't. As a conservative who has personally beeen lied about, smeared, insulted and so on (and has seen others of my persuation had the same done to him) I find it very hard to feelsorry for Prince John, International Man of Mystery.

We MA residents are used to "I voted for the 87 billion dollars, just before I voted against it." from "flip-flop" Kerry. Even the liberal Boston Globe has taken Kerry to task in the past for his ambiguous and apparently opposing stances on issue after issue. FWIW, he's hostile to spending money to actually DO anything for space exploration with the exception being university research grants benefiting his powerful edu constituancy.