Current Kerry (from the debate)
And so, today, we are 90 percent of the casualties and 90 percent of the cost: $200 billion — $200 billion that could have been used for health care, for schools, for construction, for prescription drugs for seniors, and it’s in Iraq.
….
What kind of message does it send to be sending money to open firehouses in Iraq, but we’re shutting firehouses who are the first- responders here in America.
Former Kerry (Meet The Press, 31 August 2003)
MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe that we should reduce funding that we are now providing for the operation in Iraq?
SEN. KERRY: No. I think we should increase it.
MR. RUSSERT: Increase funding.
SEN. KERRY: Yes.
MR. RUSSERT: By how much?
SEN. KERRY: By whatever number of billions of dollars it takes to win. It is critical that the United States of America be successful in Iraq, Tim.
Current Kerry (From the debate)
I know I can do a better job in Iraq. I have a plan to have a summit with all of the allies, something this president has not yet achieved, not yet been able to do to bring people to the table.
Former Kerry (Meet The Press, 18 April 2004)
MR. RUSSERT: Should George Bush convene a summit at Camp David with the head of the U.N., the Germans, the French, the Russians, the British?
SEN. KERRY: I think it takes more than a summit….
Now, here’s what I’ll do. If I’m president, I will not only personally go to the U.N., I will go to other capitals and I will have my secretary of state legitimately empowered to be able to be a full secretary of state, speaking for the administration, which we now know from Bob Woodward’s book is not the case.
ADDENDUM [2 Oct. 12:30PM]
A lot of people have been pooh-poohing the debates, claiming that they’re not really relevant because being the best debater doesn’t mean you’d be the best president. Etc.
This may be right insofar as “best” is concerned, but I think that Kerry’s debating skills are in fact directly related to what kind of president he would be. His “plan(s)” for Iraq, after all, boil(s) down to … talk. He would, at least in his latest “plan,” immediately call a summit. What happens at summits? Talk.
In his earlier “plan,” he would personally go to the U.N. What happens at the U.N.? Talk. (Maybe if he’s especially nice Kofi Annan would grant him a personal, private audience.) And after that? He would go (I assume “personally” once again) “to the other capitals.” And what do you suppose he would do there?
Talk.
If you want a talker as president, vote for Kerry.
Dissecting Flipper
Dr. John from Discriminations dices and slices into He Who Cannot Take a Position.
“…which we now know from Bob Woodward’s book is not the case.”
Do you suppose that it’s occurred to Sen. Kerry that if he’s elected, Bob Woodward’s next book will probably be about his administration? Is it a good idea to set Woodward up as a dependable source of unvarnished truth?
“If you want a talker as president, vote for Kerry.”
Its the only conclusion from this line:
‘By whatever number of billions of dollars it takes to win. It is critical that the United States of America be successful in Iraq, Tim.’
talk.