QandO

February 26, 2004

Kerry’s Claims don’t always match the record
Posted by McQ

The LA Times took a look at some of Kerry’s claims to leadership in the Senate. They found some to be true but an good portion of them to be, well, fudged. For instance:

"I led the fight to stop Ronald Reagan's illegal, clandestine war in Central America. And I led the fight, I stood up to powerful forces and exposed what Oliver North was doing in his private aid network." — Jan. 14, Davenport, Iowa.

We’ve heard that how many times? But according to the article:

Asked who headed that effort in the mid- to late 1980s, analysts are more likely to name other lawmakers, such as then-House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Texas), then-Rep. David E. Bonior (D-Mich.) and Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.).

He was a participant, but not a leader.

He’s also claimed:

"I led the fight to put 100,000 cops on the street in 1994." — Jan. 30, Wilmington, Del.

Well not exactly. While a participant, he wasn’t considered a “leader”. That acclaim, per most, goes to Sen. Joseph R. Biden (D-Del).

And, he’s claimed:

"I've been a leader … on arms control issues, the MX missile, the antisatellite weaponry and the 'Star Wars' program." — Jan. 30, Wilmington, Del.

Not really. While he introduced a number of amendments to curb spending on these programs, few if any would frame that as a “leadership” role.

In fact:

"Democrats have largely ducked," said John Isaacs, head of the Council for a Livable World, an arms control group. "That includes all of them that have been active in the past. Kerry was active."

Moving on:

"I led the fight to stop the drilling in the Arctic [National] Wildlife Refuge." Feb. 24, Struthers, Ohio.

True. But as one of many. However, to give him his due, he was first to threaten filibuster if it was proposed.

"I went to Cambodia and personally negotiated the tribunals with the U.N. that are going to take place at the site of the 'Killing Fields' and hold [the Khmer Rouge] accountable." Feb. 5, Portland, Maine.

Effective?

Kerry brokered a compromise that would include some Cambodian involvement. Opinion is mixed on the deal. Some officials believe Kerry gave too much ground to the Cambodians in reaching the agreement. Others think he crafted an agreement that will help bring justice to Khmer Rouge victims.

For the record, Pol Pot died of natural causes while a free man.

Kerry’s not unique in fudging his record and its my opinion that his record is his Achille's heel. But then this was the guy who stood up in Atlanta at a town-hall style meeting and promised a young African-American man who requested him to do so, that’d he’d be truthful throughout the campaign.

It appears, based on this article, that his promise was the usual Kerry campaign rhetoric.

TrackBack