# JKerry's being attacked again! Are these fair questions?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [August 27, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748 "2004-08-27T05:15:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/21 "2004-08-27T14:48:17Z")
Of all the questions floating around, the one I’d most like answered is way Kerry voted against Gulf War I. Perhaps he has explained himself somewhere and I’m not aware of it, but the only reason I can think of is “pure partisan politics”. Does anyone know of a cite where Kerry has addressed this? If not, I sure hope it comes out in the debates.
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### Author:  [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/22 "2004-08-27T15:08:32Z")
> [@SnakeSpirit](#):
>
> (Are they in the conservative’s pockets?)
Cute as a button you are.
> [@SnakeSpirit](#):
>
> Are these even relevent questions?
Relevant is such a different word than fair.
I’d prefer that the only questions asked of our pols were relevant, meaningful _and_ useful all rolled into one. But, until Pollyana becomes our new Overlord I’ll just have to settle for dissapointment on this count.
These appear to be run of the mill hack questions. Sure, they’re fair. Fair as in within the rules. Sure, they’re relevant as in relevant to readers of NRO.
I think that most of them fail my meaningful and useful tests though.
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### Author:  [@SnakeSpirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeSpirit)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/23 "2004-08-27T23:25:22Z")
Well, for me it was a question; suppose I should have just phrased it better. I’m glad to see there are some people who are into politics enough to give intelligent answers. Thanks to all of you were intelligent enough to give intelligent answers.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/24 "2004-08-28T00:07:38Z")
You’re entirely welcome!
(oh, you mean him too?..)
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### Author:  [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/25 "2004-08-28T00:18:22Z")
> [@pervert](#):
>
> I take it, **elucidator** and **Hentor the Barbarian** that your willingness to propose partisan and misleading questions for Bush implys an agreement that such questions for Kerry are a legitimate political tactic?
The day Bush is willing to sit down to an unscripted interview and answer elucidator’s questions, I’ll call it legitimate to ask Kerry the OP’s “Have you stopped beating your wife?” style questions.
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### Author:  [@ZombiesAteMyBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZombiesAteMyBrain)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/26 "2004-08-28T00:42:17Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#):
>
> Because John Kerry hasn’t authored ANY legislation in any of those areas in the 20 years he’s been in the Senate.
Anti-terrorism?
[http://www.alternet.org/election04/19608/](http://www.alternet.org/election04/19608/)
> [@](#):
>
> As the presidential campaign enters its final stretch, Kerry’s BCCI experience is important for two reasons. First, it reveals Kerry’s foresight in fighting terrorism that is critical for any president in this age of asymmetrical threats. As The Washington Post noted, “years before money laundering became a centerpiece of antiterrorist efforts… Kerry crusaded for controls on global money laundering in the name of national security.”
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### Author:  [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/27 "2004-08-28T00:47:46Z")
> [@elucidator](#):
>
> You’re entirely welcome!
> (oh, you mean him too?..)
Listen, I’m sorry about the buttocks thing! I was only quoting Monty Python.
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### Author:  [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/28 "2004-08-28T01:39:53Z")
> [@](#):
>
> **Snakespirit** : Another online site, this one the national Review Online. (Are they in the conservative’s pockets?)
The _National Review_ was founded almost fifty years ago by my favorite Conservative, Bill Buckley. It is not only _in_ the Conservatives’ pockets, it was born there and remains in those very, very deep pockets indeed. The _National Review_ is the standard-bearer for _intelligent Conservativism._ (Not to be confused with the oxymoronic _wise Conservatism_.)
{quote]They are giving John both barrels. What uif they turned these same (or similar questions) in Bush?
[/quote]
If they turned the very same questions on Bush, he would probably make a joke and then say that he was very serious about his responsibilities as President. Then he would talk about how well things are going in Iraq and how the economy has turned a corner. Then he would mention faith. tax breaks, marriage and Laura and make another joke before waving goodbye. It would never occur to him that the questions didn’t actually apply in his situation.
> [@](#):
>
> Are these even relevent questions?
Relevent to his running for President? Some of them are. Some of them are a real stretch. Others are questions I wouldn’t mind answers to myself. Most of them are just loaded bunk.
But I actually would like for Candidate Kerry to answer all of the questions. They should be put to him one at a time and he should be allowed all the time that he requires to respond to these questions **without interruption** on a live broadcast.
Then Candidate Bush should be required to answer a similar set of no-holes-barred questions under an identical situation. ( **elucidator** has a good start.\*\*
Not only am I interested in the answers, but I am also interested in how the two candidates behave when they must account for their decisions.
It would be good to have additional questions for both of them – ones that they don’t know about ahead of time.
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### Author:  [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/29 "2004-08-28T04:13:48Z")
Interestingly enough, Bill Buckley recently said that if he had it to do over again that he would NOT have supported the invasion of Iraq
.
I saw him speak once when I was a teenager.
He arrived about two hours late and hadn’t combed the back of his hair (front was perfect mind you).
Great talk w/ a q&A afterward.
Ahhh. Wasted on the young it was.
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/30 "2004-08-28T04:34:40Z")
> [@Brutus](#):
>
> **rjung** , do you _ever_ actually add something to the topic at hand, or do you only know the ‘Ancient and Not-so-suble Art of the Drive-by’?
I add deep and insightful thoughts when responding to deep and insightful posts from others. Which is why you’ll never have to fear getting an insightful response to one of your posts…
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/31 "2004-08-28T06:05:43Z")
Well, now, looky here. Seems as good a place to post this as any, maybe beat **SimonX** to it…
By way of the esteemed Josh Marshall, of _Talking Points Memo_, without which no citizen can hope to be informed…
[http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/](http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/)
Ben Barnes, the former Speaker of the House in Texas, the guy who got President Bush into the Texas Air National Guard.
“…Let’s talk a minute about John Kerry and George Bush and I know them both. And I’m not name dropping to say I know ‘em both. I got a young man named George W. Bush in the National Guard when I was Lt. Gov. of Texas and I’m not necessarily proud of that. But I did it. And I got a lot of other people into the National Guard because I thought that was what people should do, when you’re in office you helped a lot of rich people…I’m very sorry about that and I’m very ashamed and I apologize to you as voters of Texas…”
I’m sorry, Mr. President, sorry to interrupt. You were talking about honor and integrity. Do go on.
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### Author:  [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/32 "2004-08-28T14:19:32Z")
Don’t forget this bookend comment, from the same site, [www.talkingpointsmemo.com](http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com), from Bush himself.
> [@](#):
>
> “Mr. Bush,” I said. “How did you get into the Guard so easily? One hundred thousand guys our age were on the waiting list, and you say you walked in and signed up to become a pilot. Did your congressman father exercise any influence on your behalf?”
>
> “Not that I know of, Jim,” the future president told me. “I certainly didn’t ask for any. And I’m sure my father didn’t either. **They just had an opening for a pilot and I was there at the right time.** ”
Does he believe that? Does he believe anyone else will?
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### Author:  [@Eureka2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka2)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/33 "2004-08-28T18:45:04Z")
> [@elucidator](#):
>
> "… these attempts to portray Kerry as a wild radical are baseless slander.
Let me see if I’ve got this straight. His reluctance at killing members of the United States Senate made him the model of restraint, and we are to dismiss his negotiations with North Vietnamese communists in Paris as merely reasonable and intelligent? Regardless of one’s opinon on wars in Southeast Asia, Kerry was a political opportunist from the start, and it’s starting to bite him in the ass.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/34 "2004-08-28T19:06:05Z")
And not to forget his plan to appoint Jane Fonda as Commissar for the Department of Defenselessness!
Listen, _amigo_, such people existed, I know, I actually talked to them. People who would look you right in the eye and insist that the Black Panthers/Weather Underground Popular Front could mount a revolution with sporting rifles and pistols. They were a joke! People like me, we adopted thier phraseology in good humor and affectionate contempt. “See ya later, Fred, Peace! And don’t forget to Smash the State!”
“Listen to the middle, persuade the middle, move the middle” is the axiom of _agonizingly_ slow progress, but it seems to be the only one that works. God help us, but that’s it.
Kerry recognized this when many of the more radical elements of the Viet Nam Veterans Against the War did not. They felt betrayed, and reviled him accordingly. Hell, you think the Freepers call Kerry names, you should have heard these guys!
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### Author:  [@ZombiesAteMyBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZombiesAteMyBrain)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/35 "2004-08-28T19:31:36Z")
> [@Eureka2](#):
>
> Kerry was a political opportunist from the start, and it’s starting to bite him in the ass.
Jeez, from where I’m standing, I coulda sworn that **BUSH** was a political opportunist from the start, and it’s starting to bite him in the ass.
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/36 "2004-08-29T00:24:06Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#):
>
> Does he believe that? Does he believe anyone else will?
The people who believe stuff like “The terrorists hate us for our freedoms” will. I doubt Bush buys his own shit, however.
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### Author:  [@ZombiesAteMyBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZombiesAteMyBrain)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/37 "2004-08-29T02:40:58Z")
> [@rjung](#):
>
> I doubt Bush buys his own shit, however.
I doubt it too.
I’m sure he has a White House lackey to run to the pusher and buy dope for him, however.
One of the perks of the job, I guess.
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### Author:  [@pervert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pervert)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/38 "2004-08-29T03:36:22Z")
> [@Blalron](#):
>
> The day Bush is willing to sit down to an unscripted interview and answer elucidator’s questions, I’ll call it legitimate to ask Kerry the OP’s “Have you stopped beating your wife?” style questions.
That’s fair enough. Has anyone actually asked John Kerry those question?
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [August 30, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/39 "2004-08-30T04:01:00Z")
> [@ZombiesAteMyBrain](#):
>
> Jeez, from where I’m standing, I coulda sworn that **BUSH** was a political opportunist from the start, and it’s starting to bite him in the ass.
You need to take a few steps back so you can see the big picture clearer. They’re both opportunists whose asses will probably be bitten for it. Who’ll have the most teethmarks to show for it remains to be seen.
I say they ask both of them (oh, and Nader so he thinks people care) whatever they think “needs” an answer. It’s not going to change many minds this close to the election since short of one of them being discovered to eat babies their votes are all but cast now, but it might make for entertaining soundbites. Are there really any undecided voters to sway with biased and pointed questions who’ll actually be voting in November? At this point “undecided” sounds a lot like “I’m not actually going to vote, but if I say I’m undecided you won’t lecture me about shirking civic duties and tell me how many people died so I could vote.”
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### Author:  [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)
#### Post date: [August 30, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jkerrys-being-attacked-again-are-these-fair-questions/261748/40 "2004-08-30T13:30:37Z")
National Review Online: we’ve now become everything we ever claimed to hate about elitist liberals.
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