John Kerry: Class Warfare Monger

Democrats in Self-Destruct Mode CXLVI

Why does he think this old, tired Rich vs. Poor Demagoguery is going to work anymore?

His speech after winning the New Hampshire primary, Jan. 27 (brackets and ellipses in original; emphasis added).

Well, I love New Hampshire. And I love Iowa, too. And I hope, with your help, to have the blessings and the opportunity to love a lot of other states in the days to come. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, New Hampshire for lifting up this campaign and the cause of an America that belongs not to the privileged, not to the few, that belongs to all Americans. And I - and let me tell you this victory belongs to all of you who made the phone calls, walked the snowy cold streets, gave your hearts, your hands and countless sleepless nights. You stayed the course here in New Hampshire and because of you this has been a successful and a happy campaigns.

And I make this pledge to you tonight: I have spent my whole life fighting for what I think is right and against powerful special interests. And I have only just begun the fight. This is our mission. I intend to.

So I have a message, I have a message for the influence peddlers, for the polluters, the H.M.O.'s, the big drug companies that get in the way, the big oil and the special interests who now call the White House their home: We're coming. You're going. And don't let the door hit you on the way out.

This victory _ this victory belongs also in a special way to the veterans who marched with us. And they helped _ they helped to lift us up from the lowest points to the point where we are today. I know that all of you will join me in saying a special thank you to Max Cleland[sp?] and Joe Brassman[sp?] [crowd drowns Kerry out on last name]. In the hardest moments, in the hardest moments of the past month, I depended on the same band of brothers that I depended on some 30 years ago. We're a little older and a little grayer, but I'll tell you this, we still know how to fight for our country.

And if I am president, I pledge....(Crowd: When! When! When!)

When I am president, I pledge that those who wore the uniform of the United States of America will have a voice and a champion in the Oval Office.

Now this campaign goes on to places all over this country. And I ask Democrats everywhere to join us so that we can defeat George W. Bush and the economy of privilege. And so that we can fulfill the ideal of opportunity not just for some but for all Americans.

I ask you _ I ask those of you who are not yet part of this campaign to go to JohnKerry.com. And I want you to march with us across this land and demand a government that's on your side again. That is the mission of this campaign. And together we can lift our country up, up to the America that all of us know that we can become.

So stand with me, stand with me and together we're going to give America back its future by repealing the Bush tax cuts for wealthy Americans and investing in health care and education, children. Stand with us and together we will build a prosperity in this country where Americans are not just working for the economy, but the economy is working for Americans. A prosperity where we will reduce the poverty of millions rather than reducing the taxes of millionaires. A prosperity where we create jobs here at home and where we shut down every loophole, every incentive, every reward that goes to some Benedict Arnold C.E.O. or company that take the jobs overseas and stick Americans with the bill. Stand with us and together we will give America the fundamental decency of health care that is affordable and accessible and the right and not a privilege, that is available to all Americans, and we will make the same plan available to all Americans that is available to senators and congressman.

Stand with us and we will fight for an America where Medicare is protected, where health care costs are kept down, and where your family's health care is just as important as any politician's in Washington, D.C. (Applause.)

Stand with us -- stand with us, and we will give America the security of energy independence -- (applause) -- because no young American in uniform should ever be held hostage to America's dependence on oil from the Middle East. (Applause.)

Stand with us -- stand with us, and we will give America back its truth as a country where freedom really rings, a country of equal rights and civil liberties, where the attorney general is not named John Ashcroft. (Applause. Cheers.)

George Bush -- George Bush, who promised to be a uniter, has become the great divider. And we believe in a country where everyone can hope to move and to strive forward, no matter where you come from, no matter who you are, or no matter what the color of your skin or your background. And if you stand with us, we will make America safer by rejoining the community of nations and restoring our true role of leadership in the world. (Applause. Cheers.)

CROWD (chanting): Kerry! Kerry! Kerry! Kerry! (Applause. Cheers.)

SEN. KERRY: I put it to America simply, and all the world has borne witness to this, as well as Americans of good conscience: George Bush has run the most arrogant, inept, reckless and ideological foreign policy in the modern history of our country, and we need to turn that around. (Applause.)

Now, George Bush and Karl Rove say that they intend to make national security the central issue of this campaign. Well, I know something about aircraft carriers for real. (Applause.) And if George Bush -- if George Bush wants to make national security the central issue of this campaign, we have three words for him we know he understands: Bring it on! (Applause.)

CROWD (chanting): Bring it on! Bring it on! Bring it on!

As I stand here now, I think of Robert Frost's words: the woods of New Hampshire are lovely, dark and deep, and they certainly are lovely tonight. (Laughter.) And while we still have miles to go -- and we do -- and we will be leaving tonight to begin the journey of those miles to take this fight to the rest of the country -- but as we do that, I want to thank those of you who have shared this journey here in the great Granite State.

First of all, my amazing, graceful and unbelievable partner in this effort, Teresa Heinz Kerry. (Applause.) My daughters and my stepsons, four of whom are here, and I want Vanessa and Alexandra and Chris Heinz and Andre to hoist their hands and say hello. (Applause. Cheers.) And if you're lucky, maybe later you'll hear the governor of California's double -- (laughter)

I want to thank my brother Cam and my sisters Peggy and Diana. (Applause.) And I particularly want to thank -- I want to thank my national chair and my state chair, neither of whom sat for long anywhere, Billy Shaheen and Governor Jeanne Shaheen. (Applause. Cheers.)

I want to thank some of the best and most talented leadership that any campaign, in New Hampshire or anywhere, has ever had -- Tim Robertson (sp), Judy Riordan (ph), Sue Casey, Nick Lemmons (sp), and Theo Yodinsky (ph). (Applause. Cheers.) Thank you very, very much. (Applause. Cheers.)

And let me say -- let me say to all of those young volunteers from here and from around the country who came to be part of this great journey, you -- (applause, cheers) -- you -- you never gave up. You kept on going, and I am proud to be with you in this great effort. Thank you for what you've done. (Applause. Cheers.) Thank you. Thank you.

I want to thank Mayor Bob Baines of Manchester for his help. (Applause. Cheers.) And I want to thank one of the most special groups of individuals in America who defend us daily, put their lives on the line -- I want to thank all the firefighters of New Hampshire, of the country -- (applause, cheers) -- I want to thank Harold Bitburger (ph), I want to thank David Lang (ph), Mike Malone (sp) -- thank you, men. (Applause.)

I want to thank all the elected officials who have become part of this effort, many of whom are standing here behind me today.

I want to thank my colleagues from Congress, and so many others who came to help, particularly my friend Ted Kennedy -- (applause) -- and I want to thank -- and I am so grateful to Senator Fritz Hollings from South Carolina for coming up here, being part of this. (Applause.) And, Fritz, we will see you soon. (Laughter.) And I want to thank our special talented musicians who have joined us along the way. Peter Yarrow, who is not here tonight -- he's been part of this journey -- and Carole King over here. (Applause. Cheers.) And Moby and Max Weinberg (ph) and Tom DeLong (ph) -- they have all been enormous.

And I want to thank -- I want us all to thank each of our fellow Democratic candidates who have run, because they have conducted a vigorous contest. And I particularly want to thank the young people who have come in to each of their campaigns -- the activists and volunteers who love this country and are so much a part of making our party strong and bold. (Applause. Cheers.)

And, most of all, I want to thank you, the people of New Hampshire, who voted for me today, who kept your minds and hearts open, because today you voted for new hope in the United States of America, and I intend to help provide it. Thank you, and God bless you all. Thank you. (Applause. Cheers.)

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For background information on Kerry's own life of wealth, privilege, and luxury, see this two-part article by Lowell Ponte at FrontPage:

• Cash-and-Kerry I
• Cash-and-Kerry II

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 01/29/04 07:07:05 PM
Categorized as Democrats in Self-Destruct Mode & John Kerry & Political.