Senator John Kerry made a strategic error yesterday.
First, although he is still a member of the Senate, John Kerry did not show up for a joint session of Congress to hear from interim Prime Minister of Iraq, Ayad Allawi. This demonstrates a lack of understanding of the role of the interim Prime Minister and his message to his US allies. It also shows that Kerry still does not understand the complex issues in Iraq. John Kerry has been AWOL from the Senate for most of the year and yet he still receives his Senate salary and benefits.
Second, Kerry did not attempt to contact or meet with Allawi during his stay in the US. If John Kerry were elected President he would have to work with Allawi on Iraqi matters. This obvious snub of a world leader demonstrates Kerry's lack of interest in working with foreign governments. The senator may not like the war in Iraq, but he must meet with its leaders. Kerry showed a lack of leadership on this one.
Third, Kerry criticized Alawi's speech. The senator said that he did not understand the problems in Iraq. As noted here yesterday, John Kerry has never visited Iraq nor spoken to any of its leaders. If anyone is out of touch with the Iraq situation, it is Kerry.
Now for some interesting items.
+I wonder how Dan Rather will report this.
The chairman and CEO of Viacom, the parent company of CBS, Sumner Redstone has declared that he endorses George Bush.
Saying that a Republican administration is better for Viacom and business, Redstone made his remarks at a Forbes conference in Hong Kong.
At the same conference, Redstone noted that "appropriate" consequences will occur at CBS News after the report of the investigative team.
Viacom CEO for Bush
+Burkett, Who Lied, Says Lockhart Lied
(CNSNews.com) - Did Kerry adviser Joe Lockhart lie about his telephone conversation with Texas Democrat Bill Burkett? A report in Friday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram raises questions about Lockhart's account of his telephone conversation with Burkett. In a Fox News interview earlier this week, Lockhart -- a senior adviser to the Kerry campaign -- admitted he called Burkett at the request of a CBS producer. Lockhart said he and Burkett never discussed the memos that Burkett had given CBS News - memos that discredited George W. Bush's National Guard service and are believed to be forgeries. But on Friday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram quoted Burkett as saying that Joe Lockhart tried to "convince me as to why I should give them the documents." Although CBS News described Burkett as an "unimpeachable source," Burkett admitted in a later interview with Dan Rather that he had lied about where he got the National Guard memos.
+The Federal Election Commission has received a complaint against CBS for colluding with the Kerry campaign in its "political attack" on George Bush.
The complaint filed by the Center for Individual Freedom describes the connection between CBS and the Kerry campaign as improper and in conflict with journalistic standards. It believes that CBS had violated federal campaign laws.
CBS Accused of 'Political Attack' in Federal Election Complaint -- 09/24/2004
The complaint in pdf format
More later
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