I guess Ezra is right. Foreign leaders do want Kerry to win:
The United States requested that Malaysia halt a shipment of suspected nuclear parts in the 1990s, years before a company here was linked to a network supplying Libya, Iran and North Korea with weapons-making technology, Malaysia’s former leader said Thursday.
In an interview, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told The Associated Press that Malaysia stopped one shipment of stainless steel pipes at Washington’s request.
“We didn’t know where they were headed,”Mahathir told AP. “They didn’t say if it was for centrifuges. There were some reports submitted to me, saying that there was this American objection. They said it was meant for some nuclear thing.”
Mahathir, who retired as prime minister Oct. 31 after 22 years in power that saw Malaysia develop as a high-tech manufacturing center, also endorsed Democratic contender John Kerry in the U.S. presidential race, saying he would keep the world safer than President Bush.
“I think Kerry would be much more willing to listen to the voices of people and of the rest of the world,” Mahathir said.
For more on the vile Mahathir Mohamad, check out Matt Stinson’s run-down.
So far, Kerry has the endorsements of Mahathir Mohamad and Kim Jong-il, as well as the support of the new Socialist government in Spain. Too bad the phones are down in Arafat’s compound- I bet he is just dying to weigh in on the issue.
Is this a fair attack on Kerry? Of course not- how can he control what those lunatics think and do? This is about as unfair as saying that David Duke probably supports Bush, and oh, btw, ran as a Republican candidate once (after running as a Democrat, we might add). Have you ever seen the left-wing of the blogosphere have any restraint on these issues? Of course not- they are too busy trying to prove that Prescott Bush was a Nazi, just like the current President.
At any rate, this is self-inflicted damage. Kerry started it with his cheap shots about the utterly irrelevant attitudes of certain foreign leaders he had spoken to in private, he fanned the flames by being an obnoxious SOB to a man at a rally, and now he is reaping what he has sown. Except now he doesn’t want any help:
Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry yesterday renounced all endorsements of foreign leaders, after his campaign faced questions this week over his claim that world leaders told him face to face they want him to defeat President Bush.
“This election will be decided by the American people, and the American people alone,” said Mr. Kerry’s foreign policy adviser, Rand Beers. “It is simply not appropriate for any foreign leader to endorse a candidate in America’s presidential election.
“John Kerry does not seek, and will not accept, any such endorsements.”
You can almost smell the clutch and hear the gears grinding as they slammed this baby into reverse.
Flip!
Flop!
ScotchZombie
Nevertheless, I think it would be pretty hard to suggest with a straight face that a majority of world leaders would prefer Bush to Kerry. Bush really is disliked around the world. And I think he may find that he’s disliked in this country as well come November.
shark
“Nevertheless, I think it would be pretty hard to suggest with a straight face that a majority of world leaders would prefer Bush to Kerry. Bush really is disliked around the world. And I think he may find that he’s disliked in this country as well come November.”
1) Yeah, but who gives a fuck? Arab “leaders”, Chinese dictators, N. Korean Madmen and South American thugs, etc. don’t like Bush? HOORAY! Once again, lets be real about something: we’re not talking “world leaders” here. Because most of these “world” leaders are either our enemies (see above) or have to kiss our ass so much that it doesn’t matter who they prefer to deal with. No, “world leaders” is code for Europe, which is really code for France and Germany.(Kofi)- and honestly, if they dislike our President, who cares? Our interests diverged a long time ago. What they like and dislike is meaningless, because they still have to work with us- even as we speak.
2) As for this country, we’ll find out. But things look encouraging now. Bush recovered from his last few stumbles and managed to capitalize on KERRY miscues. Kerry was barely tested in the primaries, but is making so many mistakes from “exhaustion” now, he has to run away for 5 days??? He’s DEAD. Bush is already being able to define him to the public as a flip-flopper.
lets consider some recent polls:
– Most people believe Kerry does NOT say what he believes
– Most people believe the terrorists want KERRY to win.
-Recent polling puts Bush 3-4% ahead of Kerry (you know Bush is winning when the networks and NYTimes don’t publicize the poll results)
-Nader is running. HA HA.
That should scare the hell out of the kerry camp.
Now all that aside, the real decider in this election hasn’t happened yet. Lets see how it plays out down the road, but as of right now, I like Bush’s chances.
HH
One of the most phony memes going around is the so-called “love” that other countries had for the U.S. At the first available moment, we started to hear about “root causes” from other countries. The mainstream left would rather we kow-tow to those in the rest of the world spewing Noam Chomsky’s bile, just so we could “get along.”
ScotchZombie
You said it – what does it matter? I think this entire issue is idiotic – Kerry mentioning it and Bush harping on it.
I’m not suggesting that it’s always a good thing for foreign leaders to like the American president or that the foreign policy of America or any other country should be altruistic.
And it is no doubt true that most countries in the world have to get along with us in some fashion (we are, no doubt, the boss).
That said, a student of history would recognize that empires always fall. I fear that our current foreign policy will continue to alienate others – not a great strategy in an increasingly interdependent world.
With respect to November, I have a different perspective. Although campaigns and media spin can obviously impact an election, I just don’t see what Bush can run on. I look forward to a politically interesting six months.
HH, your comments about the “mainstream left” wanting to “kow-tow” and “get-along” is unfortunately typical of much of the rhetoric espoused by silk-stockings these days. I’m quite sure that’s not what John Kerry is suggesting and I am absolutely sure that’s not what I’m suggesting.
Here’s a simple analogy: our President likes to think of himself as a CEO – but wouldn’t a smart CEO be concerned about the long-term relationships he has with his partners and customers?
Kimmitt
Heh, it’s so cute watching them ignore Al-Qaeda endorsing Bush.
mark
Kimmitt, you’re the first person who takes that seriously.
Terry
Kimmitt- Even your idol, atrios, recognized that that story was a load of crap.
Dean
Kimmitt:
I’m curious—as a graduate student, what exactly are they teaching you? Anything at all in the way of critical thinking?
Al-Qaeda’s “endorsement” can be viewed either as a genuine endorsement, or as a bit of psychological play. How would Mahathir’s comment serve as such? What would the new Spanish president gain from such a psych-move?
How, then, do you compare the two??
Kimmitt
I don’t. I ignore all of them, because they’re all irrelevant to my decision-making process. It’s just fun to watch y’all cherry-pick. Again, that is.
Dean
Kimmitt:
So, either you accept ALL incoming data, spurious, irrelevant, or otherwise, or you reject ALL of it, eh?
The idea of actually FILTERING data isn’t part of your decision-making process?
The mind boggles at your general approach to methodology….
Kimmitt
I am filtering. I filter all endorsements from foreign leaders*; they have nothing even vaguely resembling my interests, state of mind, or access to domestic information.
*Okay, I might care who Tony Blair endorses. But that’s just because he’s a bright fellow.
Ken Hahn
I don’t think Kerry really cares about foreign leaders. I don’t think he gives a damn about Americans, leaders or otherwise. He’s just a lying oportunist who will say anything to get a few votes. Let’s face it, Kerry is a New England aristocrat who thinks he deserves to be President because his middle name is Forbes. He’d prefer to be King.
Kimmitt
Whoa, projecting much?
The Lonewacko Blog
“Is this a fair attack on Kerry? Of course not- how can he control what those lunatics think and do?”
Kerry has accepted the endorsement of Antonio Villaraigosa. He’s an L.A. City Councilman, former CA Assemblyman, former L.A. mayoral candidate.
He’s also a former president of the UCLA chapter of the racial separatist organization MEChA. You’ll recall that that organization was featured in the CA recall.