February 16, 2004
RELEASING HIS INNER CARTER (via David Hill, The Bronx):
Kerry Blasts Bush's Daytona 'Photo Op' (NEDRA PICKLER, 2/16/04, Associated Press)
Kerry, who has a commanding lead in the race to oppose Bush this fall, chided the president for taking time out Sunday to attend the Daytona 500, saying the country was bleeding jobs while he posed for a "photo opportunity." Bush had donned a racing jacket to officially open NASCAR's most prestigious event in front of some 180,000 fans."We don't need a president who just says, `Gentlemen start your engines,'" Kerry said. "We need a president who says, `America, let's start our economy and put people back to work.'"
One almost has to admire not only Mr. Kerry's eagerness to alienate half the nation but his embrace of the old image of liberals as hair-shirt wearing and humorless. You can just see him vowing not to enjoy himself until unemployment is below 4%. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 16, 2004 6:32 PM
Perhaps Monsieur Jean Kerry will be willing to take a vow of celebacy until every American who wants a job has one.
Posted by: Karl at February 16, 2004 6:56 PMListening to this guy play the part of national scold is going to get old really, really fast.
The least he could do is tell us that he will never, ever, if elected, appear at any sporting event, so as to not repeat this horrible act.
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at February 16, 2004 7:15 PMIf Kerry is this politically tone deaf for the campaign then it will be a lot of fun to watch.
Posted by: AWW at February 16, 2004 7:17 PMMy economics courses did not teach statistical analysis refined enough to differentiate between the economic stimulus generated by a President saying "America, let's start our economy and put people back to work" and saying "Gentlemen, start your engines". I suspect The difference is either exceedingly small. However, I will go with much less growth for the country whose President thinks he can orchestrate economic growth.
Posted by: MG at February 16, 2004 7:54 PMThis should remove all doubt that Kerry's strategy is indeed going to be "the South can go to hell." Although it will prove to be a losing one, what choice does he have?
Posted by: brian at February 16, 2004 8:28 PMIf Kerry plans to put down Bush for showing up at auto races as if the electoral college map was set at 1868 all over again, than all Bush has to do is so up for the Indy 500, let Kerry repeat his remarks, and then pick up the key Midwestern electorial votes.
Posted by: John at February 16, 2004 8:35 PMSounds like Adlai Stevenson and Thomas Dewey rolled into one.
Posted by: jim hamlen at February 16, 2004 11:03 PMThe good Senator might want to get to DC to cast a few votes.
Posted by: jsmith at February 16, 2004 11:08 PMIts a long long time til we reach September. . .
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at February 17, 2004 1:19 AMGood Grief. I thought one of the perks of being President was having an excuse to go to cool sporting events. That and having top flight artists visit the White House. I had little use for President Clinton but I didn't begrudge him his luxury box seat at the NCAA Finals (the year Arkansas won). I've worked for guys who are so earnest that they never take any down time. They are no more effective than the ones who do (less usually) because they aren't really doing it for the good of the organization. Either they are stroking their egos (This place can't run without my dedication) or feeding their insecurities (This place can't run without my dedication, can it?). Anybody who has worked for a living avoids this type like the plague. No wonder so few people like the guy.
Posted by: Jeff at February 17, 2004 1:45 AMGood Grief. I thought one of the perks of being President was having an excuse to go to cool sporting events. That and having top flight artists visit the White House. I had little use for President Clinton but I didn't begrudge him his luxury box seat at the NCAA Finals (the year Arkansas won). I've worked for guys who are so earnest that they never take any down time. They are no more effective than the ones who do (less usually) because they aren't really doing it for the good of the organization. Either they are stroking their egos (This place can't run without my dedication) or feeding their insecurities (This place can't run without my dedication, can it?). Anybody who has worked for a living avoids this type like the plague. No wonder so few people like the guy.
Posted by: Jeff at February 17, 2004 1:45 AMIt's wonderful that we all find this annoying and idiotic - but if enough Americans agree with Kerry that it is the president's job to "create jobs" and that he could do a much better job of this by working an extra 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon, we are all in big, BIG trouble.
I was thinking the same thing yesterday. Just how is the president personally responsible for job creation anyway?!
Posted by: Kay at February 17, 2004 9:43 AMDoes this mean that Kerry thinks that the President shouldn't throw out the first pitch on Opening Day? If he's stupid enough to say that in early April, he won't win one state. (If anyone thinks Baseball is dead in this country, just consider all the news coverage the A-Rod story is getting...much more than Dale Jr.'s stirring win at Daytona...)....
Posted by: Foos at February 17, 2004 10:16 AM