Hope Is On The Way
- Thread starter NickCT
- Start date
Orville_third
Banned
A few thoughts:
-There are still a lot of people in NO (not to mention AL, MS and the rest of LA) who chose to stay behind. They'll have to be brought out.
-MS and AL got hit pretty badly as well. MS has Haley Barbour as Governor. How are his relations with Kerry?
-FEMA and the NG aren't the only responders. There's the Red Cross (which had their own problems with response), Salvation Army, VOAD (an umbrella of a LOT of disaster relief organizations, many religious), US Coast Guard (who will play a key role, as will their Auxiliary), Civil Air Patrol (I have to admit, we had problems too), and others.
-Even with the NG and Corps of Engineers not being stressed with funds and equipment (and people) in Iraq, they will have a lot to deal with.
-Will foreign countries offer relief and help as OTL?
-Will the Gretna shootings occur as OTL?
-Did Kerry do anything in regards to the Missouri River-Gulf Outlet (MR-GO), which some alleged aided in the flooding of New Orleans?
-There are still a lot of people in NO (not to mention AL, MS and the rest of LA) who chose to stay behind. They'll have to be brought out.
-MS and AL got hit pretty badly as well. MS has Haley Barbour as Governor. How are his relations with Kerry?
-FEMA and the NG aren't the only responders. There's the Red Cross (which had their own problems with response), Salvation Army, VOAD (an umbrella of a LOT of disaster relief organizations, many religious), US Coast Guard (who will play a key role, as will their Auxiliary), Civil Air Patrol (I have to admit, we had problems too), and others.
-Even with the NG and Corps of Engineers not being stressed with funds and equipment (and people) in Iraq, they will have a lot to deal with.
-Will foreign countries offer relief and help as OTL?
-Will the Gretna shootings occur as OTL?
-Did Kerry do anything in regards to the Missouri River-Gulf Outlet (MR-GO), which some alleged aided in the flooding of New Orleans?
Bumping Orville's points
Having anything more than OTL's "Heckuva job, Brownie!" is a vast improvement for the Gulf Coast's response to Katrina.
IDK if Gov Blanco was that intransigent to receiving federal help or federalizing the LANG but hey, it's your story to tell. Bobby Jindal might, but if an F5 hurricane's making landfall on your state, you take every bit of help you can get.
Even Rick Perry didn't fuss that much about federal help when Ike hit Texas.
Communication between NO, Baton Rouge and the feds was a widely-acknowledged cluster-f^&*.
Unfortunately while NO got hit, Biloxi and Gulfport got erased and Mobile got heavily damaged as well. That never got the press that NO received.
Katrina's big lesson was that getting FEMA, the state Guards, military/Coast Guard, civilian emergency-response folks (police, fire, EMS and utility repair crews) and NGO's on the same page to handle it smoothly is next-to-impossible.
FEMA's putting out this NIMS (National Incident Management System) to do just that and without quarterly drills, IMO it's a well-intentioned mess. YMMV.
Whether Kerry can appoint a FEMA director that tackles that issue effectively is somewhat difficult to say. The fact that ITTL Kerry cared and took charge of the situation is heartening.
Anyhow good TL and looking forward to the next update!
Having anything more than OTL's "Heckuva job, Brownie!" is a vast improvement for the Gulf Coast's response to Katrina.
IDK if Gov Blanco was that intransigent to receiving federal help or federalizing the LANG but hey, it's your story to tell. Bobby Jindal might, but if an F5 hurricane's making landfall on your state, you take every bit of help you can get.
Even Rick Perry didn't fuss that much about federal help when Ike hit Texas.
Communication between NO, Baton Rouge and the feds was a widely-acknowledged cluster-f^&*.
Unfortunately while NO got hit, Biloxi and Gulfport got erased and Mobile got heavily damaged as well. That never got the press that NO received.
Katrina's big lesson was that getting FEMA, the state Guards, military/Coast Guard, civilian emergency-response folks (police, fire, EMS and utility repair crews) and NGO's on the same page to handle it smoothly is next-to-impossible.
FEMA's putting out this NIMS (National Incident Management System) to do just that and without quarterly drills, IMO it's a well-intentioned mess. YMMV.
Whether Kerry can appoint a FEMA director that tackles that issue effectively is somewhat difficult to say. The fact that ITTL Kerry cared and took charge of the situation is heartening.
Anyhow good TL and looking forward to the next update!
TRANSITIONS
The death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist gave President John Kerry the unique ability to shift the balance of the Supreme Court and do it not from the bottom up but from the top down. The position of Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is one that often gets overlooked by the average American, but Kerry knew just how important his appointment would be. The confirmation fight could be difficult, and Kerry wanted to find the perfect candidate for the position. Gone was a man that Kerry's close friend Ted Kennedy had fought so hard against, only to be replaced by someone chosen by a liberal President - the court was shifting to the left in one of the most dramatic ways possible. To those in the president's inner circle, it came as no surprise when Senator Kennedy himself was called to the Oval Office for a frank discussion on who the next Chief Justice should be.
Kennedy made several suggestions, but had no number one choice. The "Lion of the Senate" did make it clear he wanted Kerry to appoint a minority to the position, though, but Kerry had already made up his mind that his nominee would be a woman or an African-American. Two Senators topped Kerry's list: Senator Barack Obama from Illinois and Senator Hillary Clinton from New York. Kennedy liked Obama's ambition, but shied away from supporting his nomination. Obama had just been elected to the senate in 2004, and while the Supreme Court was probably in his future, 2005 would not be his year. Hillary, however, was an interesting choice. Kennedy felt she wouldn't accept the position, but he also warned against her nomination. George Pataki, the Republican Governor of New York, would have the opportunity to appoint someone to the seat and that could spell disaster for the Democrats and it would even cost them their majority: thanks to politics, Hillary Rodham Clinton was robbed of her chance to become the first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Whether or not she would have even accepted the position if asked is still up for debate, and Hillary has dodged the subject repeatedly.
Sonia Sotomayor was a leading contender for the position as was Ann Williams, a member of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Williams was well-respected within the judicial field and was the President's number one choice after his conversation with Senator Kennedy, but Sotomayor was very much in consideration as were Jennifer Granholm, Kerry's Attorney General; Diane Wood, also a member of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals; and Elena Kagan, Dean of Harvard Law School. Kagan was never seriously considered and eventually Granholm requested to stay on as Attorney General and the short list was reduced to Sotomayor, Williams, and Wood.
President Kerry had been impressed with all three and so had his inner-circle. Sotomayor and Williams were the favorites among the staff, but ultimately this was Kerry's decision. He phoned Senator Kennedy late in the night one evening when the pressure had gotten to him. Both Sotomayor and Williams were immensely qualified for the position and both would have smooth confirmation proceedings, how could Kerry choose between the two? Sure, he would likely see another vacancy in the future, but this was for the position of U.S. Supreme Court. Sotomayor would become the first female Chief Justice and the first Latina to serve on the court. Williams would become the first female and the first African-American Chief Justice. When he was done with Kennedy the President was left alone with his thoughts.
The next morning the President phoned Ann Williams and offered her the position. He had interviewed Williams two days earlier and it was clear she was up to the fight, Williams graciously accepted the position and on September 29th, John Kerry announced his nominee for the position of Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court: Ann Williams. The press understood the bold symbolism behind Kerry's choice and wasted no time portraying it to the rest of the country. It was a big move for Kerry to make, but the President's plan went off without a hitch. In fact, Williams would go on to be confirmed with near-unanimous support from the United States Senate. When she was sworn-in on November 3rd, 2005, it was an incredible day in United States history.
Of course, filling the job of Chief Justice was not the only appointment Kerry needed to make around that time. Alan Greenspan announced his retirement as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and Kerry needed to appoint a successor. The press speculated that Robert Rubin was at the top of President Kerry's list, and he was. Rubin was by far the most confirmable and would likely be a strong choice, but the President wasn't completely sold. Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers was also subject to intense speculation, but again Kerry wasn't completely convinced.
He turned to Treasury Secretary Jon Corzine for guidance on the situation. Corzine supported Rubin and Summers, threw out the idea of Erskine Bowles and Gene Sperling, and even said he would consider taking the position if the President wanted him too. Kerry maintained that Corzine was fine exactly where he was, and he also felt that Bowles wasn't entirely qualified for the position, but Gene Sperling was and he was an interesting choice. Sperling had served as Director of the National Economic Council under President Clinton. Sperling had been in the thick of negotiations when it came to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and Kerry had no idea how valuable that would be down the line.
Sperling's nomination was announced in mid-October. Republicans had initially suggested they would try and block Sperling's nomination, but they ultimately gave up making a scene to save their political capital. Sperling received broad support and was eventually confirmed by the United States Senate. With that, Kerry had made two of the most important appointments of his Presidency - and he hadn't even been in office for a year. Outside of Beltway Politics, the Middle East was yearning for attention and the President's approval ratings were on the rise in the wake of Katrina and his choice of Ann Williams; in fact, his approval rating was above 55% as his first year in office was starting to draw to a close.
THAT OTHER WAR
The President had been giving the War in Iraq most of his attention, and after Hurricane Katrina and the death of William Rehnquist, there was little time to do much of anything on the foreign side. Without the President's attention, things in Afghanistan began to go unchecked, and while the CIA and the Defense Department weren't oblivious to the concerns within the nation, it's certainly possible that because they were so focused on everything else that tensions in Afghanistan got worse than they would have if Kerry and his team had watched and studied Afghanistan with undivided attention, but when you're the most powerful person in the world things like that are wholly unrealistic. And so, the number of dead soldiers in Afghanistan began to rise as a result of increased suicide bombers and improvised explosives. With the death tolls rising, Kerry wanted to respond and respond he would.
At one of the more depressing meetings in the Oval Office, Kerry demanded answers and when few were given, he moved on. The President asked what steps he could take, but the generals and others in the room were bashful and few recommendations were put forward. Finally, President Kerry, himself, made the final decision. "We need to increase the number of troops on the ground in Afghanistan and we need to supply them with the tools and supplies they need to gain the upper hand," Kerry said. The idea received few objections. Later that day, Kerry placed a very important phone call, one that symbolized a new chapter in his administration.
He phoned President Bush. Kerry knew that it was a long shot for any cooperation, but he hoped that aura of the Presidents Club would give him luck. Kerry was fully aware that the Republicans in Congress would drag their feet just as much as the Democrats would drag theirs. If he wanted more troops, Kerry needed to show that the facts were on his side. To get Republicans in check, Kerry enlisted the help and support of the most unlikely ally, George W. Bush.
The phone call was brief, but to the point. Kerry needed help and he needed it quickly, or the nation was at risk at falling too far behind in the efforts across Afghanistan. The sitting president needed a former president's help to accomplish it, and George Bush broke his promise to sit on the sidelines for the next four years. In several days, Kerry made his address to a Joint-Session of Congress, calling on their help to increase the number of soldiers and funding for soldiers for the Afghanistan War. The speech was strong, but the atmosphere was less receptive. Either way, Kerry would need to get the funds and the manpower to end the war. Kerry's initial prediction was right: congress was slow to act. Democrats were divided on the issue, they wanted to be loyal to President Kerry, but they wanted to see peace earlier. The Republicans wanted to roadblock Kerry, but they believed firmly in the war. When former President Bush gave an exclusive, 1-hour interview with Meet the Press from his ranch in Crawford, Tim Russert came out and asked him what he thought of the president's strategy in Afghanistan, specifically his recent request for help. George Bush was very supportive of the idea and it was the beginning of the end for opposition.
Bush's support coupled with general support for Afghanistan compared to Iraq, allowed John Kerry to get his "surge" as it was called through Congress. Reinforcements were on their way immediately, to aid the troops in the trying summer months. Back home, Kerry was informed that they were hot on the tail of Osama bin Laden. Thanks to evidence gained through terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, the CIA was tracking one of bin Laden's couriers in hopes that it would lead to the world's most wanted man. Kerry was not as happy as those in the intelligence community had assumed he would be. The president was opposed to enhanced interrogation techniques and demanded that they seize. He signed an executive order, condemning past interrogations and mandating that future ones be "torture" free. Still, he was happy with the possibility of bin Laden's courier leading to the capture of the man.
In November of 2005, domestic politics took the attention of the President as Tim Kaine and Doug Forrester were elected governors of Virginia and New Jersey, respectively. Kaine was someone that Kerry liked and hoped would receive a future in politics one day. Not only did he have Kerry's blessing, but he was smart and politically savvy - Kaine's future was on the up-and-up and his victory in Virginia cemented that. Forrester had been elected in a fluke. The New Jersey Democratic Party had hoped to recruit Jon Corzine, the Senator from the state, to run for the position - and Corzine and promised he'd run, but then he became Treasury Secretary and everything was up in the air. The party scrambled to find a nominee and their ultimate choice, Richard Codey, was tied to the failed McGreevey Administration and ultimately lost the election, but Democrats were prepared to get the seat back in four years.
By December, the surge in Afghanistan had been classified as a success and the president and his team were praised for their response, but most argued it was too late. While the surge was working, it would've been far more effective if the troops had been there earlier in the summer instead of arriving in late-September, just as the deadliest season was ending. On top of that, Republicans attacked Kerry for disregarding the expense of war. It had little effect on how the people viewed him, however, in the last weeks of the year his approval rating stood at 53%.
Enjoying this TL thus far - I've always liked Senator Kerry and it's great to see a realistic look at a possible Kerry presidency. And it was great to see the TL's former president coming back to help, as so many TL's toss aside the ex-presidents. The detail here is very balanced, never going too far or too light, and things seem realistic so far.
Amazing update, I'm really enjoying this TL. 
I'm already trying to figure out who the Republicans might run against Kerry in 2008. Could be McCain, Huckabee, Romney, heck it could even be a rematch with President Bush. The problem for the Republicans is none of them are formidable candidates who could conceivably beat him.
I'm going to make a prediction, the Republican ticket for the 2008 election will be either Gov. Jeb Bush/Gov. Tim Pawlenty or Gov. Jeb Bush/Gov. Mitt Romney
I'm already trying to figure out who the Republicans might run against Kerry in 2008. Could be McCain, Huckabee, Romney, heck it could even be a rematch with President Bush. The problem for the Republicans is none of them are formidable candidates who could conceivably beat him.
I'm going to make a prediction, the Republican ticket for the 2008 election will be either Gov. Jeb Bush/Gov. Tim Pawlenty or Gov. Jeb Bush/Gov. Mitt Romney
Amazing update, I'm really enjoying this TL.
I'm already trying to figure out who the Republicans might run against Kerry in 2008. Could be McCain, Huckabee, Romney, heck it could even be a rematch with President Bush. The problem for the Republicans is none of them are formidable candidates who could conceivably beat him.
I'm going to make a prediction, the Republican ticket for the 2008 election will be either Gov. Jeb Bush/Gov. Tim Pawlenty or Gov. Jeb Bush/Gov. Mitt Romney
I'm imagining the Republican field not being too different from OTL in terms of candidates, but in terms of who actually gets the nomination it can lean many ways, especially depending on Kerry's record. McCain is well known for being a good friend of Kerry though, so I'm not sure I can see him actively challenging him in 2008. That would give Romney and Huckabee a significant edge and make Romney, I think, a straight victor for the bid.
Jeb Bush is definitely a wild card. I think he might be among those Republicans who may be reluctant to challenge an incumbent and choose to wait until 2012, assuming Kerry isn't seen as an inevitable loser in 2008.
(I feel patronizing as hell writing this.)
All things considered...
SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS
It was a big day for the Kerry White House. The National Security Team met with the President in the Oval Office where General Casey made his presentation on how to bring troops home from the war in a safe and timely manner. Starting in late-January troop levels would be withdrawn over the next four months from 138,000 to 100,000. After that the speed of the reductions would begin to slow with the summer months being especially damaging in the war efforts. Over time, the responsibilities of the U.S. Military would change as well, and more time and attention would be paid to training the Iraqi forces to deal with the situation on their own - Kerry liked this measure and believed that it would receive support within Iraq as well. On top of that, Kerry was optimistic about the plan in whole, all troops would be withdrawn in two years - it was a timetable that the President was supportive of. Stephanie Cutter, the President's Chief of Staff, was also incredibly supportive of the measure and hoped it could work. Vice President Edwards and Secretary of State Joe Biden voiced no opposition, nor did Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. It seemed that the White House had adopted a timetable for withdrawal.
The election results from Iraq produced a more unified and moderate Iraq - exactly as Casey had hoped. On top of that, there was minimal violence on Election Day and democracy looked like it had finally arrived in Iraq. Maybe, this time, the mission actually was accomplished. With that, the President prepared for his upcoming visit to Iraq. Kerry would leave in the middle of the night to arrive in Iraq to spend Christmas with the troops. It was something Kerry had wanted to do and it was something that took months of preparation - it had to remain top secret. Kerry drew inspiration from Bush's trip to Iraq to have Thanksgiving with the troops. President Kerry respected Bush for the decision, as a former vet himself Kerry knew how much a visit could generate morale, especially with the war's end now in sight.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Biden had travelled to Afghanistan to meet with leaders there to discuss the future of the war. Biden's diplomatic skills and knowledge of foreign affairs had been put to the test in the last year, and he had succeeded - Kerry was incredibly satisfied with his choice and was actually considering encouraging Joe Biden to run in 2012 to replace him as President, but that was a long ways away and the President was more concerned with making sure Biden brought him the results he needed to hear from Afghanistan. The president didn't intend to end the efforts in Afghanistan soon, but he did want to win the war. He had approved the surge to make sure that the war would succeed, adopting the familiar advice Dwight Eisenhower had passed on to John F. Kennedy and later Lyndon Johnson, if you're going to do something involving war and our troops overseas - don't do it half-assed. Kerry agreed, all the lives that have been lost should not be discounted, their efforts and contributions to the fight must be built upon. Biden was going to Afghanistan to make sure that the government there would remain moderately supportive of U.S. efforts there.
On December 25th, Baghdad time, John F. Kerry touched down in Iraq for Christmas Day with the troops. Joined by his wife and kids, Kerry surprised all the troops there. Accompanied by General Casey, he talked with the troops and lifted their spirits: the troops always appreciated a visit from their Commander-in-Chief. There was limited press coverage and most people at home didn't even know that Kerry had travelled there until he returned to Washington after meeting with members of the Iraqi government. He hinted at the fact that there was a timetable being drawn up for withdrawal, and they seemed very eager to resume control of their nation, and they also talked about their commitment to training Iraqi officials to have control of their streets once again. It was a successful visit for Kerry and it was exactly what he needed to hear.
When he returned to the White House, Kerry met with the principals involved with the Iraqi Withdrawal Plan. Kerry officially green-lighted the proposal and instructed his speechwriting staff to work it into the State of the Union, dominating the bulk of the address. He also wanted to plan specifics with General Casey, the plan was finalized on New Year's Day and then adopted by the President as the official Iraqi Timetable for Withdrawal: all combat troops would be home by May of 2008. The President planned to keep Casey in charge of Iraq until the end of the mission, growing immense respect for the general. When the timetable announcement would come, Casey would become a national hero - someone who helped end a bitter and drawn-out war. Talks of a political future for him were in the midst and he was called the Dwight Eisenhower of the modern-day, but the truth was the mission in Iraq would get harder before it ended.
With that 2005 was over, and the first year of President John Kerry had drawn to a close. A lot had happened: Hurricane Katrina, a new Chief Justice, an end to the war in Iraq on the horizon, and massive tax cuts for the middle class. It was an agenda that John Kerry had no regrets about, but he had hoped to do more. The year 2006 would bring the Mid Term Elections and a variety of other major issues for the President to confront. Through it all, Kerry and his administration hoped for the best, optimistic about the future for the nation. There were three whole years left as president for John Kerry, with the possibility for another four. The pressure had set in, the president aged tremendously, and the weight of the power had rested on John Kerry's shoulders - and his presidency was still a month shy of turning a year old.
A NEW YEAR
Speaker Dennis Hastert invited President Kerry to address a joint-session of Congress on January 31, 2006. The stakes were high: Kerry would be unveiling a massive reform of the nation's mission in Iraq, he would be reflecting on Hurricane Katrina and Ann Williams' successful confirmation as the first African-American and the first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He would also outline a domestic agenda, touching on hopes for reform of illegal immigration and gun control, and talking about the need for long-lasting reform of America's public schools. After the speech it would become clear that the President's mission would be held hostage by an election year and the lack of political capital after spending it all to bring troops home from Iraq. Still, at the time, the President was optimistic about getting his agenda through in 2006. It was time to get to work, and that was the message he wanted to convey.
The overwhelming focus was on Iraq and it was important that the President make sure everyone understood that he was the Commander-in-Chief, that this timetable was going to happen, and he had the complete authority to make it happen. "I was elected to this office to lead this nation through two wars, and the buck stops with the Commander-in-Chief," Kerry would say in the address. It was tough language, but Kerry didn't want to speak in vague terms, he wanted to be up-front and honest with the American people - they deserved it. This was an important moment in the nation's history and if the president wasn't completely honest with them it could backfire.
There were rumors engulfing Washington that Iraq would be the subject of Kerry's address and so Senator John McCain of Arizona, a close friend of Kerry's, was chosen to deliver the Republican's response to the State of the Union. Kerry wasn't nervous, though he had a lot of respect for McCain, it was obvious that he wasn't where the majority of Americans were on the issue and he fully intended to have the people on his side of the argument. It was time to end the mission in Iraq, and he couldn't envision a scenario where Kerry had broad public opposition, especially with how thorough the plan was. In fact, the preparations for the draw downs had already begun in Iraq and it was time to get ready for the full scale withdrawals.
It wasn't until the President was on his way to the Capitol Building that the words in the address were finalized and sent to the teleprompter. Kerry's speechwriters had been given an incredible task and one that had completely engulfed them for weeks. It was clear that the 2006 State of the Union would be like no other - Kerry had made the unlikely decision to fold the timetable into the State of the Union instead of simply issuing a separate address to the American people from the Oval Office or East Room - those seemed like more conventional opportunities than the State of the Union, but the president was clear that this mission would define 2006 and therefore it needed to be made public in the State of the Union.
"Mr. Speaker: the President of the United States!" The words still sent chills up his spine as he grinned and waved to the mass of Congressmen and Senators before him. Also in attendance were members of Kerry's cabinet, all of them expect for the Secretary of Health and Human Services: Jeanne Shaheen. Shaheen was watching the address from the Oval Office this year - she was the designated survivor who would become President in the event that the entire U.S. Capitol blew up and killed everyone else in the Presidential Line of Succession. Shaheen would be missed, but that was the last thing on Kerry's mind as he wandered through the Senators and Congressmen anxiously hoping to shake his hand and grab him for a "Good luck!". Ted Kennedy was one of the first hands that the president shook, followed by others like Secretary Joe Biden, General Casey, and numerous other influential Senators. Finally, the president was at the podium where he waved and turned to shake the hands of Vice President Edwards and Speaker Hastert - it was a moment that Kerry looked forward to as he turned and saw the sea of elected officials before him.
The speech began smoothly. Kerry reflected on 2005 and received a standing ovation when he mentioned the nomination of Ann Williams as Chief Justice. His choice had been groundbreaking and he was reaping the political benefits now as the entire U.S. Congress was applauding his choice for Chief Justice - she was a woman who had broken barriers and inspired millions of Americans. He was interrupted for applause when he talked about the strength of the people of New Orleans, promising to move the nation in the right direction and to continue the efforts to rebuild the gulf. Furthermore, he told the country that there was much to learn from the disaster that had rocked the Gulf Coast.
Then, Kerry drew a deep breath as he prepared for the next segment. "The time has come to realize that democracy will always spread, that no matter how hard the terrorists will try, the people of the world will be free. I cannot stand here and pretend that bringing democracy to a nation is something that will take the United States decades. The people of Iraq have held two free elections this year, and that is something to be proud of. But the truth is that those elections, despite U.S. supervision, were ultimately led and supported by the Iraqi people. Tonight, I tell the American people and the people of Iraq about the next step, about training the soldiers and police force in Iraq to handle their own domestic security. That is the future of the mission in Iraq. That is the future that we have fought for, and the time has arrived. The nation of Iraq is stable and U.S. assistance will draw to a slow end..." The section immediately drew attention from everyone in the room. Was the President talking about withdrawal?
Soon enough the question was answered. The president detailed his plan, the timetable that had been discussed and debated since early in 2005. It was time for the future of the War in Iraq to change and he talked about that future - a future when the people of Iraq had complete control of their nation and that the nation truly joined the ranks of the free. Kerry was committed to the mission and ready to fight for the timetable. Democrats were ecstatic, but somewhat nervous, but the Republicans were divided. There were some who were happy to see the direction Kerry was taking, and others were furious that the president would end the mission in Iraq and do it without seeking Congressional support! It was going to define the year of 2006.
By the end of his address, the president had been interrupted for applause 70 times, exactly. He had pushed the issue of Iraq while highlighting hopes for education reform, gun control, and reigning in illegal immigration. There was so much at stake as the year would progress and Kerry was committed to making the year successful. John McCain, however, was harsh. He called the President's plan irresponsible and hit Kerry hard on the issue of Iraq. That night, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was incredibly critical of Kerry's Administration and handling of Iraq, especially the timetable. Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman said that John McCain's response to the State of the Union was closer to his feelings on Iraq than President Kerry's actual address. The moderate Senator, Evan Bayh, was also somewhat cautious to endorse Kerry's message. While he supported the timetable, he questioned whether it had been rushed.
In 2006, there would be a lot that would take place, and the President's State of the Union could not have predicted it all. In the end, his address was strong and tough. Kerry was inspirational to those in Iraq who hoped for an end to the war. There was a lot at stake and it was necessary for Kerry to gather support for his agenda, domestic and foreign. It came as a great relief when former President Bush said he would not release a statement on Kerry's timetable for Iraq - with the war's inventor silent the chance for Republican support of the measure grew. Still, Kerry didn't plan to beg for Congress's support anyways.
Orville_third
Banned
Will there be any investigations of torture?
Will there be any investigations into pre-war Iraq intel? (While the revelation that the intel pointed to Iraq's LACK OF WMD's would damage the Bush administration, Kerry saw some things of said intel and still voted for war and claimed Iraq had WMDs.)
Will there be any investigations into pre-war Iraq intel? (While the revelation that the intel pointed to Iraq's LACK OF WMD's would damage the Bush administration, Kerry saw some things of said intel and still voted for war and claimed Iraq had WMDs.)
POLITICS IS A CONTACT SPORT
In the wake of Kerry's shocking announcement in regards to Iraq, the nation was abuzz. Politicians from the left and the right were weighing-in on the biggest event of Kerry's presidency. Many of the Democrats were supportive of Kerry's efforts. Freshman Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was happy to release a statement in support of the president for his efforts to move the country in a better direction. "Ending this war," Obama said, "was why I was elected to the Senate - I am glad to see that President Kerry has made the right call." In reality, it was a decision Kerry had never expected to make, and a move he publicly shied away from on the campaign trail. It wasn't that Kerry wanted the war to last for another decade, but he was unconvinced that he would have the political capital to end the war. He also believed, somewhat, in the mission in Iraq - it was a cause Kerry felt was worth dying for, but the events that transpired while he was in office changed his mind and permanently altered history.
Originally, Kerry had planned to remain in the war and see it through, but he hoped that he could decrease the differences in involvement within the coalition. He didn't want the United States to bear the whole burden, but other nations were unwilling to compromise. The war was far less popular in other nations than it was in the United States, and by the end of 2005 Americans were starting to turn against the war. It was clear, that Kerry needed to act, and on the campaign trail he had promised that if the war continued there would need to be strong international support. There was no way Kerry could get the international support he had expected, even with Joe Biden visiting nations within the coalition routinely. Then, when General Casey suggested that an end to the war could be reached by the end of the president's first term, he was wholly excited - it was an opportunity he hadn't expected, but one he wasn't willing to dismiss.
While the plan had broad support among the American people, Republicans weren't very happy about what President Kerry was doing. Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was fuming, attacking Kerry for what he called an "irresponsible" foreign policy. Rumsfeld was visibly flustered when he sat down on Meet the Press after Kerry's announcement, and he tried to use candidate Kerry's words against the president. "For a man who once described George Bush's foreign policy as inept, arrogant, and reckless - I find this move hypocritical. I can only come up with three words to describe John Kerry's foreign policy: inept, arrogant, and reckless!" Rumsfeld was not the only member of the Bush Administration who had a problem with what Kerry was doing. Former Vice President Dick Cheney joined Rumsfeld in leading the opposition to the movement. Still, no matter how hard the media tried there was no way they were going to get the former president himself to come out and attack Kerry's foreign policy agenda. Bush's comment was "no comment", but that wasn't enough to put the issue to rest.
Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat, joined Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham to try and roadblock President Kerry's plan. Lieberman called the move irresponsible and hit Kerry for trying to end the war before it had been one. Democrats fired back, led by Senators Kennedy of Massachusetts, Boxer of California, and Feinstein of California. On one Sunday morning show, Kennedy fired back against Lieberman, "Joe Lieberman's wrong. The war has been one. Saddam Hussein has fallen and the people of Iraq are regaining control of their nation." Boxer attacked the war by reminding Americans that there were no nuclear weapons in Iraq, the American people were misled, and it was time to end the conflict. Senator Feinstein agreed with Senators Kennedy and Boxer and vigorously defended John Kerry's plan to get the United States out of Iraq.
Senators McCain and Graham led the charge on the Republican side of the aisle. They attacked the president's move as reckless and described it as the "biggest mistake" in American foreign policy in recent memory. Kennedy fought back, "Senator McCain is wrong. This is not the biggest mistake in American foreign policy in recent memory - the biggest mistake was getting involved in the war in the first place thanks to false evidence and lies." The Republicans were fighting a losing battle, John Kerry was Commander-in-Chief, it was his war, and that was that. In the House, Nancy Pelosi led the Democratic message and drowned out Republican opposition. All of that combined with the fact public opinion was on Kerry's side led to a winning issue for the Democrats. The party was excited: American support for Kerry's withdrawal from Iraq made it possible for Democrats to win the Mid Term elections, despite the fact that they were the party with control of the White House. The Democrats poured money into their message, "Keep Making Progress". The phrase consisted of three words that defined the election.
The President himself was satisfied with the plan. It was solid and detailed. General Casey believed in it and felt that the majority of the soldiers in Iraq would embrace the idea. The government in Iraq had also expressed their support and soon enough the American troops in Iraq worked to train the Iraqi officials to take control of their nation and to make sure that they were ready to deal with the issues at hand. Even with Kerry's plan in place, and even with support from the Iraqi Government, it didn't mean that the transition was guaranteed to be smooth. Just because their number one goal was leaving the Iraqi forces in control of their nation didn't mean that American troops were free from attack - there was still a war to fight and the President had no way of knowing how difficult that war would get at times.
The Middle East wasn't done with John Kerry and the United States and it was going to send ripples through the Democratic Administration. If the President believed that his plan would allow him to focus on domestic policy before the Mid Terms, he had another thing coming. The President wasn't done with the Middle East until the Middle East was done with him, and it was going to be a trying few months for the Kerry White House as they attempted to rebuild Iraq, rebuild the mission in Afghanistan, and, soon enough, rebuild their own administration.
Orville_third
Banned
Could we see a Senator Lamont or Senator Schlesinger as a result?
And could we see Ron Paul trying to influence the Republicans in an anti-war direction?
And could we see Ron Paul trying to influence the Republicans in an anti-war direction?