John Kerry
Related: About this forumFascinating set of detailed Kerry interviews over the last few days
Apparently, he gave rather detailed interviews with ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the BBC. It is interesting to read all of them - in full - and consider how they were used in the media. It is also interesting to see how many of the interviewers worked hard to get him to say things he did not want to say.
What comes out to me is:
- His effort is to get the Iraqis to go through their political process quickly and to form a government. The US's only recommendation is that it should be inclusive.
- The US is absolutely against boots on the ground.
Probably the weirdest interview is the Fox one - no surprise. The top two issues that Rosen pushed were the polls showing low support to Obama's foreign policy here and then a question of why the US had no hint that Mosul could fall. After being an ass for several minutes, he then completely changed his questioning --- to whether Kerry remembered anything JOHN LENNON told him backstage!
Anyway, here are the links - a few lines down (6/24): http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/index.htm
YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...loved turning on the TV to see Sec. Kerry everywhere! I caught a couple of the interviews and two things were clear to me:
1) Kerry was steadfast in his position about not sending American troops into Iraq.
2) Most of the reporters covering Iraq have been so steeped in the old Iraq policy of the neocons (McCain, et al) that they are struggling to understand the Obama/Kerry policy. They keep repeating that it is unclear when it's not... not to me anyway.
This is a different approach to the ME that begins with listening, respect and a focus on political solutions to problems that arise before resorting to warfare.
I think that's pretty simple and clear to understand.
Edited to add...
I think the part about John Lennon is hilarious!
karynnj
(59,942 posts)Kerry's comments are completely straight forward. I saw these after I had read of the interviews. I don't get the medias confusion or their writing at one point that Kerry talked back his comments. He didn't.
It was so annoying to have seen the Katie Couric interview that was all Iraq - when he was doing the ocean summit misquoted -basically attributing to Kerry things suggested mostly by her questions (working with Iran in Iraq - when an intelligent listening to the response was almost the opposite.)
What is more annoying is that those articles are then posted here and are further twisted to make Kerry's position almost the opposite of what it is. (I am glad that the State Department realized that it would be good to post the transcripts of press availabilities. ) Even worse are people who have posted regularly how they don't know when Kerry "turned" - it gets old as very have never said one good word ever and I have read them since 2005!
YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...transcripts, news articles and statements and/or watched entire interviews...not just sound bites and snippets of an interview prior to discussing the content. Most provided links to back up what they had researched. We all complained about how RW sites often did not understand issues because they were being misled by the sound bite culture there.
Media folks should know better. But they won't DO better unless it is demanded of them. Lazy practices keep people from learning what truly is happening in the world. Kerry is so consistent in his words and deeds it is almost scary... Anyone who reads speeches or interview transcripts or watches FULL speeches cannot mistake his position on issues...especially Iraq.
DU used to demand better. Now it seems that some are copying habits that were prevalent on Fox News sites. Some are falling for the spin rather than put in the time to read and learn the truth.
mylye2222
(2,992 posts)They replay all this SBVT-FAux noise crap about JK! Every tread you open on him is soon "spammed" with unfair criticism, and even nastiness! I saw a lot of DU archive, then those people had a lot of analysis...Where have they all gone?
YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...they are like me, though, they avoid the Fox-like confrontations. Most of those are pointless.