John Kerry: “Reporting for Duty” and “Send Me”

George C. Landrith

To win the election, John Kerry must convince Americans that President George Bush is not doing enough to make America safe and that Kerry would be more aggressive in protecting America. Thus, Kerry began his convention speech by telling voters he was “reporting for duty” and focused on his four months in Vietnam while ignoring his 20 years in the Senate. When criticizing President Bush, Kerry claims Bush is doing both too little, and too much, to make America safer.

After the convention, Kerry dramatically stated almost three years have passed since the September 11th attacks and President Bush has waited far too long to implement the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations. But Kerry’s argument that Bush has acted slowly is revealed as cheap political theatrics when one considers the Commission’s report was released just two weeks ago, not three years ago.

Even without the Commission’s recommendations, President Bush has been quite busy since September 11, 2001. Bush pushed for the Patriot Act. He established the Department of Homeland Security. He implemented numerous security and intelligence reforms -- now the FBI and CIA share intelligence and America’s policy is to preemptively stop terrorist plots before they happen, rather than just react after the fact. Afghanistan, once a haven for al Qaeda terrorists, is now holding free elections. Saddam Hussein, a funder, supporter, and collaborator with al Qaeda, now sits in a prison cell. Nonetheless, Kerry claims Bush has not been aggressive enough.

In the next breath, Kerry also criticizes President Bush for doing too much – arguing we have no business in Iraq. Kerry specifically criticizes President Bush for working to preemptively defeat terrorists and stop attacks before they happen. Conversely, Kerry promises, “any attack will be met with a swift and certain response.” In other words, Kerry will respond after the attack, but he will not preempt it.

Just before the convention, Kerry cut short his briefing with the 9/11 Commission to attend a campaign breakfast. Kerry also skipped almost 90% of all Senate votes this year and about 2/3 of all votes last year so he could campaign. Precisely what does Kerry mean when he says he is “reporting for duty?” Clearly Kerry is more interested in campaigning for the job than he is in doing the job.

Throughout his long political career, Kerry has consistently voted to slash America’s intelligence and gut the military – voting against critical weapons systems and even missile defense. Now in an election year when national security is the top issue, Kerry tells America he is “reporting for duty.” In direct opposition to his 20-year Senate record, Kerry promises to “add 40,000” new troops and to “provide our troops with the newest weapons and technology.” If Kerry really supports a strong military, where has he been the last 20 years? Or even last 12 months? Why is he only “reporting for duty” now – three months before the election?

At the convention, Bill Clinton told us whenever America needed leadership, Kerry said, “Send me.” Clinton delivered the applause line well, but truth and accuracy have never been his strength. This is what we were not told. When Soviet-backed communist dictator, Daniel Ortega, needed an American politician to provide cover so that Ortega could strengthen his death gripe over a victimized people yearning for freedom, John Kerry said, “Send me.” Kerry went to Nicaragua to meet with the murderous dictator and returned to America lauding Ortega as a reformer and calling for support of the communist regime in Central America.

When communist dictators in El Salvador needed a politician to give them similar support, John Kerry again said, “Send me.”

John Kerry has not, and will not, honestly detail his Senate record. To win this election, Kerry must hide his 20-year record of being soft on defense, appeasing our enemies, and being on the wrong side of history. When Kerry says, he is “reporting for duty,” it is a fair question to ask where has he been for the last 20 years.

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Mr. Landrith is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was Business Editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Politics. He had a successful law practice in business and litigation. In 1994 and 1996, Mr. Landrith was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's Fifth Congressional District. He served on the Albemarle County School Board. Mr. Landrith is an adjunct professor at the George Mason School of Law. He is recognized as an authority on constitutional law and jurisprudence, federalism, global warming, and property rights.

george@ff.org