Kerry Unloads on Team Bush

"Osama bin Laden is going to die of kidney failure before he’s killed by Karl Rove and his crowd." ~ John Kerry

Appearing on ABC's This Week yesterday, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) blasted the Bush administration on a wide variety of issues. He responded most harshly to the initial questions on statements by Dick Cheney that Team Bush has made the country safer and crediting their administration for the lack of attacks in the U.S. since September 11.

"We have not been attacked here," allowed Kerry while pointedly adding "Many people surmise that one of the reasons we haven’t been attacked here is because they are being so successful at doing what they need to do to attack us in Iraq and elsewhere."

Kerry also leveled the administration's frequent assertions that, as Cheney said, they "... do everything in [our] power to make certain we used all the tools available to us.." to fight the war on terror.

"I’m glad he reminded Americans, about having said we will do everything in our power and use all the forces at our disposal," said Kerry. "The simple fact is that we had Osama bin Laden cornered, trapped, ready to be captured or killed in the mountains of Tora Bora. And this administration — it is a fact — has misled Americans about the knowledge they had of whether or not he was there, number one, and, number two, did not do everything that they could have in order to capture him. I know this. Others know this."

This is, of course, especially important, given that bin Laden has once again surfaced to threaten America and because Bush has previously been quoted as not caring about the whereabouts of the man who actually did attack our country on 9/11.

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority," Bush has said.

"The vice president just said that they would do anything necessary and he reminded Americans of that. And they’re trying to claim somehow that they’re stronger and better on the war on terror," said Kerry. "The fact is, when they had a chance to kill or capture Osama bin Laden they didn’t do it, and they didn’t do it because they ran a risk-adverse strategy, period, and that’s what happened."

Kerry also lashed out at Karl Rove for his claims that Democrats "live in a pre-9/11 world" and for statements that Democrats aren't in favor of the warrantless wiretaps done by the White House because they're soft on terror.

"Osama bin Laden is going to die of kidney failure before he’s killed by Karl Rove and his crowd. And all he does is divide America over this issue and exploit it. And what he’s trying to pretend is somehow Democrats don’t want to eavesdrop appropriately to protect the country. That’s a lie," said an adamant Kerry. "What I believe-- and I believe it deeply -- is you can protect the United States of America without devoiding, without ignoring the Constitution of the country."

Kerry said that Hurricane Katrina "... stripped away the veneer of competence of this administration," adding that "the curtain got pulled aside, and there’s not even a wizard behind it, and they found out that these people are incompetent."

The 2004 presidential candidate again refuted the ridiculous Republican spin that Jack Abramoff is an equal-opportunity crook who has given to both major parties, including to Kerry himself.

"That’s another one of their 'Swift Boat' style tactics where they try to throw up the mud and stick it. And I’m going to stick it right back at them. I’ve never met Jack Abramoff. I’ve never had a dime come to me from Jack Abramoff. This is a Republican scandal. They run the House of Representatives. They run the Senate. They have the White House. They’re controlling who goes on the Judiciary."

Most importantly, Kerry made it clear that while the Bush administration is busy engendering a culture of corruption and prosecuting a bogus war in Iraq, the real work of the government is being ignored.

"The business of our nation is not being done. You’ve got Ford Motor Company, General Motors laying off tens of thousands of workers. People don’t have health care. People are losing health care," Kerry said. "People’s wages are going down. People are having trouble sending their kids to college. America’s behind in science, technology, in all of the things we need to do to be competitive."

Kerry ended the interview by making it clear that under no circumstances would he vote to confirm Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.

"I will vote against him because I think he will take the court backwards. I think he will shut the door of court access to the average person in America who needs it because I think he has an over extensive view of the power of the presidency, the unitary executive, because he refuses even to go as far as John Roberts in affirming settled law."