Kerry and regime change

One thing that we Dean supporters have to be very careful of is not to confuse friend with foe. Obviously, our Primary guns are trained on Kerry. But we also have to focus on the bigger picture- and take great pains not to poison the well. While it's true that Kerry's newfound criticism of Bush brings Eggo to mind, his statements are certainly ones that no one here would disagree with:

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. - Senator John F. Kerry said yesterday that President Bush committed a ''breach of trust'' in the eyes of many United Nations members by going to war with Iraq, creating a diplomatic chasm that will not be bridged as long as Bush remains in office.

''What we need now is not just a regime change in Saddam Hussein and Iraq, but we need a regime change in the United States,'' Kerry said in a speech at the Peterborough Town Library.

And Kerry has predictably drawn the heavy fire from the Chickenhawks in Chief:

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., released a statement that said in the midst of war, the nation should pull together to support the troops and commander in chief.

"Once this war is over, there will be plenty of time for the next election," the statement said. "But the war is not yet over, and we still have much work to do to rid the world of Saddam Hussein and his brutal regime."

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, released a statement calling Kerry's words "desperate and inappropriate."

"America before New Hampshire," DeLay said.

(DeLay's brazen hypocrisy is well-documented.)

Everyone who opposes Bush should be alarmed by the regular character asassination that the right-wing infrsatructure is able to manufacture and disseminate - partly with the tools and bully pulpit of the government itself. And such attacks hurt Dean as well, and propagate the ridiculous notion that Democrats are somehow weak on defense and national security. (Look at the budget battles, and you see a quite different story!)

Kerry can be rightly criticized for supporting Bush with a blank check in the past. But we have to recognize that his position now is more in tune with what the nation needs to hear - not just from Howard Dean, but from all Democrats and opposition. And we do have to close ranks to defend Kerry against the greater enemy. Training our guns on him, while he is already under fire from the ChickenHawk Brigade, ultimately only weakens us and strengthens Bush.