This is exciting!  I’m looking forward to getting a “sneak peak” of the interview since the show isn’t on until 11:30 where I live.

I hope that Senator Kerry will be able to say some of the things that he said with the veterans last week and on the radio address. It should be fun seeing what different people see. We don’t get the show in the NYC area till 10:00.

Hopefully after the interview, there will be many more people going over to setadeadline.com to co-sponsor Sen. Kerry’s legislation.  When I checked this morning, the number was up to 28,688.

That’s terrible about yet another helicopter crashing GV.  Were there casulties or do they know yet?

I’m here. “This Week” is on at 10 a.m. so the hour-earlier watchers will be posting spoilers. :)

Setadeadline.com has registered 28,700 co-sponsors.

Excellent!

I hope the Senator’s on early in the show.  This should be interesting.  Also,
Sean Penn is going to discuss the Watada courts martial?

To those who will doing the live blogging.  We will of course need to know important details like tie color.  Do not leave us to wondering.  Please.

I agree, the Congress needs to be skeptical on Iran. There probably are weapons crossing the borders.  But we shouldn’t over react and repeat the mistakes of the past.

Use the diplomatic tools we didn’t use last time in Iraq, to our sorrow.

The administration is counting on a simplistic demonization of Iran.

Is the program on yet? When was it taped? I suspect it was before the radio address yesterday.

No, any mention of tie color is appreciated.

The Deadline:  The NIE estimate.

Ah, the NIE authors are against it and they cite the problems that have always been cited against the withdrawal.

Kerry has not been for a ‘precipitious withdrawal.’  And there are other components, including leaving troops in the area, but out of the ‘hot areas’ of active civil war plus the use of real diplomacy to help quell the problems in the area.

Okay the Leverage:  What are the troops left there for?

1.  Prez has the discretion to leave those forces critical to training the Iraqis
2.  Leave forces to fight Al Qaeda
3.  Leave forces to protect American critical interests.

Kerry is talking about the political problems in the area and how a military solution will not address these problems.  We need a date in order to compel the Iraqi pols to come to the table and actually deal with their problems.

Kerry has also said that the date itself is flexible if needed on the ground as the time comes closer.

Snuffy asked him about his decision to leave the presidential race.  JK said he’s glad that he did it.  He’s freed to talk about what is really important and not hold back.  He’s talked a little bit about his chairmanships and then started into climate change and global warming.

Said that he may endorse a candidate down the road.  Not a certainty but that he’s open to it
Said that he’s running for Senate.

Interview is done.

Thank you guys so much!  Did he mention setadeadline.com at all?

I don’t recall him mentioning setadeadline.com but I could have missed it.

Sen Kerry’s been consistent on the need for diplomacy.  It’s the only solution, and I don’t understand how this admin can continue to ignore it. 
We’re still paying Sec Rice, aren’t we?

I’m glad he’s comfortable with his decision, I think a lot of us are still wavering between being disappointed about the decision not to run and energized by the new focus.

Thanks to the 9:00ers for all the great commentary, BTW.  This is awesome.

Good interview.  I didn’t hear setadeadline.com come up specifically.  However, the interview was only about 8 or 9 minutes long.  There was a lot crammed in there.  Snuffy wanted Kerry to justify his view on the timetable and explain how that conforms to the views of the new NIE.  That took up most of the time and rightly so.  That was a chance to correct the impression that the deadline idea is reckless.  It’s not.  It’s very well planned.

TayTay,

Great summary.

The precipitous withdrawal argument is an excuse.  Here’s a great article:

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2006/07/27/precipitous-withdrawal-defined

There is no reason the three points you highlighted can’t be accomplished in a comprehensive strategy that sets a deadline for withdrawal at one year out. Less time is possible.

I agree, Tay.  Setting a deadline does not equal precipitous withdrawal.  It’s a rational approach to an exit strategy.  People set deadlines when they want something completed.
I think most reasonable people agree that it’s time to bring this war to a close. 
I’m anxious to read the legislation.  It’s close to Kerry/Feingold, isn’t it?

MH, did you see that climate change hearing the other day?  OMG, it was incredible. 
Yes, there’s a lawsuit over the admin failure to file reports on climate change, isn’t there?

SAN FRANCISCO– Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) joined conservation groups today, filing an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit against the Bush administration for its failure to issue a legally required National Assessment of climate change impacts on the United States that is now over two years overdue.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/programs/policy/energy/national-assessment.html

I may be projecting from my own feelings or sensing frustration in his voice when he says   “We need a date in order to compel the Iraqi pols to come to the table and actually deal with their problems.”  He is also saying this about a date being necessary to compel American politicians to deal with Iraq.

He sounded as frustrated on the Senate floor the other day with his colleagues as with the the Iraqi politicians.

Environmental issues are about more than just the science of climate change.  There is also an element of fairness in this.  Another topic that is going to come up is the fairness of where pollutants are located and how that impacts low-income and minority people.  That is a growing area of environmental law and concern.

There is a lot of room to expand this issue so that it speaks to more people on a level that really gets people on a gut level.

Tay, you are absolutely right - environmental justice is a big issue.

Like sustainability, it’s an aspect of the issue that usually flies under the radar for most people.  But I am sure Sen. Kerry is well informed and on the case there as well.

Island Bue, I agree

It is refreshing to hear a Senator speaking of talking to scientists and making decsions based on what they say is possible on climate change prevention, rather than insisting on answers that get them votes in needed states.

On Iraq, he also has based his policies on what the experts say - although in the case of diplomacy he is one himself.

I think most people connect to environmental issues based on what they are seeing in their own parts of the world.  I am in Massachusetts.  Last summer we heard about the strange and rapid decay of the special dunes areas on the Cape.  That is rapid change that people can see for themselves.  Sen. Kerry has mentioned hunters and others who are highly sensitive to this changes that they see first hand.

We need to bring more people into this fight. It would be nice to do so with arguments that everyone can see and understand, almost right off.  The science of this issue is complex, but the results of climate change is there to see for anyone who wants to see it.  We need to hear the voices of these ordinary ‘stewards of the environment’ a lot more.

Same with the environmental justice issue.  The rise of certain ‘cancer clusters’ and other problems associated with pollution runoffs and bad storage containment is only going to get bigger.  The late Molly Ivins wrote about the huge problems in Texas that are a legacy of the unwillingness of officials there to demand regulation on the pollutant industries.  The nearest neighbors there are really suffering.  This area of politics and law is only going to grow.

I agree GV.  I was watching “Iraq For Sale” last night, and I was wondering why the mainstream media has been so complicant in covering up for all of the folks (many connected with the current administration) who are getting filthy rich off of the suffering of not only the Iraqi people, but of our soldiers as well.

There are huge stories to be told, but they barely get a meniton on the evening news.  You would think that the 24/7 news channels would have time to do a story or two, but apparently not.

If it doesn’t fit their soap opera view of what news should be, it’s not news.  Very sad.

IB, it’s six weeks into 2007, and I swear I can’t listen to another word about Nov 2008.
People are going to be so sick of it by the time it’s actually time to think about the ‘08 election, I wonder if they’ll have tuned out.
There’s a war going on.  I don’t much care about Rudy or Hillary or Obama or any of them, except what they’re doing to help this country NOW.
Maybe it’s because people are just so anxious to get rid of the current administration.  Or perhaps it’s purposeful distraction.  Who knows.
In any case, if I want to see a circus, I’ll buy a ticket.  What I’d really like to see on CNN etc is the news.

MH,
The climate change hearings can be seen through the Senate web archives.  Web archive is still visible at the website for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Home page for this committee:http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public

Web page for the Feb. 7 climate-change hearing:
http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=1812

Click on “View Archive Webcast”

I think you need RealMedia player to watch, but that can be dowloaded for free from a number of sources, including (I think) CSPAN as well as a number of commercial sites.

It’s really worth watching. Kerry’s opening statement(1st 1/2 hour of 2 1/2 hour broadcst) is very strong , and his sharp questioning of Bush’s NOAA guy (Brennan?) is NOT TO BE MISSED. That’ s in the last 1/2 hour: you can scroll through the video to get there.

Note to webmaster at johnkerry.com: can’t you post this climate-change hearing link on the johnkerry.com website? People really need to see this!!!

Just saw the interview - you Boston people did a fantastic job!

I really liked his answer that the things that he says now - that are the same things he was saying - will now not be seen as political.  That is a really nice point - as was his comment that he intended to speak what he thinks - and might or might not endorse anyone.

Great interview.

Thank you, Kerstin, for pointing that out.  I heard that but I couldn’t type fast enough to get it down.

ProSense said;

What strikes me is that the implication of the questions is that it’s going to get worse if U.S. troops combat forces are pulled out. I’m still amazed that anyone continues to make this argument given that Iraq is rapidly moving toward complete chaos despite our presence on the ground.

Agreed! That ship has sailed a long time ago. There is very little that troops can do to make a difference anymore. Lives are being lost on a daily basis because a civil war is raging in Iraq now that has been stewing beneath the surface for a long time.
To believe that this can be fixed by keeping, and even adding more, troops into the fray, is insane.

Good details of the interview. 

On Iraq—check out this interview on NBC nightly news with soldiers and military families.  It echoes what JK has been saying for years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKGdbcSZezw

On Iran—Apparently, Bush is still trying to release cooked up evidence again.  I hope JK will be able to work with other Senators to force the President to comply with the law.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/10/iran-cooked-intel/

Last, (for now), I’m happy to see him tackling these issues that he cares about.  But there’s one issue that we really need his attention on too.  It’s universal health care.  Now that he’s able to be freer to speak up, I sincerely hope John Kerry will pick up the mantle on universal health care and will support a bill like HR 676

http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:1:./temp/~c110IqpFhC::

Edwards and Obama are speaking the language of providing some form of universal health care, but HR 676 is a specific, workable plan. 

So….JK, please join Rep. Conyers in presenting a bill like this in the Senate. 

After all, there is a strong connection between our health and the state of our environment.  We have more children with asthma.  We have more cases of cancer.  We have God knows what polluting our air and water.  And our own well-being is intimately connected to environmental hazards.  Yet, it’s absolutely ludicrous that we get the double whammy of being squeezed out of services by medical lobbyists and insurance companies while at the same time our body is being subjected to these pollutants.

GV—I am sickened that Nov. 8, 2006, the primary season began.

I’m sorry…but that hurts America!

Finally.  I’m going to have to talk to our local ABC affiliate about this scheduling thing.  10:30 is just not working for me.  :-)

Good clip from the floor speech in the teaser.  Blue tie, for those who don’t have video of the speech (Actually, I think it’s posted on the Senate web site).

JK says no doubt there are weapons going across the border into Iraq.  The key is to engage in diplomacy in the region.  Every expert says Iran doesn’t want complete implosion in Iraq, they want to be players in the region.

Steph. asked him about the deadline, and JK says he’s not recommending precipitous or complete withdrawal.  Without a date, it’s not going to happen.  The summit is critical.  Experts say we need to engage in diplomacy.  We need benchmarks.

Without the date, there is nothing to compel the Iraqi politicians to respond. 

Two issues that kept JK from ‘08 are the war in Iraq and global climate change.

He’s liberated to speak because he’s not running.  He mentioned his and THK’s book. 

He’s not going to get involved in ‘08 now (thank you JK!).  He’s running for another term in the Senate and is going to keep on fighting.

Great interview!

Thanks to everyone, only have about 40 minutes to go before I get to hear it.

I’m hoping I will be able to come back and mention something that perks the ear up as have all the live bloggers.

We need to do this more often. ;-)

Good Morning, everyone, from out here in California! 

I woke up about ten minutes before the interview started (at 8:00 PST) so my observations may reflect being half asleep, still.  :)  However, here they are:

I think JK had one of his best opportunities at explaining his position on Iraq in this interview.  He pushed George S. to let him really define what he wanted to see happen, starting with the emphasis on diplomacy.  He spelled out clearly the role of troops left behind, as many of you have already stated.

I also noticed that when referring to his and Teresa’s new book, he said it was about global climate change and some other things…so now I REALLY can’t wait for my 2 copies to arrive in the mail.  :)

I have one other thought…about his decision on 2008…but I think I’ll ‘reserve’ it to myself for now.

I agree with fedup that we ought to do this more often.  :)  Thank you SO MUCH to those of you who did the hard work to get this started…and for all the live-blogging you have done for us in the past.  In a time where media is so deficient, I always really appreciate the information that all of you provide.

Have a great day, everyone !

John Kerry putting his energy behind the need for viable alternative energy is something I’ve been pushing for years.  I’m thrilled to bits, chuffed in fact, that he’s focusing his talents on this vital, and global, issue.

I’ve never had any doubt he’d lead the way to getting our troops out of harm’s way.

Thanks, JK and Teresa.  Many thanks.

I agree with what has been said about the interview, and Kerry’s sense of renewed freedom. Although I saw a potential pronoungate in the phrasing, can we all be more relaxed now?

Always perfect for me, what he says and how he says it, but he can’t be all things to people’s tastes each time out. That need to be responsible about the process of exiting Iraq, as he explained the need for a date, meant he couldn’t have the Senate delivery, on fire, as he was after the GOP non-resolution debate. As a candidate, we’d hear criticisms, either way.

Then started the TV shows, which I never watch without Kerry as guest (since my moratorium after 04). Deconstructing each candidate, which I would not have wanted repeated about Kerry, again, preventing his efforts to make change from being heard.

As someone who cannot lie, imagine another two years of not being taken at his word.

Chuckled, too, on the ethanol estimate, and the many positions the candidates will have to address, tackle, vote on, just because Kerry will push the discussion and legislation.

Thank you, everyone, for the spot-on perfect, helpful analysis.