Ramblings' Journal

Kerry says he'll discontinue terror alerts; head in sand works better

John Kerry says that he'll quit using the color-coded terror alert system that's been in use since shortly after 9/11, in a new Rolling Stone interview by publisher Jann Wenner being published late this week.

"I think Americans, sadly, laugh at it," Kerry said, referring to the alerts in an interview to be published Friday in Rolling Stone. "They don't know what to do."

The interview includes a response from Kerry to the Swift Boat Veterans group that has put commercials opposing his candidacy on television.

Kerry said he felt "a sense of bitter disappointment" by the ads run by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that questioned his conduct and the medals he received as a naval lieutenant during the Vietnam War. But he insisted he and others had dealt effectively with the ad controversy, despite widespread criticism that his campaign had been slow to respond.

"Look, when people hold up something that's a complete and total lie, it takes a few days to show people and convince them. We did. They've been completely discredited," Kerry said. "I was surprised that the media, even when they knew it was lies, continued to cover it and treat it as entertainment."

Rolling Stone is on the record as supporting the removal of President Bush by any means necessary. The magazine's support of Kerry is well known, and has had several articles supportive of the candidate over the course of the year.

Posted by mhking at October 20, 2004 01:33 PM