Commentary by H.G. Listiak

Thursday 3/18/2004

Welcome to My World, where my head is still spinning from the latest ride on the Kerry-go-round. A week ago Monday in Florida, John Kerry, the Democratic presidential choice, told reporters he had met with foreign leaders who couldn't go public but told him quote "You've got to beat this guy. We need a new policy. Things like that." End of quote. So who are these leaders and what is he telling them in private that gets them so fired up about his candidacy? What is Kerry telling them that he isn't telling Americans? Kerry simply says it's his business and not ours. He won't say. Last Friday the Washington Times reported that a careful search of travel records for both Kerry and major foreign leaders reveals that he hasn't made an official foreign trip since 2002 and he hasn't even been in the same U.S. town as a visiting foreign leader except for a day in September when he was in Washington on the same day as New Zealand's foreign minister. So is the good Senator, who says he actually met with these leaders, on the phone, or using email? Or is he just making it up? His campaign spokeswoman says in terms of who he's talked to, they are not discussing it, yet it was Kerry who made it public. And he does have the right to visit with foreign leaders, but he won't name them, and most of the foreign leaders don't seem to recall such meetings. Kerry doesn't, however, have the right to bait any foreigner with U.S. foreign policy. That is the job of the current administration. The story of Kerry's mysterious foreign legion was brought to the attention of Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has challenged Kerry to name these leaders he says are so enthusiastic about him becoming the next president, but Kerry refused saying he wouldn't violate their confidence. He also refuses to say how high up these leaders are. If he is actually conspiring with these leaders behind the back of our current administration, I can't even tell you how bad those implications would be, not only for Kerry, but for America as well. It would be better for us all if he was just telling tall tales, which I suspect is the case. We actually have no solid evidence of these meetings beyond Senator Kerry's bragging, as I see it ... I'm H.G. Listiak.