Great Moments in Journalism (Post Rather)

Someone named Betsy to John Kerry: "Prime Minister Allawi told Congress today that democracy was taking hold in Iraq and that the terrorists there were on the defensive. Is he living in the same fantasyland as the president?"

Where I come from that's improper direct examination. It would have earned a warning from any fair judge, although Erwin Chemerinsky probably would have allowed it.

Apparently Kerry is living in the same fantasyland as this reporter hatchetperson. He took the bait and called Allawi a puppet of the Bush Administration. This is the guy who claims he would be better at diplomacy than the president. At least the president knows how to stay on message and to finesse stupid questions.

Mark Steyn:

What a small, graceless man Kerry is. The nature of adversarial politics in a democratic society makes George W. Bush his opponent. But it was entirely Kerry's choice to expand the field, to put himself on the other side of Allawi and the Iraqi people. Given his frequent boasts that he knows how to reach out to America's allies, it's remarkable how often he feels the need to insult them: Britain, Australia, and now free Iraq.. . .

[Referring to Bush and Allawi's press conference] 'Mr. President, John Kerry is accusing you of colossal failures of judgment in Iraq . . .''

NBC guy: ''A central theme of your campaign is that America is safer because of the invasion of Iraq. Can you understand why Americans may not believe you?''

CNN: ''Sir, I'd like you to answer Senator Kerry and other critics who accuse you of hypocrisy or opportunism . . .''

They're six feet from Iraq's head of government and they've got not a question for him. They've got no interest in Iraq except insofar as they can use the issue to depress sufficient numbers of swing voters in Florida and Ohio.. . .

This new crowd -- Democrats and media alike -- are stunted and parochial, their horizons shriveling more every day.

That's the kindest thing you could say about them. If I were Bush, I'd start revoking credentials for reporters who ask questions like that. Now we know why Jesse Ventura called them "jackals." That's an insult to canines everywhere.

Bush'd go up in my estimation in he refused to appear in any debate with Kerry, until Kerry apologizes for his insults of our allies.