An Unanswered Question Today

[Martin Eden]

8. John Kerry broke my heart in October 2002

Last edited Sat Jun 6, 2026, 03:40 PM - Edit history (1)

Not irreparably broken, but extremely disappointed and discouraged.

I joined DU in 2002 when GW Bush and his neocons were ginning up lies for war in Iraq. It was here that I learned about PNAC and their need for a "new Pearl Harbor" to gain public approval. There were loads of information on their deliberate campaign of deceit about WMD and conflation of Iraq with the 9/11 terrorists.

As the vote by Congress on the Iraq War Resoltion approached, I looked to strong Democratic leaders to speak truth to power against this needless war of choice based on lies.

More than anyone else, I looked to John Kerry, who rose to prominence speaking truth to power about the senseless waste of blood and treasure he experienced.

But when the vote came to empower Bush with the authority to launch his war, nearly half the Democrats in Congress voted for it -- including senators John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden.

Today, we look again to strong Democratic leaders to stop the madness. We are more united now against a stupid war and an existential threat to our democracy.

Will it be enough?