He would have been an ideal president; he still is and should run on experience of all that happened. It is not difficult against a divider and pathological liar.
Mr. Kerry's book is well written and tells many things we did not know.
3
As honest an assessment of current affairs as I have heard recently.
1
The world is worried about America? But of course! I am worried about America and the world.
1
Dear John, I campaigned for you when running for President. I remember the Winter Soldiers back from Vietnam, Vets Against the War.... thank you deeply... there was no stronger voice than those vets. But very troubling was you rode the Freeze Campaign's support to victory in the 1980's. We had high hopes. You let us down. Forgotten the unspeakable cost of the nuclear weapon industry (Trillions), that you used to mention? And the irreversible devastating effects of one detonation (by error or design)? Effect on Climate?! That nuclear weapons violate all military, humantarian, ethical, civil laws, Geneva Conventions, Nuremburg Principles, World Court, and our own NPT which Pres. Johnson brought to the UN in 1968? among many others. Did you not listen to the Commander of all our Strategic Forces General Lee Butler, back in the 1990's, up to this day, calling for abolition. Not notice that after the tremendous efforts of millions upon millions of citizens taking to the streets in the 1980's, passing resolutions, signing every petition known to stop this destruction of planet and civilization... that we, during your administration had begun to ratchet up another cold war and build anew?! Not Trump, you. These devices don't keep anyone safe and secure. These industries are presently continuing to greatly poison our earth, and importantly remain outside the realm of any democractic process. Our citizens are not educated about them. Please become a leader again.
2
I was impressed by Kerry as a spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans against that war and find it incomprehensible that with the insight he gained during that experience and a fair i.qu. he could vote for a war against the thoroughly defeated, sanctioned and supervised Saddam Hussein. That is, subsequent to his actions in 1971 Kerry has been just another big disappointment, a typical U.S. upper class politician.
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/Primary/Manife...
1
Says the man who, violated the Logan Act, and should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
2
The United States affects so much of what happens on this planet either directly or indirectly. As a Canadian, I am very worried as to where your country is headed. Get it together .
1
The myopic view that the World is "Worried" about America is disgusting. Mr. Kerry has been a big part of our governments stripping away of the federal safety net for Americans, has consistently been champion for our misadventures militarily oversea's with no end in sight, and continues to support the unchecked almost drug-addicted spending by the Federal government. If anything the World has stepped into the vacuum created by John Kerry and people of his generation and now are moving beyond any need of the United States economically or socially. I solute his service to our country but from a government standpoint he's been part of the problem not the solution. Looking towards these past politicians because President Trump is an embarrassment is not the answer.
1
I’m actually worried about a fool who has made one foreign policy blunder after another. No joke- I can’t think of one success or smart move by Kerry. Totally clueless and a total sap when it came to Russia, Syria and Iran. Those guys could not stop laughing at us. A dismal failure in Iraq and Egypt and Israel. Truly one of the worst negotiators Meanwhile, Trump has been harder on Russia than obama/Kerry, helping Ukraine, killing russians in Syria when they get in the way, and Trump never would have allowed Russia to get a toehold there in the first place. Trump has gotten NATO to finally spend more money. Stopped giving money to Iran as it spreads more mayhem and invests in ICBM and hold our citizens hostage. The world Trump inherited reached a low point we haven’t seen since Carter.
1
This guy's know-it-all righteousness and refusal to go away when booted out make the idea of the Deep State seem like something worth considering plausible.
The "signal" Iran Deal was a disaster. It was approved by all the "important" nations that seem to be quiet now, that don't really matter or do much other than finger-wag... Europe especially. China and Russia only pretended to care if they could get the US to apologize its way into docility.
Now that the playing field has shifted, France is taking action, Germany is duly being quiet, and amazingly no one is buying Iranian oil, and the Islamic Republic is folding like Venezuela. It is working, but you'd never know it to read the tilted view here.
And this guy John Kerry is talking about all the horrible pent-up bad karma that is coming... This is the same nonsense people used when Reagan was beating down the Soviet Union. A reversing reckoning was always nigh... it never came.
Mark this also-ran's words and come back in 15 years and assess them through the lens of a safer and sounder world.
2
Kerry is definitely running for Pres in 2020. It appears media is pushing for it. Not my choice in the past, and not my choice in the future. I know he would be better than the clown in there now. Keep looking. Still want Al Franken.
1
Let’s see, if memory serves me, I do not think Kerry distinguished himself either in or after Vietnam. Now, as a similarly undistinguished former Secretary of State, he is actively undermining the efforts of the duly elected President and his administration’s effort to deal with a terrorist country that Kerry delivered about $150 Billion in cash currency for its terrorist activities and allowed the development of its nuclear capabilities in a few years.
However you cut it, Kerry’s activities seem treason. I think Kerry has done enough. He should stop.
Let’s see, we need a new special prosecutor for all the real Russian involvement with the democrats and another to investigate KERRY’s violation violations of the Logan Act.
Oh, and his security clearance should be jerked if it hasn’t already.
This is getting expensive!
2
Chuck Schumer should run and John Kerry should run. There should be an appreciation of the decades of experience both have.
Mr. Kerry's answer to the last question resonates with reality. Ordinary citizens in multiple countries tell me that they read the daily US news about the 'president' to get their daily hee-haw.
But seriously, they are worried about a former bastion of stability. They no longer see the USA as "land of the brave, home of the free."
3
Kerry, a privileged, dishonest, and grossly over-rated self-promoter. Despite the media’s support of his actions, he had no right to hold meetings with Iran’s representatives at a sensitive juncture in our country’s relations with that terrorist enabling regime. Disgraceful conduct, unbecoming a former Secretary of State.
2
Dear Mr Kerry, to say the world is worried about America under Trump is massive understatement. Trump is a clear and present danger to America and the world. You have a major problem on your hands. The USA has a broken political system and all indications as of now is that there is no possible fix any time soon.
3
The world is certainly correct to worry about the
level of sanity at the highest levels of state, but
this pathetic farce we're now forced to live through
could have been avoided if the political elites in Kerry's political party had addressed head on the justifiable economic anxieties
of the working class whose status post 2008 was not good
at all.
1
John Kerry served his country honorably fighting a war he didn't even believe in and was wounded three times before being allowed to return home. How did we repay him? Oh right we voted for his opponent who went out of his way to avoid combat and used his daddy's connections to do so. We let Bush swiftboat John Kerry and our reward was unnecessary war and economic ruin.
Mr Kerry did good work in the Senate and as secretary of state. He recognized the value of compromise and the power of forgiveness. He would have been a thoughtful president at a time when our nation needed strong leadership not lies and misdirection.
4
It’s hard to listen to this man - a man that I once respected, even if disagreed with, when he was sparring William Weld - but now, as he dines with Zarif, probably bathed in the shadow of Renaissance architectural grandeur, he sounds like nails on a chalkboard. Like Chamberlain dinning with Ribbentrop.
1
A young Swede cooking burgers in Berlin told me as I paid my bill and we discussed Trump, What’s bad for America is bad for the world.
I couldn’t disagree.
2
John Kerry was an incompetent, do-nothing Senator here in Massachusetts. He was known as the “anti-Kennedy.” Meaning if you wanted something done you went to Ted’s office, which represented the people, and not to Kerry’s office, which represented Kerry.
He was a lackluster presidential candidate in 2004, after the Iraqi debacle had already occurred. Remember how he voted for the Iraq invasion before he was against it?
And as Obama’s second Secretary of State he presided over the Syrian disaster that swamped Europe with refugees, which Obama himself says was the biggest failure of his presidency. And then he worked on giving billions of dollars to Iran in return for a short-term deal.
Why anybody cares what Kerry says is beyond me.
3
Please make sure you vote and bring Democrats in house and Senate, if GOP remains in power; they (& Trump) will go with double speed at destroying the America as it stands and in the process will kill our planet and world peace.
2
Rest of the world worried about America? We sure are.
1
I don't know how any sane person could not be worried about the current situation in the United States.
1
Unfortunately the days when sensible politicians such as Kerry held sway seem to be long gone. Instead we have a putrid style of showmanship not unlike a tacky infomercial. And like infomercials there are those who can see today’s politics as hype and lies and there are others who buy it gullibly without questioning. John Kerry is sorely missed from the world stage and one can only hope that a person of his caliber may help America become great again one day because at the moment it has truly lost its way.
2
Kerry was born with a Forbes silver spoon in his mouth and married into big money. Yes, yes, he served his nation well, but has been in a bubble for too long since. He's clueless about the TPP's problematic nature to the real world and regular people. Remember them, John?
I think a TPP was crucial as a national security matter, but it was perverted, as usual for US trade agreements, by favoring multinational corporations (perhaps a more accurate adjective would be extranational, like so much of the money is these days. Corporations are as patriotic as they need to be in the moment to protect/achieve their interests.)
It also suffered from being developed behind closed doors by those same corporations and their lackeys in government, and from providing for regulatory overrides by private interests to the disfavor of labor, environmental protections and safety, and subjecting dispute resolution to adjudication by private corporate processes. That's why it was a bad deal, John - hey, where'd you go, John? Oh, off to parasurf, again, or jet off to another meeting... Earth to John!
3
Kerry lost his election against W because the issue that year was the Iraq War and Kerry was for the War.
He was part of that generation who wanted to fight Vietnam all over again but win this time. It was fundamentally unsound (possibly insane) thinking of his generation and aided by the immorality of Rumsfeld, the real architect of that "preemptive strike".
He was seen for what he was then, not much better than what we already had. America made it's opinion clear that year and clearer still when it elected Obama 4 years later in part because finally someone had the courage to stand up against mass murder.
Kerry has a public record which is not awful, and he may be an elder statesman, but he's not wise. A wise man would have an against the Iraq War in 2004. A moral man would have. He is not even to be considered for a 2020 run, which is all this book is about. Kerry should retire from public life if he can not embrace anything more original than to rush to the defense of the status quo. Yes, Trump BAD we get that. Kerry is worse, he's a conformist
3
correct. the world is worried about trump and even more about the complicity of the gop.
2
I agree with everything that John Kerry says.
I voted for John Kerry in 2004 and was sick for several days after the election.
But the very hard truth is that he has never learned that he lost that election, and that we (I voted for Hillary) lost the election in 2016.
The very hard truth is that John Kerry has in fact committed treason against the United States through his recent meetings with Iran. He is in fact meeting with a foreign government, a government officially designated as an enemy of the United States, and is willfully, trying to undermine the lawful elected government of the United States.
John Kerry has to respect the just awful foreign policy that has resulted from Trump. The fact is that Donald Trump was elected to carry out the wishes of the voters. The voters were horribly misguided, but the voters have absolute power in a Democracy and have willfully chosen a horrible path.
John Kerry has to respect the laws of the United States, and he does not get a break for violating laws, no matter how immoral they may.
John Kerry has recourse. That is, to convince the people to change the government in the next election.
That is the ONLY option available. He cannot willfully break our laws.
The former, much appreciated, Secretary of State may be worried, but it is not his responsibility to conduct his own foreign policy. Shame.
Haven taken advantage of America for years, the rest of the world becomes worried when America wildly swings the other way. Cause and effect.
I agree that John Kerry would have made a great President; if he were 10 years younger. The job is very hard on any normal man and at 74 that would make him 76 before he even starts. And yes, there seems to be an empty space for replacements of his worth. Lets hope that the times make a new leader rise up.
1
Trump is very far down the process of "controlled flight into terrain", otherwise known as flying himself straight into a mountain. Kerry knows that. All he needs to do is look normal and go about his business. He's got quite a nice life as it is now.
1
As an Expat living in Canada I will confirm the premise that the world is deeply concerned about the situation in the states. For example. the treaty negotiations around NAFTA. Canada is now the enemy/outsider...really??? Remember who took in all the airlines during 9/11 or the hostage situation in Iran! With friends like Trump who needs enemies?
4
The world should be worried.
I would happily vote for the professionalism and decency that Mr. Kerry represents.
John Kerry says the world is worried about the Trump administration. Yet despite his best efforts, President Trump has not been able to inflict real damage on the world and probably will not. Donald Trump says the world has been laughing at America; nobody's been laughing at America, but now the whole world is laughing at Donald Trump.
1
The US is doing just fine. Who is the world anyway? Merkel and Junker?
About the Paris Climate Accord - no country is on target, least of all, Germany. As reported recently in the NYT, Germany even is evacuating by force the tree dwellers, who were protesting the planned destruction of the last remaining stand of woods near a coal strip mine in Rheinland Westfalia. That does not sound in compliance with the spirit of the Paris Accord. At least Trump ironically was being honest in exiting the Accord. Germany criticized Trump for exiting but is hardly living up to the Accord. That is called hypocrisy.
Also, Kerry is too chummy with Iran, who is arguably more of an enemy to the US than Russia is. He should worry less about the world and more about the Logan Act, which he most probably has violated.
Don't worry, Trump will be aligned with the World soon enough, because open-border globalists (and Iran apologists) are increasingly being replaced via the democratic process at the voting booths by controlled-border leaders, who are more aligned with Trump than they are with Merkel and Kerry.
The US is doing just fine. Who is the world anyway? Merkel and Junker?
About the Paris Climate Accord - no country is on target, least of all, Germany. Germany even is evacuating by force the tree dwellers, who were protesting the planned destruction of the last remaining stand of woods near a coal strip mine in Rheinland Westfalia. That does not sound in compliance with the spirit of the Paris Accord. At least Trump ironically was being honest in exiting the Accord. Germany criticized Trump for exiting but is hardly living up to the Accord. It is called hypocrisy.
Also, Kerry is too chummy with Iran, who is arguably more of an enemy to the US than Russia is. He should worry less about the world and more about the Logan Act, which he most probably has violated.
Don't worry, Trump will be aligned with the World soon enough, because open-border globalists are increasingly being replaced via the democratic process at the voting booths by controlled-border leaders, who are more aligned with Trump than they are with Merkel and Kerry.
John Kerry's time has passed,he should move on and enjoy retirement and his wife's money while he's healthy enough to do so.
1
He was a traitor in the past with Vietnam today with Iran and will be traitor in the future .
1
There's no reason to doubt John Kerry. He has always been a stand-up kind of a guy who never shyed away from expressing his true opinion.
How else do you explain a man who honourably served in Vietnam, only to come back and become a major force in the anti-War movement.
This is someone who knows what it is to serve one's country, and he has never betrayed the United States of America for either fame or for profit.
So when John Kerry says the world is worried about America -- there's every reason to believe him.
And to that we can only hope that both he and the rest of the world knows there are many Americans who are just as worried about this country as well.
Here they come. I've been watching them slowly and insidiously making the rounds on late night talk shows and book tours. Eric Holder, Booker, and now John Kerry, all positioning themselves for 2020. John Kerry is probably one of the more egregious one of them, a full-throttle war monger despite knowing what interventional wars are like having served in one himself. He voted YES for the Bush/Cheney Iraq war, a vote where Ted Kennedy, his mentor and colleague , had voted no. He has no business being anywhere near the Oval Office, let alone sitting in it. But, after four years of Trump, people will not be thinking clearly, just as after eight years of neoliberal policy from Obama, people turned off or voted for anyone willing to say they would end the wars, cancel the disastrous trade deal, TPP, and address income inequality. Keep in mind we have a Trump in office because of people like Kerry, Hillary, Holder, and Obama. He is the inevitable result of forty years of neoliberal Democratic policy. I know my Democratic colleagues will scoff at this and howl bitterly, but it has already been proven true.
Pleasant comments, Mr. Kerry, but your ship has sailed - some of us remember how readily you caved when you ran against George Bush. It's time for young dynamic Democratic leadership not beholden to corporate bribery. And, by the way, can we stop referring to these trade deals like the TPP as "free trade agreements" and call them what they are - "cheap labor agreements" that only benefit transnational corporations and the politicians they own?
Yes, John Kerry is well liked on the international scene. His foreign policy was friendly toward the donor class. TPP is only one example; protecting global carmakers, pharma, tech firms, and farmers, while moving jobs from American workers to Asia. The insane treatment of Gaddafi is another example where the oil companies set the agenda. Trump exposed the collusion of global corporations and US diplomats like Kerry to the break the back of manufacturing in America and protect multinational corporations from American wages and labor laws.
2
John Kerry is exactly my age, so we are veterans of the same wars--foreign and domestic--and I have been aware of him for decades.
It was only when I saw "The Final Year," however, that I began to grasp his particular genius as a member of President Obama's team of diplomats whose mission during that last year was to find diplomatic solutions to a few of the world's most difficult situations--one of which was certainly Iran.
I was impressed with the quiet, choreographed patience with which Kerry approached each day of negotiations, discussions, preparation. His ability to take one step forward, sometimes two steps back. The dance of diplomacy. He never wavered, never let despair overcome him, never lost sight of the goal. One small victory after another, some obvious failures, but that delicacy of thought and action has been lost. The understanding that being careful--taking care-is important, has been lost.
John Kerry, whatever his flaws, in my mind is the epitome of a diplomat. I am glad to see him still on stage, doing what he does without any fuss or drama.
Lovely man.
1
“They understand that we have a president who is not steeped in history, not knowledgeable about what he’s doing and talking about. Most of them hold their breath and try to get through meetings.”
Trump supporters, a.k.a. trumpkins, love trump’s anti-intellectual pandering to them. They could destroy this nations’s great democracy.
Congress is shy of those with military experience, and in 2000, Republican primary voters chose George W. Bush, who was able to avoid service in Vietnam, over John McCain, a far more intelligent and experienced war hero. In 2000, McCain would have won the general election with a near landslide, as a significant number of Democrats would have voted for him. And, in 2000. Al Gore was the candidate who served admirably in Vietnam. Republicans didn’t support that.
The nomination of W predicted trump’s nomination; trump, who avoided service in Vietnam and insults John McCain.
Fox Noise loyally reports trump’s demogoguery. When I was visiting the heartland last year, an owner of a B&B confided in me that he thought that John McCain “got a break” in Vietnam. Trump people are idiots. First of all, five years in prison camp is not a break. This particular idiot trump supporter was not aware of that. Second of all, he got that idea from Fox Noise that is the official trump propaganda organ.
I salute John Kerry for his lifetime service; I voted for him. I was a Marine in Vietnam when he was serving. This nation needs to return to democracy.
61
Mr Kerry would have made a great President and I still wish he would run again. He did well in Vietnam compared to our afraid President Trump who chose to get a medical deferment for a foot bone spur but played college football for several years. Mr Kerry wants to save the planet from the GOP polluters and pass it on to future generations. He and like minded men is why I am a life long Democrat. I am glad I believe what he if for.
57
There’s a good reason Americans didn’t elect Sen. Kerry President. His recent “discussions” with Iran just provide more evidence.
1
We do/did not want the TPP. We are tired of trade agreements that favor US multinational corporations.
11
@K. So, you think having others make the rules is better than being at the table and shaping things? The late 1940s and 1950s, when America was pretty much self-sufficient (and the rest of the developed world was a rubble-heap, after WW II) are long gone; we are part of the world economy, and we can either be pro-active and have influence, or passively accept what others decide. Is it really necessary to spell out which is preferable?
Besides, TPP had labour-protections built in, and at our level, not the level of, say, Vietnam.
Anyway, Trump (and others) didn't really understand what TPP was about; he just knew Obama negotiated it, therefore it must be scrapped; what a buffoon.
2
The world is right to be worried about the United States. But the two major problems facing all nations - the distribution of wealth and climate change - go well beyond our borders.
64
A thoughtful man willing to speak truth to power. He would have been a good president, perhaps a great one. Considering who we got in his place, a tragic lost opportunity.
116
Thoughtful? Like the Russian reset? Russia in Syria? Letting Ukraine fend for itself? Our relations with Egypt? Not standing up to China on the high seas as she restricts free movement there? NATO not paying its share? The Iran deal that allows Iran to hold our citizens hostage, spread more mayhem across the middle east and continue with ICBM research? Leaving Iraq to fend for itself? Yea. Very thoughtful.
1
About 80% of the opposition to the TPP came from liberal groups, Republicans generally supported it. But, Trump dumps it and voila, the greatest treaty in history.
13
The TPP was good for one thing: Keeping a check on China's expanding sphere of economic influence in the Pacific. Unfortunately, everything else about it was bad
8
@Traymn"Liberal groups" are not the Democratic Party, which essentially supported it. Just like Trump is not the Republican Party. Oh, wait, it is now.
@Traymn
The percentage may not be as high, but NAFTA, is along the same lines. Funny how the Republican electorate sees it now.
It’s time for more prominent people like John Kerry to speak up. There is so many questionable actions going on that it’s almost impossible to keep them straight. The topmost items like the Kavanaugh hearings, Trump’s outrageous comments about hurricane Maria, the op ed are major crises but they are also distractions that obscure other very important issues that need attention.
This is just a partial list but each one of these items are crucial and need potential action immigrants debacle, the Helsinki meeting, North Korea, ripping up critical trade agreements, the rollback of environmental protections and the tariffs.
39
I can only marvel, dream about, with tears in my eyes, how much better off we would be, had Kerry defeated Bush II. The clearest lesson I derived from watching him get swift-boated was that democrats had no spines, and republicans no conscience. The savaging of McCain after Trump's chiding only reinforced my conviction in the latter; the refusal of democrats to vote for Hillary (because she lacked ideological purity) only reinforced my conviction in the former.
What makes America great is that the largest constituency in this country is unconvinced about the veracity of either the American left or the American right. I am not sure whether anyone would agree, but Kerry was dead center (representing the greatest of all American values: reason, logic, fact, conscience, patriotism, bravery, integrity, humility, honesty). I suspect he will be remembered in history as one our truly great politicians. I am proud to have voted for him, and would again if he ever ran.
127
@Kalidan
I proudly voted for him, too. I'm afraid he would lose again were he to run. It's time to look to the younger, less divided politicians to save us now. If, indeed, there are any.
9
@Kalidan
I agree about Kerry but your list of values that he represented (reason, logic, fact, ....) are all subjective in the world of politics. It amazes me how differently our two political parties can interpret things that seem to me to be a fundamental, objective truths. Republicans will claim to be using reason, logic, and facts to get rid of ACA while Democrats claim the same thing in support of it.
As much as we all feel that the party we each choose to support has the moral and ethical high ground, there is no objective reason for that to be the case. The fact is we are divided by opinions and nothing more.
2
@Scott Werden: you must be a millennial. Welcome to politics. There is no idealism, only realism. In a democracy, people confront with their needs; nothing more.
John Kerry has always made me proud that he represents our nation in the world. The United States would have been traveling on a much higher road had he become president.
The childish, venomous comments on this column seem to all be related to Iran-Israel, and to be made by those who don't understand that diplomacy is designed to help peoples work together, to find common goals. Not talking is not a sensible nor a safe approach, especially in this tiny world and it's massively destructive weapons.
Years ago I went to a meeting where one of John Kerry's family member spoke. Someone asked why Mr. Kerry didn't speak French when he was in France, since he's fluent. The response says a lot about the US: he'd lose votes if he communicated in French.
There is no fear now that our leaders will show the sophistication, discipline, and humility to communicate with other nations in their own tongues. Instead we bleep out toxic little bits of nastiness and insult, often in a language scarcely recognizable as English.
John Kerry, you've always worked incredibly hard and with open-minded insight. I wish even now that you could run for and win the presidency (you certainly appear young enough), and I hope that you'll guide us towards those candidates worthy of your support.
THANK YOU!
134
@sing75 Well said - Kerry the voice of reason. We need his counsel and guidance going forward.
1
@sing75
You know, I agree with everything that you say. But you fundamentally miss that one inconvenient feature of a Democracy, that is, the will of the people.
The will of the people elected Donald Trump to conduct the horrible foreign policy that is happening right now. But... we lost the argument and lost the election. The will of the people is the foreign policy that we are getting.
If you have any respect for the United States, you will respect the will of the people for the horror that they have brought on us.
You lost . They won. We all lose. But we are all in bed together, and have to accept the worst of Democracy, that is when the will of the people bring horror and ruin.
Alternative? Revolution. Good luck with that.
Although he was wrong to vote in favor of Iraq, still voted for Mr. Kerry with zero reservations in 2004 presidential election.
For the people frustrated with his back-channel communications with Iran, you have a good point. But how about Nixon's back-channel communications with Vietnam to undermine peace talks during 1968 election? How about Reagan-Bush's back-channel communications with Iran themselves, to extend the hostage crisis during the 1980 election? Or Iran-Contra anyone? How about Ted Kennedy's conversations with the Soviets in early 1980's, trying to position himself for 1984 presidential race? What about Bobby & Jackie Kennedy's contacts with both the Soviets & French intelligence, etc. in the wake of President Kennedy's assassination?
For better and frequently for worse, prominent politicians have been using their contacts for a long time to go around official policy emanating from Washington. Perhaps DOJ should dust off the Logan Act and advance a prosecution. Until they do, or until Congress updates the Logan Act, expect this behavior to continue.
As for Mr. Kerry, would encourage him to speak to his fellow Democrats about returning to the center on immigration. If you are a "Barbara Jordan" Democrat who supports the recommendations of President Clinton's Bipartisan Commission on Immigration Reform, there is unfortunately no place left for you in today's Democratic Party.
4
Many would like to see Mr. Kerry running again for presidency. I hope he consider that option seriously.
45
@Eddie B.
Would be a victory for Trump,
@Eddie B.
The Republican Party would gladly see John Kerry run for president in 2020. With his failed track record, it would be a slam dunk win for the Republicans.
Gag me. Still another narcissistic book by by the worst Secretary of State in US history. He served in Vietnam. He married a billionaire widow (who promptly had a stroke when she realized what she had done). The rest of his career has been failure upon failure. He was so bad that he lost the presidency to George Bush. Shut up, John.
22
@SMJ My Lord, I have never read anything so shallow, so full of hate, even including Trump's tweets. You hold Kerry's service in Vietnam against him?! You claim his wife had a stroke because she realized she married him?!
What have been his failures? I'm an atheist but I hope God puts a pox upon your huse
206
@SMJ Kerry was in my class in law school, and while I was no fan of his personally, I think he would have made a great President. As to his "failure upon failure," I think the only thing he ever failed at was getting elected President. Otherwise, he attained success after success.
3
@SMJ
please. We readers hope to get thoughtful comment when we read comments.
1
I hope he is our next President.
59
Working with an outlaw government that spreads terror throughout the world against the wishes of the state department .
How is this behavior justified? It's just plain WRONG.
17
I doubt if the world is half as worried about Trump as many Americans were about Kerry when he imagined he had the requisite smarts to negotiate a nuclear freeze deal with the Iranians.And as events have shown, we were right.
17
@Jacob handelsman Please make an attempt to know the facts. Iran HAS abided by the treaty; indeed, it is still doing so. The only signatory who hasn't kept their end of the treaty has been the USA. And what events have shown that you naysayers were right? Well?
162
Please, name those events. If you make a claim like that, you should back it up with some facts.
@Jacob handelsman Much of the developed world signed off on the treaty, as well. They knew full well what was in it.
2
Dude. You shouldn't be rubbing shoulders with Iranian officials. Nor should you be telling our friends and foes to "wait it out". Not only is it in America's interests for these countries to deal with us right now, but it is vital to the interests of the world. Seriously, what is wrong with you?
You can pretend to be a state official, but you are not. You hold no position representing the US, and from your malfeasance, G-d willing you never will again. Grow up and get over yourself
25
@James There are journalists, academics, think tank guys, financial types, lawyers, economists and at times even ex-politicians constantly engaging in dialogue with officials and non-officials from other countries including those that are adversarial. They are not pretending to be state department officials nor are they representing anyone except themselves. I hope you understand that is how open minds work.
174
@James
Comments are open to all. I always am on the lookout for more than grumbling. Good luck to you.
@MTA
Problem with that is, that John Kerry is actively working to undermine the foreign policy of the United States. That is usually called treason.
The man is not treasonous, but he is hopelessly naive. He still cannot get over the fact that he lost in 2004 (I voted for him).
He also cannot get over the fact that everything that he worked so hard for has been effectively reversed by Donald Trump, and has made the world a so much worse place.
But .... he does not understand the the people, in their unguided ignorance, knew exactly what they were doing when they elected Donald Trump. That means that the people elected Donald Trump to commit the horrors that he is doing to America's place in the world. The American peopel did this, and unfortunately we lost the argument.
Donald Trump is doing what he was elected to do. He was elected to undermine America's place in the world.
We have no choice but to accept the will of the people in this endeavor, since this is what they chose.
You have you work cut out for you. That is, convince the American people why they were wrong.
Good luck with that.
If he had been negotiating with the Iranian foreign minister, he'd have violated the Logan Act.
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@Jonathan Katz Just curious, was Reagan guilty of violating the Logan Act in 1980 prior to becoming president? How about Nixon in 1968 when he negotiated with Viet Nam while Johnson was attempting to negotiate the end of the war there?
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@Jonathan Katz My recollection is that the Logan Act is no longer valid, and has never in its entire history been invoked.
Hold my breath not get chocked for two more years. And hope Americans are smart enough to elect a smarter president, NOT Trump.
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"Most of them hold their breath and try to get through meetings."
Most of us hold our breath every day and just hope we make it intact to Nov. 6th, when, god willing, the tide will begin to turn. Keep up the good work, John Kerry. And keep a close eye on that man behind the curtain --he must soon be dethroned and sent back to his dark cave.
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@Jim Bishop I try to hold my breath. And my nose.
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America is a nation where humans from all corners of the planet, have gathered. America today represents almost every country on earth. It is unfair to think that America only belongs to white Anglo Saxons, or the Irish or the Italians or the Germans who came in the early years of its formation. Since then, African slaves from many countries in Africa, helped build the country, on their backs and shoulders. Native Americans who originally lived here, had protected air water land for generations before white man ever stepped on the shores.
There is no country on earth who does not have a relative who lives in America. So..definitely, people all over the world, are worried concerned and baffled about America. Yet, they know in their guts, if anyone can do it, it is America! She will lead humanity into the 21st century and beyond...despite turbulence turmoil hiccups heartbreaks....The angels have said so, they have been gathering humans from afar, bringing them to America, because it is the true land of hope goodness kindness creativity brilliance generosity warmheartedness and much much more. No one can diminish America, because she is America.
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@Petey Toneies, I'm baffled and concerned but I do not have a relative who lives in the USA. I do have a friend though, of some 40+ years standing. (I live in Australia) I now subscribe to several US publications to keep abreast of what is happening.
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@Petey Tonei
Sorry Petey, but that has changed.
The American people have voted, with eyes wide open, to destroy this notion of America's place in the world.
Trump is doing what he was elected to do.
Who can disagree with a politcian who keeps their campaign promises?
@Petey Tonei
There are other countries with people from all over the world. There are other countries with those good qualities you mention. No the angels didn’t gather them and put them all in the USA - neither the people nor the qualities. Americans need to learn more about other countries of the world, and learn they are not the only country with free and brave people.
You’ve had a government that’s worked. Now it has a malignancy at it’s core, the GOP is doing nothing to rein it in, thereby enabling that malignancy to spread, and destabilise , shifting your government towards a dictatorship. It’s the beginnings of a shift that your GOP is using for it’s own ends, but by doing so is allowing it to go too far.
The world is worried because it’s been down that path before, and WW2 on 2 fronts was the result.
The world is worried because Trump doesn’t know what he’s doing, is ignorant of cause and effect, can’t and won’t learn because of his aberrant psychopathology.
The world is worried because the USA is big enough to destabilise the world, militarily, economically, politically and physically.
Americans are too complacent to vote - a hard fought for right.
When you don’t vote you get government by extremes.
Get out and vote, everyone.
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