GWU Paper Reports on Kerry Appearance

Kerry talks comedy, politics

By Christine Grimaldi

John Kerry may have lost the presidential spotlight to George W. Bush, but the Massachusetts senator landed himself a leading role Tuesday – as a guest star in 6th in the City.

This pop culture allusion denotes the programming branch of the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, which coordinated a 500-person town hall meeting featuring Kerry. George Washington University students were present in the diverse crowd.

Kerry opened his initial lecture by poking fun at the Bush administration.

He said his home state of Massachusetts derives its name from the Native American for “beware of vice president with gun,” referencing the Dick Cheney shooting accident over two weeks ago.

Though Kerry continued to make comic remarks throughout his talk, he assumed a critical view of the Bush administration.

He criticized the administration’s use of biblical values to brush aside health care and energy concerns.

“There is a universality of principle, a universality of value” that must be sought among all faiths and philosophies, Kerry said.

He also called for a “hard-line” position with Hamas that precludes funding pending overhaul of the recently elected Palestinian Authority leadership party.

When questioned about immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, Kerry said the pullout may be more forthcoming than immediate due to the risk of civil war – and blamed Bush for America’s current position.

“What’s killing people over there? Two things, IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) and suicide bombings,” Kerry said. “And no amount of combat troops is going to end up resolving that problem. That’s what’s causing the problem of insurgency.”

Kerry attributed his election loss to lack of funding and the release of an Osama bin Laden videotape four days prior to election, dismissing an audience question that instead linked it to Kerry’s identification as a New England liberal.

“I didn’t lose…because of where I come from,” his long pause eliciting audience laughter.