John Kerry Smacks Down George Allen for Divisive Comments

Last night at an Indian-American Community Event that was closed to the press event, John Kerry held George Allen accountable for his divisive, bigoted comments made last week. Kerry said, "We need to stop the politics of name-calling and division that push us apart and separate us."

Here's the partial transcript of Kerry's comments about George Allen, from the closed to press event, as released to The Democratic Daily:

“It was so disappointing to hear one of my colleagues make comments that have no place in Virginia, no place in our country, and certainly no place in the United States Senate. George Allen singled out a lone Indian-American college student for ridicule in front of a crowd of mostly white voters. After using a word I won’t repeat, he added insult to injury when he said: “Welcome to America.”

Well, to Senator Allen I think it’s time we said ‘welcome to the twenty first century’ where slurs and slights aren’t a laughing matter. Welcome to a new day where we refuse to accept insults made about Indian-Americans that, if we heard them about African Americans or Jews or Hispanics, would be the end of a political career.

Welcome to our America, where immigration is a source of pride and not a punch line. Welcome to a politics where a young Indian American born in Fairfax Virginia can tell a US Senator: “I’m just as American as you are.” And welcome to Virginia where it’s clear some Republicans need reminding about the “truths” a real Virginian—Thomas Jefferson-- wrote were “self evident” two hundred thirty years ago. And if you ever want a test of whether Republicans are ashamed of George Allen or just embarrassed by him, it comes on November 7th when we have a chance to say ‘welcome to the United States Senate-- to his Democratic opponent, Jim Webb.’

We need to stop the politics of name-calling and division that push us apart and separate us. These times we live in are too important for that kind of distraction from what counts most. This is a time for leadership, and this is a time for truth. It’s no accident that the first words of our first declaration as a free nation were “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” and truth remains America’s bottom line.” – John Kerry

If the Republican's don't get why their financial edge is shrinking, they are missing the point that Americans get that the "first words of our first declaration as a free nation were “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” and truth remains America’s bottom line.” The time for divisive politics has never been so glaringly clear.