Fisking Kerry from Debate. Question 3

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Question #3

BRONSING: Senator Kerry, we have been fortunate that there have been no further terrorist attacks on American soil since 9/11. Why do you think this is? And if elected, what will you do to assure our safety?

KERRY: Thank you very much, Ann. I've asked in my security briefings why that is, and I can't go into all the answers, et cetera, but let me say this to you.

Because then I might be tempted to say something substantial which will be attacked in the MSM.

This president and his administration have told you and all of us it's not a question of when, it's a question of — excuse me — not a question of if, it's a question of when. We've been told that. The when I can't tell you. Between the World Trade Center bombing in, what was it, 1993 or so, and the next time was five years, seven years. These people wait. They'll plan. They plot. I agree with the president that we have to go after them and get them wherever they are.

But only go after them and get them after they attack. It would be illegal to pre-emptively act.

I just think I can do that far more effectively, because the most important weapon in doing that is intelligence. You've got to have the best intelligence in the world.

This is why in my Senate voting record, I have always voted to cut the intelligence budgets.

And in order to have the best intelligence in the world to know who the terrorists are and where they are and what they're plotting, you've got to have the best cooperation you've ever had in the world. Now, to go back to your question, Nikki, we're not getting the best cooperation in the world today.

You know, those dicatorships, Islamic countries, and the "bribed" don't cooperate so good. We've got to go in an re-bribe everyone. Money money money. That's the answer. And we'll get the money from.... the rich. (Off topic question? Don't many of the voters, who aren't rich, want to be? So when they become rich, they want to shoulder as much of the tax burden as the non-rich can stuff 'em with, eh?)

We've got a whole bunch of countries that pay a price for dealing with the United States of America now. I'm going to change that. And I'm going to put in place a better homeland security effort. Look, 95 percent of our containers coming into this country are not inspected today.

Lets discuss how many containers come in from overseas. Do you have a cost estimate of X-raying all the containers coming in from overseas. That will put our economy right in the dumps before you blink twice.

When you get on an airplane, your bag is X- rayed, but the cargo hold isn't X-rayed.

Why the bleep would the hold be x-rayed when the baggage going into the hold is x-rayed?

Do you feel safer? This president in the last debate said, "Well, that would be a big tax gap if we did that." Ladies and gentlemen, it's his tax plan. He chose a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans over getting that equipment out into the homeland as fast as possible. We have bridges and tunnels that aren't being secured, chemical plants, nuclear plants that aren't secured, hospitals that are overcrowded with their emergency rooms. If we had a disaster today, could they handle it? This president chose a tax cut over homeland security. Wrong choice.

And I want to raise taxes to astronomical levels to make everything checked all the time.

Question #3a

GIBSON: I want to extend for a minute, Senator. And I'm curious about something you said. You said, "It's not when, but if." You think it's inevitable because the sense of security is a very basic thing with everybody in this country worried about their kids.

KERRY: Well, the president and his experts have told America that it's not a question of if; it's a question of when. And I accept what the president has said. These terrorists are serious, they're deadly, and they know nothing except trying to kill. I understand that.

And we are coming to the understanding that whey you say "I understand that" we don't exactly know what you mean.

That's why I will never stop at anything to hunt down and kill the terrorists. But you heard the president just say to you that we've added money. Folks, the test is not if you've added money; the test is that you've done everything possible to make America secure. He chose a tax cut for wealthy Americans over the things that I listed to you.

Hey, Kerry, I got a tax cut too. I'm not wealthy. The people who didn't get a tax cut are the people who don't pay taxes. Capiche. And guess what, if you paid a lot more in taxes, you got a bigger cut. Duh.