Hotline After Dark -- Kerry On My Wayward Son

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Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) made the TV rounds last night to discuss Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) criticism of Pres. Obama's response to the situation in Iran.

Kerry, on McCain saying Obama is not taking the leadership that is incumbent upon a POTUS: "I don't know where he was when the president went to Cairo and gave a speech and stood up in Cairo and talked about democracy and the rights of women and people to be able to express their views. I think the president has been more than powerfully heard across the world about his support for those kind of movements."

More Kerry: "For the president of the United States to get in the middle of what is happening in Iran right now, I believe -- and I think many people believe -- would be an enormous mistake, because it just gives the Iranian clerics, who are already, in some cases, oppressive and restrictive with respect to what people in Iran can do -- more excuse to make America the target and America an excuse for their actions."

More after the jump, including McCain on Obama's approval numbers and George W. Bush's recent remarks.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Kerry, on the New York Times reporting that sr. admin. members, including VP Biden and Sec/State Hillary Clinton, would like to strike a stronger tone in support of the protesters: "Is there any question in anybody's mind about where the president or anybody in America is with respect to what's happening in Iran? Please."

Kerry, on Obama: "His first obligation, frankly, is to do what's necessary to protect the United States of America and our citizens. And the first effort with respect to that is the nuclear program of Iran. I think he's on track to try to deal with that" ("Situation Room," CNN, 6/18).

Kerry, on McCain's criticism that Obama hasn't done enough: "We've seen what hardline rhetoric has gotten us over the last eight years. It's created an Iran that's more powerful in the region, an Iran that's been more reluctant to engage with the rest of the world. The president has opened up new possibilities. I think even the elections in Lebanon a week ago showed the results that come from a different kind of diplomacy, and we need to let the president pursue that."

Kerry, on whether Iranians "know" the U.S. is "rooting for the opposition": "They don't have any illusions about it, but that's very different from overt activities. ... We want the Iranians to carry this. This is an Iranian moment, not an American moment, and we need to have the discipline, the restraint, the maturity to stand back from this as the Iranians proceed."

Kerry, on Obama saying there's "really little difference" between the two sides, and whether he agrees: "No, I don't completely agree with the president on that part of it. I do think there's a difference. There's already some clear stated differences between Mr. Mousavi and where he wants to go. I think what the president is really talking about, though, is not a clarity as to where they might be with respect to the nuclear program and some of the Iranian foreign policy issues. On that, he may be closer to correct than not" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 6/18).

NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE

Meanwhile, McCain was on "Hannity" to talk about Obama's approval numbers slipping, as well as his handling of health care reform and Iran.

McCain: "I think that the personal job approval always follows approval or disapproval of policies, and that's beginning to happen. But he still has strong popularity. But this health care reform issue, Americans are beginning to figure out that this would be a massive government takeover with a multi-trillion dollar additional cost. ... The out-of-control spending staggers the imagination."

McCain, on Obama's health care efforts: "The devastating blow to the administration's plans was a Congressional Budget Office study that came out two days ago that said under the plan that we are considering in the Senate, that it would mean a trillion dollar cost and only cover 1/3 of those that are presently uninsured. Do the math, my friend. That's at least $3 trillion cost and, of course, they have no plan for how to pay for it."

McCain, on Iran: "You and I are both students of history and we've seen this movie before. When Ronald Reagan stood up for the workers in Gdansk in Poland, when he stood up for the people of Czechoslovakia in Prague Spring. ... And some good Democrats did, too. ... We have a fundamental belief in the rights of every human being, and that is as was articulated on July 4th, 1776, that we believe that all have our God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

More McCain: "We are walking by on the other side of the street here. We should weigh in and say we're not going to send arms, we're not for violence, but we are for the rights of people to go to the streets and peacefully disagree with their government."

McCain, asked if the U.S.' enemies have concluded that Obama is weak: "I think it's too early to say that. But when the president says that it would be meddling if we raise our voices in support of fundamental human rights and that is the ability to peacefully disagree with your government, then there's something very wrong. ... We're on the wrong side of history, my friend, and we've been on the right side of history for a long time" (FNC, 6/18).

FREE YOUR MIND AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW

Another hot topic of discussion was Bush critiquing Obama's approach to several issues during a 6/17 speech in PA.

Karl Rove: "His remarks last night in Erie, Pennsylvania, were reflective of things that he said earlier in southeast Michigan at a recent public speech and in Calgary, Canada, and in Toronto, where he had a joint appearance with President Clinton. President Bush is very clear. He will not engage in attacks on the administration. He will say what he is for. He will say what his views are for. But he feels very keenly about not engaging in a set of back-and-forths with the current administration, and he'll keep to that."

More Rove: "President Bush, when he left office, like every other previous president, did not lose his free speech rights. ... They don't lose their right to opine on matters of public concern. In fact, we ought to welcome that. hey after all represent, you know, experience that is rare in our society. ... I thought it was unusual today that Robert Gibbs, the White House press spokesman, took President Bush's comments and turned them into attacks on President Obama and a return attack to President Bush in a highly political matter. I thought it was unbecoming" ("On the Record," FNC, 6/18).

Dallas Morning News' Slater: "Look, this is about the legacy. This is about redeeming the message and who his candidacy was, what his presidency was all about. This is what this is all about. And he's finding it, I think, difficult now that he has several hours alone or with the former first lady in North Dallas to think about this."

More Slater: "I think George Bush looks around, he's got three horses of the apocalypse, Rove, [Dick] Cheney and Rush Limbaugh. And Limbaugh ... it doesn't look like his heart is really in burnishing the Bush legacy. So I think he's decided it's time to get out there and begin talking about his administration" ("Rachel Maddow Show," MSNBC, 6/18).

GOP strategist Alex Castellanos, on Bush saying "there are people at Gitmo that will kill American people at a drop of the hat": "I think that's respectful disagreement from a former president on policy."

CNN's Crowley, in response: "I don't think President Obama has any problem with saying, some of these people want to kill Americans. I don't think that's a problem at all. The problem is what do you do with them? I don't look at that as a criticism rather than a statement of the obvious" ("Situation Room," 6/18).

Wall Street Journal's Moore, on Bush: "Maybe he should just be laying low for the next year or two, come out with his book of his memoirs. ... I just think it's awfully soon three months after a new president comes in for him to be even indirectly attacking him, just as I do not think it is very fair or appropriate for Barack Obama to blame every problem that he has caused on George Bush. I wish there was a kind of standoff between the two and a kind of detente" ("On the Record," FNC, 6/18).

National Journal's Brownstein: "In fairness to Bush, Obama has been very explicit and tough in repudiating key elements of his agenda and legacy, as tough as presidents get. ... He's been very clear in arguing that the Bush economic strategy brought us to where we are. ... They're out there trying to draw that contrast as sharply as they can, because Bush left office with 71 percent of the country disapproving of him on Election Day. So, in a way, it's not entirely surprising ... that he would feel some urge to try to defend his legacy" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 6/18).