Kerry: The Lurkers Support Me in E-mail

[billroper]

No, that's not exactly what he said, but doesn't it sound familiar to old Usenetters like me?

I used to spend a lot of time on Usenet. I still spend a fair amount of time there. And, Usenet being Usenet, arguments tended to break out a lot. One of the frequent refuges of someone who was unable to support their position with logic, whose arguments were being shredded by others on the newsgroup, was to resort to a claim that there were many anonymous people -- who could not be quoted or named, because that would be a violation of Netiquette -- who actually had sent private e-mail supporting the unsupportable position that was being staked out. Such claims were generally categorized as "The Lurkers Support Me in E-mail".

And we laughed at those people.

Now, the Democratic candidate-apparent for President, John Kerry, has announced that many world leaders have privately told him that they hope that he beats Bush in the upcoming election. Of course, he can't quote any of them, because that would be a violation of etiquette.

Shouldn't we laugh at him too?

Mind you, I suppose that he wouldn't want to name some of the world leaders who are supporting him. Naming North Korean leader Kim Jong Il among your supporters just doesn't strike me as a great career move. Of course, I could be wrong...

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Agreed. It was a very sloppy comment.

B

[kevinnickerson.livejournal.com]

But given Usenet, and many who post, I'd be willing to bet that *some* lurkers have sent private mail supporting the position. There's nothing so insupportable that you can't find support. Granted, it might be 5 people vs. the thousands who don't but that doesn't make the assertation wrong.

As to Kerry, well he probably shouldn't have said it, but again, I suspect some actually have. It's no secret that some countries are unhappy with the current US administration. You're text above says "many leaders", but the real quote seems to be "I have heard from people, foreign leaders elsewhere in the world...". All it takes to make that statement true is two leaders. Possibly France & Germany?

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

As I mentioned in my lj, I can understand why Kerry wouldn't want to name them, even if he heard from Tony Blair. The Bush administration has a tendency to be vindictive.

That said, yes, I would like to hear who supports him, but he should not announce their names until Cheney releases the minutes of his energy task force.

Ummmm....

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

The reporter who filed the original story has corrected himself.

http://drudgereport.com/kerrybo.htm

In other words, Kerry was misquoted, the reporter has tried to correct it, and all the media are still running with the misquote.

[billroper]

Although I understand that Kerry has said that he stands by the original misquote, so I don't know that it makes any difference.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Roger that. 'Course, I don't have a problem with that -- and, apparently, neither does Richard Holbrooke (http://atrios.blogspot.com/2004_03_14_atrios_archive.html#107962318729771943).