KERRY STANDS UP TO THE BULLIES

John Kerry is really starting to make me proud. At a speech in New Hampshire yesterday he said:

"What we need now is not just a regime change in Saddam Hussein and Iraq, but we need a regime change in the United States,"

Naturally, the congressional GOP vampires (DeLay, Hastert, Frist, etc) went after him, as they have with everyone who's said anything not 100% pro-war in the last several months. Often these types -- including, say, Daschle or to a lesser extent Patty Murray -- regardless of the nature of their comment, recant or apologize for overstepping. But Kerry? They didn't count on this:

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry lashed out at top congressional Republicans on Friday after they assailed him for saying the United States, like Iraq, needs a regime change.

"The Republicans have tried to make a practice of attacking anybody who speaks out strongly by questioning their patriotism," the Massachusetts senator said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I refuse to have my patriotism or right to speak out questioned. I fought for and earned the right to express my views in this country."

(...)

"If they want to pick a fight, they've picked a fight with the wrong guy," Kerry said in a telephone interview.

The lawmaker said this round of charges and countercharges is not the first time Republicans have made a "phony issue of patriotism." He cited last year's campaign against former Georgia Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in the Vietnam War.

(...)

"I watched what they did to Max Cleland last year," Kerry said. "Shame on them for doing it then and shame on them for trying to do it now."

Kerry is catching up to Dean in the Brendan Primary. Frankly, I'd be happy with either of them securing the 04 nomination.

Between this and Estrada, that donkey backbone is solidifying...