John Kerry in 2012 Democratic National Convention speeches

On Foreign Policy: Freed Libya by rejecting false choice of force vs. diplomacy

President Obama promised to work with Russia to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons and signed an historic treaty that does just that. He promised to lock down nuclear materials around the world, and he has done just that. He refused to accept the false choice between force without diplomacy or diplomacy without force. When a brutal dictator promised to kill his own people "like rats," President Obama enlisted our allies, built the coalition and shared the burden, so that today--without a single American casualty--Moammar Gadhafi is gone and the people of Libya are free. So on one side of this campaign, we have a president who has made America lead like America again. What is there on the other side? An extreme and expedient candidate, who lacks the judgment and vision so vital in the Oval Office. The most inexperienced foreign policy twosome to run for president and vice president in decades. Source: 2012 Democratic National Convention speech Sep 6, 2012

On Principles & Values: American exceptionalism is about what we do, not what we say

Our opponents like to talk about "American exceptionalism," but all they do is talk. They forget that we are exceptional not because we say we are, but because we do exceptional things. We break out of the Great Depression, win two world wars, save lives fighting AIDS, pull people out of poverty, defend freedom, go to the moon--and produce exceptional people who even give their lives for civil rights and human rights.

Despite what you heard [at the GOP Convention], an exceptional country does care about the rise of the oceans and the future of the planet. That is a responsibility from the Scriptures--and that too is a responsibility of the leader of the free world. The only thing exceptional about today's Republicans is that--almost without exception--they oppose everything that has made America exceptional in the first place. An exceptional nation demands the leadership of an exceptional president. And, my fellow Americans, that president is Barack Obama.

Source: 2012 Democratic National Convention speech Sep 6, 2012

The above quotations are from Speeches at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte NC, Sept. 4-6, 2012. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of John Kerry. Click here for John Kerry on all issues.
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Page last updated: Jul 18, 2019