Kimmy and Kerry sittinâ in a tree ...
North Koreaâs state-controlled media are well known for reverential reporting about Kim Jong-il, the countryâs dictatorial leader. But the Dear Leader is not the only one getting deferential treatment from the communist stateâs propaganda machine: John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic candidate, is also getting good play in Pyongyang.
Sounds kinda dirty ... was that why Bill loved the NKors?
In the past few weeks, speeches by the Massachusetts senator have been broadcast on Radio Pyongyang and reported in glowing terms by the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), the official mouthpiece of Mr Kimâs communist regime. ... But both Mr Kerry
(today, at least)
and Mr Bush are committed to North Korean disarmament. Mr Kerry, however, would renew unilateral bilateral appeasement kowtowing groveling bribing negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, while Mr Bush has sought to manage the conversation with North Korea through multilateral talks.
and a damn big stick
Mr Kerry has also been more forthright about setting out the nuclear economic rewards for North Korea if it disarms. If North Korea is hoping that a Democratic victory would herald a return to Bill Clintonâs policy of engagement with Pyongyang, then Gordon Flake, head of the Mansfield Centre for Pacific Affairs in Washington, cautions Mr Kim against expecting too much from Mr Kerry. "It would be harder for a Democratic president to do a deal because there would be a lot of pressure on him not to be a soft touch," he says.
Then his head exploded.
Mr Kerry was first introduced to North Koreaâs information-starved people in early February, when Radio Pyongyang reported that opinion polls indicated he was likely to defeat Mr Bush. A few days later, the station broadcast comments by Mr Kerry criticising Mr Bush for acting on intelligence Kerry agreed with deceiving the world about Iraqâs elusive weapons of mass destruction. Later in February, KCNA welcomed Mr Kerryâs pledge to adopt a more "sincere attitude" towards North Korea if elected.
But will it be sincere enough for The Great Pumpkin?
Posted by: Puddle Pirate 2004-03-04 |