Kerry Pledges to Respect Freedom of Information

By: Joe Strupp Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry vowed to hold a press conference once a month if elected, declaring "I believe very deeply in freedom of information." The Massachusetts senator's comments came during a speech to the American Society of Newspaper Editors conference here on Friday.

During a Q&A session with the hundreds of editors gathered for the ASNE event's closing luncheon, Kerry responded to a question about his thoughts on FOI issues. Although he did not mention any specific moves he would make to counter the restrictive efforts of the Bush administration, he indirectly took a shot at President Bush's failure to schedule regular press conferences.

"I will hold a full press conference at least once a month," he promised. "You should welcome the opportunity to talk with you folks. It is a wonderful opportunity to market." Kerry also said he would seek to have "an open discussion on health care."

During more than three years in office, Bush has held only 12 formal press conferences, including just three in prime time.

After the speech, when asked to elaborate on his feelings about the need for regular press events, Kerry declined to openly criticize Bush, but said press conferences were "an important forum and an important way to communicate with our country."

Kerry also cited press freedom and the need for open access by mentioning the recent uproar over photos of coffins carrying the dead back from Iraq, which ran in The Seattle Times and other papers despite a military ban on the release of such photos.

"We see the haunting images of our soldiers loading flagged draped coffins," Kerry said during his prepared speech. "We see rows of them in the belly of a cargo plane for their long flight home. We see images of them being saluted on their final march to their final resting place. And those images are paired with a story about a husband and wife who took photos to show the world the touching way we honor our fallen. And they were fired for their openness and honesty."

Kerry's speech -- which came off despite a short appearance from a small group of protesters shouting briefly for Kerry to address AIDS funding, and some TelePrompTer snafus -- also included what he called a "Contract With America's Middle Class," a play on the Republican "Contract with America" of the Newt Gingrich era.

"(That) contract didn't help our nation," he said about the GOP version. "It wasn't a 'Contract with America.' It was a contract that divided America."

Kerry's "contract" offered few new initiatives beyond those he has already discussed during his campaign, including promises to keep American interests safe in Iraq, create jobs, cut the deficit in half in four years, and provide a middle-class tax cut.

"I have many differences with President Bush over how we should wage the war against terrorism and extremism," Kerry said. "I think he made a huge mistake in relying on local Afghan forces to capture Osama bin Laden, rather than committing sufficient U.S. forces on the ground to do the job. But we share the same goal of total victory. You can count on this: No matter who wins this presidential election, the terrorists will lose."

Kerry also repeated his promise to create 10 million jobs "with a proven strategy built on a simple principle: We should reward work, make sure Americans have a chance to work, and get ahead when they do."

In response to other questions from editors at the event, Kerry promised to continue America's longtime support of Israel, sway potential Ralph Nader voters to vote for him, and convince voters to stop labeling candidates conservative or liberal. "The American people have been seduced in the past 20 years into voting for slogans," he said when asked how he would fight the liberal label. "I'm not much for labels, period."

Finally, Kerry made two other references to newspapers, honoring the longtime columnist for The Washington Post, Mary McGrory, who died earlier this week; and linking today's news challenges to those faced by colonial newspaper leaders.

"While the room is filled, I think you'll agree with me when I say that it feels a little empty knowing that Mary McGrory is gone," Kerry said to the editors. "A story wasn't just a story to Mary -- it was personal. Personal to her and to her readers. Because getting the story right, getting the truth told, and getting her readers involved was her service to her country."

Taking a page from newspaper history, Kerry added, "Two hundred twenty-nine years ago, the first patriots from Massachusetts put their lives on the line at Lexington Green. Nearby, Samuel Adams -- who was not only a patriot, but at times a newspaper editor -- heard the battle shots of freedom and declared, 'What a glorious morning for America is this!'"

"For once, an editor got it right," Kerry said of Adams. "Today, with all the grim news we read each day in your newspapers, it is important to remember what a glorious morning it has been for America -- and that glorious days lie ahead. I know that every four years people who are running for president tell you that this is the most important election. Well this one is different: It's the most important election in our lifetime."