In addition, the new president has already taken steps to mend fences with Europe’s democracies. Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke completed a successful tour of European capitals last month and plans to visit Asia next. And Kerry himself has broken bread with European leaders, who often opposed the United States during the Bush administration.
Indeed, Kerry’s beneficial effects were evident even before he took office. During the waning days of the Bush administration, President-elect Kerry let it be known he expected Russia to allow free and fair elections in Ukraine. Newly elected President Viktor Yushchenko thanked Kerry for that support by immediately withdrawing all Ukranian forces from Iraq.
A representative of the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation claimed that the changes in the region were all triggered by policies put into place by former President Bush. “It’s notable the President Kerry hasn’t actually changed much. I think he’s just benefiting from the policies Bush advocated,” the analyst said.
Others disagree. “Clearly everything changed on Nov. 2,” said Jamie Rubin, new undersecretary of state. “Winning the war in Iraq has made us safer, as John Kerry knows, and has often said. But it was Kerry’s brilliant plans that allowed us to move forward and remake the Middle East.”
Meanwhile, the American economy continues to rebound from the doldrums of the Bush administration. The unemployment rate was a low 5.1 percent in May, well down from last year’s 5.6 percent. And White House advisors note that the economy has added hundreds of thousands of jobs since President Kerry took office in January.
They were not able to provide examples of exactly what he’s done to generate those jobs, but they did note that his very presence in the Oval Office has provided a boost to American businesses. And in a recent news conference, Kerry promised to “keep working until every American who wants a job has one.”
Whew. Aren’t you glad you don’t live in this universe?