[link|http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040318/ap_on_el_pr/malaysia_mahathir_kerry&cid=694&ncid=2043|So this is what he was talking about]

Excerpt:

"I think Kerry would be much more willing to listen to the voices of people and of the rest of the world," Mahathir, who retired in October after 22 years in power, told The Associated Press in an interview.

"But in the U.S., the Jewish lobby is very strong, and any American who wants to become president cannot change the policy toward Palestine radically," he said.

Mahathir, who was one of the most outspoken leaders in the Islamic world, also said the March 11 train bombings in Spain demonstrated that the Iraqi war has aggravated international terrorism and raised hostility toward Washington and its allies.

I say:

Listen to which people? [link|http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/16/oic.mahathir/|Who is this guy anyway?]

Excerpts:

In his speech at Putrajaya, Malaysia's new administrative capital, the outgoing leader named Israel as "the enemy allied with most powerful nations."

Mahathir, who steps down at the end of the month, has become notorious for controversial speeches during his 22 years as leader and has been a key proponent of a unified political stance among Muslim nations.

In his attack at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Mahathir said Jews ruled the world and got others to fight and die for them, but added that they would not be able to defeat the world's 1.3 billion Muslims...

I say:

In some circles, this counts as a moderate. What circles, exactly? Evidently, the ones Kerry appeals to.

When Kerry talks about how international leaders support him but refuses to name them, it's commonly assumed he's lying. I have another theory. He's nuancing. If word gets out just what sort of foreign leaders support him, he's going to look like the appeasing weasel he is. But in the meantime, he's trying to have it both ways.