Kerry: Cheney looking back, Obama forward

Senator John F. Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who lost the 2004 presidential race to the Bush-Cheney team, not surprisingly comes down on the side of President Obama in today's dueling speeches with former Vice President Dick Cheney.

“Today marked a tale of two speeches: one from Vice President Cheney that looked backwards nostalgically to the policies that shattered our moral authority and made America less safe, and one from President Obama that looked forward to an era that reaffirms America’s traditional values and makes our nation stronger and safer," Kerry said in a statement.

"President Obama is right that keeping our nation safe must be our top priority, and that we are strongest when our actions are consistent with American values and the rule of law. Decisions made during the last Administration and championed by Vice President Cheney, from the use of abusive interrogation techniques to the myriad problems arising from the prison at Guantanamo Bay, have alienated our allies, emboldened our enemies, and made us less safe. The rebuke of national security leaders from General Colin Powell to Senator McCain on these issues join the verdict of history and the judgment of the American people in turning the page from the Cheney era. I applaud the President’s efforts to tackle these complex national security issues, address them candidly and honestly, and look forward to working with him and his Administration to restore American leadership and moral authority and make our country safe.”