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The senator's caveats and curlicues.

Kerryism of the DayThe senator's caveats and curlicues.

By William SaletanPosted Thursday, June 3, 2004, at 6:54 PM ET

What did he say? (For instructions on how to read a Kerryism, click here.)

Question: Does the Kerry administration care if I want to take a trip to Cuba some time?

Kerry: 1 2 3 4 I'm not for lifting the embargo. I think we ought to keep the embargo in place. I think we ought to continue to find ways to push Castro to change.5

—Portland, Ore., May 25, 2004

[1] Well, since there isn't a Kerry administration yet—

[2] I believe that

[3] I have said this publicly

[4] that I think that

[5] But I am in favor of allowing cultural exchanges and travel.

Kerry version:

Well, since there isn't a Kerry administration yet—I believe that, I have said this publicly, that I think that—I'm not for lifting the embargo. I think we ought to keep the embargo in place. I think we ought to continue to find ways to push Castro to change. But I am in favor of allowing cultural exchanges and travel.

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William Saletan is Slate's national correspondent and author of Bearing Right: How Conservatives Won the Abortion War. Follow him on Twitter here.
Photograph of John Kerry by Marc Serota/Reuters.
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