Kerry on the offensive

I've been waiting for this stance for a while:

Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who deserves his own special place in hell. But that was not, in itself, a reason to go to war. The satisfaction we take in his downfall does not hide this fact: we have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure.

(snip)

By one count, the President offered 23 different rationales for this war. If his purpose was to confuse and mislead the American people, he succeeded.

His two main rationales – weapons of mass destruction and the Al Qaeda/September 11 connection – have been proved false… by the President’s own weapons inspectors… and by the 9/11 Commission. Just last week, Secretary of State Powell acknowledged the facts. Only Vice President Cheney still insists that the earth is flat.

First, it stops the stupid Bush defense of "If you were against the war in Iraq, then you still want Saddam in power." We all knew it was crap. Kerry finally called him on it.

Second, I like the "23 different rationales" line. While I doubt it will get the thrust from the news media, it does help to show the "single minded leadership" of President Bush has many off ramps, and most of them turned out to be the wrong ones.

Third, it helps to paint Cheney as out of touch with reality. I think we've known that for a while now.

Electablog points out from a Washington Post article an outline of Kerry's four point plan in Iraq, which has about four more points than Bush's does.

Kos points out something even more important. Later today Bush will give a speech in response to the Kerry one linked above (go read the whole thing, I'll wait). That means Bush in on the defensive for a change. Kerry has taken over the lead in the debate.

*UPDATE* Curious as to the "23 different rationales?" You can find them here. The administration is actually up to 27.