November 05, 2004
A Brief Word about John Kerry
from - smijer
Ok, I was never the most ardent supporter of John Kerry. I was even downright hostile to him when he was waging a primary fight against my candidate. But watching him in the campaign, the debates, his testimony before the senate in the '70's, his debate on the Dick Cavett show, his senate career (including his navigation of the Iraq resolution), and his unfortunate concession speech, I am sold. Not only by comparison to junior, he had the makings of a great leader. His backbone wasn't an invention for the media spin cycle: it was real. He relieved me of the unfortunate misconception that a political sense was incompatible with the courage of one's convictions by showing that a person of his stature could maintain his principles while avoiding the pitfalls of fighting the wrong political battles at the wrong time.
Furthermore, Kerry is the second ranking presidential candidates in the number of votes cast for him in American history, and that's nothing to sneeze at. I guess my ironic prediction ("John Kerry, if still in the race, still doesn't get it") of nearly a year ago, was wrong. He did get it. And, barring the ascent of an even more qualified candidate, he has my support in the 2008 primary should he choose to run.
::Posted by smijer at November 5, 2004 10:49 PM
What about the argument that he can't win a southern state?
My feeling is that if GWB governs the next four years the way he governed the first four then the Dems can run Daffy Duck and win. People will realize that not one single abortion has been avoided due to his Presidency and that not one gay couple has stopped being gay. Their pocket books will be in a world of hurt and morals be damned at that point.
Anyway, exactly why would anybody consider Kerry less moral than Bush? I have never been able to figure that out.
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Posted by Buck on November 7, 2004 07:51 PM Link to comment |
When the GOP starts worrying about whether their guy can win in NY and CA, I'll start worrying about whether mine can win in AL and MS.
I don't know about the rest of the Democrats, but to me, the best way to start winning elections in the south is to start convincing southerners that Democrats are the best choice.
It isn't about whether the candidate is from MA or AR, it is about whether people in the south think it's a bigger crime for kids to go without access to a family doctor or for men to kiss each other.
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Posted by smijer on November 8, 2004 07:21 AM Link to comment |
Hear, hear, Smijer. I -feel- the same way about Kerry. And I won't rule him out in 2008, especially if he leads some kind of effective resistance in the Senate.
But I mainly want to win in 2008, and Kerry would have to work at improving his stature with folks who voted against him. I don't mean by pretending or pandering, and I don't think he would do that. I mean by going South and speaking to Southerners, and going West and speaking to Westerners.
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Posted by Thomas Nephew on November 9, 2004 10:18 AM Link to comment |
