Reply #1: I think he has learned lessons like that

[ginnyinWI]

From other interviews I've seen lately, it seems that he knows he should have fought back harder on the smears and distortions. I don't think he wants to say too much publicly now, though, both because he's not yet announced another run, and also because he doesn't want to give a lot of second-guessers opportunities to do another round of post-mortems. He just says, "I know what mistakes I've made and I take responsibility." Reading between the lines, I think he means the consultants and managers, but there is probably more, too.

I agree with your premise. It is about the candidate and their character much more than it is about issues. Once you trust your candidate, you trust them to make the right choices on the issues. This is what the GOP focuses on--character, character, character (even when they don't have any). And with Dems it's issues, issues, issues--as if giving the right answers gives you a passing grade on the test, and you're in.

This was very apparent to me watching the Veep debate. Everything Cheney said, just about, referenced how strong and capable they were, and how incompetent the Dems were. And Edwards just kept pounding away on facts and issues. It was like watching two different conversations.