Reply #9: Post number 1, up thread dear.

[TayTay]

Kerry and Massachusetts Liberals: An Affair to Decipher

Setting: A drawing room in a well-appointed but not ostentatious Cambridge Home:

The Players: ML, Massachusetts Liberals, personified. She is lovely and extremely high-maintenance woman.
John, A tall, handsome liberal Senator from Massachusetts

ML is lounging on the Sofa, reading this week's copy of The Nation. She is, as ever, not quite happy. She hears the key go into the lock in the front door and begins to brace herself for a confrontation with one of her 'amours.
John enters, wondering, not for the first time, why this place always seems to exist on a sort of cloud, as though it were suspended slightly above the physical plane.

John: "I'm home. Hello, ML, anybody here."
ML: "Oh, it's you. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come home again. Where have you been? What have you been up to? Why haven't you been to see me in the last few months? I've been here suffering, I tell you, suffering. It's been a trial, a terrible ordeal. I don't know how I got through it without more meds."

John sighs. They have played this scene before. He knows what he is in for and goes to the bar and pours himself a nice double shot of scotch, neat. He downs it in one swift motion and grits his teeth. Thus fortified, he turns to face the woman who personifies his base.

John: "I know you've been through a lot. And I know that you went all out to support me during the campaign last year. I'm sure it's been difficult."
ML: "Difficult? Difficult? Have you heard what that awful Romney has been saying about me? He's been going around to these strange States and accusing me of being some kind of freak! It's been a trauma. It's like I've been in some sort of car accident and I can't even sue the one who did it. Oh John, where have you been? I need you to defend my honor, absolutely."
John: "I was a little busy. You remember, ML, we talked about this. I ran for President last year. It was a really tough race, I got personally smeared and ..."
ML: "You, you, you. It's all about you. What about what I suffered? Do you have any idea what I endured in that race. There were people in places like Missouri and Ohio claiming that I was some sort of crazy person. They said I was dragging you down, putting weights on your legs and causing you trouble." She paused for a moment and thought. "John, you don't actually think I was a weight on you last year do you?"
John bites his tongue and pauses for a moment. Carefully, oh so carefully, he says, "Well, dear, it would be nice if you would think through what you say. Not everyone in the country is ready for some of your proposals. Not that they aren't brilliant and morally correct and all, but some people just aren't where you are yet. You have to have patience."
ML: "Yes, patience. Right. People are being denied their civil rights and you want me to have patience. How can anyone have patience when there is so much oppression in the world. Patience equals consent, you used to know that John."

ML collapses on the couch in a snit. John sits down next to her and picks up her hand.

John: "ML, I had to run everywhere in the whole country. I had to place different emphasis on different positions. That's just the way it is. It doesn't mean I have changed my mind on any of my ideals. I still have them."
ML: " Really, John? Then how come you didn't emphasize your anti-war protests. Why, oh why did you run as a Vietnam War Vet and not as a Protester vet? That would have won the election for you. Everyone loves a protester."
John: "Actually, that's not true. I know you find this hard to believe, but in some spots in the country, political protesters are not viewed in an altogether favorable way."
ML: "Really? How strange. Well, anyway, you're back and now you can throw off those bad traits you picked up on the road and go back to properly representing me."
John: "Well, I actually don't believe in full Gay Marriage. It's a religious thing and ..."
ML: "WHAT! What the hell are you saying John? How can you be against Gay Marriage? You're not one of us anymore?"

ML gets up and crosses to the corner of the room where she throws John a stern look.

ML: "You've changed John and I don't like it. You know, I have other suitors. They are true to me and don't go picking up weird centrist notions in places like Pittsburgh. Oh good Lord, how could it come to this."

John crosses the room and stands next to ML. He tries to get her to look at him.

John: "ML, I do believe in full civil rights for all citizens. I always have. It's just the idea of calling it marriage that I have a problem with. You know religious liberty means that Churches have the right to set their own policies without interference from the State."
ML smiles. ML: "Yeah, I believe strongly in freedom of speech and association and all that. I suppose you have a point. Okay, I'll allow you that one. Now, tell me, what have you been doing lately? Where have you been?"
John: "Well, I've been crossing the country speaking up for health care coverage for kids. It's a bill I've introduced in the Senate."

ML's face lights up in a genuinely dazzling smile.

ML: "Oh John, that's wonderful! I'm so excited for you. You know Universal Health Care has been one of my issues forever."
John: "It's not Universal Health Care ML. I don't think the country is ready for that yet. My bill starts with covering all the kids. I call it KidsFirst."

John saw the storm clouds return to ML's brow and went and fixed himself another double scotch. It was going to be a long night.

This one was for Whome, who knows what I mean.