Can Kerry Get Real?

[mzmolly]

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20031222&s=corn

" "So now Kerry's campaign is the 'Real Deal'? What was it before? The Phony Deal?" But this strategist adds, "Kerry has always had trouble defining himself. Whatever message he has now, he has to stick with it. He can't afford another change."

Can't afford another change?

This article talks about Kerry denouncing unilateralism, it was obviously written before his recent change back to the "anti simon says" position?

It's an interesting read. I think Kerry has been trying to hard to appeal to the whims of our fickle society, and thus he's lost a great deal of respect.

[blm]

1. Kerry's saying his POLICIES are the Real Deal as opposed to Bush's

Raw Deal. Not too difficult to grasp if you're in a fairminded state.

[unfrigginreal]

2. I thought that Kerry

just told a bunch of media types "If you believe that we would be in this War if I were President, then don't vote for me"?

Are you saying that he's now claiming that we were right to go into Iraq?

It's hard to figure Kerry that's for sure.

[KaraokeKarlton]

3. I agree...and he really has nowhere to turn to find new votes now

First he turned off the base by voting for the war, thinking he could appeal to moderates and swing voters.

Then he tried to act like even though he voted for it he didn't really support it which turned off the voters he originally was trying to appeal to in hopes he could attract the base, who had essentially already split between Dean and Kucinich.

In desperation he decided to try to run left of Dean on guns in NH, which is the absolute worst place to do that, so he further turned off the swing voters and moderate hunters.

Now he's back to trying to appeal to moderates and swing voters after floundering like a fish out of water all over the place so bad that people are just shaking their heads at him.

He blew it, royally...and now he sounds like he's trying to appeal to conservatives instead of Democrats. I'm actually embarassed for the guy. :shrug:

[Scott Lee]

4. It depends on which Kerry you ask.

He is waiting to see what the political whim might be next week before he presents the Real Real REAL Deal (you know, rather than the clearly inferior "Real Deal").

Will the real John Kerry please stand up? And keep your finger out of the wind.

[Cha]

11. Like his "anger" is better?

[Scott Lee]

12. Gotta feel for Kerry. He is acting very confused these days.

I don't loathe the man the way I do Gep and LIEberman. Kerry really means well, it's just that he is an ordinary politician in extraordinary times.

[mrgorth]

19. "Anti-war left

is tricksy and false. They stole our precious nomination. gollum! gollum!. Filthy thieves."

[Scott Lee]

27. They taken our PRECIOUSSSSS

[oasis]

5. David Corn's lazy oversimplification raises another question:"When will

journalists start writing "real" in-depth commentary and "deal" with the complexity of issues?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

6. Can we have compasssion for the sad distinguished Sen Kerry

in his bus with four flats
and one blowed motor. And he will not
give up but is out there in the snow
painting a new slowgun on the side.

[zulchzulu]

7. Since you like that Corn article, try this one...

I'm glad Corn is at least paying attention to Kerry. Since you're all gushy about that article, try this Corn article and tell me you still love him...

Corn nails Dean's inconsistency on the Iraq War:

"In a February speech he denounced Bush for "focusing...on the wrong war at the wrong time," claimed that he (Dean) was "not ready to abandon a search for better answers" and called for continuing inspections "as long as there is progress toward disclosure and disarmament." But previously, Dean proclaimed that Washington should issue Iraq a sixty-day deadline to comply with the UN resolutions and if it does not, then "we will reserve our right as Americans to defend ourselves and we will go into Iraq."

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030331&c=1&s=corn

[mzmolly]

9. Dean dean dean dean dean...

Gosh, Corns assessment of Dean's position is simply not accurate. Go figure. He must be a Kerry supporter? Do start your own thread though if you'd like to rehash.

[zulchzulu]

13. Subjective on Corn's assessment?

Corn has it half-wrong on Kerry, but it's nice he's at least getting some press.

The belief that Kerry must win New Hampshire is untrue. I think it will be a lot tighter race than the polls show right now.

Iowa is going to be an interesting state to watch.

[arewethereyet]

8. its a little sad watching him now

hes trying so damn hard and it just shows that way. He's better than that.

[mzmolly]

10. He is better...and it is sad.

:(

[JustJoe]

14. "The Knight of the Sorrowful Figure."

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. That would be DeanQuixote

Joe.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

18. "The Man of La Massachusetts"

It is a worthy and fitting image
for the tilting gentleman.

[JustJoe]

20. Tilting at the Deanmill. But who's his Sancho Panza

cheering him on?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

23. Will

you tell me who you think it is?

[eileen_d]

16. Thanks for showing the love for Senator Kerry.

I'm sure he appreciates it.

[GobGoober]

17. Speaking strictly as an undecided independent

This is worse than Al Gore who kept "re-defining himself". Kerry apparently has no definition for himself yet.

C'mon, Dems. You've got to do better than this. There's a lot of us out here who don't want to see Bush get in again, but even I can't take a bad remake of Gore from 2000.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

21. Kerry is actually a better version of Gore.

If you want to think in those terms.

[WilliamPitt]

22. Why can't people push their own candidates instead of tearing others down?

Where have I heard that before?

:eyes:

[mzmolly]

24. "Now is the time to ask tough questions"

"It's the primaries, get over it" where have I heard that before :eyes:

;)

[Capn Sunshine]

25. "Because That's what primaries are for"

Now, where have I heard that? :eyes:

[DrFunkenstein]

26. Here Is A lengthy Profile of Kerry by Corn

Defining John Kerry

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20010716&s=dcorn

Hopefully you don't have to be a subscriber to The Nation to get it on-line (happens sometimes).