John Kerry Was ON FIRE Tonight!!

[mermaid]

God-DANG!!
I was a rabid Dean-supporter, Kerry was the last guy I wanted. I was an Edwards supporter early on, before switching to Dean, and went back to Edwards when Dean imploded. I voted Edwards in the primary.

when edwards got the VP slot, I was vastly relieved...at least NOW, I would have something I could vote FOR...rather than just viting AGAINST BUSH.

I sneered at Kerry, called him "ketchup boy" I STILL don't much appreciate his stance on transgender inclusion in ENDA...

I post all this so you -especially Kerry supporters from way back- understand exactly what Kerry did tonight!!

He turned ME around! and in November, I will now be proud to cast my vote FOR John Kerry...not just AGAINST BUSH!!

Kerry was on his A-game...he hit the ball out of the park!

the line we will remember 20 years from now...the one our kids will read about in history books, is the line about God not being on our side...but US being on GOD'S side!!

That and the line about the flag and patritotism belonging to US, too!! I'm not sure how the RePIGlicans managed to claim it all for themselves, but John Kerry took it back for us, too, tonight! He made me proud to be an American tonight. Something I haven't felt in 3 1/2 years!! It was like a bad dream ending...a new day dawning...I have peace, hope, and joy in my heart tonight such as I have not felt in 3 1/2 years, and so I say tonight...

When John Kerry says "Thank you" to me...I say, NO...John Kerry THANK YOU!! Thank you for giving me hope. Thank you for giving voice to what has been in my heart, lying dormant, awaiting to be awoken again to higher purpose and noble calling! Thank YOU, John Kerry...for making me once again proud to be an American!

THANK YOU JOHN KERRY!!

You have completely altered my opinion of you!

And to those early Kerry supporters...many of whom I ravaged...I am woman enough to look you in the eyes right now and say you were right.

I wanted y'all to see this, and to KNOW just how powerful a message John Kerry brings!

Between Obama on Tuesday, Sharpton and Edwards last night, and Kerry tonight...I can barely describe what I am feeling now...because it has been SO long since I felt this way! And for that, I say...Thank YOU, John Kerry! I will be proud to cast my ballot in November for you, and in January, I will be proud to call you MY President!!

[soothsayer]

1. I kept saying Kerry would drop out, and that he didn't really want to run

Whoops! Looks like I was HAPPILY wrong!

[George_Bonanza]

2. You're right, it was a phenomenal speech

Although Kerry won't remembered for the "God" line as it was Abe Lincoln's. But there are tons of quotables from his speech (although Kerry's not the kind of speaker like Clinton or Obama). My favourite went along the lines where he said he would not have a VP who conducted secret meetings with polluters, or a Secy of Def who did not listen to others, or an attorney general who did not obey the Constitution.

[mermaid]

4. Whose Line Was That?

Didn't know that was a Lincoln line...
Well, nevertheless, it was a hell of a good line, and a hell of a good speech!
Kerry changed my opinion 180 degrees tonight.

I just thought all you early Kerry supporters that I ravaged, on these boards and elsewhere, would be glad to know I'm woman enough to say so when I find out I was wrong.

Until tonight, I was thrilled Edwards was on the ticket, because I at least still had something I could vote FOR.

Kerry, tonight, gave me something ELSE I could vote FOR.

I am solidly supporting John Kerry now. And until tonight, I wasn't. I was still more Anti-Bush than pro-Kerry...until tonight.

[classof56]

3. Great post!

Amen and amen to everything you've said. I had a few lingering doubts about Kerry, even though I support and have contributed to his campaign. But I couldn't agree more--tonight he won me over. Let the Repubs and the dittoheads do their best to undo all the good that came out of the DNC. They will not prevail. And this time, every vote MUST be counted. Bush Must Go!!!

Bush Must GO!!!

[mermaid]

5. I Wonder How Many OTHER Doubters and Non-Supporters Kerry Won Over Tonight

At our house party tonight, we had two registered Republicans who were voting Kerry!!
WOOO HOOOO...they aren't ALL brainwashed!! There's still hope!!

[DaveofCali]

6. I imagined more than a year ago that.....

I dreamed that the world was saying all over, chanting in protests all over the world, fists raised, that "Bush must Go." One voice, one resolve, one determination to make the world a safer place, by simply demanding that Bush, the holder of the most powerful position in the world, and the greatest abuser of that power in the world, must go!!!

BUSH MUST GO, BUSH MUST GO!!!

[classof56]

16. Yes, Yes, Yes! And welcome to DU!

Glad you're aboard. We need you!!

My new mantra: BUSH MUST GO!!!

[osaMABUSh]

7. I'm putting an American flag next to my Kerry bumper sticker

I was a Dean fan way back when too. When Edwards spoke last night I wasn't too enthused but thought it was a decent speech. Not up to par to his other speeches.

Now I have seen Kerry speak many times in the last 12 months and was expecting a good speech but not a riveting speech. Well, I really think he nailed it - he covered it all and I was especially glad to hear him take back the flag, faith and patriotism. His delivery was excellent too!

After three days of hearing the media pundits bash Kerry it was fantastic to hear Kerry himself and then pundits reluctantly acknowledging the man and his message.

[Connie_Corleone]

8. I underestimated Kerry so many times.

I was a Clark supporter and I thought Kerry was down and out during December 2003. Then, all of a sudden, I saw Kerry's numbers going back up and then win the primaries.

Kerry gave the speech of his life tonight. He hit a homerun. I was worried about his speech earlier today. Boy, was I wrong to doubt John Kerry. He showed passion tonight!

I can't wait until this man is president. It will be so nice to have an articulate president in the white house again. And I really think if the Democrats can get the senate back (and house sooner rather than later), Kerry can be one of the true great presidents.

[zulchzulu]

9. I saw the speech in a mixed crowd and in the end, they were mesmerized

I saw the speech in a bar where there were snickers and a couple Bushies claptrapping when the speech first started, but maybe 15 minutes into the speech, the place was quiet and people were totally into him. Some tears were even being wiped back as the speech neared its ending.

Put it this way. The Bushies looked scared.

[NV1962]

10. I "tipped over" about a week or so ago...

but tonight I saw that John Kerry is an admirable politician and person.

I started out torn between Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean. Until Wes Clark entered the fray... Whoa! He zapped me right between the eyes (and the tinglin' still ain't over yet!) Since the get-go I thought of John Kerry as dull, dry and "too much of a Washington insider" to make a necessary difference. And John Edwards, I saw as an empty suit - a picture-perfect smile worn by a door to door used vacuumcleaner salesman. Then, when Wes Clark withdrew and almost immediately threw his support behind Kerry, I felt somewhat obliged - more out of "loyalty" than conviction - to take a reluctant look at JFK.

I started to actually read all his statements and positions on his site (and there's a lot to read there.) And I saw that, just a few issues aside, John Kerry and Wes Clark actually were pretty close. Big relief! At least I didn't have to support an ogre! Then, I started reading about his background. There are two very good articles in the New Yorker that I highly recommend to "doubters:" start reading The Long War Of John Kerry (published on 11/25/02, not too long after he announced his candidacy) and then read the very recent Damage Control (of 7/19/04 - just in case, that title has a clever twist, don't take it as a statement that Kerry needs to control "his" damage!)

After I read stuff like that, I glossed over his impressive and extensive senatorial record (e.g., looking not only at his voting / rating record, but also for info on his investigation of the BCCI scandal - and how he was willing to cut to the bone, but was stopped because of the touchy ramifications in DC) as well as his prior experience as prosecutor, and further back of course in the 70s his famous testimony before Congress on the crimes of war committed in Vietnam, and working with the VVAW... It's all in all a pretty long list!

So bit by bit I evolved: from unsympathetic to reluctant to surprised to interested to fascinated to... Well, as I said, a week ago or so I read that latest New Yorker article, and seeing where his very (very!) sage pragmatism comes from (i.e.: his father) I started to really appreciate him. Until today's speech put me over the top, right into the fan column.

I was very much afraid that the pressure and expectations were going too high, during this Convention. I had heard that Kerry is someone who truly excels under pressure, with his back to the wall, but... The stakes are just too high! I can reluctantly understand the relatively mild, "positive message" strategy, but geez... We can't fail, not with a decent chance to win at stake!

And then he delivered his speech.

Homerun. BAM!

What a party that speech was. I'm ready to kick ass and take names too, now. Bring 'em on, this time we're ready and not going anywhere but 1600 Penn Ave in DC! So yeah, Mermaid - I hear ya; I know more or less where you're coming from. I started out on a negative, but I'm a convinced, committed and enthused Kerryllero now.

[spooky3]

11. Content was great--he got in a LOT of specifics, and showed how he

would be superior to Bush without doing anything that a fair person could call "bashing." His delivery was much more effective than I've seen him in any other speech. Great job! Now that he has a speech that works well for him, I hope he'll use parts of it at all of his future campaign stops, augmented by updates.

[Enraged_Ape]

12. The flag comment really got me.

I was beaming throughout the speech, but this part had me jumping off the couch screaming.

How long I have waited for someone to defend the REAL meaning of the flag in a national forum. I have always loved the U.S. flag, and unlike most Freepers, I actually treat mine with care and respect. When I see these dumbfuck Freepers flying their little flags from their car antenna, half of the flag gone and the remaining half blackened from road grime, I seriously feel sick to my stomach.

I have felt that, for the last four years, our flag has been hijacked by the right-wing as the exclusive symbol for their hate and fascism. Kerry took the flag back last night. His comments were beautifully written and so well spoken.

[Mad_Dem_X]

13. I stood up and cheered...

I, too, was more anti-Bush than pro-Kerry. But seeing him with his crew from Vietnam, hearing him speak with such conviction, he totally won me over. He'll make an excellent president!

[Enraged_Ape]

14. Welcome to DU, Mad_Dem!!

:toast:

[Paradise]

15. We saw the "fighter" in Kerry last night!

I'm so proud of this good man who wants to, and will work his heart out for us!
We have much to be grateful for :grouphug: and to celebrate! :toast:

[Zynx]

17. That was a great speech.

In some places a little rushed because he didn't want to get booted off the networks at the turn of the hour, but a great speech. I indeed will be voting FOR John Kerry in November.

[yellowcanine]

18. "We are all in the same boat" - a good campaign slogan? I liked the way

Kerry did a take off of being in a Swift boat with his comrades and how they all took care of each other. By implication - Bush wants to be in a boat with his rich buddies and leave the rest of us up to our ass in alligators in the swamp.

[mermaid]

22. EXCELLENT!!

I totally loved that, because he never SAID it, but he implied it...and, of course, it is true...Bush really DOES want to leave us up to our ass in alligators in the swamp, while he and his rich buddies hightail it outta there in the better boat...and leave us to "go Cheney ourselves!!"

[DrFunkenstein]

19. Ok, Ok...I Guess I'll Finally Support Him Now

I'm still not sure about this Kerry character, though...He does have great hair, I'll give him that.

[JohnKleeb]

20. haha funk dont be so modest

You were behind this guy from the beginning, and who can really blame ya, you guys who were with him from the start deserve a lot of credit.

[mermaid]

21. Can'r You

just take it when someone admits they were wrong, say thank you, and go on? You WERE one of those erly supporters...I remember ravaging some of your comments, Dr. Funk!

[mzmolly]

23. Kerry was AMAZING! I was a Dean supporter as well. Dean said

yesterday.

"The voters chose Kerry because they felt his FP experience was the right kind of experience we needed to defeat George Bush, and I think they were right." ~ Howard Dean

I think I agree with Howard, Kerry showed me who he was last night ... and I really liked what I saw. :toast:

[GalleryGod]

24. Kudos go out to this Flame Scarred Band of Bloggers

Molly :hippie:
Nicholas J :mad:
PeteNYC:yourock:
WillPitt :pals:
Nightnurse:loveya:

And I.... Your Man in the Faculty Lounge:hangover:
GALLERYGOD:kick:

[DoomFook]

25. Great But Missed An Opportunity

He was great but I still wish he would have talked about issues facing the gay community. I was married to a woman for 15 years before I realized I was gay and now I found out that my 14 year old son is gay and me and my partner are worried about his future. It will be imperiled if bushit gets in again. My son already gets ridiculed after coming out in his junior high, much of it because of the atmosphere chimp has created against gays. Kerry will fix this I hope so that he can go to school without being called faggot and getting shoved around. Kerry needs to step it up and make sure he addresses gay issues especially AIDs and discrimination. (By the way, my partner and I are getting married next week!!!!!)