KERRYs Biggest Vulnerability

[liberalpragmatist]

Frankly, though I disagree with the charge, the idea that Kerry lacks principles and is a rootless flip-flopper are going to hurt Kerry. I think he'll still win by a decent margin, but if it weren't for that charge, he'd win by double-digits and he'd be leading with double-digits by now.

The fact is, the charge that Kerry lacks principles is the chief argument I've heard people use against him. Most people I know are upset with Bush, including one friend of mine who is a hard-core Repub (not a Freeper, but a Classical Conservative). He thinks Bush is a lousy President - he thinks Iraq was unnecessary, he thinks Bush's fiscal policies are a disaster, and he dislikes much of the agenda. Nevertheless, he can't bring himself to vote for Kerry because he "doesn't trust him." I've heard this charge from others - many moderates and centrist Republicans in particular who are leaning towards Bush.

Frankly, this charge hurts him amongst the left too. Many of us now like Kerry much more than before. The charge does still stick with a segment of the left. However, most of the left is so antipathetic towards Bush, that they are voting Kerry anyway. Of many in the middle, that's not so true.

Kerry needs to talk about his investigations, about BCCI and the Iran-Contra investigation. Frankly, some politician-like boastfulness would be helpful here - Kerry could say he "uncovered" Iran-Contra, which is somewhat misleading b/c it implies that Iran-Contra was entirely Kerry's investigation, but its true on the substance: he did begin the process.

Fact is, he needs to show many Americans that he's trustworthy. If he loses, it'll be for that reason. As someone recently wrote in The New Republic Online, an outcome similar to the '92 British election is possible. Then, the public was sick of the Tories, but in the end broke for them unexpectedly over Labor b/c they didn't trust the Labor leader, Neil Kinnock. I think Kerry will win, but we can't get complacent.

[rogerashton]

1. Kerry is working to unify the country.

Unification means compromise, listening to wideranging views and doing one's best encompass what is best in all of them. Anyone who does that can be seen as "unprincipled," although he is operating on the most important principle: bring Americans together.

Bush, with his my-way-or-the-highway approach, has been the most divisive president since the '60s -- and I mean the 1860's.

That is the point that needs to be gotten across -- somehow.

[Gman]

2. Your argument assumes Kerry's support is soft

polls show very little of Kerry and Bush's support is soft. If anything, Bush has more soft support in the moderate/liberal Republicans than does Kerry in moderate/conservative Democrats.

People that parrot the "flip-flop" trashing already have their minds made up and spewing it is merely expressing their hate for Kerry rather than genuine concern for the future of the country.

Secondly, given what appears to be the negative backlash against the SB vets, I would say people have had it up to here with the negativism of the GOP and..

Thirdly, with unprecedented access to information via the Internet, people are more educated on the issues and can find the truth rather than relying on hate commercials to find the truth.

And, I like the Iran-Contra angle. It would serve to remind everyone of the lawless element that has infected the White House. (I'm still in shock over John Negroponte as ambassador to Iraq.)

[sangh0]

3. Much of what you say is true, but

IMO you are leaving out an important part - the undecided voters are, generally speaking, not as well-informed as you seem to think they are. They are the ones who are susceptible to the flip-flop charge, and so I agree with OP that this may be Kerry's biggest potential problem.

However, I do agree that Kerry should make more of his investigatory background. It's not just Iran-Contra. It's BCCI, it's Panama, it's the Philipines, and more.