I feel like doing something drastic.

[MonteLukast]

By that, I mean, I feel like making a big fool of myself.

As you may know, I am both a Kerry supporter and an Edwards supporter. And yes, I'm saddened that JK did not endorse Edwards. But I was not surprised, given everything that happened before.

But what I'm driving at is, whatever Kerry does, he can't win. He acts diplomatic and circumspect? He's called spineless. He acts with culture and intelligence? He's called effete. He gets aggressive? Half the time, he's tsk-tsked for being out of place.

Everything the man does, he's taken negatively. By Democrats.

I frankly don't know how he withstands it.
Because if MY heart and soul were so repeatedly rejected, day in and day out, I'd come to doubt my life's purpose pretty darn quick.
After all, the beautiful thing about being a human is the magic we create in our relationships with others. The ability to win other people's hearts, minds, and souls. The ability to mean something to someone besides ourselves.
If I feel I'm incapable of that fundamental human capability, I'm going to get depressed. If nobody wants what's in my heart, I'm going to wonder, what's the point in living if you can't make a difference to others?

I don't think a lot of Democrats WANT Kerry to make a difference. I don't think they WANT him to connect with them.

And therefore, I'm thinking of doing it-- just askinhg striaght out, "would you feel better if John Kerry didn't exist"? "Would you be happier if he weren't trying to make a difference"? Because I would LOVE to see their answers, and read between the lines.

But if I do that, I make a big ol' troll out of myself.

So... any thoughts?

[Noisy Democrat]

1. Who would you ask?

If you asked the haters on GD and DKos who are currently throwing fits over the endorsement, they'd probably say "Hell yes!" And of course we here would say "Hell no!"

The reaction from some circles has been very depressing (though they haven't stopped me from feeling giddy with happiness today). But I don't know if there's much to be read between the lines. Seems like people are pretty up-front with their love or hate.

[politicasista]

2. I am cool with Edwards, but I am

sick of the he wanted to fight Ohio and all these plans he had for fighting the election fraud, which make it seems like Kerry was nonchalant about the situation and just said, "whatever." Why can't they both be fighters? All this tearing Kerry down just to promote him doesn't make him look good.



I am done complaining now. :hi:

[sandnsea]

3. People want him to be Superman

And when he misses a mark, even if there's nothing he can realistically do differently, people are DEEPLY dejected and never get over it. That's what I think it is for a lot of people. At least the ones who aren't Naderites.

[BlueIris]

4. Come sit next to me, honey.

I mean, I haven't actually done anything drastic as a result of this development, nor will I, because what I've learned from Senator Kerry is that there is nothing to be gained from provoking the willfully ignorant, the hateful or the dangerous.

But my God. The endorsement has done the most for those who relish any excuse in the world to abuse John Kerry (and his contributions). It makes them feel good about themselves. It makes them feel warm and safe and snuggly. "Hey, I beat up a real liberal today! Maybe my Republican father will love me now! Maybe that gnawing shame I feel in my heart because I don't have the courage to do one tenth of the things Kerry's done for this country will abate. Maybe I can stop feeling like the coward I know I am!"

I'd encourage you not to blow your posting privileges (or damage your credibility with anyone) on people who actually are trolls. They want to stay all snuggly warm under their fascism-validating rocks and they're not coming out just 'cause you call 'em on it. Trust me on this.

[Vektor]

5. I think Kerry never loses his will, and keeps fighting the good fight...

because he has us!

The power of one of us cancels out a million haters, and this group as a whole?

Well put it this way:

John Kerry haircut, according to haters and freepers: $75-$400

Brooks Brothers patterned silk tie: $150

Pint of Bass Ale: $4.00

Having the JK DU Kerrycrats on your side, having your back, and fighting alongside you, evermore: PRICELESS.

[beachmom]

8. Thanks, Vektor. That is well said. It has been a very tough

24 hours.

[ginnyinWI]

6. I know, I know.

It can make you crazy. They just want to hate him, that's all. And it doesn't need to make any sense--it feels too good for them to want to stop.

JK listens to his inner voice--I'm sure he's this type--he's inwardly motivated, not outwardly motivated by what other people say or do. Guided by his own high moral standards. That's what has made him so strong all of these years--that highly principled core. He's a real leader, the genuine article.

And DU and all the other mudslingers aren't even on his radar screen. He probably cares what his family thinks, and his close friends, and lets all the rest roll right off his back. You can't be in politics and not be able to do that.

So take a cue from JK and let it roll right off. To me it looks like they are all just eaten up with envy--especially the men--because they aren't as good as he is and they know it!! So they get a feeling of power by expressing their illogical hatred and imagined hurts that he supposedly caused them. But JK gets the last laugh because the haters only make themselves more miserable. Anger works that way on a person. You harbor it and it poisons you.

[Luftmensch067]

7. That's EXACTLY the way I see it, Ginny!

JK listens to his inner voice--I'm sure he's this type--he's inwardly motivated, not outwardly motivated by what other people say or do. Guided by his own high moral standards. That's what has made him so strong all of these years--that highly principled core. He's a real leader, the genuine article.

And DU and all the other mudslingers aren't even on his radar screen. He probably cares what his family thinks, and his close friends, and lets all the rest roll right off his back. You can't be in politics and not be able to do that.

And that's why I was especially interested to hear JK mention Obama's "moral compass" in his endorsement speech. If he sees that in Obama, then Obama is very much his type of person and his type of leader and that makes this opportunity for him to come out for someone he can truly respect all the sweeter.

[Inuca]

9. "moral compass"

Yes, that stood out for me too.

[ginnyinWI]

11. that's what I took away from yesterday, too

I liked Obama before, my third choice after Biden and Dodd (the experienced foreign policy guys). Obama looked like the real deal to me, but then, I thought, you never know--maybe the people who said he's a "corporatist" and an "empty suit" were right.

Last election, the only way I got to the point of believing in JK 100% was by watching him closely for months, looking for inconsistencies, for chinks in the facade to see if it were only a facade. I concluded it was not, that JK was for real, and gave him my full trust.

I would be doing the same for Obama right now, but JK gave me a huge shortcut yesterday. I trust his opinion, so I can trust Obama by association. I'll still be watching and scrutinizing, but this makes it so much easier to shake off any doubts people throw my way.


edit: Remember the Jackie Robinson tribute? How everything JK said about the man could have been said by others about him, too? He has the ability to see and admire qualities in others that also pertain to himself. He sees greatness because he's great himself. :)

[karynnj]

10. I disagree very much

I think that it is the squeeky wheels that make all the noise - different ones on different issues. They don't reflect most people.

I think that over time most people paying attention see Kerry as someone who does what he believes is right - almost all of the time. He also does it in a clear, noticeable way. That means that sometimes he will be going against the mainstream and LEADING. When that happens there will be people who attack him. In the end though, he will often have been someone who changed something.

Some wins will be complete. In many cases, a partial win will be all that can be achieved even with incredible effort and brilliance. Look at the fight against arming the Contras. Kerry's exposing it likely stopped the drug running that otherwise would have continued. He had the entire Reagan administration against him and many Democrats likely quietly against him. He did not single handedly stop the atrocious Latin America policy, but he clearly exposed and stopped some bad things - and got lots of bad press in the process.

He had to know when he undertook Kerry/Feingold when the Clinton wing said that doing so could end up hurting politically that he would be ridiculed and vilified, but as he said it would be immoral not to question a policy that was wrong. I think he is more often than most politicians motivated internally to do what he thinks is right and needs to be done.

He needs to be popular enough to get re-elected in MA, which be all accounts he is. He also has a very large group of people who have supported and admired him for decades. There is a difference in the standard that JK is held to versus other politicians. Look at how no one cares that JE and EE attacked Kerry, but an endorsement of Obama is taken as an attack on Edwards. Kerry has still to say a single negative word about Edwards. Bill Clinton is held to no noticeable standards at all. To some degree, it is because he is seen as being better than that when they think he fails a test. In some ways he is on a pedestal that others aren't on.

I do think that Kerry is very strong and that doing what is right has its own rewards. Also in 2004, we saw that he is surrounded by friends and family, that not only love him, but know that he is a great man. He is in the fortunate position of having a wonderful wife and family, friends and a very important job. He could retire to Nantucket and his place in history would still be better than that of many who are temporarily media favorites. (If you want depressing, think where Edwards will likely be in a few months.) Would you rather the first association with your name be Kerry's 1971 question that is likely to resonate whenever their are hopeless wars or Bill Clinton's most comment? Imagine how Bush will be regarded.

[ginnyinWI]

12. doing what is right for its own reward

That's why the greatest among us do what they do--and why *'s feeble attempts lately of legacy building are crashing and burning. He's waited too long, has no more clout left and only the ill will of all the people he wants to influence. But mostly it's failing because people see why he's doing it. It's a phoney and self-serving charade--if not, it is astoundingly dense of him to think he can fix up the whole world now, in his last lame-chimp year.

But enough of that--I'm trying not to think of it. But it's people like this who make ordinary voters get cynical--so cynical that they don't believe a Kerry or an Obama can have anything other than selfish, self-serving motives to what they do. Makes you want to scream, doesn't it?