Reply #5: Kerry was some of those things, not others ...

[HamdenRice]

I agree that Kerry does not try to simplify or dumb down the issues. I thought he did pretty well in some of the debates. But even among engaged, thinking audiences, delivery matters.

Bill Clinton could also discuss issues without dumbing them down, but in a compelling way. Kerry sometimes gets caught up in "Senate speak" which is its own obfuscating and indirect way of speaking and Clinton never did that (except maybe, "it depends on what the meaning of is, is").

Gore used to try to talk down to audiences. He was once described as addressing the nation as though we are all learning disabled 14 year olds, but he has radically changed his speaking style.

The plainest speaking Democrat today is Howard Dean, and the plainest speaking Republican today is John McCain, and that's why they are both popular, whatever the actual content of what they are saying.