Reply #3: I agree with you it feels like the establishment won

[karynnj]

What particularly annoys me is their glee in ridiculing Kerry. The fact is that he has spent his time in the public eye with more dignity, grace and integrity than anyone else, other than maybe Obama, I can think of. (2 bad jokes in 4 years certainly is less bad than 4 times repeating tales - that grew - of sniper fire when there was none.) Without requiring a tinfoil hat, the only reason for their hatred is that he almost beat them - just being who he is - or that they know that no matter what they say or do, he will just go on being JK.

There are at least 2 ironies.
1) That of all the 2004 or 2008 candidates the one most likely in either year (had he run in 2008) to really lead an expeditious end to the war was and is Kerry. Kerry was the only one with enough real knowledge to push back against forces that will want to extend it - why the reason above - he will do what he thinks right no matter what the kool kidz or power elite says. (When Kerry had K/F, Dean was pushing the 2 year Korb plan. Yet, the antiwar left that lionized Dean (who really was no more anti-war than Kerry), Edwards(!) and Obama, who did really speak against the war.

2) That it may well be that the candidate who really would lead the most change was Kerry. Obama may be good on the economy - as would nearly any Democrat - but I really hope that Obama at least listens to Kerry and considers his advice. He may well do it - he has yet to state a single policy. (yeah I know this sounds like the Edwards people saying JRE was "stopped" because he was fighting corruption. )