Today my ABB is put to the test.

[mourningdove92]

Edwards was my man. So now my heart is broken, but I will get over it. Kerry is our candidate, so now it is time to rally around the Dem cause. Bush is our enemy, the destroyer of our nation. We must take our country back.

ABB.

:kick:

[WillyBrandt]

1. Give it a few days. Your political heart will heal.

Believe me. It'll be easier. Kerry's actually a great guy.

[Badger1]

2. Kerry was my third

choice but I have my marching orders and am ready to go to battle and kick a whole lot of GOP ass.

[jonnyblitz]

3. My transition to kerry supporter was easy for me.

I am surprised at myself.

[DU9598]

4. Me too

Johnny was my boy. But while I fell in love, tonight I have fallen in line. Go Kerry, Beat the Bushies!

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mourningdove92]

6. What?????

Why would you say such a thing?

[GalleryGod]

8. Short Johnson Syndrome, I do Believe

:evilgrin:

[GalleryGod]

7. Please Read Below

Ready?

GFY

Thank you,that is all!

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[elsiesummers]

9. I am having a hard time with the switch.

It's not that I'm against Kerry - more a problem with zero enthusiasm, indifference and apathy.

The media keeps saying that the Democrats are unified (especially CNN - it's a constant storyline).

Are the Democrats unified? Am I the only stray Democrat feeling disunified?

I always hear that it is necessary for the nominee to lock up the base in the primary so he can move to the center. Does Kerry have the base locked up? Will he be spending more time on locking up the base after the divisive primary season or will he move straight to the general election?

Also - I've noticed many Clark supporters have great enthusiasm for Kerry. Is this related to enthusiasm for military figures or credentials? How do you get from supporting one candidate to the next candidate?

I guess I'm trying to find a path toward developing enthusiasm for Kerry. He has been way down my list of candidates (#4), although there have been times before the campaign ever started when I've found him an interesting guest on MTP when he spoke against Bush tax cuts. I also like that he has a history of pushing for stronger CAFE standards. Since the campaign started Kerry has been a dissappointment - because I actually was quite interested in Kerry when I first started looking all of the candidates over, but he failed to inspire.

How do you get there - to supporting Kerry? What makes someone "for" Kerry? What about him makes him inspiring?

[goddess40]

21. You aren't alone

I wanted Dean to be our next president but I'll hold my nose and support and vote for Kerry. I too am heart broken because I was looking forward to some real change but I'll have to settle for the country not getting worse. I hope with all my heart I'm wrong, but my head tells me that Kerry is just another rich Washington insider.

My biggest disapointment with the Dems right now is that far too many voted for Kerry "because he's going to win" -sorry but to vote for someone for that reason in a primary is stupid, pathetic and down right republican!

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Vive le resistance!

The French Resistance was largely composed of leftists who willingly took direction from General de Gaulle, a fellow who would fit in nicely with the old GOP, in order to take back their country. We can certainly follow Kerry in order to take back ours.

This is not the year to look for the perfect presidential candidate. I don't think any Democrat would lie to get this country into war the way Bush did -- in fact, I don't think most Republicans would have, either. I believe that if Kerry were president that I would be able to dissent without worrying if federal agents are going to bully the local public librarian to find out what I've been reading. That is sufficient reason to support Kerry over Bush.

[elsiesummers]

11. I don't know if you were responding to my post 9

But I wasn't against the war. I'm still not convinced it was a bad choice to go to war in Iraq. I don't like that the war has added to Bush's political power.

Edwards and Gephardt were my first two choices.

Dean was my third choice because, despite my disagreement over the war, he is charismatic and I enjoyed his firey rhetoric. Also because I read he still has green shag carpet and tapes his shoes together.

Working class issues and frugalism are my main beefs with Bush - and the reason I'm a Democrat.

[Zhade]

12. You STILL don't think the war was a bad idea?

Good Christ, what do you base that view on? I just don't get it.

[elsiesummers]

13. I somewhat buy into the neocon arguement.

I'm not convinced that the war, long term (50 years), is good or bad - I think we don't know and may never know. I do buy into the neocon arguement - of gaining a foothold in the Middle East - both for political power and because of oil.

I know that's not a popular opinion at DU - so I basically have avoided the war topic entirely - for that reason, and stick to economics and party politics - since these are things I agree with most DUers on.

BTW - I am a lifelong Democrat.

[Zhade]

14. You buy into the neocon argument. And you admit it.

Wow.

That's a first here on DU.

Uh, again, wow.

[Capt_Nemo]

16. In 20 years (maybe less) the US will no longer be a superpower if

the neo-cons try to implement their self-defeating half-assed
imperial vision.

Want to now why? Read for example "Aprés l'Empire" by Emmanuel Todd.

Anyway, I would like to know if you have any idea of where the hell
the US is going to get and pay for the military and financial resources
to handle the consequences of the neo-con plan?
Unless you are going to pull those trillions out of your pocket...

[greatauntoftriplets]

17. And all the pointless deaths -- both US and Iraq --

don't bother you?

[DNA]

18. first

I was following you on the Kerry thing. I too find it impossible to get enthused about Kerry. The neocons tho' have been consistently wrong about everything and will inevitably take this country down the tubes if they're allowed to get away with any more policy decisions. They're so completely discredited now that I doubt they'll have much power at least in public. Even the Republicans don't believe them anymore.

[seaglass]

20. I can understand your conflict. I was against the war, I still

am but I do have a little area in the back of my mind that asks, what if 20 years from now, the people in the Middle East are lifted out of poverty, what if they have opportunities, what if women are treated equally and their lives overall are better?

I still can't accept that the invasion was the only way to get there, but long-term there could be a silver lining on this black cloud.

I had an interesting discussion with my hairdresser yesterday, she's from Albania and lived under communist rule for over 1/2 her life. What I got from her is that people who have never lived under an oppressive government will never truly understand what it means to have freedom and opportunity and that sometimes sacrifices are made to obtain them.

I am a Kerry supporter but my reasons for supporting him are different from what you seem to require from a candidate. I don't need someone to inspire me, my inspiration is based on my burning desire to remove Bush from office. I agree with Kerry on most policy positions, I support NCLB with changes, I am for fair trade, I am for improving and protecting our environment, I am for a foreign policy based on diplomacy and partnerships, I am for a candidate who doesn't see the world in black and white and respects people for the skills and attributes they bring to the table rather than their political labels.

John Kerry supports the working class, he supports raising the minimum wage, he stands beside firefighters, he has supported nurses and custodial workers on strike, he supported the Harvard Living Wage Campaign, he met with striking grocery workers in CA. He does have policies that will increase job opportunities.

If he doesn't personally inspire you, maybe his policies and record will.
http://www.johnkerry.com/

[OhioStateProgressive]

19. mine tested as well...nader came out on top(nt)