This post on Balloon Juice is interesting re: differences between JK now & in 2004

[beachmom]

http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=10598

I Don’t Remember This John Kerry
By: John Cole June 11, 2008 at 11:45 am
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Maybe it is because I am wholly and completely in the tank for Obama and I am filtering things differently, but I do not remember John Kerry being this aggressive:

(then he quotes Kerry from today smacking down McCain)

I remember him making a comment last week that sounded strident (I forgot to blog about it, but I remember saying “ouch” when I heard him utter it), and then there is this conference call in which Kerry was again on the attack. Is this a new and improved aggressive John Kerry, or am I predisposed to think of his comments more positively now that he is an Obama surrogate? Did he learn from 2004, or is he just a better surrogate than he was candidate (I know some people are terrible at defending themselves, but great at defending others).

The comments aren't half bad (a few mean ones, but a small percentage). I thought this one, although flawed (Kerry is not a WASP), had a kernel of truth to it:

demimondian Says:

Kerry is a patrician New England WASP. In my experience growing up among that class, they are personally taught that it’s unseemly to defend yourself, and that you should depend on others to defend you—but that, conversely, you should be available to defend others when asked. If Kerry fits that mold, then I would expect him to be uncomfortable defending his own record when attacked, but lethal and deadly when asked to defend a colleague or a soldier.

June 11th, 2008 at 11:52 am

I weighed in as well, but I was curious what people thought of the "rehabilitation of John Kerry" among nonsupporters.

[beachmom]

1. Oh, where did Kerry appear at a B & N in April to promote his book?

http://instaputz.blogspot.com/2008/04/troglodytes.html

pic at the link (fuzzy & far away, or artistic depending on your point of view)

Stunningly, we have a flat earth caucus in the United States Senate. There are some troglodytes there who just don't believe in science, don't listen, think this is a crazy conspiracy, and they're still pushing back.

That's John Kerry a few hours ago at Barnes and Noble, referring to climate change skeptics. He didn't name names, of course, but this was a refreshing departure from how he conducted himself during the '04 campaign.

[Democrafty]

2. NYC?

I remember there being pictures at some point....

[karynnj]

3. Yep NYC

Majorie G, NoisyDemocrat and I were there!

[JI7]

4. people have always said this, they even said it when he ran for President

like when he chose Edwards, some people who didn't pay attention until that watched and said Kerry was a better campaigner now and then tried to say it was because he picked Edwards as VP.

or when he appeared at some event with Dean they said he did well because of that.

those of us who watched him can see he has always done well. there is a difference in Kerry campaigning himself as the Nominee and doing it for Obama. Kerry is more free to say certain things for someone else than he can for himself, especially as the nominee. just take Obama himself as an example, he woudln't and shouldn't ever say some of the things Kerry or other supporters say for him as surrogates.

[ray of light]

5. Instead of comparing Kerry 2004 to Kerry 2008, they need to compare Democrats 2004 to Democrats 2008

ANd for that matter compare Democrats in 2000 to 2008. You'll see that as a whole the party in 2000 and 20004 was AWFUL at defending their nominee. Though frankly, having watched a little more tv the last few weeks, I think the Democratic party needs to follow Kerry's example on how to defend the nominee.

I've seen too many people stuttering, waiting politely for the Republican to stop speaking out their talking points, and allowing the media to interrupt and not let them get their turn. IT's like 2004 all over again!

Only Kerry takes a stance and doesn't sit there nodding his head yes, while the Republican says vile spin and then turns and stutters when it's his/her turn to defend it. (Hillary is equally as firm as Kerry-to be honest.) But other people, well, they don't make very good representatives for Obama. (Just like in 2004, they couldn't have found worse representatives for Kerry!)

[beachmom]

6. Good point. Not only are Democrats better now, but the country is

in a better place. Thing is, I do think something happened to Kerry in 2006 -- that "Dissent" speech he gave was pure poetry, and it makes his 2004 speeches pale in comparison. But that's because he wasn't given the time to write his own speeches. I am glad Obama gave that Race speech, which he wrote himself. Candidates should be given opportunities to truly express themselves.

[ginnyinWI]

7. I agree. The Dems are feeling their oats now.

The 2006 elections helped bolster their courage.

Kerry has always been smart and tough, but the "horse" he had to ride in 2004 wasn't up to snuff. (And he still almost won, which says a lot about the man!) Obama's got a much better DNC horse to ride this time around. Dean's 50-state strategy, plus Obama's ground game and public hunger for a change in leadership all factor in. The Obama camp seems to have learned lessons and become the "Kerry-Edwards 2.0", putting up an anti-smear website being just the latest in a series of smart moves meant to avoid the pitfalls of 2004.