Little Red Corvette (Kerry's mid-life crisis) - Hugh Hewitt

Weekly Standard ^ | 5/6/04 | Hugh Hewitt

[Steven W.]

Do pictures of John Kerry in his Lycra cycling suit make you wonder if he's running for the right reasons?

WHEN JOHN KERRY took a spill from his bike this past weekend, it triggered thoughts of Jimmy Carter's collapse in a road race, Gerald Ford's much-mocked stumbles, and of Kerry's own misadventures on the ski slopes earlier this year. But it wasn't until the pictures of Kerry on his bike appeared that the real damage was done. The electric-lemon Lycra look probably won't play well outside the metrosexual caucus, and it can't be particularly inspiring to the troops living in holes outside of Falluja. Presidents can golf, and they can run, but they can't get dandied up and dart around on bikes in tights and fluorescent helmets.

Kerry's obsessive, if ill-fated, displays of physical activity also raise issues other than decorum. I've seen this sort of behavior before in men of a certain age, usually from their early 50s to their early 60s. And then the thought stuck: Are John Kerry's presidential ambitions and the shape and images of his campaign more about a mid-life crisis writ very large than any underlying set of ideas?

First, note that there aren't a lot of ideas over at Kerry Central, other than the U.N. blathering which, in the aftermath of oil-for-food-for-cash-for-Kofi's-friends, doesn't even persuade United Nations employees anymore. And Kerry's paper thin record of Senate accomplishments over two decades doesn't provide us with a reason for his running either.

So who's to say that it all isn't just an effort to head-off old age via the biggest sideshow of them all.

There are warning signs of mid-life crisis. At least a couple of these--excessive time spent on personal appearance and the constant reminiscing about one's youth--seem spot-on in the context of Kerry. And the big gun experts on male mid-life melt-down, such as Jim Conway, author of Men in Midlife Crisis, warn that some candidates for mid-life crisis "seem to have a lot of power, leadership, and ability, yet many of them express great insecurity, and feeling worthless." Kerry may be hiding a lot of angst behind his façade of lift-tickets and SUVs and his Shrumian rhetoric.

Presidents Bush, Clinton, and Carter arrived in the White House before the age when the mid-life demons descend, and President Reagan and candidate Dole had passed the age of such smash-ups.

But Kerry's definitely in the danger zone. Maybe those Lycra shorts are just a cry for help. Maybe he needs help. Maybe what the Kerry campaign really needs is a red corvette.

[Salamander]

As W might say, he's all hat and no cattle....:)

[hellinahandcart]

Yeah, I like Morford enough that I'm on the email list for his column.

Good answer.

[linn37]

We were allowed to see the picture of the President falling. So far we have not been allowed to see any pictures of Kerry falling.

[prairiebreeze]

I will be watching with interest just how long you can keep your left wing garbage from stinking up the place leading to you being asked to leave.

Perhaps you will surprise us and actually be able to engage in genuine debate in the spirit of exchange of ideas and opinions. Most of those with your leanings aren't able to do that, and resort to personal attacks when their positions are reasoned out from under them.

But you do have a chance. Time will tell if you are really up to it.

Prairie

[Wild Irish Rogue]

Any shrapnel scars visible ??

[xp38]

Well speaking of fast cars I came across this new Bentley Continental GT yesterday while surfing the web. Check out the configuration of the engine from the official Bentley website..."6 litres of pure unadulterated power. 12 cylinders imaginatively packed into a two bank W formation. Twin turbochargers that allow this Grand Tourer to glide up to and back down from operating speed. Swiftly. Breathlessly. An engine developed and tuned by Bentley. 552 bhp. Supreme levels of torque to match. 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds.

[Egregious Philbin]

Man! Now I have "Little Red Corvette" by Prince in my head now because of you! ;-)

And that's a bad thing?

[Egregious Philbin]

Seriously, the point of the bright clothes is to be seen...

Thank you! There are plenty of ways to peg Kerry. Worrying about him having decent bike gear is not one of them. Well, maybe we could question his choice of colors.

[paul51]

HERE you go

[Dante3]

Kerry has had all these falls. I've yet to see one picture of him falling down.

[talleyman]

It's the "Hair Dork One" photo I've been looking for - Thanks!!!

[R. Scott]

Midlife crisis!
I guess when I save up the money I’ll have to have one. I’ll fix the parking lot dings on my ‘83 Camaro and have it painted candy apple red over a gold base. I hope that doesn’t suddenly turn me into a raging democrat.

[R. Scott]

You're right!
How did I miss that?

[GulliverSwift]

Original picutre:

[MeekOneGOP]

I don't have any of Kerry on his bike. I borrowed Phil's from his 'In Forum' page .....

[MeekOneGOP]

[Denver Ditdat]

Of course I post left wing garbage. I'm on the political left. Most people here are on the right so they post right wing garbage. So what?

I'll bet you and I don't share much common political ground, but I like this answer. Keep it honest and civil, and you can have some good discussions here even if you are from "the other side".

[Denver Ditdat]

Of course I post left wing garbage. I'm on the political left. Most people here are on the right so they post right wing garbage. So what?

I'll bet you and I don't share much common political ground, but I like this answer. Keep it honest and civil, and you can have some good discussions here even if you are from "the other side".

[Denver Ditdat]

Of course I post left wing garbage. I'm on the political left. Most people here are on the right so they post right wing garbage. So what?

I'll bet you and I don't share much common political ground, but I like this answer. Keep it honest and civil, and you can have some good discussions here even if you are from "the other side".