How dare you question John Kerry's patriotism!
John Kerry's actions thirty years ago would not have mattered at ALL if he has just said, "It was a different time, and I had different aspirations." John is the one who has chosen to dwell on the events of 1969 through 1972. We can't get him to shut up about it. The important and relevant things are the last ten years in the Senate, after he has accumulated some experience and seniority, and presumedly some acumen in the political wisdom of our times.
And John Kerry comes up a huge zero. Indifferent to his obligations as a Senator, missing votes and committee meetings, and not much of a record on sponsorship or introduction of legislation, with NO serious bills bearing his name (like, maybe he could have been in on something similar in nature to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill, or gotten his name on the Kennedy education bill, or SOMETHING besides vague resolutions), Kerry leaves almost no footprint that he ever passed this way.
If a Kerry Administration leaves no more of a legacy than his Senatorial career, that will only greatly enhance and embellish the record left by Jimmy Carter. Jimmy did carry out the duties of the office, if not very competently, but he had the virtue of showing up on time, almost every day.