Time for Kerry to get it in gear

Berkshire Eagle Online ^ | September 6, 2004

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Traditionally, political campaigns are said to move into high gear with the passage of Labor Day, a concept that may horrify most Americans already sick to death of a campaign that is too much with us in its vitriol and triviality. But in the case of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, that old bromide had better apply. With the passage of Labor Day, will the Massachusetts senator give American voters reason to shrug off their well-earned cynicism and listen to what he has to say and consider what he has to offer? The Kerry campaign has been in the same doldrums it found itself in last winter when Howard Dean was attracting the headlines and the TV coverage. The senator became energized and focused just before the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary so we know he has it in him. But will he re-emerge again?

The senator -- shocked -- shocked! -- that Republicans would exploit his Vietnam service, has spent far too much time on the defensive. It could have been predicted easily enough that his opponents would adopt this tactic, particularly after he emphasized his Vietnam service at the Democratic convention. Here's another prediction -- Mr. Bush and the organizations that provide him cover will spend much of the next two months bashing Mr. Kerry for his actions protesting the war upon his return from Vietnam.

Senator Kerry should not be reluctant to contrast his war record to the lack of same of the tough-talking White House chicken hawks. Unlike them, he has seen war up close, and it inspired him to protest a terrible war in Vietnam that was killing and crippling U.S. soldiers and tearing America apart. Mr. Kerry's service in Vietnam was noble, and so was his later opposition to the war. He knew what he was talking about and had the courage to do so.

The senator blundered when he backed the Iraqi war resolution but that does not disqualify him from criticizing the White House for the mess it has made of Iraq and for turning away from those who brought us September 11 to settle old scores. Domestically, has Mr. Kerry even mentioned what the Supreme Court will look like if President Bush is able to make two or three appointees in the coming years? Has he raised the specter of a Chief Justice Scalia? His health care program, funded largely through rescinding tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, is a good one, but he hasn't pushed it aggressively enough. He can't let President Bush get away with blaming September 11 for job losses and a massive deficit that are his responsibility.

Senator Kerry is an underdog against a well-funded incumbent whose minions, such as the Swift Boat Veterans, will say and do anything to keep the administration in power. That doesn't excuse him, however, for a campaign that is too passive and too unfocused. He's done better before. He'll have to again.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's hard to run a campaign when you have no vision, no platform and no pro-U.S. record to run on.

[Uncle Vlad]

Bingo! The problem with the Kerry campaign, is Kerry has already gotten in gear. This is as good as he gets, folks. You don't take a Yugo into the Indianapolis 500 unless you know a heckuva shortcut.

[rineaux]

Clinton will dominate the news for the next few days, maybe longer. First the press, than the talk shows. Can help or hurt Skerry. Most think he does not want skerry to win because it helps lil ms hillary. if thats true, than he can talk till the end of the election.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) and his wife Teresa Heinz-Kerry ride out on a boat off of the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, September 2, 2004. Photo by Jim Young/Reuters

U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) and first lady, Laura Bush attend a Pennsylvania Victory 2004 rally while at the Lackawanna County Stadium in Moosic, Pennsylvania on September 3, 2004. The first couple will continue to Wisconsin and Iowa to campaign before spending the night in Ohio. Photo by Larry Downing/Reuters

[TADSLOS]

He stripped his gears and his interchangeable ribbon- medals a long time ago after his return from Vietnam. He's a downhill racer now with no brakes and riding on two flat tires named Tereza and John of Breck.

[dighton]

Senator Kerry should not be reluctant to contrast his war record to the lack of same of the tough-talking White House chicken hawks.

What a clever new approach. Go for it, Jean-François!

[Boundless]

> Clinton will dominate the news for the next few days ...

The SBVFT are running a count of the number of days it's
been before Kerry answered live questions from a reporter
(other than that Comedy Channel fiction).

The Clinton recovery (or funeral) will give Kerry cover
to stay under cover for a while longer.

[Viet-Boat-Rider]

FBI FILES ON KERRY'S ANTI-WAR GROUP

Go here FBI FILES and look at pages 21 through 25. You will see that Kerry's Vietnam Vets Against The War had DIRECT communicaitons with the North Vietnamese Communists and coordinated Anti-War activities in the United States.

This is IN ADDITION to Kerry's trips to Paris to meet with North Vietnamese and Viet Cong Officials to discuss America's surrender where Kerry brought back the Communist's talking points and spewed them on American TV.

Kerry is a TRAITOR to America.

[Steely Tom]

This is exactly what is meant when we say that the left-wing bias of the press is not helping the Democrats.

What a silly, shallow, pretensious column. What an outstanding exemplar of absolute, rock-bottom pseudo-intellectual mediocrity all dressed up, like someone's crack-whore sister who gets gussied up for the wedding. Make-up applied with a trowel. Overpowering cologne to cover up who knows what.

If this is what Kerry's got in his intellectual braintrust, we've got nothing to fear. These people have become their own victims. They've conned themselves. Really pathetic.

(steely)

[rineaux]

The SBVFT are running a count of the number of days it's
been before Kerry answered live questions from a reporter


Just so we all know, what is the count

[bannie]

It's hard to run a campaign when you have no vision, no platform and no pro-U.S. record to run on.

Exactly! AND...

How can the man convince honest, thinking people that he SUDDENLY is a different man than he's shown us to be during this "campaign" he's been slopping through so far?

Fools and liars, of course, are not already in his camp.

[Boundless]

> Just so we all know, what is the count

DAY 36<-Number of Days John Kerry has hid from Interviews
http://www2.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7973

"The Subject header will be changed each day until
he grants a meaningful interview."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Then there's the "help" his sister is giving him.

[rineaux]

Kerry is a TRAITOR to America.

We may know that. but will it matter to some of the voters who can make a big difference? i hope the heck it does. would love to California go for W.

[Cboldt]

Here's another prediction -- Mr. Bush and the organizations that provide him cover will spend much of the next two months bashing Mr. Kerry for his actions protesting the war upon his return from Vietnam.

I'll take that bet. The Bush campaign is not interested in discussing Kerry's Vietnam past, but has been focused very well oon the future, and Kerry's Senate record and stated positions, as they relate to the war on terror and domestic issues.

Senator Kerry should not be reluctant to contrast his war record to the lack of same of the tough-talking White House chicken hawks. Unlike them, he has seen war up close, and it inspired him to protest a terrible war in Vietnam that was killing and crippling U.S. soldiers and tearing America apart. Mr. Kerry's service in Vietnam was noble, and so was his later opposition to the war. He knew what he was talking about and had the courage to do so.

BWahahahahah. And he gets yet another piece of unsolicited advice to take another poke at the tar baby.

[hershey]

It's also hard to run a losing campaign when your wife holds the purse strings and has already jumped ship.

[MortMan]

Senator Kerry is an underdog against a well-funded incumbent whose minions, such as the Swift Boat Veterans, will say and do anything to keep the administration in power.

The SwiftVets are NOT pro-Bush. They are anti-Kerry. This is part of the "big lie" repetition.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

What a silly, shallow, pretensious column.

The Berkshire Eagle is the post-graduate version of the Amherst College Newspaper, The Amherst Student. (Clever name, huh?) It's a place for delicate, ooh soo sensitive trustifarians to commune their undying solidarity with the masses from the lofty heights of central New England. Just don't touch my granola. The sound box of the Ben and Jerry's Bike Path Left.

[libstripper]

Themore contrasting of his war record he does, the more deserved Swiftvets' attacks Gigolo John will get.

[EGPWS]

It's hard to run a campaign when you have no vision, no platform and no pro-U.S. record to run on.

His numbers go up when he is silent and out of the picture.