Despite what the MSM says most Americans despise liberals and will not vote for them. Say what you want about Bill Clinton, but he was smart and savvy enough to avoid the liberal tag, and he convinced enough voters that he was a moderate governor from the south. John Kerry is too refined and snobby to pull off the same stunt Clinton did. It doesn't help that he's from Massachusetts and has a voting record even more leftist than America's most prominent liberal Teddy Kennedy.
"... most Americans despise liberals and will not vote for them..."
That's the reason Dean was dumped. He allowed that label to be used as a description of him. The media caught on and realized he could not be elected as a "liberal". Arriva J F Kerry....a progressive!