Sullivan is thinker -- except where homosexuality is concerned. Then the mind stops. Unfortunately ever since the President came out for the Marriage Amendment this election has been about one issue and one issue only for Sullivan. All his tortured explanations of why Kerry would be just as good for the war on terror are purely transparent rationalizations. He's supporting Kerry because he knows that Kerry won't lift a finger to stop court-imposed "gay marriage," period. It's sad to see a smart man so tied in knots.
For Sullivan the equation is thus:
Bush's profligate spending + trouble in post-war Iraq + Bush support for FMA = middling support for Kerry despite innumerable faults.
He's one of the most tortured guys out there, that's for sure.