Why John Kerry lost [Lipscomb says press overlooks Swiftie importance]

New York Sun ^ | January 7-9, 2005 | Thomas Lipscomb

[syriacus]

"Newsweek talks exclusively with John Kerry about why he lost" promised the cover story this New Year's week, and it turns out that Senator Kerry's reflections boil down to the Nixonian. "The pundits have never liked me," he said. "Is it the way I look? The way I sound?"

The rest of the press hasn't done much better. Immediately after the campaign, they decided the election was won on "values." A few days later the consensus shifted like a school of fish. Mr. Kerry lost because, as Newsweek's Evan Thomas put it, "sitting presidents are never defeated in wartime." So the election was really about security and Iraq. Grudging praise now seems to be going to Karl Rove for his success in getting out the GOP vote. [snip]

What happened was the reveille to more than 26.1 million Americans who serve or have served in the military. [snip]

The reveille was the publication, two weeks after Mr. Kerry's nomination, of the book by John O'Neill and Jerry Corsi, "Unfit for Command."

[syriacus]

Pretty nice op-ed.

[cardinal4]

Kerry lost because he was a boob. The circus troupe that was Kerry-Edwards 2004, could easily start their own cable comedy channel. The political hit on a goose, the orange skin paint, the salute, the 87 billion, Teresa, the butler, Lambert Field, the photo op with the Marines in the Wendys in PA, were just a few anecdotes of pure hilarity. Remember the bike pic? The bunny suit pic? Kerry was a clown, thats why he lost..

[judywillow]

Every other election I've ever seen, the wrong guy could lose and the country would still be there four years henc. This time I didn't have that feeling. If Kerry had won, we'd have had nothing to lose; we'd have needed to split the country up then and there.

[Route101]

"Unfit for Command" sunk his swift boat right from under him....As it turned out for John Kerry...It wasn't the Viet Cong that got him...It was people who knew him......

[Liz]

TAKE A LOOK AT THE VALUES VOTE MAP Can Democrats top this? (/sarc)

Christian denominations made monumental contributions to GWB's vote totals. Pres Bush won with 63 Million Votes (13 million more than 2000).

According to CNN exit polls, Bush voters included 38% of union members, 40% of those with union members in their households, 42% of those earning $15,000-$30,000, 44% of those who earn under $50,000 and 44% of Latinos, 45% of youth (aged 18-29), 13% of liberals—even 11% of Democrats voted for Bush. The map, though impressive, conveys the misleading impression that blue state Catholics voted for Kerry.

According to EWTN "The World Over Live" analysts, with the exception of VA, where Catholics spit 70/30 in favor of Bush, the majority of Catholic voters split 55/45 for Bush.....a whopping number of votes since Catholics number about 52 million Americans. Democrats were considered the party of Catholics for generations from the days they stood on the dock registering European immigrants getting off the boat at Ellis Island.

If you look closely, the map appears to place the insignificant "Other Voters" in the ocean.....that's accurate, because "Other Voters" were on cruise ships.

(MAP UPDATE Bush won Ohio, Iowa and New Mexico later.)

[gridlock]

I agree that Kerry was a buffoon, and that cost him dearly, but the shift in opinion between the conventions was hugh. I attribute this shift largely to the SBVT campaign.

John F. Kerry had blown himself up like a balloon, huffing and puffing about his questionable military credentials, but offering no substantive reason to vote for him for President. The Swifties came along with the perfect pin to pop him.

Without that shift, the RNC would have been seen as a desperate affair. I don't think the President would have been able to recover. Of course, this is all woulda/coulda stuff. There is no way to know for sure. The right man won in the end, and the more confused the Democrats are about the reason, the better our prospects for the future.

[PGalt]

Good post; interesting map. Thanks.

[wildcatf4f3]

John Kerry (may this be the last time I type his name) was a direct attack on my personal pantheon of heros. An affront to my ancestors whose service and courage helped make this country. ONE LAST TIME---Mr. Kerry should have been left swinging from a yardarm.

[Darkwolf377]

He lost because this time it really made a difference who won. Yes, yes, it always does but this time as in some other times past (1980, for example) the country would have followed one of two distinctly different paths depending on the winner.

[cardinal4]

(MAP UPDATE Bush won Ohio, Iowa and New Mexico later.)

Im convinced WI should be in that group as well.

[DJ Taylor]

"Kerry was a clown, that's why he lost.."


Kerry was/is indeed a clown, but we should not lose sight of the fact that he came within +-150,000 votes in Ohio of becoming President of the United States. We dodged that bullet once, but we should not count on doing it again. We must stop gloating about our narrow victory and how great the Republican campaign was run and come to grips with the fact that the Democrat political machine came very close to again putting a “clown” into the oval office

[cardinal4]

It wasnt even close. OH was never in play. Niether was Florida. The amount of dems that voted republican this time would rival that of 84, Id bet. In addition, WI, MI, an PA were very close, close enough for Kerry and his minions to cheat. No, this election was a blowout. It's just that no one will admit it..

[IamConservative]

Why does everyone overlook the fact that Kerry and the Dems had absolutely no platform, no message - they ran on misguided hope that enough people would vote against Bush to beat him.

That strategy doesn't even pass the most elementary humna behavior smell test - what's that saying about "the devil you know"??

[syriacus]

ONE LAST TIME---Mr. Kerry should have been left swinging from a yardarm.

He is a skunk, and I wouldn't choose one as my commander-in-chief.

He underscored his cowardice by avoiding the Senate yesterday.

Al Gore, who showed up at the Senate in 2001 to approve Bush's electoral victory, had more guts than Kerry.

Bill Frist has been back-and-forth between the Senate and South Asia. I think Kerry could have borrowed Teresa's jet in order to show up at yesterday's vote.

[StonyBurk]

Why hasn't Kerry been booted from the Senate. The smoke
screen of G.W. Bush -and the President ANG record does not
compare with the Treason committed by Kerry as a Naval
Officer in the Navy Reserves.To my knowledge he has NOT
corrected the Senate bio - of his Treason as Reserve Officer

[jamaksin]

Agreed!!! A most excellent point. Thank you.

If the GOP does not get some balls and get moving on the appointment of federal judges - NOW - their "time on positions of power" just might be fleeing. A bird in the hand kinda' thing ...

In 2006, should the dim-0-crats regain seats, the GOP will say "Well, we could've ..." The "backing off" of the Contract with America agenda after the MSM neutered Gingrich and his swelled head is a recent example.

[The GOP has never understood, let alone used, political power!!!]

[uncbob]

Let's not forget Kerry lost by ONE STATE and got more votes than Reagan

I am relieved he lost but depressed that a dork that changed his lies every other day could do so well against a sitting president in war time

FAR FAR TOO MANY are still brain dead and screwed up by the left wing school systems and MSM

[sr4402]

'I like my gin and raisins, how dare you make me stoop to the level of an American Butler? John and I are better than all of you. Anyone who disagrees with his health care plan is insane. Are you a Republican?

/sarcasm off

[hershey]

Thank you.