Yes, it's been 40 years, and I don't think folks are any longer interested a prez from that part of the country (or the far west, for that matter). If Kerry were from the 'heartland', I might be more concerned.
On the other hand, I do think you're right about Hillary running in 2008. The party will flock around her because she's all they've got. My theory in the first paragraph might not hold in her case for two reasons: 1)name recognition and; 2)she'll try to pass herself off as the girl Arkansas. And since most Americans don't do their homework, they'll forget her big city origins and her eastern seaboard platform.
Kerry is an egomaniac, and Bush will clobber him by 20 points, at least.
He gets up everyday and looks in the mirror to wonder why he isn't President.
The answer my dear John is that you are not Presidential material.