Let me help you with some of this. Other than celebrating the military, which he won't use, unless in extremis, and spending more in the military, and leaving the national guard back home to cut lawns, Kerry did not sound like a Republican - not even a moderate Republican. I have an ear for moderate Republicanism. I know that melody quite well, both in major and minor key.
here's an interesting bit of speculation... if there was no 22nd Amendment, but Clinton retired in 2000 anyway... and he ran this year against Bush.... ??
I said he sounded like a Republican Lite. He's not trying to be a RINO, just pretending to be one. I don't think that will wash cause the real Kerry is an extreme liberal.