Kerry Political price of Kerry's Militarism The defining issue in this election is Iraq and the general war against Muslim extremism. John Kerry has said he voted to give the president authority to go to war. He voted against the 87 billion dollar special appropration. He has said he would have gone to war even knowing there were no WMD but he would have done it effectively. We are left to speculate on what that means.
By stressing his military service and neglecting to speak about his anti-war protest John Kerry has attempted to distract voters from the fact that he has not outlined a clear cogent response on the issues of the war in Iraq and the war on terror in general.
John Kerry is a very smart politician. But I don't believe his trip through this political minefield of the war in Iraq and the broader war against Muslim extremism has served him well. He unlikely to convince the hardcore supporters of the war and they are going to distrust his stories of battlefield valor. Those who don't think we should be in Iraq are going to figure out that he is going to see the situation through and there will be no withdrawal.
Sadly, this election is still about George Bush and the hope that John Kerry somehow looks like he can be a better and more trustworthy president. Regardless of the polls which show him marginally ahead, there are many who remain unconvinced. There are a few flag wavers who may be excited by John Kerry's military rhetoric. Most of the rest of us are slightly embarrassed.
Mel
3:28:16 PM 
|
