Democrats Put on Their Happy Faces

The Democrats have started the coronation of John Kerry as their candidate with a few speeches that were remarkable in their restraint. There is no doubt that the folks on the convention floor hate the Bush administration, and some have a personal loathing for President #43. Yet Presidents Carter and Clinton as well as Mr. Gore avoided pandering to that emotion. The reason is simple -- they know that to win, Mr. Kerry's team have to look like nice guys.

Mr. Carter, who has been a far better ex-president than chief executive, decried the way the Bush administration wasted the sympathy of the world over the last 34 months. Mr. Gore reminded everyone, with the self-deprecating humor forced on him by fate, that every vote matters (presuming it gets counted). But the 20 plus minutes that Mr. Clinton was on stage framed the debate more accurately than Senator Kerry has done in the last several months.

Mr. Clinton may be the best campaigner alive, although his presidency never lived up to the promise it held in the beginning. On the stump, he can connect with the great unwashed while giving a nod and a wink to the intelligentsia to let them know he isn't quite the rube he appears to be. He is what the Republicans thought they were getting with Mr. Bush, who is rather proving himself to be the least talented and able son of Big George and Barbara.

He drained the venom with "we Democrats will bring the American people a positive campaign, arguing not who's good and who's bad, but what is the best way to build the safe, prosperous world our children deserve." Winning with honey instead of vinegar has not been the way of American politics for many years. Yet in this current election campaign, 90% of the population has already decided how it will vote. The remaining 10% will determine the outcome.

These are the people who haven't even tuned in yet, who don't know John Kerry (despite almost 20 years of public service), who "vote for the man and not the party" (that is, they have no core beliefs about politics and are easily swayed by slick ad campaigns with a heavy mud content). This could be the key to victory for the Kerry-Edwards team, because the Republicans cannot suddenly reverse themselves after thirty years and say they think liberals are good and patriotic Americans who just happen to be wrong. Then again, one is reminded of what former baseball philosopher Leo Durocher said, "Nice guys finish seventh."


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


Home