Boston Convention Creates Kerry Democrats

After his 50-minute speech last night, John Kerry's performance mostly received reviews that reflected what the commentator wanted the public to believe about the speech. Surprising to those who listened was Pat Buchanan, the darling of the populist right, who said he was moved by the speech and had he not known Kerry's track record in the Senate would think seriously about backing the Massachusetts senator. Strength, respect and help seemed to be the slogan all awash with optimism. The whining wing of the party was no where in sight. The Harry Truman faction had returned home.

Such Democrats believe that America is, indeed, a special nation with a special mission in the world. Like their Republican patriot fellow citizens, they truly believe that America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth (though every few have seen each and every other country). Unlike the patriotic right, though, Truman/Kerry Democrats aren't impressed with the competition. To them, being richer than Ghana, freer than Saudi Arabia and more resolute than France isn't much of a challenge. To them, the only measure that is appropriate for America is pitting its actions against its ideals. Sometimes, the nation does come up short, and being best in that case just isn't good enough.

Sometimes, the nationalism that says "my country right or wrong" can't understand the patriotism that says, "my country right or I'll fix it." Such patriots in the past looked at the Jim Crow laws and at the "all men are created equal" line in the Declaration of Independence and decided being best wouldn't do. Such patriots wonder why in a fight against totalitarianism it was necessary to support "friendly" dictatorships against democratic elements in the same country. Such Americans, while labeled "Un-American" at times, are truly the best of the breed.

Nor do the Democrats have a monopoly on this virtue. The Republican party was founded by those who couldn't reconcile the "shining city on the hill" with chattel slavery. The first President Roosevelt proclaimed

To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Patriotism means to stand by the country [the Constitution?]. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country.