The Kerry disconnect

[virtualobserver]

Why is he telling the press that he is " a good closer " and "....I'm very confident that people are now starting to focus"?

What an embarrassing waste of time.

Clark will pass him in NH within the next week.

[Renew Deal]

1. Man these predictions are getting bleaker by the post.

I just think that he is more fake now than ever. He keeps changing and it's very confusing.

[RichV]

2. I don't doubt you're correct

I never would have expected this, but it looks like Kerry may not do better than third in a state we all expected him to win a year ago. Guess goes to show how his campaign's floundered, I guess. No offense to the Kerry supporters... I used to think you guys would finish on top. Now I just wonder how soon Kerry will drop out. Hmph.

[Renew Deal]

4. I was sorta-kinda a Kerry supporter.

He was my favorite before I started paying attention and saw Clark. I thought Kerry had everything it took. I have been disapointed by him over and over. He is a good senator, let him stay there.

[virtualobserver]

6. Kerry would have been my choice.

If Dean or Clark hadn't come along.

But I misjudged him. I never thought that he would have such a pathetic campaign.

[IndianaGreen]

18. For Kerry to win, he will have to take back those he drove away!

Kerry failure's to oppose Bush on the war drove a lot of potential supporters into the Dean camp. Clark's entrance into the race took another good chunk of Kerry's base of support.

For Kerry to win, he will have to take back those he drove away! I don't see any of the Dean and Clark supporters dumping their candidate for Kerry. What has Kerry to offer to lure them to his side? Nothing!

I don't see any scenario in which the nomination can be won by any of the candidates that voted for IWR and/or stood with Bush in the Rose Garden.

[sleipnir]

3. Kerry is a whitewash

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. I find the dissing of Kerry by a lot of Democrats embarrassing

and the trash talk by Dean followers disgusting.

[oasis]

7. Dean would probably see it as counter productive.

[RichV]

8. If it means anything to you

I don't think all the commentary expressing disappointment with Kerry's campaign is really "dissing" in a mean sense. I think it's just matter-of-fact. It certainly is in my case. I'm not stuck on any one candidate, and am not really a Dean proponent. I just think sincerely that Kerry has not run a satisfactory campaign. I wish he had. No agenda here, just sharing an observation.

[virtualobserver]

10. Kerry enabled Bush once too often for my personal taste

and I found that to be disgusting.

I had been a big Kerry fan for years.

[IndianaGreen]

20. Even Molly Ivins has written Kerry's obituary

Molly Ivins: Picking a winner
By MOLLY IVINS, Creators Syndicate
December 4, 2003

The conventional wisdom -- the avatar of all political knowledge, the Washington, D.C., press corps -- said John Kerry was the man. So despite his resemblance to the finer products of the taxidermist's art, I sat around waiting for him to show signs of life. And waited.

Next, I consulted my buddies in the union movement, and they said Dick Gephardt was the man. I always like a labor liberal, and Gephardt's eyebrows have improved. I was hopeful for while, but concluded, as many do, that while Gephardt is Perfectly Good as a Democratic candidate, he ain't settin' the world on fire. Doesn't seem like a good year for a regular politician on account of we ain't lookin' at regular politics. These Republicans do not have a different strategy -- they are playing a different game. They don't want to govern, they want to rule.

Next, my lawyer friends recommended John Edwards, and even though my first impression was, "Too pretty, too light," I liked him better as time went on. Good strong populist streak to him, some good economic ideas, goes right after Bush on the economy. But conventional wisdom decided he is too young and untried.

http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/pe_columnists/article/0,2071,NPDN_14960_2475972,00.html

[nomaco-10]

9. I'm starting to feel very uncomfortable....

with all the post mortem posts about Kerry. Kerry's done. I'm not a supporter of Kerry's for various reasons, but I do know that there are several very staunch supporters of his here at du, and the news from the Kerry camp cannot be sitting well with them. They are some of the most fiercly loyal supporters I've ever encountered. I have refrained from jumping into the fray with them, but did get a little snarky a time or two (mild at best by du standards) and even apologised once.

If Kerry does fail to pull off a second place finish in New Hampshire,
it will be a sad day indeed for those that supported him with such enthusiasm. I intend to offer my condolences and extend the proverbial olive branch, afterall, when you get right down to it, we are dems and we can atleast share that common ground with fellow duers no matter who their candidate.

The Kerry people will need time to lick their wounds, regroup and get behind another candidate, I think we could give them a little space, don't you?

[Zomby Woof]

11. that's classy of you

I have scrapped with the best of them, but come the time we need to unite, I feel most of us will. We'll grant each other amnesty and move forward.

[maggrwaggr]

12. I feel like I've never seen the man behind the mask

with Kerry.

Every time i've seen him, I feel like I'm watching a very slick professional politician perform.

I like what I hear him say, but he always sounds more like an old time salesman than a real human being.

I also have the feeling that he is a follower rather than a leader. A man who sticks his finger in the wind and sees which way it's blowing, then goes along.

I don't mean this to bash the guy, just expressing my opinion about my impressions.

Oddly, at the same time, he seems the most "presidential". I think he's got the best look and the best voice.

Maybe if I were more shallow I'd like him. :)

[RichV]

13. I agree with one point

He does somehow seem really "presidential" to me, but for some reason things just don't quite click. I don't really know what it is. Ah well. Just heard his call in to Arnie's show on C-Span and it was sort of blah. Anyway, we'll see what happens.

[virtualobserver]

14. I think that he is being over managed....

much like Gore was.

[oasis]

15. That's basically what the media said about Al Gore during his 2000 run.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. and Gore shook up his campaign too. eom

[RichV]

17. Thing is...

I think the situation is a bit different because Gore had the advantage of being the sitting VP and really having to compete only with Bill Bradley rather than a team of advesaries eager to steal his thunder. Maybe Kerry's more like Bradley than Gore. Hadn't really thought about that before.

[virtualobserver]

19. I think that Kerry could be a great candidate.......

but his campaign has been so heavy-handed.

They seemed to think that people wouldn't notice Kerry's heroic past unless the shoved it in their faces.