Why I Think Kerry Should Run as The Energy Independence Guy

[DrFunkenstein]

I think energy independence functions as a nice umbrella concept that takes in Kerry's strong points - the environment and foreign policy - and puts them into a central vision for America's future.

I think Kerry's plan for universal health care was absolutely brilliant (although the campaign never did a great job of putting it out succintly). But the issue just didn't seem to fit his public persona.

Peggy Noonan was right (in a way). Character matters. Now we all know that Reagan's character was less than noble, as several of Kerry's investigations pointed out, but you cannot underestimate a well-crafted public "character."

Despite being a life-long hunter, Kerry seemed out of character with a shotgun in his hand.

Kerry's character is being a foreign policy wonk and something of a brainiac. It is ridiculous for him to suggest that he is a "regular guy." In fact, he doesn't even seem much like any Vietnam vet that people have come to expect. If I can be brutally honest, I don't think he did a proper job of connecting his war life on the river with his policy wonk persona (i.e. why it mattered, beyond resume fodder).

Personally, I think that's where blm was dead on. Her diehard refusal to join the sprint away from Kerry's investigative experiences helped to illuminate the perfect bridge for a warrior returning to America in the face of Nixon's failed war and the utter destruction of the public's trust in government institutions. God bless her for it. I hope somebody finally listens to her wisdom.

Kerry should play to his character, because doing otherwise makes him look disingenuous.

His record on the environment and the depth of his foreign policy experience are widely known. Staking his claim to history as "The Energy Independence President" plays not only to his actual strengths as a person, but also plays to his history and the media/public's perception of his character.

As for Iraq, Kerry should push hard - hard - for withdrawal. But I don't think the GOP will allow Iraq to remain a dominant issue on the table. They will pressure Bush to use the surge as political cover and, for all intents and purposes, skidaddle.

Therefore, Kerry needs to - as he put it in 2003 - "play to where the puck is going to be, not where it is now" (I'm paraphrasing).

He needs to set out a broader fight on terrorism that aims to effectively end Middle East hostility to the U.S. in 20-25 years by becoming independent of oppressive regimes like the House of Saud through renewable domestic energy and by becoming a central force in improving the quality of life for everyday Arabs (and Persians).

Oh, and also promising to "blow the terrorist S.O.B.s straight to their preferred oblivion" by taking them head on, not pussyfooting around like the Tora Bora debacle.

[mloutre]

1. I like it.

In fact, I like it a lot.

[ProSense]

2. Awesome post!

So many facets to this. I like it a lot too.

[blm]

3. Energy independence and national security ARE linked, and too many Dem spokesmen

dropped the ball on that, even though Kerry emphasized it in the majority of his speeches.

Thanks for the kind words, and of course, I agree with you - heheh.

We should NEVER underestimate the CLEANEST TACTIC of them all - HONEST GOVERNMENT that exposes the ongoing corruption that has led to almost every foreign policy disaster of the last 40 plus years.

[whometense]

4. It also ties into economics

and small business - the inventing-our-way-out aspect, which I've always thought was one of his best ideas.

I really like it too.

[blm]

7. Inventing our way out line was also a favorite head-nodder for me and many

agreed when they heard him say it.

Unfortunately, the media has replaced what people heard of Kerry at the time with horrendous mischaracterizations of him the last two years.

[DrFunkenstein]

9. The Media Can't Chew Gum and Scratch Its, uh, Head at The Same Time

It is incumbent on candidates to simplify their message because the media has nothing but contempt for the American people.

Kerry had too many good ideas to throw at the media all at once. They suffer from information overload at the slightest provocation. The GOP understands this and keeps its message to no longer than the average haiku.

Kerry, should he run, needs to simplify his message so that the media can figure out which head-nodders to take note of for their reports.

Remember that their is nothing more that the media hate than writing about policy. Process stories and horse-race polls are their favorite medium, because they require a minimum of work before they can return to eating the catered food on the bus.

Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.

I loved the line, too. I think if Kerry was not split into so many different directions, he could really nail the ones closest to his heart. I think energy independence is one of those issues.

[Island Blue]

5. Love your thinking Dr. DrFunkenstein.

I think you're on to something here!

[beachmom]

6. Thanks for fleshing this out, Dr. Funkenstein

You are right that he needs to find that "one thing" that he can call his own that ties into everything else. When I hear "Energy Independence", I think the environment. But Kerry can take this and make it work. I consider him to have a poetic command of the language, and when he's given some time to write, he's the best(I put him with the American greats). It would be nice if he somehow were given this idea, and could put the exact language on it. And then we could pound it over and over again.

You're right that Iraq is not enough. Iraq is one battle we have been forced to fight for the Empire of Oil. But Energy Independence is more optimistic sounding than speaking about oil.

[JI7]

8. the Prosecutor

[DrFunkenstein]

10. Does That look Like The Face of Someone Who Can

Change the direction of this century?

[JI7]

11. the 2nd for sure

first is kind of young, but still keeps with the prosecutor image.

i agree with what you say but add the prosecutor stuff in there. how he went after criminals.

the biggest mistake they made was not bringing up his record throughout the years. it was one of his biggest assets , don't know anyone else who has that great a record.

after Bush, i think people will want someone who is going to get the job done, clean things up. don't worry ab out all that likable , beer crap . if people say they don't like him, well, fine then. WE like him enough.

it's not like he is being elected to be your best friend of something. it's about what they can do and have done, and Kerry has a record to show for it.

[DrFunkenstein]

12. I'm Not Saying Eliminate Anyhing Unelated to Domestic Renewable Energy

I think he should absolutely provide a clearer biography. In 2004, it was like he stepped off the swift boat and teleported into the future of 2004. No wonder the GOP was able to tear up his Senate record - they were the only ones talking about it!

I fought hard to bring attention to Kerry's role in the Senate as an investigator, following up on his history as a State Prosecutor. It provided a clear and forceful narrative of his career. Instead the campaign ignored those years and it seemed like he did nothing for 20 years except smell Kennedy's vapors.

As for likability, I think it was Joe Klein who said that no one would ever want their drinking buddy running the free world.

[JI7]

13. yeah

it was the perception "yeah, he was a good soldier and served this country, but what has he done since then" ? that hurt more than most other things.

and the thing about his background is that the more you tell about his record the clearer and simpler his image seems to become. it's consistent. he has always been about getting the truth out and bringing justice. whether it's the criminals he went after as prosecutor like the mob and rapists to our own government "leaders".

[karynnj]

14. Even though I read a lot during the campaign

I found out many accomplishments from the newspaper endorsements - most notably his work on acid rain as a governor.

[blm]

15. Too many coverup Dems and Clinton loyalists as Dem spokespeople back then.

No way would they discuss Kerry's investigations of government corruption when it was obvious that Bill Clinton had no real answer for why all the outstanding matters were deliberately not pursued.

[wisteria]

17. Yep, they were out to protect Clinton and Kerry's and our party's expense. n/t

[BlueIris]

16. Works for me.

I've been saying for two years that the talking point trifecta for winning Dem candidates is: environmentalism, civil liberties and um, er...(whispers: keeping the anti-weapon rhetoric down). Yeah, I know, it's not my favorite part of the forumla, either.

[Firespirit]

18. So 2006 was the warmest year on record....

The previous record was 1998, because of the famous 1997-98 El Nino. (Query; I thought Gore's movie said that 2005 was the warmest. What gives?) I use Google News and found this article in, of all things, the http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0701100137jan10,1,6054537.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed">Chicago Tribune that said this:

In 1998, record high temperatures were driven by an unusually powerful El Nino current that disrupted weather patterns worldwide. The current El Nino, a periodic warming current that took shape last summer, is far weaker and has had only a moderate effect on global climate, several experts said.

"What we are seeing is much more than El Nino," said climate analyst Kevin Trenberth at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. "The overall pattern is consistent with our concepts of global warming."

It ALL comes down to energy. Everything. Dr Funkenstein, you are dead on. Fix the energy problem, and you've made major headway in resolving the global warming crisis, the Middle East entanglements, and middle class financial issues.

[DrFunkenstein]

19. I Think In Both Real and (Media) Perceived Ways, This Will Make Kerry

More focused. Not only do I think he will actually have found his niche, but I think the dominant media narrative can become about how Kerry got his groove back. When the shine on the candidates-du-jour starts to wear a little, I think a focused Kerry can stake himself on an issue that is popular, but the other candidates have given little more than lip service.

One of the reasons my initial interest in Obama faded was listening to his speech to MoveOn about energy independence. It was clear to me that he simply doesn't have the background - nor any special inclination - to really hit this one out of the park.

Although Kerry has great positions on issues like early education and preventative health care, he has to choose what to bring to the forefront. Hearing Kerry speak about the environment and foreign policy, I always sensed that he was most at home with these issues. That does him a tremendous favor, because (again, honesty) he is most engaging as a speaker when he is most engaged on the subject.

To me, energy independence is an issue that is, at its core, is about OPTIMISM. Not just saying things like "we are optimistic," you have to actually convey optimism. That's why I've never been keen on Edwards. He's always talking about optimism, but people want an actual sense of optimism beyond just, you know, using the word.

Kerry can set himself as the guy to kickstart this century, tapping into the can-do American spirit of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, guys who exemplify the best of our national character.

The upcoming book gives me tremendous hope that Kerry is moving in this direction. So long as he can become a forceful, emotionally engaging speaker - and I am positive that he can - then the word "hope" will take on all sorts of new meanings for this country and the world.

Think about it - the world will cheer for an American President staking his four years on clean, renewable energy. I think Americans will, too.