George McGovern's advice to JK

[whometense]

I just came across this wonderful Washington Post profile of George McGovern. It's long, but well worth reading. But here's the part I thought would be of interest to us Kerry partisans.

TWELVE YEARS AFTER MCGOVERN'S DEFEAT, another Democratic nominee, Walter Mondale, saw him on a street in Washington, not long after Mondale had been wiped out in the 1984 election by incumbent Ronald Reagan. He asked McGovern, who he thought ought to know, just how long it would take to get over the pain of the loss.

"I'll let you know when I get there," McGovern said.

Historically, elections trigger melancholy among losers. What feels like a personal rejection, and the end of a dream, can be hard to handle. The reactions range from withdrawal to defiance. Al Gore, who won the 2000 popular vote by more than 500,000 votes, largely disappeared for a couple of years after his defeat, growing a beard, losing contact with key supporters. He later reemerged and flirted with the idea of running in 2004, then pulled back again. After losing the 2004 presidential contest to President Bush, John Kerry wasted little time before vigorously telling supporters at a dinner that he was a "fighter, and I've come back before," sending out e-mails to supporters that were interpreted as signals he was seriously contemplating another try at the White House. He contacted Newsweek editor Evan Thomas to complain about the coverage of his failed campaign. But he also agonized, telling Thomas at first that he had connected well with voters, then worrying that his rhetoric may have been too lofty for the electorate.

McGovern isn't surprised by Kerry's conflicted assessment. He thinks most losing candidates lurch between bravura and self-doubt, and he believes Kerry has just begun to experience the hurt and self-flagellation that accompany a presidential defeat; that he needs a lengthy period of rest and quiet reflection before making any bold strategic decisions. "You're not yourself immediately afterward, because the pain is great and you're still feeling the pressure," McGovern says. "You're vulnerable to not making your best decisions. I'd advise him not to make any life-determining decisions right away. He should go out and do some of his windsurfing for a while; do some skiing. Do things other than politics."

Similarly, Mondale, who also lost a Senate race in 2002, believes that no political disappointment remotely compares with the desolation felt by a failed presidential nominee. "John Kerry is more exhausted and tense than he thinks he is right now," Mondale says. "There's no school of medicine that deals with that kind of . . . You move on. But you carry what you did, that history, for the rest of your life."

[elshiva]

1. McGovern and Mondale rule!

Listen to them Kerry! They are great men like Kerry and like Kerry I can't call them losers because they stuck to their good values.

That said I don't Kerry is going windsurfing or skiing any time soon. He's busy saving the world.

[TayTay]

2. Ooowww! That kinda hurt my heart!

But it does contain wisdom. I wonder if it helps to go back to work or if it hurts. Sigh!

[whometense]

3. I know.

I felt a big ouch too.

Here is something to help take the sting away, a nasty blog post about Mittens.

I don't know either. But I don't think it's in Kerry's nature to sit back and take a break either. Especially not when there's a country that needs saving.

[TayTay]

4. The link didn't work for me

But I saw your Mittens post in the Massachusetts forum. Hahahahaha! I agree that we should all secretly leave the state the next time he goes on one of his little junkets. (Gawd, I dislike that cheater. How can he run around the country trying to run for Pres based on that fact that he hates and despises the state he was elected Gov of? What a retard.)

Grrrrrhhh! You're right I do feel better. (And I think Kerry is a big wonk and needs to work as well. He always has.)

[whometense]

6. Sorry about that!

I messed up the link. It's fixed now, in case you want to go over there. They have some pretty good stuff over there about - they usually refer to him as - Decaf. I love that.

[LittleClarkie]

5. He's such a ball of energy right now

It's amazing. I keep getting this image of a road runner... meep, meep!... zip!

Let's see, what has he done just recently.
-trip to Middle East
-Children's Health Care legislation plus petition
-Get Rid of Rummy petition
-Votes against Condi (twice), (plus getting Condi on the record as saying Sy Hersch was wrong about Iran, which may be important if Sy Hersch turns out to be right.)
-Vote against Gonzalez
-Still involved in Ohio
-Speeches on health care, and the military and the environment
-Working on getting parts of his Military Family Bill of Rights onto the Appropriations bill.
-quick blast at the Bank of England on behalf of the BCCI civil lawsuit (I imagine that's why he had something to say NOW, anyway)
-One million dollars and a big welcome for Howard Dean

What am I missing? What else has he had his hand in just recently

[ginnyinWI]

8. some people's answer to pain is to just work work work!

I think Kerry is one of that group. Plus he's got a lot of stuff in front of him to do, and that he feels very responsible to do. When the going gets tough the tough get going harder! I'm not worried about it--I think he's got Theresa to keep him grounded, don't you? She has her feet on the ground.

I've got a running list of what the Energizer Kerry has been up to professionally, which I'll cut and paste here. It was meant as an answer to complainers, but it's good here too: (hope I haven't missed anything vital)

Senator John Kerry—how he’s fought for America since November 2004

11-17-2004: First speech on return to Senate floor; speaks against raising the nation’s debt ceiling. Voted “no” on the bill.
11-22-2004: Misc. Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 passes, a bill which
was introduced in its original form by Sen. Kerry, and which received his continued support. It provides grant money to small businesses.
12-2004: Kerry votes “no” on the Omnibus Appropriations Bill, and issues a statement explaining why.
12-10-2004: Calls on Rumsfeld to investigate why the troops lack armor, when
American companies insist they can provide it.
12-13-2004: Kerry sends a letter to every county in Ohio through atty. Donald J. McTigue, making 11 requests regarding the Ohio recount.
12-19-2004: Kerry, an acknowledged expert on the long-running BCCI affair, slams Bank of England over its handling of its handling of BCCI, and sides with its creditors, who are suing.
12-23-04: Kerry writes a letter to his email list announcing Operation Phone Home, and asks people to donate to a fund that will buy phone cards for the troops, so that they can call home for Christmas for free. He raised a total of $646, 940.
12-2004: Established Friends of John Kerry, Inc., a re-election committee.
1-5-2005: Kerry issues a statement from his office expressing his support for Conyers’ investigation into the Ohio election and voting rights.
1-5-05: Email to supporters urging them to call Hastert and Frist to voice their demands for election reforms.
1-6-2005: Although absent from the Congressional certification of the Electoral College, Kerry issues a statement to be added to the record, speaking about deep concerns over voting rights and strong support for investigations into the election
1-4 through 17th, 2005: Takes a two-week trip to the Middle East and speaks with heads of countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Israel, and the West Bank. Then goes to Europe and speaks with leaders in England, France and Germany. Comes back with first-hand knowledge of the war in Iraq and the leaders’ views on it, which he uses while questioning Condi Rice.
1-17-2005: Speaks at Martin Luther King Jr. memorial breakfast and makes some strong statements against voting irregularities
1-18-2005: Confirmation hearings for Condi Rice, Kerry cross-examines her, as the fourth-ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. One of two senators to vote not to confirm her in committee, one of thirteen to vote against in the full Senate.
1-27-2005: Kerry introduces a bill to provide health insurance to all of the nation’s children called the Kids Come First Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Kennedy.
2-2005: In connection with the Kids Come First Act, Kerry initiates the Give Voices to Values program, which encourages people to call and have recorded their stories about the health care needs of their children, which others can listen to via his website.
2-2-2005: Kerry issues a statement on the State of the Union Address, outlining his alternative view of the state of the union.
2-3-2005: Kerry votes “no” on confirming Gonzales for Atty. General, one of 36 Democrats who voted against.
2-3-2005: Committee Assignments for the 109th Congress: Small Business and Entrepreneurship,(Ranking Member). Commerce, Science and Transportation: sub-committees on Oceans, Fisheries, and the Environment, (Ranking Member), Communications, and Transportation. Finance: sub-committees on Health Care, International Trade, and Social Security and Family Policy. Foreign Relations: sub-committees on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, (Ranking Member), European Affairs, and Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps & Narcotics Affairs.
2-7-2005: Kerry issues a statement on the President’s budget for fiscal year 2006, calling it irresponsible, saddling future generations mountains of debt.
2-9-2005: Speaks at the Brookings Institution Conference on Climate Change Policy and takes questions afterward. Speech is titled, “Climate Change Policy: What’s Next?”
2-9-2005: Kerry emails his followers announces that he will contribute $1,000,000 from his campaign funds to the DNC to help Howard Dean begin to build up the grassroots effort. He encourages them to join him in contributing to the DNC.
2-9-2005: Kerry issues a statement on the announcement that Medicare is going to cost more than twice as much as the White House originally projected, saying that the WH is trying to deflect attention toward Social Security instead, and saying that it is not doing its job of protecting the economic security of Americans.
2-10-2005: Votes “no” against limiting class action lawsuits against corporations.
2-10-2005: Speaks at the opening of the DNC winter session, along with Bill Clinton, in a tribute to outgoing DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe.
2-14-2005: Kerry issues a statement blasting Bush for cutting funding to the Small Business Administration in his new budget, slashing it more than any other federal agency.
2-14-2005: Kerry introduces a bill designed to help small businesses and farms being hurt by increases in heating fuel costs.
2-14-2005: Senator Kerry delivers a major policy speech on the subject of “Strengthening America’s Military” at the annual Worcester Telegram & Gazette Visions Ceremony, Worcester, MA.
2-15-2005: Kerry issues a statement regarding the budget supplemental for military expenses. He intends to fight to get as much of his Military Family Bill of Rights as possible passed as part of the debate.
2-16-2005: Kerry issues a statement regarding today, the day the Kyoto Treaty takes effect, though without the U.S. He warns that we need to get serious about global warming.
2-16-2005: Senate unannimously passes a resolution honoring W.E.B.DuBois, which was co-authored by Senators Kerry, Kennedy and Levin.
2-17-2005: Kerry participates in a press conference with Senators Clinton and Boxer and Congresswoman Tubbs Jones to announce a new bill regarding election reform. He announces that 35,000 people responded to his request that they call Hastert and Frist’s offices to ask for election reform on January 5th.
2-17-2005: Kerry votes “no” on the bill to restrict class action lawsuits.
2-24-2005: Kerry-Edwards 2004 makes two filings in the Ohio recount case currently pending before Federal Judge Edmund Sargus in Columbus, Ohio.
2-24-2005: Senators Kerry and Kennedy have signed on to a letter written by Senator Durbin, calling for an inquiry into how Jeff Gannon got access to the White House.

[karynnj]

13. This list is incredible - it looks like Kerry and staff don't sleep!

It would seem that McGovern's advice is too late! Kerry is already doing things, like his grassroots effort that are bold and innovative. Some of the things he is doing and saying (like the Brookings Institute speech) seem to be pushing political activism. As someone who talked of a duty to serve, he may feel a mission to continue fighting to try to make things better because things are going so wrong. Looked at from that point of view, his fame and Senate seat give him the ability to speak out.

I don't remember there being anywhere near the interest in McGovern or Mondale after they lost that there was with Kerry. It might be that many people, contrary to conventional wisdom, really connected with Kerry in the fall and saw he was not a standard politician. It's nice that he seems to still sometimes be mobbed or cheered by supporters.

[ginnyinWI]

14. well, he got a whole lot more votes

than those other two did, that's for sure. He got more votes than Clinton--ok I realize that some of those were ABB. But still, he won the primaries by a landslide--there was no question about who most Dems wanted as their candidate.

I think he did connect with people, especially in personal appearances. I think the TV media gave him a raw deal though. You know, that so-called-liberal media. They seemed to take a particular joy in knocking him down! :grr:

[karynnj]

16. Totally Agree

I remember the last few weeks of the Clinton campaign where the TV played many minutes of these large, energetic Clinton rallies. The Bush I rallies were angry and much smaller - and he was getting criticized for calling the Democrats, "Bozo and Ozone Man".

Living in a blue state, I only saw Kerry's rallies on the internet or C-Span. But Kerry's rallies looked huge, and they were so positive, Kerry seemed so energetic and definitely charismatic. On cable and network TV there would be someone saying "Kerry today ... attacked Bush ..." and you couldn't actually see Kerry. Meanwhile they would have clips from Bush's staged event where they actually showed Bush.

If they would have just played unfiltered segments many undecideds would have seen the positivity (almost joy) of some of those rallies contrasted to a Bush who always sounded angry. (Bush also always sounded like he was talking down to a hopelessly stupid audience. - I can't stand to hear him. Finger nails on a blackboard.)

I still can't understand how the media people could find Bush charming or , for that matter, Kerry not likable. About ABB - in truth, there are always a huge % of people who are AD (any democrat) or AR - I liked Kerry better than any candidate in my life, but I was already ABB from 2001, way before I knew any candidate. I have never heard this phrase in past general elections. This was I think a gift the far left gave to the Republicans - even though Kerry was the most liberal candidate since at least McGovern.

[ginnyinWI]

17. Bush always talks that way

It's the I-know-you-are-too-stupid-to-understand-me attitude. "I am so superior to you that I'm going to have to speak slowly and clearly so that you get it." And in doing that he doesn't know how cocky and arrogant he looks. Or maybe he does. :(

It is so humiliating to be represented to the leaders of Europe by this rodeo-clown cowboy. By the time we get a decent president, we'll have so much catching up to do!

I couldn't help imagining John Kerry in place of Bush with all of these leaders. What a difference it would have made. Instead of jeering protest crowds, we would have had cheering fans, like when Clinton visted. JK would have fitted that role so perfectly--like a hand in a glove! In my alternate universe, he was there, smiling and waving to the people. sigh. sigh.

[karynnj]

19. Imagining Kerry in Europe as President

I couldn't help that either - especially when there were Bush press conferences where he essentially threatened the world. Imagining Kerry there was easy, because the pictures from the ME and Europe trip were so uniformly good. Contrast the French pictures - I loved the picture of Kerry with a very stylish Vanessa with Chirac and thought it was cool when it was explained that they had no interpretor, Chirac spoke French and Kerry English.

No matter where the pictures were from, Kerry looked perfectly Presidential and engaged with the people he was with. Bush didn't. (Cheney with his ski parka that seemed to still have a lift ticket on it at Auschwitz however outdid Bush in his lack of class. And it bothers me more that both came from backgrounds that make it likely they are doing this intentionally to show disrespect.)

[Withywindle]

18. Wow! Thank you so much for that list!

He is TIRELESS.

There's definitely something emotional going on there, I think. I think he was utterly sincere in his concession when he said that the loss hurt him more because he was letting down his supporters than for himself. I think he's channelling that pain into action on our behalf as well as his. Bless him (again and again!) for that but sometimes I worry about him. I think he'd rather burn out than fade away.

The thing is, it's unusual for "failed" (I HATE seeing that word applied to him. Can't do it without the air quotes!) presidential candidates to still have a high-profile, fairly powerful position after the election at all, much less to use it so intensively. I say a little prayer of thanks every day that he didn't give up his Senate seat.

[TayTay]

20. I honestly think he intensely dislikes....

the *ies and what they are doing to his (and our) country. I think it's as simple as that. These ethics-free bastards ran a deceitful and ruthless campaign that had lying to the American people as one of it's priorities. Given that Kerry has been a victim of this bullsh*t style before, I think he is just too pissed off to quit. I really and truly do.

There is an old expression in Boston politics that has been used for decades: 'You don't get mad, you get even.' This implies that you don't show any outward emotion that would indicate to your opponent that you harbor any overtly negative feelings toward them at all. You bide your time, collect your evidence, rack up the IOU's from others and wait patiently for your moment. Then, when the moment comes, you take the MF bastards down and smile while you are doing it. (That's Old School style Boston politics.)

This is the other side of the famous New England reserve. It cuts both ways people. It does not imply a lordly gentleman above playing the political game, it implies someone who is, in their own way, taking names and getting all the evidence together. Whome and I both read the excerpt from the SBA hearings from last week, and both being native NE-ers, we noticed the tone in his remarks. Kerry is totally pissed off at these guys. I'm telling ya, I can see it all over him. It's just not pissed off in the usual way. It's a quiet, I really mean it, you bastards are gonna get yours, way. Stay tuned. This should get good. (And I don't actually think he cares that much if this means another run at the Presidency or not. I really don't. I think it's both political and personal and I like that a lot. Go Senator. Remember where you came from and who put you there and get the MFers and get them good.)

[ginnyinWI]

21. wow! thanks for that insight

I believe you are right--you and whome would understand the nuances that the rest of us would miss. I will indeed stay tuned! I would like nothing better than to see a little revenge, served cold, to those criminals. How dare they lie and steal their way into power, then fool 3/4ths of the people into going to war? How dare they thumb their collective nose at the world? How dare they steal our democracy?

Howard Zinn says the best thing we can do is spread the word, over and over again, wherever we can, that these guys are lying and cheating and defrauding us. Talk to friends and coworkers. Write letters to editors and call talk shows. Eventually enough will come to believe it, and they will be powerless to do anything about it. They'll be finished. It happened during the Vietnam War, and it can happen again.

[whometense]

22. What a perfect analysis!

I agree with every single word. You just said it all.

[TayTay]

24. It's not a difficult analysis

During the debates and during a lot of speeches last year (and before last year) we heard a lot of polite remarks that indicated that Kerry was trying to be appropriately respectful towards the office that * held. It was there. Part of walking that tight rope and balancing act that he had to do in order to run for Pres. He doens't have to do that anymore and it shows.

Look at the recent remarks in committee and in the public speeches. A lot of that respectful deference is gone. I think the doc I posted on another thread had words in it to the affect (paraphrasing here) "You are destroying the programs.... you know it and I know it." (In other words, you're talking bullsh*t and I ain't buying it.)

There has been a very perceptible change in tone. You caught it too! (And you have as much, if not more, Kerry-watching in you as me.)

[whometense]

25. There are, after all,

so few pols that bear watching at all, let alone for over 30 years! JK is a very interesting man. And I find him easy to read - lots of practice, I guess. I wish I'd known you earlier in the campaign - we would have made a great tag team.

[TayTay]

26. True, true

But there may well be another national campaign, so we can make up for lost time.

I hope I am not boring all the non-MA people. Sometimes I get a little too specific about Boston stuff. I am sorry. It sometimes just comes out. I will endeavor to edit myself a bit better. Sigh!

(Gawd, the Lieberman thing really made me grumpy tonight. Sigh!)

[GRLMGC]

28. Stupid Lieberman

I refuse to cut him anymore slack. That social security thing, something that shouldn't even be a question, is total bs. Great, now I sound like a lefty freeper. Seriously, though, that's not right

[whometense]

29. Damn, I'd managed to avoid

all the news tonight, but I know Josh Marshall was dropping dark hints about Lieberman earlier today on his blog. Now I have to go look and get pissed off too.

Edited to add: just read it. What a tool. WTF is he thinking?

[karynnj]

32. As a non-MA person, I LOVE the MA comments.

You and Whometense have a more nuanced view of Kerry who you've followed for years.With each Presidential candidate, I think the view most of the people in the candidate's party have is based on a campaign biography and stories put out by the candidate's friends and family that emphasizes characteristics that fit the over riding campaign theme. (My husband and I compulsively buy the campaign books - so scattered through our house we have books by Dukakis, Gore, Clinton, Gary Hart, Kerry, and others.)

The stories, observations, and comments that You and other MA people have made, are important because they lend credibility to the picture of Kerry painted by the campaign. Your insight has proven right on target when you've hypothesized what you have thought Kerry was up to. You had one post pre-inauguration, where you predicted Kerry's response to losing would be to work harder and to figure out what he could have done better. So, thank you very much for sharing your stories and perceptions.

[politicasista]

30. Staying involved is hard werk.

[elshiva]

31. He was always a workaholic, though!

Very consistent, with a duty driven ethic. Good someone's working... Bush sure ain't.

[rockymountaindem]

7. But since Kerry ran just to throw it to Bush

I'm sure he feels fine, right?

[GRLMGC]

9. Oh yeah

just peachy. You know those bonesmen

[TayTay]

10. If I keep hearing that I'm gonna wind up in

a place like this: http://www.danvers-state-ia.com/home.html

I grew up in a subdivision about 1/2 mile from this place and I had relatives who spent some therapeutic time here in the 30's and 40's. It's a great creepy, creepy haunted Gothic place. I think of the old hospital whenever I hear some of these weird 'Kerry threw the election because he had a pact with Skull and Bones' guys. Or maybe they were already here once and the therapy didn't take. (Electroshock can be iffy.)

[LittleClarkie]

11. It's the "too little too late" meme in the election forum that gets me

I answered with "too legit to quit".

Too little too late implies he's just doing it as a token effort. These guys don't seem to get that it is an ongoing process. Whether they think it's going to do any good, whether they think it's strong enough or whether they think Kerry is just politicking, he will just continue doing what he thinks is right. We will hear about these little activities for the next four years, I predict.

And each time, some muttonhead will say "too little too late." Morans.

[ginnyinWI]

12. Too legit to quit, and

Too brave to cave! :)

[rockymountaindem]

15. Too awesome to... to...

I don't know where I was going with that.

[whometense]

23. hah.

McLean is much tonier. All the classiest crazies end up there.

[TayTay]

27. My friend works there

as an orderly. And, indeed, the rich and famous nuts do wind up at McLean's. (It's run by Hahvid, don't you know. Of course the rich and famous mentally unbalanced go there.) My friend has served some time watching rich nuts at The Pavilions, their hotel/hospital setting for the truly well off crazies. Incredibly nice place to have a breakdown.

[TheDonkey]

33. It's sad that such good people must feel such great pain

[politicasista]

34. I agree.

That is what is so sad about this loss. A good person was denied a lifelong dream. It's America's loss period.