July 30, 2004

Here's Howie Carr in the Boston Herald:
Here's what he really said

If he really wanted to properly introduce himself to the American people last night, why didn't John Kerry use his trademark line, the one he has employed for so many years around here, whenever anyone calls him on anything?
     "Do you know who I am?''
     Instead - before the now famous balloon and f-bomb drop on CNN - we got the lame refrain, "Help is on the way.''
     Presumably, good help, which as John and the widow Heinz can tell you, is awfully hard to find.
     It was an odd speech, and by the way, is it over yet? I thought he'd served in the Senate, but apparently he was fighting in Vietnam with a band of brothers from 1968 until last year when he announced for president.
     If you used Kerry's speech to play the drinking game, where you take a sip whenever someone says a certain word, then you've probably got a hangover this morning if your word was "Vietnam'' or "fight'' or "war.''
     Thank God this convention is finally over.
[Believe me, I did!--Jen]
It turned into Mumbles Menino's Iraq war. Many fled the city in terror, so in case you didn't watch Liveshot's speech, let me provide you with the lines themselves, and then, in italics, what he really meant.
     "People are working weekends; they're working two jobs, three jobs, and they're still not getting ahead.''
     It's hard to get ahead when gigolos keep cutting in line in front of you.
     "And what can I say about Teresa?''
     Three words will suffice: one billion dollars.
     "She's down to earth, nurturing, courageous, wise and smart.''
     Did I mention her five mansions worth $50 million, and her $35 million Gulfstream V?
     "Opportunity for all - so that every child, every parent, every worker has an equal shot at living up to their God-given potential.''
     You too can marry two heiresses. It's the American dream.
     "My fellow citizens, elections are about choices.''
     Which is why I try to be on both sides of every issue. You choose which side you're on, I'm there for you.
     "I rode my bike into Soviet East Berlin.''
     It was a Schwinn - I'd never even heard of an $8,000 Serotta back then.
     "As president, I will ask hard questions.''
     Sommelier, which of these two imported $125 Merlots which you recommend?
     "So tonight we say: Help is on the way.''
     I'm sending my butler.

Great stuff, Mr. Carr!
Then there's Jeff Jacoby's take over at the Boston Globe and the title says it all as you will see:
Buzzwords and cheap shots

OHN KERRY told us more last night about his childhood memories of bike riding in Berlin than he did about his nearly three decades in public office.

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"I ask you to judge me by my record," he implored, but then said virtually nothing about it. There was a single throwaway line about his time as a prosecutor. Nothing at all about being elected lieutenant governor. And just three sentences about his 20 years in the US Senate. Twenty years! A third of his life! Yet neither in his speech nor in the video that preceded it did Kerry say anything about what those two decades have meant to him or what lessons they may have taught him or how he thinks they have prepared him for national leadership.

"Judge me by my record," he says. But all night long -- all week long -- there is only one part of Kerry's long record that the Democrats have wanted Americans to notice: the part that ended 35 years ago when he came home from Vietnam. Why are they so reticent about everything he's done since?
[Of course, it's because he's either MIA in the Senate, missing about 80% of the votes, or when he does vote, it's on the Left side of the aisle and against things he claims to stand for like a strong military.--J.T.]

His political career wasn't the only thing missing from Kerry's speech.

"This is the most important election of our lifetime," he said. "The stakes are high. We are a nation at war -- a global war on terror against an enemy unlike any we have ever known before." And with that, he launched right into a discussion of -- what? The nature of that unprecedented enemy? The threat from radical Islam? His strategy for victory? No: After raising the specter of an enemy "unlike any we have ever known before," Kerry promptly started talking about -- jobs. Coming less than three years after 9/11, this is the most important election of our lifetime. But why that is, Kerry has yet to say.

He spoke of his empathy for the young grunts "carrying an M-16 in a dangerous place" and about his respect for "all who serve in our armed forces today." Couldn't he have spared a few words to salute those troops for their two great achievements of recent years -- the toppling of vicious tyrannies in Afghanistan and Iraq?

Kerry's cheapest shot came at John Ashcroft's expense: "I will appoint an attorney general who actually upholds the Constitution." And how, exactly, does Ashcroft undermine the Constitution? By abiding by the Patriot Act that Kerry supported?
[To be fair, Kerry also slammed SecDef Rummy and VP Cheney, too. "Leave no Bush Administration official" behind should have been sKerry's motto.--Jen]
That's something else the Democratic nominee never explained. He did, however, enjoin President Bush to stick to the "high road" and avoid "small-minded attacks."
[Thus leaving the field clear for the Dimocrats to continue their orgy of Bush hatred. I don't think so, Sen. Ketchup!]

All in all, it was a pedestrian address, uninspiring, cliched, and humorless. It made sure to work in all the poll-tested buzzwords -- I counted 17 mentions of "strong" and "strength," 28 of "value" or "values." But buzzwords don't decide elections, and they aren't the key to a swing voter's heart. Kerry may yet prevail over George W. Bush, but he didn't close the sale last night.

All in all, Kerry said nothing to convince me that he should be put in the Oval Office or that President Bush had not done things or did do things that would warrant his not being returned for a second term.
In fact, the man was so arrogant and snotty and condescending about those of us who support the President and the war that all it did was motivate me to give more money to the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign!
Bottom line is this: President Bush has earned a second term.
But that being said, Kerry is a lousy candidate.
He's so lousy, such a liar and a prevaricator and a flipflopper, that I think his candidacy is an insult to the American people.
For this reason, Kerry needs to be resoundingly defeated.
And if there's a God in Heaven who really loves us (which I know there is!), Bush will win reelection in a landslide.
I'm praying for that daily and I hope you'll join me in that prayer, along with praying for our troops.
Let's win one more for the Gipper!