We're still crying! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We love his comment about telling the truth!!!!

Hope again! John is a fireball!

Jeri, we don't agree on politics, but I love your enthusiasm. Were you a cheerleader in a past life? ;-)

An attorney general that supports the constitution!

He's not preaching to the choir. He's just preaching - and man, I think I'ma bout to get saved!

Holy Cow! He just said everthing about Iraq I wanted to hear. No guessing now. We know what his plan is, and it's a hell of a sight better than Bushco's.

The only things flipflopping now are the Rove/Bush stomachs

I really can't remember an acceptance speech this strong!

"Before wrapping youself in the flag, and shutting your ears to the truth...."

"Values are not just words..."

"Help is on the way!"

ohhh mistuh kerry, my tail is stuck in ze teeth of the angry bushmonster. please send me ze help, i love you, you big sappy bastard

hamster from guinea pig!

That was beautiful. Do we dare hope?

Well...they were saying he had to give the speech of his life and by God, he did!

Hope, you bet! I can't see where there were any holes.

OK, speech is over, time to fix all your typos! :-)

What is it like there???? TEll us!!!!!! We're going crazy at this house party!

Oh my God! Wow! Greatness! Brilliance!

Its the best he has ever done!! Its a winner

I keep channel flipping. I don't want to listen to any criticism. I'm flyin' high!

There's just one criticisim I could make, but it's not really a criticism. When he said, "I want to say a few words to George Bush...," I wish his first two words were, "Shove it!"

we could do a hell of a lot worse than John Kerry. The hell of a lot worse's name is George Bush.

U-S-A U-S-A U-S-A!!!!!!!!!

Lookout Bush.

Don't let the door hit ya on the way out.

Phid said, "He [Senator Kerry] just said everthing about Iraq I wanted to hear."

Umm, ok, but that dosen't change his policies; he supported the invasion, he supports the occupation. His speech is full of BS. He looked uncomfortable -- like Carter in 1980. I' am not surprised, his speech made him look like a total idiot.

-- His new slogan should be: "I support war, oh, wait, I don't if it's a Republican war; Stories from the Kerry double personality -- you get two Presidents for the price of one!"

I' am still a Sharpton Democrat! Who is supporting Nader. Kerry will, after this horrible flip-flop speech, loose the election. He is already falling in the polls.

Poor Tony the last to know
GOP pollster Frank Luntz said Bush has lost half his support in Southern Ohio -probably one of the most Republican parts of the country.
People think Bush duped them

"I' am still a Sharpton Democrat! Who is supporting Nader. "

I saw Sharpton standing right behind John Kerry after the speech.

The Frank Luntz focus groups showed Kerry hit it out of the park
people really like Kerry

I think I'm going to be sick...

I've been waiting my entire adult life for a Democratic candidate to take the "family values" rhetoric out of the hands of the GOP and shove back in their faces in exactly this way. When I read that part of the Kerry script, I nearly crapped my pants that it had finally happened.

I also like that they kept his opening line about reporting for duty out of the released script of the speech.

I thought it earlier in the convention, first during Carter's speech, but I'll say it in print for the first time now that Kerry has spoken.

Election 2004: Game on.

A couple of points:

"The United States never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to."

The only war the US has fought that this is true of is WWII. Every other war this nation has ever fought - including the Revolution - was an elective war. Kerry is hoping (probably correctly) that most people view WWII has the template for all American wars. In fact, it's very much an aberration.

"Any attack will be met with a serious response."

Which means that we will not attempt to prevent attacks in the first place? It's a return to the policy we ran so successfully from 1978-2001 for preventing terrorist attacks?

I'd like to see a thoughtful response to those two lines; given that this is the lefty cheering section, I doubt I'll get one.

"I'd like to see a thoughtful response to those two lines; given that this is the lefty cheering section, I doubt I'll get one."

Maybe tomorrow. I just want to enjoy this moment, right now.

But I wish you could let it go. That was then, this is now.

"Any attack will be met with a serious response."

Which means that we will not attempt to prevent attacks in the first place?

The reason you likely won't get a "thoughtful" response to this is that it's utterly nonsensical.

I asked:

"Kerry: Any attack will be met with a serious response."

Which means that we will not attempt to prevent attacks in the first place?

And the first answer:

"The reason you likely won't get a "thoughtful" response to this is that it's utterly nonsensical."

How is it nonsensical? Kerry is implying that he will sit back and wait for an attack before he responds. That's really not a good idea, IMHO. In any event, it's hardly a nonsensical question, unless you think that harsh language alone will deter attacks. It worked ever so well between 1978 and 2001....

Which means that we will not attempt to prevent attacks in the first place? It's a return to the policy we ran so successfully from 1978-2001 for preventing terrorist attacks?

Is this what you want? The part where he tells you what he'll do?

As President, I will ask hard questions and demand hard evidence. I will immediately reform the intelligence system so policy is guided by facts, and facts are never distorted by politics. And as President, I will bring back this nation's time-honored tradition: the United States of America never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to.

I will never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security. And I will build a stronger American military.

John Kerry

James,

The answer is, no, that's not what it means. It's what YOU think it means.

The DEMS are on FIRE!!!!!

Time to take it to 1600 PA Ave!

check out the new website:

leftinthedark.net

Go Kerry!

Clinton summed it all up for me in his TIME interview last month..."Kerry talks like a president, he acts like a president, and he would be a great president."
Plus, everyone knows, Americans are more liberal than coservative...say bye bye Bush!

What a great speech! I feel so inspired!!

It's so refreshing to hear that the future belongs to freedom and not fear. This must mean the end of social security. And most taxes. And mandatory union membership. And confiscation of property for the 'public good'. And forced wealth-transfer subsidization to states, individuals, charities, and business. And campaign finance 'reform'. And riskless plaintiff lawsuits. And restrictions or blockages of potentially life-saving drugs to adults. And mandatory safety rules. Choiceless public education. The federal postal monopoly. Insider trading laws. Mandatory food labeling. Building codes for private residences. Detention without legal representation. Mandatory trade licensing in order to work. Minimum wage laws. In short, anything that gets in the way of competent adults making voluntary decisions. I look forward to this future. I had no idea Kerry had it in him.

Someone upthread said "He just said everything about Iraq I wanted to hear". I have just read Kerry's entire speech on the BBC site and this is the only reference to Iraq in the whole thing:

I know what we have to do in Iraq. We need a President who has the credibility to bring our allies to our side and share the burden, reduce the cost to American taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. That's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home.

That's it? That's the big plan? You can't be serious. Do you really believe your allies will "share the burden"? Why would they? (Unless you bribe them with lots of Iraqi oil; is that what he meant?).

And exactly how does he intend to reduce the cost to taxpayers and the risk to soldiers?

A little later he said he intended to put 40,000 troops into active service, and not in Iraq. So unless he intends to pull them out of a hat, they will be coming out of Iraq. Is that what he meant? A partial withdrawal? Who knows.

Here's a key question about Iraq: Does Kerry intend to respect Iraq's sovereignty and give the Iraqi people control over their own oil?

Look, I despise Bush as much as the next person, but I have to say the mindless gushing that has invaded this blog throughout the Democratic convention has been appalling. Quit drooling and ask some real questions.

I think it's quite possible that Kerry will defeat Bush, which is a good thing. But I'm very much afraid that Kerry will continue to serve pretty much the same interests, and prove to be a pretty mediocre leader to boot.

American politicians tend to speak a lot about the America of their dreams. Dreams are nice, but totally unreal. I'm surprised that people here are so incredibly uncritical.

Look, I despise Bush as much as the next person, but I have to say the mindless gushing that has invaded this blog throughout the Democratic convention has been appalling. Quit drooling and ask some real questions.

OK. Why do you hate America?
Just kidding.

I think, Al, that people are just a little euphoric that there is some optimism injected into this momentous election.

As far as criticism, well you can't turn around without running into a pundit. "Everybody's a critic." I think we are an overly critical society. Ah, but you mean real, good, sharp, astute, cutting criticism. Well, there is a mantle you can pick up, brother, be responsible.

Will Kerry be a great president? I don't know. I know that he represents me a helluva closer than his rival. The thought of dubya being reelected is very frightening. dubya is the most divisive president we have ever had (despite his rhetoric), and we will descend into outright chaos, mayhem and anarchy if he is allowed to preside for four more years.
We have to dream, it keeps us going. I love to dream, it gives me hope.

This speech accomplished nothing. The base will love it but the important swing voters heard nothing more than an incoherent grab bag of goodies and far too general themes. "I'll make America Stronger." Gee you mean you're not going to tell us you'll make it weaker? This tells me nothing.
Swing voters want specifics and didn't get them tonight. Just a lot of growling at speed of sound.

BTW, the reporting for duty line and acompanying picture will be a loser for Kerry. It's just a very goofy thing to do and say. People are going to think he's strange and WAY overplaying his military service. "Don't mind my Senate record. BTW did you know I was in 'Nam?" It's becoming a joke already.

The paragraph that TL cites from Kerry's speech ("I will be a commander-in-chief who will never mislead us into war. . .) pretty much says it all. Bush can't run on his record so I predict that he and his surrogates will turn even more negative.

Chill your bones, little babies. Kerry's a loser.

"Don't mind my Senate record. BTW did you know I was in 'Nam?"

Fortunately, his Senate record's not too shabby either. The GOP may nitpick (in fact, we can count on that), but what has their boy got by way of a record in anything?

Kerry's a loser.

And you're basing this prediction on what, exactly?

David Anderson - I am LOL. Really great comment.

Patrick J.F, - "and we will descend into outright chaos, mayhem and anarchy if he is allowed to preside for four more years." Congratulations for the overstatement of the month.
Now, don't go out without your sky-is-falling shiield.

Al - Yes, that is the big plan. Just give'em a call and they'll come running. Uh-huh. Sure.

phid - "I will never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security. And I will build a stronger American military."

Okay, we have a problem. He goes to the UN for help. The UN says no. What does he do then? I mean he is critical of unilateral action, but yet pledges he will take action.

One true - or better known as the guy with the longest moniker on the blog - "The reason you likely won't get a "thoughtful" response to this is that it's utterly nonsensical."

I read and I believe the Judge will issue a directed verdict of "wrong."

Tony C - "-- you get two Presidents for the price of one!" Make that:

"you get three Presidents for the price of one." Want ketchup or mustard? Pickles?

If John Kerry's a loser, you better kiss your a-- goodbye.
The next four years with George W. will be awful, and the only up side is that he'll be a lame duck after two.
The reason to be actively working to fire this president, is that he will be the one appointing the next few Supreme Court Justices. Look at the damage already done with the Reagan & Bush 1 appointees. Heck George W. is only president because the current court's republican appointed justices handed the presidency to him.
If dubya gets to make these appointments his legacy stays with us for a generation not just the next 4 years. If this happens (see my first sentence) the consequences may include the loss of a woman's right to choose, the dismantling of affirmative action, the rejection of separation between church & state and most importantly the right to due process and freedom from unlawful search may vanish.
Remember in George W's mind you 're not an American unless he thinks so.

Yer not an American. Mr. Damage says so. And I don't need to base my predictions or judgments on anything. I just know, in my klingon heart.

Dear Mr Damage, thanks for the intellectual repartee.
You better be careful though, rumor has it that there are at least 5 Klingons at guantanamo.

Swing Voters and Republicans were effected by the speech according to Republican troll and polling guro'
Frank Luntz the emotional cords of the speech registered so well with everything it was off the chart of their little machine.
In Southern Ohio Bush has lost half of the Republicans and all of the Indy
Dream on if you think Edwards and Kerry didn't connect. Keep thinking that..it will just make it easier for Dems in November

Okay, we have a problem. He goes to the UN for help.

Still all over the blue helmets! Let me see. The exchange went something like this.

Bush: (Use that Texas accent he got at Kennebunkport, Maine). Osama hit us...Taliban supported Osama...will you support us?

U.N.: Yes!

Bush: Saddam has WMD in Eye-raq. Will you support us?

U.N.: We see no evidence of that. Make a better case.

Bush: F*** Y**!

The Main Event: John Kerry Hits it Out of the Park

Yeah, but it was a foul ball.

0-1

The crowd here went completely nuts over the Attorney General line. The best-received line of the speech.

Sadly for Kerry, the polls now show him dropping, post-acceptance speech. It seems it wasn't a bad speech, just didn't connect with the undecided voters. It said everything the believers wanted to hear (energized the base), but it certainly didn't play with Republicans and it apparently didn't speak to "middle America".

I have a suspicion, and it's getting stonger by the week, that Bush is going to win by a wide margin. Not because he's got a great platform, but because he *has* a platform. With Kerry, everything's platitudes and generalities. What's he going to do in Iraq that Bush isn't already doing? We hear about the UN and France and international cooperation, but no details on what Kerry might actually *do* to make any of this a reality. Just words, and far too many of them.

In the end I think it's going to come down to the old phrase "choose the devil you know over the devil you don't." Neither Bush nor Kerry are especially wonderful guys, but at least you know Bush stands for something and isn't afraid to fight for it - even at the cost of his "popularity".

So with the convention in Boston winding down, the political pundits giving Kerry a B+ at best on his speech, the RNC coming up, and Bush having saved much of his "ammo" up to this point, there's little doubt that Bush is an easy winner in November.

Sorry, but that's the way I see it.

I just hit a snag and can't vote for Kerry. He was as assistant DA- a prosecutor! Unclean!

Planet Mt Goat only where you live in Keery Dropping

He is up in the Zogby Poll
conducted this week.

The GOP's own pollster Frank Luntz says Kerry is in trouble with Republicans and losing the independents
Independents really connected with
with Kerry and liked him

PPJ - Did you read Mr.Andersons whole post? Or just enough to get an exciting whiff ?(and I do mean whiff). Insider trading laws are a bad thing? And the last I heard it was still legal to home school. Thalidomide was a nice unrestricted drug for a while. You know the Genovese Family in Brooklyn used to get irate about the limitations on freedom too - they smoothed things over for quite a while with a few well placed bribes uh,I mean lobbying. Not to put a damper on the adolescent,"they wont let us do whatever we want" fantasy.

Bushies out there...Why is Bush coming out on the attack so stongly right after the convention? He has said nothing positive and substantive in two days. He's scared sh**less and you know it. The debates will be a massacre...Kerry is smart and he's a winner. GWB is a puppet, this administration looks paranoid and the next 3+ months will be his downfall. How dare he question the record of a Senator who has served for 19 years. Let's look honestly at what the President has been doing over the last 19 years. Yeah right...until Daddy's cronies handed him the big job he was a real force in this country. Gimme a break!!

jondee - Yes, some of it was over the top. That's humor. I suppose you didn't think F911 was also?

Deanna - "Bushies out there...Why is Bush coming out on the attack so stongly right after the convention?"

Hmmm. Could it be that we are in an election? (Just a guess, mind you.)

"The debates will be a massacre...Gore is smart and he's a winner." Ooops, I meant Kerry.

" How dare he question the record of a Senator who has served for 19 years." Oh, I don't know. Probably thinks he has free speech, especially after reading some of the comments made about him. Outside of voting against more funds for intelligence and anything thing for the military. what has Kerry done?

BTW - I understand Kerry is in a pickle and running a ketchup campaign.
:-)

Card remora, try googling Kerry and Iran-Contra, or Kerry and BCCI.

You'll find your answers soon enough.

Now,ahem,about the Bush character..

BCCI? You guys got to be desperate. Hmmm, what well known Democrat was up to his eyebrows in that?

Iran-Contra? Great strategy. Get your enemy to give you money for weapons to fight your other enemy. (When Iran was fighting Iraq, airplanes were not being flown into the WTC. Plus, you can use the money to get rid of another communist.

Jondee -
Try an argument next time.
David

This guy keeps talking about being a soldier - you watch and see how fast this balloon deflates when all but 2 (minus those that are deceased) of his so called "Band of Brothers" come out with their new book "Unfit for Command". Take a look at this link...I am an independent but so far no one can tell me why to vote for Kerry only that I shouldn't vote for Bush.