The mouth of Harry S. Truman.

[FunBobbyMucha]

Much will be said about Kerry's campaign, the missteps, etc. I have one humble comment:

Kerry needed to just talk. I was struck in his RS interview with his ability to sound like a normal guy shootin' the shit, compared to the stentorian tone of his every public speech.

HS Truman is remembered and beloved for, among other things, using White House stationary to address the Washington Post critic who savaged Margaret Truman's singing debut as "a Son of a Bitch!" He also offered to settle it with the guy mano-a-mano. That wasn't jingoistic posturing Crawford-style, it was a real father defending his daughter, like any other good dad in the nation (you listening, Dick?).

Part of the appeal of Dean, I think, was a similar plainspokeness. Hell, I liked his yodel. Please note, I'm not talking sounding like a tard, or a bully, *-style--a very affected, forced performance, but just calling a mofo spade a spade, instead of an "oblong utensil for the purpose of gardening rich American soil with great pride."

So many times in the campaign, I wanted Kerry to just drop the statesman thing and say what he felt. Perhaps he's just not wired that way, I don't know, but I wanted to hear

"Y'know, folks, this is just stupid,"

when RoveCo would attack his record or his Purple Hearts. I think there's not a Nascar Dad out there that wouldn't have respected and trusted the man instantly if he'd just said

"Y'know, I served in Vietnam, got shot at, and now a guy who sat it out is questioning my guts. Do you know how mad that makes me?"

No four dollar words, no statesmanship reaching, just the common sense response that any person would have in that situation.

The Democratic Party of 2008 is gonna have to be a lot more Dean, Shumer, and Kerrey, and a lot less stentorian.

[pelagius]

1. I'm looking for a "Jimmy Carter" who kicks ASS n/t

[Joylaughter]

2. Kerry's problem was concession

He conceded before the votes were counted so he either is part of the Bushco team or he is weak or he is trying to pacify the right with grace while the votes are counted. WHO KNOWS? I kind of think it isn't over.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. You know, you're absolutely right. But what do we, the checker players

know? While they were playing chess, they let an election get stolen again. :cry:

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

4. Well put friend..

after all, * used the 'common man' image to his advantage, why not the Dems?

[FunBobbyMucha]

5. But again, I'm not talking about image.

Dean, Shumer, Bob Kerrey--these guys are much better at just saying it than Kerry was. And I don't get the sense that any of them are faking it.

Kerry, when first selected in the primaries, set off my uh-oh alarm. Too Dukakisian, I thought, and such a contrast to Dr. Howard in style. I don't think Dean would've looked quite as, well, dumb, on a windsurfer or in camo as JK came off.

Spare me the 'so it's all about image?' rhetoric, I don't like it either, but these things (photo ops, apparent comfort in your own skin, speaking as though you're addressing a prime minister rather than a steelworker) add up.

Look, I'm a tiny, liberal, artsy guy who made it thru 18 years in rural redneck (SE) Ohio without ever getting my ass kicked. How? Because I knew not to discuss "Marble Fawn" in a room full of guys throwing back PBR's.

(lol--a rare lapse had me and two friends dressed as Devo at what turned out to be a redneck bonfire party, where Matt said robotically "We are Devo," and we were invited to "Devo the fuck outta here, faggots!")