John Kerry turned out to be the right Democratic choice.

[Quixote1818]

I was originally a Wesley Clark supporter and still would march into hell for him but after seeing John Kerry's performances in the three debates and how he has turned things around I have in the last couple of days come to the conclusion that I was wrong and John Kerry was the best candidate for president at this time. I still think Clark and Edwards will be awesome candidates if they run in the future and are every bit as awesome as Kerry is but this was the right time and place for Kerry to rise to the top. Good choice all of you who voted for Kerry! Nice Job!

[XanaDUer]

1. Thanks!

:hi:

And we're gonna kick a chimp's ass outta office!

[sangh0]

2. It's why I've supported Kerry from the beginning

There are others who may be better at a thing or two, but Kerry has got it all around.

[JohnKleeb]

3. I am happy to say he was my number 2

I am glad and proud I defended him.

[XanaDUer]

4. Hi John!

:hi:

Where've you been?

[JohnKleeb]

8. Ive been napping

and I had to get my picture after school today. Basically I am trying to cut my sleep debt.

[deadparrot]

5. He wasn't my first choice,

but I'm extrememly proud to have him as my candidate. A hero, a gentleman, and an all around good man (Screw you, Lynne).

Can anyone remember the last time we had a president with CLASS?

[trotsky]

6. I'll be honest, he was near the bottom of my list.

I was a Deanie (not a Deaniac), followed by Clark, Edwards, and then the rest kinda lumped together.

Now I say thank goodness Democrats nationwide had the good sense to nominate Kerry. I really don't see how ANY other Democrat in the initial field of candidates could have done half as good a job as Kerry has done, in the debates AND campaigning.

[Tamyrlin79]

11. Yeah, but...

You'd prolly be saying the same thing if the others had won and had a chance to prove themselves. Could they have equalled Kerry or done better? Maybe, maybe not. We'll never know because that's not how it turned out.

[trotsky]

14. Possible, I suppose.

But I kinda doubt it. No one else had the leadership experience Kerry does. No one else had as much knowledge about foreign AND domestic issues like Kerry does. Etc.

[incapsulated]

20. Not really...

Wes Clark has as much "leadership experience" as anyone ever will.

And this is why I hate these kinds of threads. It's going to piss off someone when many of us backed another nominee to make these kinds of comparisons. It's dividing.

John is the nominee and I support him a thousand percent. I think he is the right man at the right time, but there is no way any of us can know how the other candidates would have done, because the entire campaign, on both sides, would have been different.

Personally, I'm glad Wes didn't win, because I would have gone crazy watching Rove do to him what they have done to Kerry. In that sense, Kerry is the most experienced: He is all too familiar with this shit over the course of a political career. This election really does favor the political animal with a lifetime of experience.

[ibegurpard]

7. the right choice?

who knows? However, he is the Democratic candidate and has my support. My respect for the man has grown a great deal over the few months since the primaries ended.

[Cha]

12. Same here..I'm amazed at myself

how much I've come to support Kerry/Edwards..but that's what I like about life..fulla Surprises!

I think they are the right choices because they are here and they're going to Win and Do a Great job of putting us back on that track that America needs to be on.

[Francine Frensky]

9. I totally agree. The convention convinced me. check this out:

This gives me chills every time I watch it:

http://homepage.mac.com/jamolibert/iMovieTheater2.html

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

10. He was my first choice...

then, a disappointing appearance on MTP 06/03 and Dean's energizing surge had me doubting his credentials...now, I'm back with a vengeance!!!! He knows what he's doing and knows what needs to be done. He also has a lot of connections in the right places and, most importantly, is self assured without being arrogant. The perfect antithesis to gwb. MKJ

[chimpymustgo]

13. I have loved Edwards since Day One. But always supported Kerry.

From the very beginning "insiders" were calling a Kerry/Edwards ticket. Then Dean came along. Then Clark. But here we are with K/E - and it's the best ticket we could possibly offer.

[Awsi Dooger]

15. We'll find out on November 2

Any type of victory and Kerry was the ONLY choice. Any loss and he'll be remembered as a taller Dukakis who blew an election against an incompetent moron. That sounds harsh now, but give it time.

I supported Edwards, but Kerry has been terrific lately. Any Kerry win and I'll thrill to be completely "wrong" but if we lose I'll always wonder. Kerry is the superior debater but not as skilled a daily campaigner as Edwards. Edwards' favorability and likeability numbers would never have threatened Kerry's worst marks. I think he could have drawn Republicans and swing voters slightly better than Kerry, and more of a chance in borderline Southern states.

I understand the theory Edwards would have been assaulted on national security concerns. The same DUers proposing that certainty were sure Kerry's Vietnam background would win the military vote, and all but shield him from charges as being weak on defense or terrorism.

[KittyWampus]

16. Fellow Clark Supporter Who Agrees 100%! Have Ended Up Loving Kerry

Kerry is freaking whip-smart and has a clever streak a mile long.

He and his crew are several moves ahead of the assholes.

No doubt.

[bagnana]

17. Yes! I was so impressed by his debate performance

It made me dance and shout to watch him keep his cool powerful demeanor against confused then furious then spittle-mouthed George.

[calmblueocean]

18. I voted for John Edwards in my caucus...

... but I'm glad Kerry's the Big Man on the ticket this time around.

I thought Kerry had the credentials to be president, but I didn't think he had the charisma. I was wrong. I've enjoyed watching his debates more than any debates since Reagan. He'll make a fantastic president, better than Clinton, I bet. Now all we have to do is get him there!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

19. I think we've had an embarrassment of riches in excellent candidates

I too was an avid Wes Clark supporter and heavily involved in the Internet draft movement and still contribute periodically to WesPac. I also loved Howard Dean and thought he would have made a fantastic candidate. Dean in fact was my second choice after Wes Clark. I loved Dennis Kucinich and would have loved to see a debate between Kucinich and the Chimp, especially on domestic issues. I thought John Kerry won most of the Democratic Party debates among our candidates and realize that he's probably the strongest debater we've seen in a long time.

I agree that Kerry was a very good choice. But I think that several Democratic candidates would have made good choices. I think Dean, Clark, Kucinich and even Graham and Gephardt would have demolished Bush in all three debates. Wes Clark would have grilled and deep fried the Chimp on Iraq and the war on terrorism. It would have been a debate of historic embarrassment had Clark had the opportunity to confront Bush on his many, many lies and misleading statements. Earlier, there was a great deal of speculation that Kerry was a bad choice because he voted for the war. Bush was so pathetic in the debates however and had so few answers to the issues that we aren't even talking about this anymore.

[JohnKleeb]

21. You know

It's great that most of the board now sees the Kerry that many of the early supporters or near supporters like me believed in. The more I learn about Kerry the more I like, now tell me he's left handed and it's sealed, joshing. What I love about Kerry is his amazing life full of many accomplishments, his stances on many issues are excellent, plus I genuinely like the guy and he seems to be unlike Bush a student of history who studies the past and thinks about how that could apply now. He's a well read guy too. I am in a way disappointed that Clinton and Gore passed him out, especially Gore because I think Kerry would have been a better VP pick than Lieberman.

[mzmolly]

22. Honestly, I'll letcha know November 3rd.

:hi:

[secular_warrior]

23. The main reason I always supported Kerry: he can rid the world of Bush.

Most of us in the Democratic base would've preferred a more partisan message, a candidate who voted against IWR, etc.

But it would've been all for nought if the candidate couldn't beat Bush, which is the unthinkable scenario. We have a responsibility first and foremost to rid the world of the evil that is Bush. Politics is the art of the possible, where pragmatism always beats idealism.

IMO, Kerry was the only acceptable Democratic candidate who could've won. He is tough, confident and able to remain cool as a cucumber under the harshest fire. He is almost impossible to put away, especially if he is still alive late in a campaign. Kerry is in a better position now than he was at the same point in many of his other campaigns. We are in good shape.

[Homerr]

24. I'd like to see cabinet posts for Dean and Clark

[The Chronicler]

25. Dean might run for Senate in '06

[JohnKleeb]

29. huh? is Jeffords or Leahy retiring?

[Bongo Prophet]

32. Dean for Senate? Have a source for that?

I. like many others, think he'd be a great DNC head. But imagining a future with Dean and Obama (and Franken?) would up my c-span 2 time tremendously!

[bigtree]

26. Thanks for your support

Good time to reflect on John's determined efforts and obstacles overcome.

[The Wielding Truth]

34. Made me tear up Big Tree.

:grouphug:

[democratreformed]

27. Thank God it wasn't our Wes.

I would march to hell and back for him too. But, right now, I am so totally digusted. I have read the most slanderous piece of crap against John Kerry that I have ever seen in my life. Then, I come here to DU alarmed out of my wits. I find out that THIS CRAP HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE JUNE. I still absolutely cannot believe the depths that these people have sunk to.

John Kerry is one hell of a candidate to survive this crap. He is one hell of a man to take all this crap. And he will be one hell of a President!!!!

[andym]

28. Kerry is a very good choice

Kerry is a very good choice. He reminds me alot of Walter Mondale, serious, knowledgeable, focused. Mondale was a very strong candidate who happened to go up against a powerhouse candidate (in the popular cultural sense). Fortunately, Kerry is up against a pathetic Reagan wannabe. * may be less motivated and intellectually curious than Reagan, and has traded Reagan's self-deprecating but effective humor for smirking arrogance.

All of the primary candidates suffered from a lack of exposure in the popular culture before the nomination, so they would all have been subject to character assassination. Kerry did a good job in countering it in the debates (though not before). He still had to be vigilant. There are likely serious attacks on his integrity yet to come.

As to being the best candidate. I don;t think we'll ever be able to say. I think Clark and Edwards had strengths that may have played very well against Bush. For example, Clark could have threatened to break up part of the Republican base (soldiers, and those who idolize the military).

That said, Kerry has the potential to be one of the best Presidents of the last 100 years. He has a good combination of intelligence and knowledge how things get done in Washington.

[mzmolly]

30. I agree, he has the potential to be an amazing President. I just hope

he gets the job. :)

[The Wielding Truth]

31. Yes, the more we know him the more he shines. Imtergrity....Integrity....I

[donheld]

33. I don't think you were wrong

nor were any of us who supported Dean, Gephardt etc. I'm sure those men would have don't very well. I do think Kerry has done very well. Lets just keep pushing.

[unkachuck]

35. it was half way through....

....the last debate I stopped seeing Kerry as our candidate and began seeing him as President.....I think he's doing a good job up against the muck-slingers of the Right....

I'm confident he will win and I'm hoping he will govern from center-left.....but right-wing pressure will be fierce and they will begin blaming Kerry for 'losing Iraq' the moment he takes the oath, driving him to right....

[montana500]

36. Kerry was my first choice two years ago

then I was for Dean, then Clark.

[TheWebHead]

37. agreed

I think there may have been some democrats who didn't run who would have faired better against Bush, but with those who did run, he was my first choice and the best of them. Yes, the Bush team did a good job of turning the election on a referendum on Kerry instead of the incumbent, but I can envision that scenario with every person that was running.

presumed attacks:
Lieberman: why pick Bush-lite when you already have Bush? Would completely uninspire the base.
Dean: No matter what you feel about the Mary Cheney comment, we'd have a "why did he say that" moment every week with Dean. would be vivisected on tax scares.
Clark: Too green on every issue except military. past Republican praise would be run over and over in campaign ads.
Edwards: One term "Breck girl" senator. Not yet presidential. Trial lawyer ... stuff he's already getting now anyways.
Gephardt: Boring, dangerous for our economy, protectionist, tax and spend liberal. Little base appeal.

given the above, I think Kerry had the most solid resume.

[Spiffarino]

38. I have to be honest about it...

Kerry was my first choice from the very beginning! :bounce:

Our Kerry group has been together since March and has grown bigger and bigger. We started with 25 people in March; our last meeting had 150! I'm telling you, this guy has got everything you need in a President.

The only thing we're missing for the big win is a Democratic Karl Rove. The Repubs kick our asses all the time because they are willing to do anything - and I mean anything - to win. While the Democratic party isn't exactly saintly, it still lacks the willingness to be downright dirty, slanderous and evil.

Know what? It's OK with me. Hells bells...that's why I am a Democrat!