I was ABB until tonight.

[Political_Junkie]

Watched "Going Upriver" earlier, had to process my thoughts before posting, but here they are:
I know that I am far more liberal than any politician who will ever get anywhere near the Whitehorse,(sorry, Dennis)so no candidate will ever be perfect for me, but I really don't think I saw John Kerry before tonight. Even the debates didn't do it for me. It seemed to me that Kerry didn't so much wipe the floor with Bush as Bush wiped the floor with himself.
I admit to being very impatient with Kerry through this whole process, I just wanted him to stand up and fight. I see now that he was, he was fighting in the same way that he has always fought with calm and with coolness. And rethinking the debates, I've come to realize that that is exactly what made him win, his calm and command of the facts seemed to make Bush come unglued.
We've got the right man for the job here and I can now say that I am not only not ABB, but that I will be proud to mark John Kerry's name on that ballot for my next president.

[JohnKleeb]

1. Congrads

I can't wait to see Going Upriver myself.

[Political_Junkie]

3. I watched it here:

http://www.kerrysupport.com/upriver/

[sharman]

2. Hear hear

And to see such maturity, quiet strength in such a young man--shameless Kerry commercial tho the movie was, I was awestruck.

[Political_Junkie]

5. You know that's why it took

me so long to form my thoughts. I wanted to make sure it wasn't just the propaganda of it that I was responding to, but as soon as I saw the young John Kerry on the screen, I knew. It's him, not the movie.

[JohnKleeb]

14. The young Kerry is very simliar to the Kerry we see now

Fighting against a big machine but with the right cause.

[Comadreja]

Please explain

I didn't see the movie, and I am a resolute opposer of US Middle East policies and especially the Iraq war. How did this movie still your doubts about Kerry's pro-Pentagon stand, as summed up by Arundhati Roy: The U.S. political system has been carefully crafted to ensure that no one who questions the natural goodness of the military-industrial-corporate power structure will be allowed through the portals of power. Given this, it's no surprise that in this election you have two Yale University graduates, both members of Skull and Bones, the same secret society, both millionaires, both playing at soldier-soldier, both talking up war, and arguing almost childishly about who will lead the war on terror more effectively. Arundhati Roy



BTW, I cast my vote for Kerry by absentee already.

[Political_Junkie]

7. It didn't exactly.

The thing is that I now believe that we are dealing with a man that can be persuaded to see what's right.
I agree with what Arundhati Roy said about our system, she's right for the most part. And my problems with Kerry have always centered around his mideast policy standpoints, the difference is that before I didn't believe the man really gave a damn. I think he does, and this gives me hope that he will change his position when he gets into office. Don't get me wrong this did not change all my opinions, but it did make me see that John Kerry is just what we need right now.

[txindy]

4. Well said. I have many of those same feelings, myself.

Coming from a strong ABB position (too many years of Junior in Texas on top of the last four), it took me a while, but Senator Kerry won me over in a BIG way -- and I'm an extremely hard person to convince about anything. I admit it! ;) Besides, my two boys (10 and 12) are especially taken with John Kerry and consider him their hero. Who am I to argue with that? Especially when I agree with them. :)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. Kerry is a giant

and I by no means refer to his physical height.

He has a massive intellect coupled with integrity and courage.
He is willing to do the unpopular thing for the sake of truth and rightousness such as protest the Vietnam War or mention an opponent's lesbian daughter.

[Lefta Dissenter]

8. One of the things that really started to move me

from ABB to GO KERRY was watching C-SPAN's airing of Kerry's '71 testimony a few months ago. I was amazed by the courage of this articulate young man! I keep using the word 'thoughtful' when I talk about him - and the more I see of him, the more I use that description!

Congratulations on the move into the YEAY KERRY column. :hi:

[Political_Junkie]

13. See, I never saw that before tonight.

That's what I connected with his quiet, calm leadership with that group of veterans and his testimony just blew me away. I had read excerpts from it before, but it's just not the same as seeing it with my own eyes.

[winga222]

9. Better President

It took a while for me to completely warm up to Kerry myself. I think I've finally come to the conclusion that he'll be a much better president than candidate and I'm very OK with that. :)

[Zookeeper]

10. I was ABB until I did some research on Kerry a couple...

of months ago. He is a quietly strong leader who is somewhat out of sync with our current culture of sound bites and sensationalism. Our country NEEDS someone who is calm, cool, collected and thoughtful. I'm more Liberal than Kerry, but I can see the value in a bit of moderation at this point after the bizarre Bush administration.

[Political_Junkie]

11. Exactly

That's what I was trying to say in my response above when I was asked about his Middle East policy.

[Nordic]

12. I'm with you. That third debate "wowed" me

John Kerry is da man.