John Kerry is NOT ELECTABLE.

[WiseMen]

“Electability” is the concept du jour for side-stepping any substantive analysis of John Kerry’s unprecedented march of victory in the Democratic primaries. By simply polling and punditing about “electability” and “beating Bush” the corporate media was able to avoid talking about matters of Kerry’s character, credentials and sheer grit that allowed him win against the odds and despite the pundit predictions.

But Kerry the “electable” is a horribly flawed notion if intended to suggest an ideological position or personal appeal in keeping with the expectations of the broad majority of the electorate. John Kerry is better described as brilliant, determined, knowledgeable, even presidential.

Truth be told, John Kerry will not be elected under the normal American political dynamics. Kerry’s positions are to the left of most in political leadership and his personal background is more elite than populist. Now, with Mr. Nader’s entry into the race Kerry appears to have lost the magic of “momentum” that could have propelled him towards a November victory under the power of mass euphoria. Nader has stripped Kerry of that narrow unthinking margin of victory on the left.

Kerry’s pre-Nader 6-12 point lead over Bush already included much of the center-right swing vote. Kerry’s record and tendencies are far too liberal for a principled appeal even further to the right.

John Kerry is not the “electable.” Rather, he is the BEST BET of people seeking real change: the patriotic, the progressive, the revolutionary.


1. This is the guy who spent 4 years in the Military, 24/7, in the mess hall, on the ship deck, in the jungle and swamps with brothers who for the most part were draftees who didn’t have the connections to get at ticket out of the draft. To a man they testify to Kerry’s humanity, camaraderie and soul. Remember, Kerry was a volunteer, enlisting before the draft because it wasn’t fair for poor kids to serve and die while rich kids skipped service.

2. This is the guy who protested the war, at a time when protesters were labeled communists, hippies and dope-heads. He rode the buses, slept on the ground, went to jail, testified against war atrocities – basically did things that are likely to f*up your life and carrier, unless you can overthrow the establishment.

3. This is the Senator who spent much of his Senate carrier making peace with our former enemies in south-east Asia and making war against Reagan-Bush covert operations in Central America and secret involvement in the Iran/Iraq war.

4. This is the Senator who supported the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and helped expose and take out of power Marcos in the Phillipines, Noriega in Panama and Suharto in Indonesia.

5. This is the Senator who exposed CIA corruption and drug connections and, to the chagrin of Republicans and Democrats alike, has managed to find quite a few big-budget military systems that he doesn’t like.

6. This is the Senator who is notorious for controversial ideas and proposals that rarely do more than annoy his fellow senators, but has still managed to vote so consistently to support the environment and the poor that he maintained one of the strongest progressive voting records in the senate.


John Kerry is not going to beat Bush by being “electable.” The totality of Kerry’s life and views should be naturally more appealing to the Nader left than the Buchanan right. If Kerry is to win it will be by once again battling against the odds. John Kerry will have to organize the progressive forces to within the Democratic Party in a massive coast-to-coast grass-roots revival of ideals, a re-learning of the state of the nation, and a realignment of the electorate for change.

For the next 8 months John Kerry will have to expand the base of the democratic electorate and make a lot of true believers out of fence-sitters. To do this he will be calling on many in the progressive activist community who supported other candidates in the primaries.

Now, more than ever, we all need to rally round the flag, or fail.

[fearnobush]

1. Sounds pretty electable to me.

Kerry Rocksssss.....!!!!!!

[Captain Absolut]

2. damn

I just got out of my chair and clapped

[HFishbine]

3. "rally round the flag, or fail."

:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[boxster]

8. Really? Bush did all those things?

Wow, I had no idea that Bush did everything in this post, too.

4 years in the military.
Protested the war.
Made peace with SE Asia.
Fought Reagan-Bush re: Central America and Iraq/Iran
Exposed CIA corruption.
Fought for the environment.

Thanks, HFishbine. Without your thoughtful, reasoned post, I would have had no clue that Bush did all of those things, too.

Silly me.

[Piperay]

32. 'Same'...

NOT even close. :argh:

[WiseMen]

54. Gues you are playing the "say opposite of what you mean" game

[Sensitivity]

4. Unfortunately, Dean campaign has poisoned too many of us against Kerry

I used to have horrible biases against Kerry without any good
reason that I can find.

Might be best for Kerry to just go with a conservative V.P like McCain to win against Bush and give up on the left till '08. I think
a lot of grassroots activist may have been burned out by the failure
of their primary candidate of choice.

[neverborn]

5. Especially Dean.

I was very active in Dean campaign -- I'm over it, but many aren't. The push-polling(a la Bush v. McCain SC), the mass calling, the robo calling... all bullshit Kerry pulled against Dean.

The way I see it -- if he couldn't stand up to Kerry, he definitely couldn't stand up to Rove.

ABB this year, ABB.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Dean got into a political crossfire with the DLC...

They aired the Osama ad, he called them Republicans. It's a shame that we couldn't have all just been friends. And BTW as much as I think John McCain is a cut above most Republicans he is a bad idea for VP if for no other reason than he is a Republican.

[Sensitivity]

42. I would prefer if we could stop Nader from Running. But if not, no choice

but to get a really conservative V.P. to appeal to the more
conservative voter. Kerry can pretent to be other than he is, which
is very progressive on most issues.

[T Bone]

49. Why do DUers say stupid shit like Kerry should pick McCain as a vp

That is just fucking stupid. Hell if McCain is a good choice for the dem ticket why not Lugar, or DeLay?

[WiseMen]

33. Was bad in Clinton Brown or 92. But I don't think Kerry deserved the slams

[MoonRiver]

6. You really pulled my chain with that subject line!

Your argument is brilliant, but even if Kerry isn't "electable", I sure hope he is elected. O8)

[Sensitivity]

48. Kerry is so much better than Dean. I hope are really powerfull movement

just sweeps away Repub control of the government in every way.

[corporatewhore]

7. Actually the buchanan right wants thesame things as the nader left

An End to the corporate takeover of america and end to the neoliberal agenda which kerry has been ever so willing to facilitate re NAFTA/WTO/IMF
An end to the occupation which kerry approves of
and an end to the big brother patriot act which kerry voted for

[WillyBrandt]

10. Hannah Arendt spoke about the convergence of the far right

and the far left. Prophetic woman, she.

[corporatewhore]

11. its actually makes sense

I worked hand in hand with these guys on getting an anti patriot act resolution here in austin that actually want the same things want
they are wary of big gov and big business both parties left them

[The Magistrate]

41. Have A Care, Ma'am

It is a good rule of thumb not to form coalitions with people who would shoot you if they had the chance to do so by aegis of state power.

Put bluntly, if you find yourself saying you want the same things the "Buchanan right" wants, it is time to question what you think you want, and deeply.

"A man is known by the enemies he keeps."

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[Darranar]

44. Since...

the Buchanan Right is strongly anti-gay and anti-separation of church and state, that's probably good advice.

[Darranar]

47. As a proud and rather radical leftist...

I think that's innacurate.

On trade and foreign policy issues, there is an element of that. On social and economic issues, it all breaks down.

[Darranar]

46. Does the Nader Left...

support gay rights? Buchanan doesn't.

Does the Nader Left support secularism? Buchanan doesn't.

Does the Nader Left support reproduction rights? Buchanan doesn't.

Does the Nader Left support reasonable domestic economic policies? Buchanan doesn't.

Pat Buchanan is a far right anti-semitic homophobe.

[WiseMen]

53. I am not sure Nader and Buchanan would agree with that.

[Sensitivity]

12. March 20 March Organizers should Invite Kerry to speak. Any contacts

with organizers on here today? That would be a good way to bring
the anti-war activist community together with Kerry campaign.

[corporatewhore]

13. the march 20ths are about ending the occupation/war

some how i dont think kerry would be invited if kerry or bush gets elected you can bet ufpj is going to be organizing for march 20th 2005

[Raya]

14. Kerry opposed Bush's war. Please don't continue the propaganda war

[corporatewhore]

17. He wants to continue the occupation

therefore i believe there will still be more protests by social justice orgs like United For Peace and Justice ahhggg you people dontlisten

[Raya]

18. Kerry and DK have almost identical positions. No one wants to cut and run.

Both want to bring in U.N. authority over the transition.

[IndianaGreen]

22. Not true! Kucinich will bring the troops home, Kerry will keep them there

Kerry will keep troops in Iraq until an American-sanctioned puppet regime is stabilized. Kerry, like Bush, does not want the ayatollahs running Iraq as they do Iran.

Unfortunately if one believes in holding free elections in Iraq, one has to accept Shia rule and an Iraq Islamic Republic. If you don't want that, you might as well put the Baathist back in power!

[Protagoras]

23. Have you ever actually read his position...or DKs for that matter?

Show us the details of how they differ....what is THE plan for DK to "get our troops home"? How does it differ from Kerry's again?

[IndianaGreen]

24. Kerry said during the debates that he will keep the troops until the job..

is done, which would take several years and 250,000 troops according to former Army Chief of Staff General Shinseki.

Kucinich will bring the troops out whether or not the UN is ready to do another tap dance for its American masters.

Kerry will not end the war or the occupation of Iraq!

It Ain’t Over ’Til…

March 4, 2004

The Cleveland Plain Dealer asked Kucinich today what part of ‘it’s over’ he didn’t understand. Kucinich responded: "The part that says that we're still in Iraq, that says there are 43 million Americans without any health insurance, the part that says we lost 3 million manufacturing jobs, that we've got a front-runner who basically has taken NAFTA and the WTO off the table. And the part that says, last I checked, this is still a democracy."

Kucinich told the Plain Dealer his continued presence gives a forum for important ideas in the Democratic Party. "There are critical differences within the Democratic Party which have to be aired, and they really reflect on whether or not the Democrats can win the election in November," he said. Kucinich warned against ending the debate now and taking it outside of the Democratic Party. “It will be assumed that Democrats may not care about these things," he said.

"It might be true that any Democrat could get 49 percent of the vote right now. The question is, how do you get that other 2 or 3 percent that takes you over the top?" Kucinich said. "And that's why my value to this race could end up helping to save the day."

http://www.kucinich.us/itaintovertil.php

[Raya]

52. Rhetoric! Do you really believe Pres Kucinich Could Withdraw Troops

faster that Pres Kerry?

If so, I don't think you know how your government works.

[IndianaGreen]

56. It may be empty rhetoric if it was coming from Kerry

It is not rhetoric when it comes from Dennis!

[kiahzero]

37. Or, you know, you could create a decent Constitution

with secular rule of law, to protect minority rights from the tyranny of the majority. Then you could have democracy without creating a new Taliban.

[corporatewhore]

28. hell no! my Father will be redeployed under kerry not DK

[WiseMen]

40. Hey friend, curuous as to which candidate you support these days.

I am a fan of you dedication.

[Sensitivity]

55. DK it seems. Definitely a hold-out on our "nominee"

[JVS]

29. I wish people would oppose me that way!

Must be nice when your opposition serves things up on a silver platter.

[WiseMen]

31. Do you have any contacts with the organizers?

[katieforeman]

15. Great post!

Please post it everywhere potential Nader voters might be lurking.

[Old and In the Way]

16. Thanks WiseMen!

Your post was spot on. We will have had the clearest contrasting choice of Presidents this election. Does America believe the Bush biography or the Kerry biography reflect the ideals we want in the institution of President? I cannot believe it could be even close.

[graywarrior]

19. Wouldn't it be great if we, the people,

could debate in the media about our candidates, laying out the facts as well as Wisemen did in this post?

[WiseMen]

25. Thank you for the appreciation. This is our chance for a Great President

It is our chance and the worlds. I hope all good people will join
in the fight.

This is going to be a tough battle because I don't believe John
will be making any special appeals to special interests on the
right (e.g. NRA).

[LuLu550]

20. When I read the subject line all I could think was

"If he's not electable, then we better work our asses off to make him electable." because the bottom line is, he is going to be the nominee and we have got to unseat the unelected, idiot, moron, chicken hawk fraud, lying, manipulating, election-stealing asshole who lives in the White House.

But since wrote all that other stuff, I don't have to say it now.

I feel like that and I'm a Clarkie!

[WiseMen]

21. Glad You are relieved. Clark is more "electable" than JK. But JK is

much more ready than Clark and will be a great President, if we
can make it so.

[blondeatlast]

26. Bravo! Very well said.

Can I take that last line as my sig line?

BTW, if you are a Zonie, whereabouts are you? Our numbers are swelling like the creeks around here!

[watercolors]

27. excuse me in florida he is ahead by 6%!!!!

That says it for me and my friends!

[WiseMen]

30. Sadly, Poll that includes Nader shows Kerry 46 Bush 45 Nader 4

[spooky3]

34. This one shows Kerry up by 6 points even with Nader included.

http://www.stpetetimes.com/2004/03/07/State/Another_presidential_.shtml

[WiseMen]

36. Hope the Better poll is accurate. By hook or crook we need to dominate

in each swing state even WITH Nader assumed to be competing, even
though I doubt he will get onto most of the ballots.

[mikehiggins]

39. Is Nader on the ballot in Florida?

Is it at all likely that he will succeed in getting on the ballot?

The polls are meaningless.

[Crunchy Frog]

43. If Jeb wants him on the ballot

then I'm sure he will be. My guess is that Jeb will want him. Just a hunch, but we'll see what happens.

[Sensitivity]

45. God help us. Someone has to get into Nader's head. He is making it

much more painful than it should be.

[Scoopie]

35. Shrub isn't electable, either

Appointable, sure... but not electable!
;)

[WiseMen]

38. Our secret weapon.

[Raya]

50. Good to get over the "Electable" B.S. now rather that when the pundits

start saying that JK is a "xyz" and is no longer "electable."

[WiseMen]

51. "Electability," "momentum" are dangerous media "opiates of the massess"

Folk, I am saying we need to disavow this “electability” label that the media was pinning on John Kerry because it is really a backhanded insult to the senator.

Great leaders rally their people to action through strength of purpose and character, NOT by being “electable.” John Kerry is a great leader and the pundits are using “electable” to diminish the senator and to explain in as meaningless a way as possible his unprecedented primary accomplishment.

We really want a Kerry landslide come November. But, hard thinking and hard work is the way to get there, not dependence on media stamp of approval. John will win in each of the swing states in the same way he won Iowa -- with grassroots town-to-town, house-to-house, hand-to-hand combat that ignored media predictions.

We cannot count on media assurances of “electability” or “momentum.” The media is not on our side.