John Kerry is the most "presidential" candidate I've ever seen.

[Demoiselle]

...And I'm old enough to (very vaguely) remember Truman. It isn't that I don't have tremendous affection and respect for JFK...but he was maybe a bit boyish (very young to be president) and that made me nervous at first for him -- Carter is a man of great moral strength, but he makes me a tad sleepy--and Clinton is a brilliant brilliant man, but his warm and gooey good ole boy shtick wore down this Yankee a bit from time to time. (no offense to my Southern friends, please!)
My point in this ramble is that I finally saw in the debate what a friend from Massachusetts who has loved Kerry (politically, please)for years sees in him. There was profound dignity plus real warmth. Helluva combination. And there was something gentle about the way he made his killer points... he eviscerated Bush MORE IN SORROW THAN ANGER. Which I think is what made Bush so furious and helpless.
Kerry is pretty amazing. Cold and aloof is just not him.
That said, I have to admit that he had me at the hamster rescue.
Thanks for letting me rave.

[jjmalonejr]

1. I've been a Kerry supporter for years...

...and I'm so thrilled to hear people FINALLY see in him what I've seen all along.

Thanks for posting.

[ogsball]

2. I agree with your view of this and past candidates

Also Kerry took away the NLP Alpha Male image that Bush 'has' to have in order to keep his image. There will be a lag of acceptance but if Kerry can maintain that presidential image--just staying above the fray if you will, people will continue to feel sorry for Bush, and that will make him look less presidential and Kerry more.

I wish Kerry hadn't mocked Bush in Florida. I think it lowers his image, he needs to show pitty for Bush. That's what makes Kerry look more Presidential. Leave the mocking to the pundants and the late night comedy folks.

[Demoiselle]

4. You're probably right, the mocking doesnt fit...

with what I saw on Thursday night. On the other hand, he has to throw a little red meat to the crowds (uncensored) that come to see him, and I wonder how willing even a hostile media will be to replay the mockery. Repeating just spreads the joke...and if the Bushies complain, they sound whiny.

[Nite Owl]

3. So well expressed

I wasn't a Kerry 'fan' until the convention. After that I knew I was voting for him not ABB anymore. He is someone that can just walk right in and be President from day one, he won't have that awkward grow into the role phase at all. He's going to be one of the great ones and we have to all stand behind him because they won't make it easy.

[cheshire]

5. Me too. I see the other JFK. I'm probably getting giddy but I was wonder-

ing what we could call this administration if Kennedy's was Camelot what will Kerry's be. Please don't say I'm getting ahead, I know but I have a dream. A dream where American have a government who puts us first, where children have a chance no matter their level of income, I have a dream where young men and woman do not die for anothers foolish greed, I have a dream where the world makes sence.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Kerry The RIGHT man at the RIGHT time!!!!!

[DemFromMem]

7. Eye opening

I was one of the "anyone but Bush" crowd when I voted for Kerry in the Tennessee primary. I really preferred Edwards or Clark, but thought Kerry had the best chances of beating Bush. And I've been second guessing that choice for the last few months. No more. When people said "he's a closer" they weren't kidding. Probably the best debate performance I can remember by any candidate. I'm sure a lot of people who only knew Kerry from the commercials and Bush sound bytes had their eyes opened.

[olddem43]

8. Agreed - Any way that you can compare Kerry with others,

he seems more like a president should be. Bill Mahr said last night, "what is this regular guy stuff? A president should be exceptional." Kerry is very exceptional in intellect, knowledge, honesty, bearing, height, life experiences, speaking ability, talent, and attitudes toward many issues. Why can't everyone see what an amazing person he is?

[Stew225]

9. He really is. Hell, he should be starring

in The West Wing. Then again, he will be!!!!!!

[liberalmuse]

10. I agree!

I saw 'Going Upriver' today and even at 27, Kerry looked Presidential. It was like the guy was born Presidential. To those who've watched Kerry for a long time--has he ever lost his composure in public?

I have to say, when I first heard the young Kerry's speech to the Senate Foreign Relations committee on 'Democracy Now' shortly after the primary fiasco, I was blown away. I've only seen documentaries on FDR, but it seemed to me that FDR had always had this similar serious, dignified composure all his life. Perhaps I don't know what I'm talking about, but I think 'FDR' not 'JFK' when I see Kerry.

They showed clip of Lyndon Johnson in the movie and I hate to say this, but he did look a bit like a buffoon when he was trying to make his case for escalating the Viet Nam war. Still, it was nothing compared to the current buffoon.

Nixon was scary and odd. My first memory of him was seeing him on tv defending himself to the American people during the Watergate scandal.

Carter wanted to convey a down home, 'regular guy' image. Reagan was an actor who could recite catchy, but hollow soundbites. He led this country down the wrong path and we've been steered right back on it w/Bush II.

Clinton was the best President in my lifetime so far. Then we went straight to the bottom of the barrel with Bush Jr.

Kerry seems like a very intense man, but in a good way. He emanates goodness. I think he will make a great President. He helped put this country back on the right path during Viet Nam and I believe he can and will do so again.

On edit: My writing is worse than usual today. Sorry!

[KT2000]

11. Lincolnesque

someone posted this the other day and I really think it fits!

Lincoln did not keep this country from falling apart with swagger and macho comments - he had to use wisdom. This is what Kerry brings to the table.

[liberalmuse]

13. Yep.

I was also thinking 'Lincoln' during the movie. Perhaps it's because he seemed to tower over everyone and it was with more than his physical height. Obviously I was very impressed with the things I found out about Kerry from the movie.

[Joylaughter]

12. Mt Rushmore

Get ready for a new addition. Kerry is the stuff legends are made of.

[liberalmuse]

14. Well...

first things first. Forget legends and comparisons. I just want him to win the damn election!

[Nicholas_J]

15. Yes

More than that, Kerry is an honorable man. For all of the criticism of him for voting for
the resolution allowing the President to use force, he did so based on his belief that
Bush would behave honorably, and abide by the terms amf understanding that all of the
other democrats had about the resolution. That is that force would only be used as an
absolute last option. He expected that the president of the United States would behave
honorably,that he would abide by the strictures in the act, to exhaust all diplomatic and
peaceful means of dealing with Iraq before using that force. As an honorable man, Kerry
expected no less from the president of the United States.

This is something that Republicans are unwilling to accept or even look at, and something that
many democratshave criticized. Being as honorable as Kerry is, he was simply unwilling to accept
the fact that the President of the United States would act in anything but an honorable manner.
Once he discovered that the president was capable of the most dishorable actions regarding his repetative attempts to deceive all of Congress and the American people regarding Iraq and the
degree of threat, or lack of that it posed. Kerry has still treated the situation in an honorable
fashion. Kerry did not resort to the kinds of efforts to smear Bush the way Bush did with his tacit
support of the swift boat veterans, nor did he directly come out and simply call Bush a liar.
He has held back and refrained as much as possible from engaging in the kind of negative and abusive attack advertisements that mark the Bush adverts. Kerry's ads stick to facts regarding the
economy, and none of his ads attempt to directly misrepresent Bush's record, as the Bush ads
have continually attempted to misrepresent Kerry's.

Kerry is in fact, what is exptected of a president. In polls outside of the United States, Almost all of Europe and the other nations polled have indicated that they would prefer Kerry as President to Bush 75% to 25 %. Right wing maniacs will of course complain that they dont want those
Europeans picking OUR president. But this ignores a key fact that these polls also indicate.
That is the fact that these results indicate strongly that the people of thw world would be inclined to follow Kerry's lead, and therefore be more likely to follow America's leadership on the
international stage.

This is why the Bush Campaign and Republican statements about Kerrys plan for the war in Iraq
and the War on terrorism and his statements about Kerry's ideas about immediately calling a summit with the leaders of the other nations of the world about helping in Iraq ring false.

Many of the people of the world have already spoken in the polls prefering Kerry to Bush. They'already have indicated that they would be willing to listen to Kerry as president, and that asl
long as Bush remains president, they will remain disinclined to do so. They have already spoken
and agreed with Kerry. That a change of direction in the leadership of the United States is needed before they will follow the United States lead.