The core of the problem we face (not convention-related)

[EstimatedProphet]

If all goes well, Bush will be defeated in November, there won’t be a postponement of elections (no longer a tinfoil hat idea, since the Great Heroes Ashcroft and Ridge were looking into how to do just that recently) and we will have a transition to an administration that doesn’t believe it has an inherent superiority and the right to go worldwide to kill people and take stuff.
Is the battle over at this point? Not even close.
We’ve still got substantial issues to deal with. Not just trying to implement our ideals of fairness and equality for everyone; we will unfortunately have the same battle we’ve had all along. The NeoCon administration may be ousted in November, but the NeoCon power structure won’t even be phased. Freepers are still going to be around, and likely will get more shrill. Here’s the reason why:
Following 9/11, Bush*, in his “with us or against us” speech (and other speeches too) implied that in effect, 9/11 gave the US the right to do anything to anyone at any time, so long as it addresses terrorism. Bush*s real policy is that the rules don’t apply to the US. We have the 9/11 trump card, and we can do whatever we want, no real reasons necessary. Those of us that stood up and questioned why we were attacking a country that clearly wasn’t a threat were resoundingly clubbed with the 9/11 card repeatedly. We could see where the policy was going to lead, but many Americans couldn’t and still can’t. The reason so many still cling to the 9/11 card is that it is so ego-satisfying on a base level. It’s exhilarating to see yourself and your country as superior to everyone else, and the logical extension of the “We’re the US and we went through 9/11, so we can do whatever we want” is that our rules, our wants, our way, is the only thing that matters. It’s so ego-stroking it’s almost godlike. And it’s afflicted 40% of the population
Try to picture someone who always gets what they want. The word that likely comes to mind is “spoiled”, isn’t it? This is what we have to fight: the freepers have a spoiled mentality. Since they have that mentality, the only thing that truly matters to them is that they get what they want. They truly believe they are entitled to have Bush* become President, because they support him and it’s what they want. This is why, whenever someone gets in an argument with a freeper, they eventually fall back to talking about 9/11-it’s their validation that the US was wronged, and is entitled to do anything now. Bush* is the face that they put on that belief. Are they going to simply go away if Bush* is ousted? Get serious. We will be hearing how Kerry is a traitor to the US for not killing everyone on Earth in revenge for 9/11 for the next 4 years, and afterwards if he’s re-elected. They made Clinton’s presidency, the most economically successful administration in 40 years, a continuing harassment. It doesn’t matter how Kerry’s presidency works out, they’ll do the same to him. If you think the “Clinton Chronicles” was over the top, just wait…
I support Kerry for President. I intend to fight for him. But we’ve got a long road ahead of us before we can get the US back on track, and it only begins with getting Bush* out of the White House. It doesn’t stop there-it starts there.

[EstimatedProphet]

1. Kick

[Jose Diablo]

2. Then the real supporters of terrorism will have to be identified n/t

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. We've got to win big, so Dems everywhere can ride Kerry's coattails

I mean think about it. With Bush's leadership and diminishing popularity, combined with what I believe is going to be an expansion of the Democratic base from new voters, the Republicans are vulnerable. We need to go all out for Dems at every level to take advantage.

[onethatcares]

4. I think I understand what you just wrote.

The United States of America is the largest arms maker and supplier in the world. It(the m/i complex) arms both sides of most conflicts and eats the money given to the government like it was ice cream. It is going to be very very hard to turn this around. Starting at the local level we are going to have to hold our elected representatives responsible for every one of thier votes, thier positions, thier funding. If we don't, it's over. checkmate, we lose, they win and go on to eat at the public trough for eternity.

[EstimatedProphet]

5. Yes, but that's only part of it

The fact is, even though there are people who are astounded by this fact (sometimes including myself), Bush* is still popular with close to 40% of the country. Why? Everyone chalks it up to his manner and charm, but when you start talking to freepers, and bring up citable facts to them, the best you can hope for is that they will stick their fingers in their ears and scream LALALALA at the top of their lungs. It isn't that that can't hear, it's that they REFUSE to hear. That's not manners, that's a personality cult.
This is why I say that the battle is just starting. These people are not going to go away, and they will believe that if they are defeated they were cheated, regardless of how it turns out. If they win however, it will go to their head I'm afraid; many of them will consider it proof of their own superiority of view. Also, there are more and more cases where some of the freeper types are getting scary-for example, the LTTE from this weekend stating that all liberals should be turned over to terrorists. That kind of talk goes past inflammatory; that's prelude to Kristallnicht(apologies for spelling). So we have a group that will become mean and self-indulgent if they win, and that will become meaner and bitter and irrational if they lose. This is looking to me like approaching riot conditions. The situation scares me when I think of the possibilities...
So no, I don't think winning the Presidential elections will be enough to turn things around. I would like to see that, along with huge coattails like another poster mentioned, but the fight is going to be going on for years, and I think it's going to involve a lot of work, and probably some media de-programming, before things are back to the good old days that ended in the 70's.