FINALLY, HE'S 'MAKING THE SALE' AS CANDIDATE

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http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/25848.htm

FINALLY, HE'S 'MAKING THE SALE' AS CANDIDATE

By DAVID SEIFMAN


July 30, 2004 -- BOSTON — With everything on the line last night, John Kerry came through.
Never a spellbinding speaker, the Democratic presidential candidate touched all the right bases in a well-received speech that helped propel his campaign toward the inevitable showdown with President Bush in November.

"The cliché for Kerry is that he hasn't made the sale yet," said veteran Democratic political consultant Jerry Skurnik.

"I would think this goes a long way towards making the sale.

"He definitely projected strength and I think that was the most important thing he had to do for the undecided voters."

Polls indicate that to win over wavering voters, Kerry had to erase his image as a flip-flopper, shed some of his patrician bearing, firmly rule out higher taxes and — most important — offer reassurances he could safeguard the nation.

In each case, Kerry hit the target.