Waded over to the main DU discussion page...

[MonteLukast]

... to look at that thread entitled "Kerry says he still wants to be president".

And what a difference in the responses over there, from the ones I see here.

Somebody said how our responses are better written overall? It's true.
More thought, more wit. More original responses.

Why does so much criticism of Kerry strike me as so unoriginal? It's either: 1)he had one chance and blew it; 2)he's not clear/decisive/spine-ful enough;

It just struck me, how simplistic the responses over there are. How thoroughly addicted to the convenient, the sound-bite, the "gotta-be-wowed-instantly". Wonder if they are also regular customers of Mall*Wart and consumers of Uncrustables®.

Randi Rhodes said something *extremely* important yesterday: (paraphrased by me)

"The first bumper-sticker thought you've got to scrub off your car is the one that says, 'Democrats don't have a message'.
Democrats have a good message. They're been having good messages for the last two centuries. They preserved the Union, brought blacks and women a semblance of social justice, created and championed a strong middle class, and won us wars against those who would destroy our freedom and our very humanity. Democrats HAVE a message-- a damn, strong, GOOD message."

Anyone who moans about the Dems having no clarity, no message, or no backbone... little do they know, they're engaging in these very same "bumper-stickers thoughts".
They're acting just the way the right wing wants them to act. They're falling just as easily into the Rovian/Lutzian trap, as the repugs are.

And therefore... can I really call them progressive? With a straight face?

Anyway... here are my latest comments to Kerry threads on DKos:

He is not the most charismatic Democrat...

That's IF you think being charismatic means being Cheerleader Barbie.

Charisma also has to do with vitality, with plentitude of being.

Kerry doesn't fit the "everyone likes me" brand of charisma, it's true.
But when it comes to being multidimensional, having that combination of opposites like he does, having that zest for life... he most certainly does.

Remember, even Edwards would not be so charismatic if he weren't intelligent and multi-dimensional as well. I've heard that in private life, he's very serious, driven, and a good deal more complex and stormy than his sunny persona would indicate.
If he were just good looks and sun, he'd be the frontrunner of The Latest Boyband (and just like them, gone in 2 years)-- not one of the best trial lawyers in the country, and certainly not the Senator he was.

America has grown to hate multidimensional-ness and Renaissance-ness, and I say this must stop.

I'll be one of the first people to do away with this.

Being yourself is a bit dodgy if you're concerned that it could land you in a very cold, limited, worse-off place.

Kathleen Parker absolutely maddened me with her armchair psychoanalysis of Al Gore, and her exhortations that he should just "get comfortable with himself" and "know who he is".

Do those words mean anything, really?

What if Al Gore knew EXACTLY "what he is"-- and quite understandably, feared that "himself" would never fly?

One of the biggest problems with connecting to others, is "birds of a feather flock together"-- how much do you actually have to share with the person you're trying to build a relationship with?
How do you keep yourself from floundering in a sea of trial and error, changing yourself and changing yourself, to no good result?
What kind of thankless life is that?

Nothing wrong with trying on different hats-- nothing wrong with having a image flop or two.

Everything wrong with getting caught in a thankless, joyless loop of trying to build relationships, and having your very efforts called pandering, posturing, etc.

And feeling absolutely powerless to effect a change and get off the treadmill, because how do you know your efforts to escape won't only entrap you even more firmly?

Most people don't have a solution to this. Mostly, our idea of a solution and advice is to mouth platitudes like "be yourself".

I know that we Americans don't have the time or energy for such a solution. </snark>
But I'm going to look for one anyway. So I can be of REAL assistance to those caught in this dilemma.

Aaaannnnd.... a cute message, adapted from the Rickmanista Review site:

MEDICAL WARNING

Kerry fans should not attempt to cook, drive, or operate heavy machinery, tools or utensils while watching his CNN/CSPAN/other news appearances. Persons prone to hormonal surges, fainting, swooning, high blood pressure, or tachycardia should consult their physician prior to viewing him. Using Kerry's TV appearances in conjunction with his voice on audio recording (particularly of him speaking foreign languages) might exacerbate reactions in susceptible subjects. Patients are advised to have paramedics on stand-by if attempting to combine watching him on TV with listening to The Voice.

[jenndar]

1. Didn't THK

say various times that JK's critics are critical because they think small? And in talking about herself, she referred to the boxes people wanted to put her in, and she said "it's all so limiting and uninteresting."

I've said a million times before that candidates that are REALLY popular are often just these non-people who make good screens for voters to project things all over. There are exceptions, of course - I'd never argue that Bill Clinton is popular because he doesn't bring any personality to the table. But I really think people suffer from the misconception that politics are not personal, when in fact, politics are really a sum total of who we are. If you can't get beyond that kind of thinking, it's quite possible that deep down, you hate Politician X because Politician X is not you. "Charisma" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, but I think a lot of people misuse it, as you said. I think THK has a lot of charisma, for example, but I think people looked at her and said, "Good God, she is NOTHING like me," and decided not to consider her any further. And that's to quote again, so limiting and uninteresting.

And in response to your medical warning, here's a haiku I wrote watching JK on TV:

Dear Senator, please
don't say "massaged"! It's much too
distracting for fans!

[ginnyinWI]

2. those are some good points

So many people feel threatened by somebody who seems smarter, more complex, or different than them. So they go vote for * believing that he is just like them. He's one of those who people on the right can project all sorts of things, including Christian qualities.

As for The Voice, I agree--I seem to need regular doses of it :).