New Republic Raves About Kerry's MTP and Debate Performance

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Sat Sep-06-03 11:02 PM
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New Republic Raves About Kerry's MTP and Debate Performance

COOL, CALM, AND COLLECTED
by Jonathan Cohn

Candidate: John Kerry
Category: General Likeability
Grade: A

John Kerry's campaign has been maddeningly frustrating to watch; at times, it's seemed like a biography in search of a candidate. But on Sunday's edition of "Meet the Press," Kerry turned in one of the more impressive television performances of recent memory. Kerry seemed self-assured, in command of his facts, and certain--for once--of what he wanted to say (even if what he had to say wasn't entirely honest).

Particularly impressive was the way Kerry handled Tim Russert. Early on, Russert noted that Kerry had slipped badly in the New Hampshire polls, falling 21 points behind Howard Dean. "What happened?" Russert asked. It was typical of the sort of absurd questions Russert asks these days--it shouldn't be John Kerry's place to analyze John Kerry--but Kerry handled it gracefully. After acknowledging that his rival had campaigned well, Kerry made a plain, simple argument for why he was the better candidate:

"Howard Dean's done a good job. I give him great credit. He's been out there, very visibly spending money on TV and elsewhere. We haven't done that. But more importantly, I don't think I've kicked my campaign off sufficiently. We are coming out this week. I am going to reach out to the country and be as clear as a bell about the leadership that I offer, the experience that I offer, the strength and the vision that I offer for our country. And my vision, I think, is stronger and better than Howard Dean's and I look forward to sharing it with the nation."

Russert, naturally, pressed him. But Kerry, a man whose penchant for excessive nuance has been well-chronicled, was direct in his answer:

I think George Bush has proven that the presidency is not the place for on-the-job training in this new security world and foreign policy challenges. For governors, Howard Dean has zero experience in international affairs. This is a moment to make America safer, stronger and more secure. And I have years of experience in helping to do that."

Substantively, it's Kerry's best selling point right now. But what impressed me the most, again, wasn't the message so much as the tone with which it was delivered. Kerry didn't sound angry or petulant when he spoke those words. He sounded cool and confident, like a veteran statesman should. Whether or not that qualification really matters to Democratic primary voters is an open question. But it clearly ought to matter.

http://www.tnr.com/primary/index.mhtml?pid=664

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MEET JOE BRAHMIN
by Franklin Foer

Candidate: John Kerry
Category: General Likeability
Grade: A

Last night, it's fair to say, John Kerry had expectations on his side. Based on his previous debating experiences, one began to think of him as a choke. In South Carolina, he appeared with a hoarse voice; the bags beneath his eyes were overstuffed like a Grandma's tsotschke-filled duffel; his answers seemed too long by half and not nearly as sharp as one would hope.

But something strange seemed to happen to him in the debate: He emerged as the most comfortable, most easygoing guy on the stage. His foils helped. Howard Dean, all pinched and serious, made Al Gore look like John Travolta. John Edwards giggled at his own jokes. And Dick Gephardt needed a pulpit placed in front of him to pull off his sermon.

Everyone had anticipated Kerry would devolve into a scrappy, desperation attack mode. But instead of lighting up Dean, he cracked wise. (Sample joke: The only jobs the president has created "are the nine of us running for president of the United States.") He had a looseness that inspired confidence, made him sound like less of a windbag than normal, and more Clintonian. Maybe the relaunch has worked. They faked us out about the new Kerry. It's not that he's Mr. Nam; it's that he will stop mimicing the platonic ideal of Kennedy oration and start being himself, a relatively normal guy.

My advice to the Kerry campaign: Always give your guy a one minute time limit. When he's to the point, he's good.

http://www.tnr.com/primary/index.mhtml?pid=645

Watch the TV spots and MTP here:

http://www.johnkerry.com/av/

But in the middle of all the serious talk, the candidate hit a funny note. Kerry, whose campaign focuses on such heady business as his service during Vietnam, his long record in the U.S. Senate and his foreign policy experience, actually took a chance with a quirky joke. The quip flowed easily off his tongue and got big hoots and hollers from the crowd.

"Five thousand years ago, Moses said: 'Hitch up your camel, pick up your shovel and mount your ass. I'll lead you to the promised land,' " Kerry said. "Five thousand years later, Franklin Roosevelt said: 'Light up a Camel, throw down your shovel and sit on your ass. This is the promised land.' Today, George W. Bush lays off your camel, taxes your shovel, kicks your ass and says there is no promised land."

http://www.primarymonitor.com/news/stories2003/090403kerry_in_boston_2003.shtml

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