With a few quibbles, I think today's Philly Daily News editorial pretty much captures the current sense of things around here and among kindred spirits at large. They were out front as the first paper to endorse Kerry, and this sort of fresh, direct, and unabashedly partisan editorializing is something we need lots more of. I'm adopting them as my new favorite paper.
CAN KERRY SAVE HIS CAMPAIGN?
YES, AND HERE'S HOW
EVEN BEFORE the polls confirmed it, we guessed that John Kerry's campaign had hit a rough spot.
It wasn't only because of the Lies and the Lying Swift Boat Veterans who told them. It was that Kerry treated his appearance on "The Daily Show" as if it were "Meet the Press." Couldn't someone have written the guy a couple of snappy comebacks to anchorman Jon Stewart?
Sure enough, in a Time magazine poll taken during the Republican National Convention, President Bush was reported to be 11 points ahead.
Given the same situation, Republicans would have challenged the polls' methodology, trashed the negativity of the other guys' convention, and expressed unswerving confidence (no matter what they believed personally) in ultimate victory.
What did the Democrats do? They panicked.
Not only that, they immediately called up everyone they knew in the press to complain about all Kerry's mistakes - and stepping on his attempts to reduce Bush's convention bounce.
While more recent polls show that the gap is not that great, the momentum has shifted away from Kerry, at least temporarily. We have to (grudgingly) admire a campaign that turned the image of a bona fide war hero into that of a 90-pound weakling and made a he-man out of someone who shirked his military duty.
But recriminations are so last week.
We are declaring this week the first week of the rest of the campaign.
As early supporters of John Kerry, who believe that this nation needs his leadership, here's our friendly advice to the candidate - as well as to the rest of his supporters.
For Kerry: It's too late to turn yourself into the more likable candidate. Besides, Al Gore was even more wooden and stiff than you and he won.
We agree with those who say you should repeat this message, and only this message, over and over: If you like what's happened over the last four years - in Iraq, to your job, to your health-care costs, to your public schools, to your civil rights, to America's standing in the world, vote for Bush. If you think this country is on the wrong track, this is what I'll do to change things...and then list them. Briefly. That's it.
That's the message, every day until Nov. 2. With one exception: Do not, repeat, do not go near a late-night TV show without several jokes. Funny ones.
For Kerry supporters: Do not be paralyzed by your frustration at the apparent successes of the most dishonest and dirty campaign ever. As the fictional turn-of-the-20th century character Mr. Dooley famously put it, "Politics ain't beanbag." This crew will never play fair and the press isn't going to make them. They can still be beat.
Do not despair over Kerry's past statements on Iraq. (Although they make embarrassing punchlines.) Ask yourself and everyone you know, the same question: "Do we want, four more years of Bush?" Then visit www.bushin30seconds.org and watch a couple of funny ads. Listen to Al Franken and Randi Rhodes on Air America Radio (WHAT/1340-AM, from noon to 7 p.m.) Write another check. Volunteer again for a voter registration effort. Remember, when the going gets tough, the tough go canvassing.