We found out today that John Kerry will not be seeking the Presidency in 2008. However, he may very well seek re-election in the Senate. This diary is to commend his years of service to his country and the world.
A lot of people on this site have mixed feelings about you, Senator. The 2004 election. Some people thought the President was so incompetent and vulnerable that it would only take the truth to defeat him. Others recognized a well-organized Republican noise machine, with swift boat attacks, carefully crafted and timed messages, and frames that the Democratic Party was just not organized enough to break. This diary isn't about that, though. On that subject, though, I will say one thing: you would have made one of the greatest Presidents of the United States in history.
(retrospective and warm fuzzies below the fold)
We supported you because of your honorable service in Vietnam. You also had the courage to do the right thing and speak out against the war, in the face of arrests and smear attacks. You testified in front of congress to play a role in bringing about the war's ultimate end. America and the world are better for it.
We also supported you for your distinguished role in the Senate. While I was still in diapers, during those blissfully ignorant Reagan years, you were unrelenting in investigating the Iran-Contra scandal. This boldness continued in your treatment of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International scandal. The opposition came from both parties, who wanted to stop the investigation of Noriega's drug trafficking to keep their own corruption in the dark. But you held yourself to a higher standard. In an age where politicians make phony boasts about putting moral principle ahead of partisanship, it's nice to know that at one point our senators actually knew what moral principle was.
You authorized the war in Iraq. Many people on this site may never forgive you for that. Those same people probably find it odd that I could participate in the biggest anti-war demonstrations in history, and still support you as my favorite primary candidate almost 2 years later. It wasn't just your other successes, or your story, or overall intelligence. I guess I really related to you, John. In a way, we're both victims of a hyper-active intellect. Even though I disagreed with your vote, it made sense to me that you would want a President to have authorization in theory. It's the classic "speak softly and carry a big stick" -- and the stick only comes out if diplomacy and the UN truly fail. But I think you and I both understand now why that wasn't good enough for the American people. History will judge us all not by our ideas but by the results of our actions. In this era of growing unitary power, and a president hellbent on war, stopping him at all costs was more important than a careful theory about statesmanship. You make your votes in the Senate according to the President we have, not the President we wish we had.
But you still fought for us, and continue to do so to this very day. With others in your party seemingly dejected and petrified, you had the fortitude to lead a filibuster on Justice Alito. You have pushed to take care of our veterans, and the health of our kids. You have continued to speak out against this illegal, impractical, and mismanaged war.
I imagine your decision to not run for President was a difficult one. You start thinking about your legacy. Especially after being portrayed as the wacky liberal flip flopper who shot himself to get out of Vietnam... You've probably wondered if your candidacy, if your service in the senate, and in Vietnam... were they enough? Understand that learning to live with the 2004 election was as hard for all of us as it was for you. Knowing what I know about the game of politics, even though I'd have respected your choice either way, it was right to bow out of the 2008 election gracefully.
Your legacy will be safe with young people like me. If you don't have enough reasons to smile, I'll leave you with a joke, Senator. It's actually stolen though. But I'm 25 years old, and I think there's a new generation of young Democrats who will enjoy its irony. (And lazy remakes are really hip right now).
They told me that if I voted for Kerry, the government would show total contempt to our troops, push wacky values down everyone's throats, and the budget and Iraq would spin out of control. I went ahead and voted for him anyway, and it turned out they were absolutely right.
Keep fighting for us, Mr. Kerry. As a Senator, as a citizen... heck, how does Condoleeza Rice's job sound? There's many battles we need you for.
We still have your back.