The question of a candidates "motivation" for running can be turned around. What is our motivation for asking the question in the first place? What is it about our culture that makes us worry about whether a politician seems sincere?
We, the voters, are not contestants on "So You Want to Marry a Millionaire." We're trying to hire new president. So John Kerry's reasons for trying to become President don't really matter as much as whether we think he'll deliver on the issues he's campaigning on.
Clinton's lip-biting seemed a sign of his sincere motivation to some voters. Bush's "aw shucks" act and the supposed praying appeals seemed like sincere motivation to others. But It's all one big act. With Bush we only see what Karl Rove productions wants us to see. So why do we care so much?
The question of sincerity in politicians is symptomatic of a celebrity culture that works to depolitize citizens and sell more soap.
Does Jennifer Lopez loves Ben Affleck? We have no way of knowing, but Americans scrutinize their public appearances for clues. The false intimacy that's created by this activity serves one purpose -- to sell copies of People magazine, which, in turn exists to sell other products, including Ben and Jlo's movies.
Similarly, we ask does John Kerry really love Teresa? Does he really care about the environment? Is he truly passionate about the minimum wage? Please. John Kerry may not know the answers to these questions himself.
What matters is that Kerry works for the environment. He works for the minimum wage. It's a matter of public record. He cares because his record shows he cares.
In the Republican case, this sort of obsession with the sincerity or "character" has become a pernicious red herring. The "character" issue is a conscious effort to sidestep the real issues.
Since Republican campaign operatives know most Americans disagree with them on most issues, they turn the campaign question into whether Bush is "a good man" in the abstract. That's why we're told that George W. Bush reads the bible every night. Republican go so far as to compare voting for Bush to a marriage that you stick through, even when you have "problems." Yuck!
A dog is smarter than most Republicans on this one. A dog never asks, "Does that guy really want to take me for a walk or not?" The dog just wants a walk.
If John Kerry wants to be President because he's always wanted an office, it doesn't matter to me. As long as he follows through on his campaign promises, we'll be better off.