Yeah, that was the best speech I've heard him give. Too little, too late, huh?

I agree, that was the best I've ever heard Kerry. On the other hand, Edwards sounded TERRIBLE. I heard him on the car radio, so maybe he looked better on TV, but he sounded like he was reading the speech for the first time, with absolutely no belief or feeling behind it.

I can't believe that he'll be a candidate again. At the next election, he will be a 1 term Senator 4 years out of office who accomplished nothing in office and did nothing for his ticket in 2004. I think he is done.

Coincidence or not:

Watching the concession speech on the CBS affiliate. Immediately after Danny-boy gave the wrap-up, the local channel went to a test of the emergency broadcast system.
For whom the bell tolls.....

I got a Franklin that says Edwards is on the cell phone right now making sure there is no way anyone can out flank him from the left during the current news cycle.

....amazing.

I’m not surprised it went so well. After all, Shrum has had a lot of experience with this phase of the election.

That John Kerry couldn't exist until the election is over...he would have lost out on the left...and even Al Gore sounded decent conceding, I think it's the nature of the event.

yeah, edwards is a turd. kerry was graceful and classy, and has done the nation a great service

Quoted by Jerreld L. Newquist, comp., Prophets, Principles and National Survival, Salt Lake City: Publishers Press, 1967, p. 60:

“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world of commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

Alexis de Tocqueville

I'm sure he credited ol' de Tocq

He can’t use that type of rhetoric and appeal to a significant part of his base that sees no difference between America 2004 and Germany 1934.

That John Kerry would have lost to Howard Dean in the primaries because he couldn't have appeased the rabid anti-war left wing of the Democratic party. But that's the kicker, isn't it? The election is over and we still don't know who the real John Kerry is...

And I think Edwards needs to worry about getting a job before planning his 2008 campaign. "Will primp and preen for food" or something.

Enough of this "kerry is human, best speech, let's heal America" CRAP! This is the same Mooreon who not two days ago was calling the President a liar! Maybe this pompous Lerch-looking liberal will finally go away. The fact that over 55 million idiots in this country voted for this self-avowed TRAITOR and WAR CRIMINAL does not speak well for half of our nation. Thank God for the 58 million who saw this fraud for what he really is.

Question is, will this John Kerry be around over the next four years? Or will Senator Kerry revert to being the Junior Obstructionist from Massachussetts?

I keep hearing he lectured President Bush about the need to unite the country. I prefer to hope that it was more of a suggestion, coupled with an offer to help. Unlike Gore, who had no more official government role after he lost, Kerry is still a memeber of the Federal government.

Kerry knows what is good for Kerry. Every once in a while this will entail him doing something that coincides with the right thing to do. It's a coincidence. He's an actor and a con-man.

Well said, SCO. The worst thing we can do is forget the last eight to twelve months in a single day.

Hudson: that quote is right on the money. SCO: Yeah, he's an unmitigated prick, but we still have to show grace and mercy in victory. It's who we are.

I agree: this was Kerry's finest hour. It reminded me of Gore's concession speech -- also the best he'd ever delivered. Classy, gracious, even noble.

Gore, sadly, immediately reverted to form (i. e., a toad). I hope Kerry remembers what he felt in this rare moment of nobility, and lets that feeling be his future compass. I don't expect it; but I hope for it.

--Robert

The BIDINOTTO BLOG

Teresa looked like she was drunk or drugged. Maybe the mind meld she has on Kerry loses its strength when she's "indisposed."

I wouldn't worry about Edwards. His money is safely in his own hands. Kerry, on the other hand has lost his raison d'etre in Teresa's orbit.

I hope there's another rich widow out there who will take him in. Poor boy. He can't exist on his senator's salary and even that will probably not be available after his term is up.

Any Kerry Concession speech would be his finest.

As for Edwards, he should be pissed. He isn't President-jr and he isn't Senator any more. He isn't a politician at all. His political days are over.

Funny, but the same thing happened after Bob Dole lost. No longer under the pressure to appear "presidential," he relaxed and could let his natural self-deprecating wit show through. (Remember the ad he did that ran during the '97 Superbowl? Hilarious!!) Similarly Kerry, with the pressure off, could let a little warmth and charm show through. (I assume nobody marries that well twice without some natural charm.)

Never thought he'd do it. The Owen Wilson line comes to mind again: "What in our history together makes you think I'm capable of that?"

I'm glad to be wrong in public on this one.

And no, it doesn't erase the last ten months -- or the last twenty-five years, for that matter -- but it must be judged on its own merits. It was classy and gracious.

Now excuse me. I have a bumper sticker ("John Kerry -- Working Against America Since 1971") I have to go shave off. No need for it now.

Kerry rose to the occasion. That is to his credit.

I discuss it further here.

As others have noted, wasn't "America is good" stricken from the DNC platform back round 1968? That may seem a little harsh, but where do you think the idea of "blame America first" came from?

Kerry was gracious, and in being so showed just how far away the Democrats are from power, as they'll be back to pre-11/2 rhetoric tomorrow.

I agree. After watching Kerry's speech, my respect for him went up a great deal - not to say that it's terribly high now . . .

Kerry has a reputation of being murder on speeches. He adlibs, gets lost, repeats lines, blows applause lines, etc. My guess is that Kerry was tired enough that he just read the speech he was given for once.

Where was this John Kerry the last 12 months?

As others noted, sucking up to his base, which believes neither half of that statement.

Which is why I won't ever vote Democrat. I don't support people who don't believe in "American Exceptionalism."