Kerry's Speech - And Questions for Him.
In spite of humorous predictions to the contrary, John Kerry came off Presidential. Quite simply, he looked good. Since he raised his stock tonight (a few pro-Bush bloggers like Jon Henke already seem to be assuming a Kerry win), here are a few things about his speech that I wish I had the chance to ask him. All speech excerpts are courtesy of the Drudge Report.

We're told that outsourcing jobs is good for America. We're told that new jobs that pay $9,000 less than the jobs that have been lost is the best we can do. They say this is the best economy we've ever had. And they say that anyone who thinks otherwise is a pessimist. Well, here is our answer: There is nothing more pessimistic than saying America can't do better . . .  What does it mean in America today when Dave McCune, a steel worker I met in Canton, Ohio, saw his job sent overseas and the equipment in his factory literally unbolted, crated up, and shipped thousands of miles away along with that job? What does it mean when workers I've met had to train their foreign replacements?
 
Thanks for the mention of my hometown Mr. Kerry. Yes, we are hurting after losing much of Timken Company and Hoover.   But let’s be honest just as my hometown loses from trade, the Nation overall gains. I'm sure your advisors had read this piece in Foreign Affairs. You haven't contradicted it, you've demagogued around it. As such I believe your vaunted complexity is mere political game playing.  

BTW - your campaign has alluded to a "two america's theme" This piece by Presto Pundit points to the idea that the poorer version might not be as bad off as you think.

And we need to rebuild our alliances, so we can get the terrorists before they get us. 
 
Perhaps bribery of our allies was a factor in weakening our alliances? Or of the UN itself? As a candidate for President, will confront this possibility? If you are a man who is complex because issues aren't simple, this will surely give you another possibility for "nuance". 

We need to lead a global effort against nuclear proliferation - to keep the most dangerous weapons in the world out of the most dangerous hands in the world.

No complaints here – so what do you want to do about Iran's pursuit of Nuclear weapons?  
Will you follow Clinton's and Carter’s failed lead for dealing with nuclear weapons demonstrated in North Korea?  


I know what we have to do in Iraq. We need a President who has the credibility to bring our allies to our side and share the burden, reduce the cost to American taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. That's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home. Here is the reality: that won't happen until we have a president who restores America's respect and leadership -- so we don't have to go it alone in the world.

You demonstrate that you can get troops from Europe, and I’ll agree that you will have a compelling argument to be elected President. All the same, I tend to agree with the views expressed by this blogger here.

You don't value families by denying real prescription drug coverage to seniors

What would be real prescription drug coverage? How much would it cost? Should we expect you to understate this cost? How would you pay for it?

[L]et's never misuse for political purposes the most precious document in American history, the Constitution of the United States
 
I too am against the Federal Marriage Ammendement. I too agree that we shouldn't misuse the Constitution for political purposes. Some of your prominent supporter believe in the theory of a living constution though, a theory that says we can remake "the Constitution as circumstances have demanded, and in defiance of the formal procedures for doing so." Since the constitution is so sacred, will you disavow this theory?
 
Now I know there are those who criticize me for seeing complexities - and I do - because some issues just aren't all that simple.

My problem with you Kerry isn’t that you are complex. My problem is that I believe you want to have it both ways, that you play politics. As such, how am I to determine whether you are a lessor evil than Bush? The answer is that I can’t.