Friday, October 01, 2004
Reactive, not proactive
Victor Davis at NRO has written a good analysis of Kerry's reactive politics. Here is a piece:
There is a logic to Senator Kerry's flip-flopping that transcends his political opportunism: He is simply a captive of the pulse of the battlefield, without any steady vision or historical sense that might put the carnage of the day into some larger tactical, strategic, or political framework. As was true over a decade ago during Gulf War I, he contradicts himself when good news from the front makes his prior antiwar stance look either timid or foolhardy. But when the casualty rate rises or CNN is particularly vivid in airing the latest beheading or car bomb he returns to his shrill pessimism and denounces the war.
This is Kerry's true problem, you see. He doesn't have a true vision outside of Kerry the Powerful. He reacts to the events around him, and tries to become everyman to those listening to him until you agree to back him. But when push comes to shove, few things are clear except that he speaks smoothly, he misses many votes in the Senate, unless it's for things like abortion rights, and he admires John F. Kennedy.
But unlike his hero Kennedy, he reacts. Kennedy, for right or wrong, had a vision for America, and set a generation of Americans on fire to DO SOMETHING positive. Kerry, on the other hand, is spokesman for the dissatisfied. He encourages those who want to complain. He discourages our allies. He talks about a plan for America and only gives criticism.
I am still waiting to know what he can do positively.
There is a logic to Senator Kerry's flip-flopping that transcends his political opportunism: He is simply a captive of the pulse of the battlefield, without any steady vision or historical sense that might put the carnage of the day into some larger tactical, strategic, or political framework. As was true over a decade ago during Gulf War I, he contradicts himself when good news from the front makes his prior antiwar stance look either timid or foolhardy. But when the casualty rate rises or CNN is particularly vivid in airing the latest beheading or car bomb he returns to his shrill pessimism and denounces the war.
This is Kerry's true problem, you see. He doesn't have a true vision outside of Kerry the Powerful. He reacts to the events around him, and tries to become everyman to those listening to him until you agree to back him. But when push comes to shove, few things are clear except that he speaks smoothly, he misses many votes in the Senate, unless it's for things like abortion rights, and he admires John F. Kennedy.
But unlike his hero Kennedy, he reacts. Kennedy, for right or wrong, had a vision for America, and set a generation of Americans on fire to DO SOMETHING positive. Kerry, on the other hand, is spokesman for the dissatisfied. He encourages those who want to complain. He discourages our allies. He talks about a plan for America and only gives criticism.
I am still waiting to know what he can do positively.
# posted by Knitting a Conundrum @ 1:24 PM 
