Reply #15: My first impression of Kerry was

[LittleClarkie]

that he had the personality of a styrofoam cup. I was almost pissed that he had won the primaries and not my beloved Clark.

It was my growing concern over Iraq that woke me up in the first place. That would have been early 2004 I guess. It was finding an article about Guantanamo and my growing concern for the detainees who had no due process that made me turn around and start checking out Kerry properly. That was in April, I believe. I did so unenthusiasticly

I started sporting a "Real Deal" sign in my car about June, because it was the only thing I could get and I had to show my ABB status somehow. Over the summer, I ever so slowly started warming up to Kerry, and then collapsed at his feet some time in October.

A few things helped in the great thaw. I saw him with veterans, and even in the middle of the Swift vet mess, he was mentioning his anti-war history in rally speeches. At a time when you'd think he'd distance himself from that kid in 1971, he was proclaiming his earlier stance proudly. The BCCI history and Iran/Contra helped immensely up my esteem of the man. And I became intensely aware that he was Navy, like my dad, whom I lost in Feb of last year. I think I identified the two.

Even so, I couldn't listen to a speech without falling asleep until "the Closer" showed up.

I collapsed I think because of "Going Upriver." I've been in "Band of Brother" mode ever since.