Centrists: What specifically do you like about Kerry?

[truizm]

I'm a progressive. Realistically there is much I don't like about Kerry, but I still will vote for him. I cannot convince people of the positives about Kerry though -- other than he's not Bush -- because I'm honestly not very passionate about anything he's proposing. So what do you centrists love about Kerry? Agreed he's not Bush, but that doesn't help when you're trying to convert mindless individuals who equate Bush with God.

[togiak]

1. No hope

There is no hope of you ever converting someone who equates Bush with God.

[truizm]

6. I've actually converted a few before.

Just by showing them how truly evil Bush is.

[taxidriver]

as far as American politics goes

Kerry isn't a 'Centrist'. he has the most liberal voting record in the senate.

I mean this as a compliment, not a divisive remark.

[truizm]

5. No. Kucinich is a "liberal," Kerry is a right-leaning centrist.

Have you actually looked at what they consider "liberal" votes?

[bigbillhaywood]

19. The center has moved to the right in this country in the last 30 years

Taking that into consideration, I would say Kerry is center, slight tilt to the left. I think the Democrats pandering to the center as it slides right is a horrible long term strategy. In the short term, it wins you some elections, but you lose out in the long run b/c a) You are not counteracting the conservative movement and trying to move the center leftward and b) you increasingly alienate your base while the Republicans expand and ideologically and organizationally energize theirs.

[AP]

10. To be fair, he scores highly on a few of the single-issue

measures of liberalism, like the environment and choice.

But, in the big picture of liberalism, he's right there on the center left where most of the voters are.

[July]

16. the MOST liberal? are you sure? n/t

[Zero Gravitas]

17. Kerry Is The Most Liberal Senator In America

I heard it on Fox News, so it must be true.

[July]

26. Thanks, that clears that up! nt

[bigbillhaywood]

23. Buzzz...That award would likely go to Ted K. or R. Feingold. n/t

[demnan]

2. Kitchen table issues

Health care, raise taxes for the rich so the rest of us won't suffer, etc.

[kstewart33]

3. I like his war experience and his intelligence

Kerry is sharp as they come, and he will staff his cabinet with very capable people. Sure he's full of nuance, but he knows how to think. And he's tested. The presidency is the first real test that Bush ever had, and look how he's doing.

We have to rebuild our relationships with other countries, and our standing in the world. I'm betting that Kerry knows how to do that.

[Bok_Tukalo]

4. He's not a lunatic

<eom>

[ieoeja]

20. He asked for more than "he's not Bush". n/t

[Bok_Tukalo]

30. Aren't most elections

with a sitting president about the incumbent? If you are asking what I like about Kerry, by itself, I'm afraid I have very little to offer. But in contrast to the individual he is running against I can give you a rather long list.

Here's one that meets the poster's criteria: Kerry is a personally brave man dedicated to making America a better place. Why else would anyone want to inherit the mess he will have when taking office? The challenges for the next Executive are profound and will not allow anyone to put forward an agenda other than fiscal, economic, military, and cultural janitorial duties.

It is possible we will be following Pierce with Buchanan and exacerbate the deepening divisions in this nation but I am willing to take that chance. Who knows? Maybe Kerry's a Lincoln.

[MallRat]

7. He's a realist.

What I like best about Kerry is that his positions are grounded in reality; they're not idealistic pie-in-the-sky utopianism, which is how the current resident of the WH got us into this mess.

For example, take Iraq policy. As satisfying as it would be for Kerry to pull all of our troops out of Iraq immediately, he does understand that we've made a fucking mess, and that if we don't fix it prior to our departure, we will have created a haven for terrorists where there wasn't one before. Kerry has a plan to stabilize Iraq, lend its eventual government true legitimacy by involving other nations, AND THEN get us out of there.

The same holds true for Kerry's positions on the economy, health care, tax policy, the War on Terror, etc. They're just so damn reasonable... and they're DOABLE.

Bush just keeps cutting taxes, whether it works or not, and regardless of whether we can afford them or not. Bush says we need to "stay the course" in Iraq, no matter how long it takes, never bothering to explain where all of these troops are going to come from. Bush says that our enemies hate freedom, yet he fails to differentiate between genuine operatives of international terrorist organizations (Al Qaeda) and everyday Iraqis who are fighting what they view as an illegitimate occupation by a foreign invader.

In short, Kerry is smart.
Bush is a fucking simpleton.

That's why I like Kerry.

-MR

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. He's uncorrupted?

Kerry went after BCCI; Bush was in bed with Enron. That ought to be a good point with anyone, wherever they are on the political spectrum. He also dug for the truth with Iran-Contra, though that might not convince a hard-core right-winger.

[AP]

9. His focus, and his no-holds-barred style of campaigning.

I have no doubt that he will do whatever is neccessary to win.

Remember how Gore seemed like he was happier to lose the recount? Remember how Lieberman laughed at Cheney's 'jokes' in the VP debate?

I do not expect any of that from Kerry.

Kerry also seems to have a mean streak that is going to be very effective.

After that Charles what's-his-name GMA bullshit, when Kerry said into his mic that comment about the media doing the job for the RNC, I think that shit is brilliant. It's a straight-on knock on the media that hurts their credibility, and I don't think Gore or anyone else had the balls to do that. Kerry is doing it intentionally, and he's gotten good press when he does it, and I think it's going to make the media afraid of pulling that shit.

Stuff like that gets me really excited about Kerry.

[library_max]

11. Kerry thinks before he talks.

He takes complex approaches to complex issues. He doesn't try to "dumb it down" or peddle quick fixes that can't possibly work.

Also, although he occasionally lets through a little contempt for the administration that so richly deserves it, he is basically civil and civilized. He isn't running to stick it to the right or the rich. He has a basic understanding that democracy requires respect and decency even toward those with whom you disagree.

[MallRat]

13. He doesn't dumb down, but that said...

...I do wish that he and his staff could put together some more soundbite-friendly stuff for the benefit of the broadcast media.

We need more slogans. Catch-phrases.

Kerry desperately needs an "It's the economy, stupid!"

-MR

[stellanoir]

12. well, I don't really consider myself a centrist. . .

as I loathe these often divisive labels.

However, I have tremendous respect for John Kerry for his life long commitment to service to this country, despite the fact that he was born to privilege and didn't have to do squat.

He is capable of changing his mind in these ever changing times. He see's the world through a prism of varying hues rather than in black and white. (us versus them). Therefore by grasping complexity he will be far better at problem solving than shrub.

He's lived in other cultures.

He's super smart. He's multi-lingual and rumour has it that he plays a mean classical guitar.

But * is a dumb ass redneck who is incurious and has no concept of his shadow. He has wreaked havoc on private companies, the state of Texas, the environment, the economy, our educational system, and our credibility in the world with complete impunity. He was committed only to himself for the first 40 years of his life,and now through some perverse and possibly sociopathic delusion thinks he only needs to talk to God.

Kerry talks to experts.

[bryant69]

14. I like a lot about him

One thing I really appreciate is his commitment to wha is called first responders, i.e. Fire men, paramedics, police officers. In any sort of dangerous situation in the United States they are going to be the first on the ground, the first line of protection and rescue. They should be provided for.

From a speech he gave on March 14, 2004 --> http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0315.html

"We will pass the SAFER Firefighters Act, fund the FIRE Act, and create the Father Mychal Judge Fund to hire 100,000 new firefighters across America.

We will direct assistance to the frontlines. So that local firefighters and other first defenders don't have to settle for the left-overs that filter down to them through layer upon layer of bureaucracy. When we passed the COPS program ten years ago to put 100,000 police officers on the beat, it took just 62 days for the first grants to local communities. Today, towns and cities all over America are still waiting for the homeland security funds for purchasing equipment and providing training that they've been promised for years.

And while we're at it, we will restore the COPS funds President Bush eliminated. We should be putting more cops on the beat not laying them off.

There's a lot of other things I like him, as well, this is just one I Picked as being particularly appealing to centrists. In my opinion.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Andy_Stephenson]

15. Ummmm....

Nothing

[Zero Gravitas]

18. He can beat George W. Bush

so he's got my vote.

[liveoaktx]

21. He is against some provisions in Patriot Act, including Sneak & Peek

[Andy_Stephenson]

24. Really???

Wonder why he voted for it then... :shrug:

[bigbillhaywood]

22. I like that he's in the center, and waffles about to stay there. I also

like that he hasn't taken a strong stand on anything consistently for the last several years of his political career. (Okay, now sarcasm OFF) we need someone with principle, dammit. Somebody with guts and passion who doesn't worry about every fucking poll and offending "Average Joe" all the time. The Republicans don't worry about it. Instead of pandering to the center, they energized their base and moved the center to the right. They lost some elections in the beginning using this strategy, but in the long-run it was a winner. Now they set the agenda, and all the Dems can do is be reactive. I'll likely vote for Kerry, as a purely short-term defensive tactic, but I'm awfully pissed off that the conservative DLC/corporate controlled Democratic Party is my only viable option to Republican hegemony.

[Andy_Stephenson]

25. Afreakingmen! n/t

[sangh0]

27. I like that he doesn't have to pin labels, like "centrist", on people

.

[radwriter0555]

28. I LOVE that he protested Viet Nam AFTER he went there and saw first hand

how WRONG that war was.

I admire a man who stands for his OWN principals, and not the ones some GOVERNMENT tells him he SHOULD stand for.

He THINKS. He ACTS.

he's going to make a damn fine president.

[jonnyblitz]

29. I feel the same as you. I tried to be enthusiastic but it fizzled

REAL FAST. That doesn't stop me from stressing to everybody how important it is to vote for him because Bush is the nightmare from HELL. I am ensuring my sister and brother-in-law who are still New Hampshire residents but temporarily live in Amsterdam to absentee vote for him since NH is a swing state and they totally HATE Bush even though they are wealthy....

[wyldwolf]

31. to everyone saying Kerry isn't really liberal and referring to his "real"

voting record --- here is what will add a hint of credibility to your posts:

1. Define liberal and list the issues one MUST take the proper position on to be considered a liberal.

2. Set the bar on these issues. Must one be on the proper side of 100% of them or just 75% of them? What?

3. Show us Kerry's "real" voting record as a whole and demonstrate how it isn't really liberal.

Pointing out how the American system isn't conducive to liberals and that Europe are real liberals is irrelevant. Kerry is running in America, not the world, and Europe doesn't define what I am, much less what Kerry is.

[indepat]

32. Zilch if not zero