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07/29/2004 Archived Entry: "John Kerry's speech"

Posted by steve @ 11:21 PM EST [Link]

HOW INSPIRING: I realize that I'm not the target audience but I have to say that John Kerry's speech tonight was, to be charitable, less than exciting. The speech itself was okay -- though it was filled with more folksy platitudes than any nominee has a right to deliver -- but Kerry's delivery was uninspired.

In many ways his speech reminded me of a character out of James A. Michener's novel Space. He's a successful politician who is running for reelection during the late 1960s, and as he has every election, dragged out his World War II record complete with platoon mate dressed up in uniform telling audiences of the politician's bravery. Nearly everything in Kerry's speech sounded dated. Peace in Vietnam? Marching for women's rights? Way to stay ahead of the modernity curve.

I'm fairly sure that Kerry is capable of doing better than his performance tonight so this was either a calculated gamble to appear down to earth or he took too much cough medicine before hitting the stage. If anything, I'd say George W. Bush has been strengthened by this speech as it hardly could have convinced undecideds to switch to Kerry.