Advice for Kerry

Today’s Washington Post reports on its poll results showing Bush leading amid doubts about Kerry. The story quotes one undecided voter:

Rachelle Hinrichs said she is still making up her mind,..... She is bothered by Bush's environmental policies, described his tax cuts as silly and worries about Iraq because she does not want her brother, who already served there, to go back. But she described Kerry as someone who "keeps trying to act like a man of the people, but he's not like us."

No, John Kerry is not like most of us. He is from a well to do family, is married to one of America’s largest fortunes, has spent all of his life in economic security and served in the highest levels of American government for over two decades. Most of us don’t have that experience. Rachelle is right that Kerry needs to just be who he is. John Kerry is an honorable, thoughtful man who has experience and judgment to serve as president. And he is like us in a couple of important ways. He served in combat, a distinction he shares with all veterans. He is the grandson of a Jewish immigrant who lived the American dream. In many important respects, John Kerry is “more like us” than George W. Bush. Kerry may be rich but Bush is richer, from a family that have been rich much longer. Bush isn’t much like Rachelle either.

Although most people say they do not know what Kerry stands for, he has made serious proposals for health care, environmental protection, reducing dependence on foreign oil and Iraq. The press and public perceive little difference between the candidates on Iraq but fail to remember that Bush’s current Iraq policy follows proposals Kerry first presented during the Democratic primary campaign. Kerry has a solid platform, on Iraq, on the economy, the environment, health care, energy to name only a few. But he’s not getting the message out. The Republicans have set the agenda and Kerry responds; they can wear him out by sending him to all sides of the court and confusing his message.

That’s why Kerry needs to be himself. He has the experience. He has good ideas. He has good judgment. He can offer thoughtful (my favorite presidential quality) solutions to the problems confronting this nation. He is at least George Bush’s equal. With 35 days to the election, it’s time for John Kerry to prove why he should be President of the United States.