John Kerry said a lot of things in his speech this past evening, accepting the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. He talked about accessible, affordable health care and drug coverage. He talked about years of military experience that would let him lead the United States into wars they would only be forced to fight…and then into planning on how to win the peace (note the use of the word PLAN, Mr. Bush!). He wonderfully rebuked right wing politicians about saying they respected family values…yet did not value families.
He tore into the Bush Administration with vigour. Many quotes to make me happy on this topic:
“I will be a commander-in-chief who will never mislead us into war.”
“I will have a Vice President who will not conduct secret meetings with polluters to rewrite our environmental laws.”
“I will have a Secretary of Defense who will listen to the best advice of our military leaders. And I will appoint an Attorney General who actually upholds the Constitution of the United States.”
But the clincher came when he said that the Democrats welcome people of faith, and that faith forged the core values of his life. Yet there was a distinction: Kerry said that he did not wear his faith on his sleeve. He didn’t like hearing people say that God was on America’s side. Rather, he quoted Abraham Lincoln:
“Pray humbly that WE are on God’s side.”
A beautiful phrase, from the greatest of Americans, and it was the theme of the evening: America can do better, and saying that should never be equated to pessimism. The speech reached out to the great legacy of the Democratic past: the soul of Franklin Roosevelt, the practicality of Bill Clinton, the empathy of Jimmy Carter, and the vision of John Kennedy.
It was, in fact, a very Canadian type of political speech, straddling the centre and welcoming to all. Even the military portions were framed for the benefit of the common soldier, and the philosophy that they would not be sent somewhere for ephemeral, materialistic reasons…and that they would come home in one piece. It was a speech that embraced unity of colours, creeds, and philosophies…pointedly brought home by Kerry’s reminder that the U.S. flag belongs to all Americans, not certain groups that consider themselves to be the only true patriots.
We heard about tax cuts for the middle class, while rolling back the cuts for the rich…plus a swipe or three at Enron for good measure. We were reminded that government must live as the people live: pay as you go. Kerry invoked the great economic success of Clinton — the slaying of the deficit — and how America would return to that blissful state.
“Help is on the way”, went the campaign slogan. By that point, I was surprised that someone didn’t mention it was “morning in America” once again. Mind you, Ron Reagan Jr. did address the convention a few days beforehand, so I’m sure his daddy was chuckling somewhere in the afterlife. I bet ghostly Reagan’s laughter didn’t drown out the gnashing of Republican teeth here on Earth…
Note to Bush Jr: you are definitely NO Ronald Reagan, despite your best efforts.
As for oratory, John Kerry will never set hearts beating in Kennedy-esque or Clinton-esque fashion, but he certainly came out smelling of roses. Did the man have a stutter or pause at any time during the speech? None that I recall…if anything, he was a passionate, relentless machine of ideas and visions, which he managed to convey in a deliciously breathtaking manner. He displayed a command of the English language that makes George Jr. look like an impatient fifth grader by comparison, and I bet he could spell every word he used in his speech.
Time to bone up on that grammar, George. Did your daddy leave behind a thesaurus in the Oval Office? I hope it’s full of easy-to-comprehend post-it notes, for your benefit.
I’m just now realizing how much I’ve written…and I realize where it’s coming from. During John Kerry’s speech, I noticed several people in the audience. They were crying, positively weeping…but they had smiles on their faces. They realized that someone had arrived to finally pull the U.S. out of its economic and political quagmire. Personally, I’m not crying, knowing as I do the cynical reality of politics and government. But I must say, certain (dare I say, almost West Wing-inspired) emotions began to stir within me as I listened to Kerry’s speech.
“We can do better…and help is on the way.” John Kerry may very well be right.
