Lean and Mean

Kerry Rejects GOP Questions About Medals

When I saw the headline for this article, I thought John Kerry was finally developing the spine he needs for this contest. Alas, his campaign thus far hasn't seemed to grasp the need to focus on a few things to develop his image for the American people. This medal controversy could be the moment to change that: it stands in sharp contrast to Bush/Cheney in so many ways. As MoveOn's new ad puts it, ""This election is about character. It's between John Kerry, who left no man behind ... and George W. Bush, who simply left." Regardless of questions about medals, service with valor should easily outstrip hiding behind privilege in the minds of voters. In any case, the only reason this whole medal thing is a controversy in the first place is because Kerry has been TOO forthright about it. If he wants to put an end to this, Kerry should, in a light, self-deprecating tone that indicates he understands how strange his speech can be at times, compare his own penchant for explaining too much about an issue to the desire of Bush and Cheney to say little or nothing about issues of importance, blatantly stonewalling reporters and denying access to everything and anything. With the Cheney case hitting the Supreme Court tomorrow, the time is ripe for this comparison between open, honest discussion, even if it makes life more complicated, and secretly selling the nation down the river, again hiding behind privilege (this time, executive privilege rather than the privilege of birth), and meanwhile selling policy based on sound bites rather than sound facts.

Kerry has clearly made serious missteps in the month-and-change since his march to the nomination ceased to be a newsmaker for him. It's time for him to get back in the game. A fierce response to the self-evidently hypocritical attack on his conduct during and after Vietnam could put him there with one swing.