Does Kerry have enough "fire" to take on Bush?

[TakebackAmerica]

We all know that Dean had the fire.
Kucinich and Sharpton have the fire.
Edwards at times showed shades of his anger.

But it seems like Kery dosen't have it.

His anger seems to me, wish-washy and he has already been branded a flip-flopper.

I have a lot of friends who can't get excited about Kerry.

How can we rail against Bush being a "rich fat cat" when our nominee is a fat cat himself?


Any thoughts from fellow DU'ers?


BTW, I will support ABB.

[TakebackAmerica]

1. Am I wrong?

Any thoughts?

[w13rd0]

2. no

and I'm not ABB. Anyone won't do. We need someone who can beat the snot out of Bush, and deal effectively with the unexpected in novel ways. relying on his ratings to continue to plummet, the anger of the electorate: just because a walking corpse could beat him doesn't mean we should go out in search for the living dead...

[EXE619K]

3. I'm afraid you will be villified soon.

psst...."didn't you get the memo? not even slightly-nuanced, anti Kerry threads."

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. He better

And we better have enough fire to help him, and give him hell if he loses the edge.

[funky_bug]

5. Burn out.

It seems that "fire" burns the candidates out. We're all so angry, and those of us die-hards on DU obviously appreciate a little fire. But in the mainstream voting public, they don't seem to take too kindly to the fire. Dean, Kucinich and Sharpton (the three you mentioned had "fire) are sitting on the bottom of the pile. Edwards (who you say has some fire, sometimes) is fighting for position. Kerry, on the other hand (who you say has no fire) is soaring daily.

I don't think the mainstream understands OUR fire. If they don't get it now... after IWR... they surely won't clue in before November.

In the end, it's about getting rid of Bush. We have a few months left to accomplish that goal. THEN maybe we can set about changing our party.

[jfxgillis]

6. Better, much better, not only does he have the fire

He's waited his lifetime for his ONE good shot at the WH; it's come, and he took it.

In other words, he's had the fire fueled and ready for stoking for 40 years. Not only does he have the fire, he knows how to use it.

[MoonAndSun]

7. He did not show any "fire" when he was on Imus this morning

and was asked about "the rumors", he should have stated without a doubt that this was a lie and he should have called Drudge on it. Just say "it's a damned lie!!" Show some "fire" Kerry.

[corporatewhore]

8. DK is closer to Texas GOP platform on trade than bush heheheh

It has an antiNAFTA plank and even says -gasp-withdrawl Freetrade is a big issue conservative or dem nobody likes their job goin away this could be the one big issue gee wouldnt you love to see the antifreetrade army DK could amass made up of oldschool conservatives liberaldems greens and heck even libertarians to take on bush and NAFTA

[lastknowngood]

9. Don't campaign angry we must be gentile and aloof so as

to portray electable<sarcasimoff> He can't get passionate about someone else's ideas and words, he doesn't believe any of the things he's spouting because he stole them from the other candidates. He will debate you in an even measured and boring voice until you give in for fall asleep. I work with exclusively repugs, I think there may be two or there in the 30,000 employees and they all are making fun of his speaking ability and calling him the gay married guy from mass. I don't see any softness toward the war or the shrub, they are all govies and are still voting for the guy who wants to outsource their jobs. The cognitive function in a repug head is a mystery but he can count on almost everyone of these fools to vote and support the shrub. I'm known as the angry liberal because I won't let them get away with any of their racist or hypocrisy without pointing it out to them. Takes em by surprise to have a white guy do it.

[Virgil]

10. Some say no

http://www.counterpunch.org/donnelly02092004.html This CounterPunch article says Kerry will bite the dust. It goes on to say that Bush will be impeached for 9/11 and the Iraq war.

Kerry is not going to be a pill to fix the ills of the country. In his 19 years in the Senate he has only introduced 7 bills that passed with one of them being Plan Colombia that would poison hundreds of thousands of acres of rain forest rather than turn to a harm reduction philosophy on substance abuse.

There are plenty that will reject Kerry including myself, and say if Bush wins an impeachment and removal from office will be much better for the country than a Kerry win. But, whatever. Kerry is the nominee because he is electable. Surely, if he was chosen for that one reason, he will win. Even I agree Bush is the worst president ever and a war criminal and should be impeached.

[Malva Zebrina]

11. I don't think so

my intuition tells me Kerry is too entrenched. I am ready for a complete overhaul--Kerry seems just too comfortable in the good old boy stuff. He really has no earth shaing new policies at all. And he did vote for the invasion--which in my view, is unacceptable--there is NOT an excuse for it, except a political one, and any other is jus plain more lies. I am tired of lies and I am getting very tired of American politicians.

Natually, I will vote for him once he wins the nomination. But I would not vote with hope that he will have eneough energy to foil or drive back the Republicans. I think he will be too accomodating and too concerend with himself. He will be banal . Just my two cent intuition.

[RedDawnRising]

12. He doesn't even have enough fire to keep himself from looking bored

He often looks like he'd much rather be on his yacht, counting his money.

[TakebackAmerica]

15. Welcome to DU!

[CabalBuster]

13. Kerry is the antithesis of fire n/t

[TakebackAmerica]

I made a double post

[TakebackAmerica]

14. Lol!

So true, so true.

[pansypoo53219]

16. he fuckin better

he better not fuck up this chance, cause we will not survive another 4 years.

[TakebackAmerica]

17. Agreed.

Four more years of W is a nauseating thought.


Than 8 years of Jeb. EW!

[Straight Shooter]

18. No fire. Barely a spark.

A lifelong ambition to become president does not translate into fire.

[MurikanDemocrat]

19. Kerry is a pro. He can take on Bush without losing his head

Those wishing for Kerry to fail will be disappointed.

[Foswia]

20. Kerry's a pro, read about his past debates [nt]

[Nashyra]

22. He's got fire

Didn't get where he was at with out it at the right time. Clark has added fuel to that fire.

[shivaji]

21. Listening to Kerry speeches works better than Sominex for me

deep slumber is the rapid result listening to Kerry drone on.
Damn, where is Dean when we need him to put some spark in this
campaign!

Note: Actually I prefer Xanax over Sominex since it does not
upset the stomach, and reduces pounding of heart due to too
much caffienne or booze.

[Dimsdale]

24. What am I missing?

What's with this? Kerry puts you to sleep does he? Tell you what. At least, he doesn't send me into a rage when I hear him speak. He's not lying his ass off and sending people to die for a scumbag, neo-conservative global dominance manifesto like PNAC. Why do we dwell on Kerry's style? Given Chimpy's disaster of an admin., what's the diff if Kerry isn't nominated for the Oratory Hall of Fame?

[shivaji]

31. I never said anything against what Kerry says, just his style

puts me to sleep, and what's so wrong with that? Like you
said it atleast does not send me in a rage like shrub.

[dawn]

23. No. n/t

[idlisambar]

25. Not his strength

He won't win on fire. If he wins it will be because Bush is just that bad.

Kerry's lack of charisma will also make him a less powerful President if he assumes office.

[jonnyblitz]

26. I don't dislike him I just don't find him that inspiring.

I have a hard time getting excited about him and his speechs sound kind of high volume monotone but I guess that is what is needed to appear "mainstream" and safe and electable. :eyes:

[TakebackAmerica]

37. well....

I hope the mainstream like him.

[revcarol]

27. NO.

x

[mlawson]

28. IMO, more than Dukakis, but less than Mondale.

OMG, how depressing....

But Terry McAuliffe wants him, and he shall have him.

[TakebackAmerica]

yah....

I that's how things work. :sighs:

[DU GrovelBot]

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[TakebackAmerica]

30. Grovelbot, does Kerry inspire you?

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[number6]

36. more garbage from crap like drudge

I don't believe it, its bullshit

Bush is a AWOL -- Deserter lying shit head
and he's gonna be in big trouble with the whole country
besides people in the guard and reserve....

[number6]

33. yes, he does

:wow: tough rules on GD 2004 Primary forum
(my first comment on this one)

[slinkerwink]

34. no, I don't think so

[retyred]

35. Oh, I think he'll do just fine

He's done oh so well to date against all those you claimed had fire, I would say he has fire while the others had smoke.



retyred in fla
“Good-Night Paul, Wherever You Are”
So I read this book

[mountainvue]

38. Wait for the debates.

Kerry will smoke him.

[ibegurpard]

39. I'm sure Kerry has plenty of fire when his ambitions are at stake

What I wonder about is how much fire he's going to show if he actually becomes president.

[Dying Eagle]

40. He has fire

It took a lot of fire to go from 5th to first in 4 months in this primary season. He had the fire to pass the "Dean Mechine". Kerry will beat Bush by 10%. kerry has fire!!