Stark Contrasts With the GOP from Clinton, Carter and Gore

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-demwrap27jul27.story

Old Leaders Draw Stark Contrasts With the GOP
Democratic convention opens with Clinton, Carter and Gore sharply criticizing 'their way.'
By Mark Z. Barabak and Michael Finnegan Times Staff Writers
Times Staff Writers

July 27, 2004

BOSTON — With former President Bill Clinton rousing the faithful, Democrats opened their national convention Monday accusing President Bush of undermining the nation's security and urging voters to weigh whether they were better off now than four years ago.<snip>

"We tried it their way for 12 years, we tried it our way for eight years, then we tried it their way for four more," Clinton said. "By the only test that matters — whether people were better off when we finished than when we started — our way works better."<snip>

"Their opponents will tell you we should be afraid of John Kerry and John Edwards, because they won't stand up to the terrorists," Clinton said. "Don't you believe it. Strength and wisdom are not opposing values. They go hand in hand. And John Kerry has both. His first priority will be to keep America safe."<snip>

"The United States has alienated its allies, dismayed its friends and inadvertently gratified its enemies by declaring a confused and disturbing strategy of 'preemptive war,' " Carter said, drawing one of the night's loudest ovations. "In the world at large we cannot lead when our leaders mislead."
<snip>

Never mentioning Ralph Nader, Gore asked "those who supported a third-party candidate" four years ago if they still believed "there was no difference between" himself and Bush.

A fierce opponent of the war in Iraq, Gore couched his criticism in another series of questions: "Wouldn't we be better off with a new president who hasn't burned his bridges to our allies and who could rebuild respect for America in the world? … Wouldn't we be safer with a president who didn't insist on confusing Al Qaeda with Iraq?"<snip>

[sundancekid]

1. and the crescendo was masterful

where Gore, the inspirational election conceder, themed the past: remember-2000-votes-count-and-need-to-be-counted

where Carter, the Nobel Prize winner, velved-hammered the present:
look-hard-at-the-EXTREMIST-solutions-of-this-misleading-president

and where Clinton, the now-rich-self-deprecator, aroused fire in the belly with the promise of the future:
don't-be-afraid-vote-what-works

the final plus was that each of these speakers also gave terrific and concise rallying cries, culminating in "Send John Kerry"