Afterthoughts

photo credit: Island Blue

Thanks to everyone who's come by to commiserate and post kind comments. One of the best things about being a John Kerry supporter is that you get to spend time in the company of other John Kerry supporters, who are in my experience largely of exceptional intelligence and insight, thoughtful, and well-informed citizens. And a special thanks to Elias, whose wit and perspective make me laugh every day.

The venom that's poured out of the left and the right towards Kerry in the past few days have convinced me that he made the right decision. It's been staggering, the amount of bile still held in reserve for him. Only imagine if he'd announced he was running. Someday I hope to nail down for myself the source of all the fury this one man evokes.

Over the past few days I've come to think that, although I believe he would have been an excellent president, and though I do believe he won in 2004, he really did have to choose between following his own moral compass and maneuvering his way into position. He made the only choice that makes sense for him right now.

It's been said here before, and I completely believe this is true, that his only real stumbles in the 2004 campaign came when he was in a position where he was forced to triangulate - he's not good at lying; he's not even good at spinning. He's too honest. If he were better at those things, he wouldn't be the man who inspires us. If he has inspired you, please consider dropping by and leaving him a message.

I was never actually able to bring myself to ask him to run for president again, and I do realize that for those of us who are lucky enough to call him our senator, that's an easier call than it is for others. To see what he had to deal with in 2004 was hard enough - to watch him go through it again (and to think of Teresa, his daughters, and his brother and sisters having to watch him go through it again) in an even steeper uphill effort seemed too much to ask.

I have no idea who I'll vote for in the primary - but that's a long way off, and I'm hopeful that by then there will be someone in the race I can truly respect. Until it's time to rev up for the 2008 senate campaign you'll find me immersed in the Harvard Theatre Collection's early 20th century periodicals, and as far away from Hardball as I can get.