Screw the primary system: the Democrats are lost

The New York Times > Week in Review > What Boston Can Do for Kerry: "Yet for all that, the American convention remains a singular moment in the nominating process - a relic of a bygone time, perhaps, but a relic that nonetheless keeps driving the story line of a presidential election. And that is no small matter for John Kerry, the likely Democratic nominee.

Mr. Kerry will head to Boston - where the convention begins next Monday - remembering and trying to duplicate Mr. Clinton's success. Americans do not seem overly enthused about him. If polls showing him tied with Mr. Bush are to be believed, Mr. Kerry has so far been unable to take advantage of abundant evidence that Americans are looking for a change in the White House.

Mr. Kerry's advisers say that it is not that voters don't like him; it is that they still do not know him, even after $80 million worth of television advertisements, close to 50 candidate debates and almost two years of campaigning. Yet Mr. Kerry's aides see these polls, and are clearly hungering for these four days in Boston to break this deadlock, preparing with a level of intensity and detail that serves as the ultimate validation of the power of conventions."

This year, the Democratic National Convention is taking place merely for Big Dems to glad hand one another and for some Little Dem wannabes to wait for the party to collapse.

What is emphasized above I stated was Kerry's electability problem back in February/March (not here but elsewhere as t-floss hadn't been around then). Back then I was even leaning to voting for Bush if the Democratic National Party allowed the early primaries to elect a candidate who may have been winning the party faithful but had no chance of winning over the Democratic population at large. Sooner or later (with Kerry it may very well be later), the Dems need to wake up and realize they are flailing about in an identity crisis. That they have allowed themselves to become Republicans in dress and Democrats in name only is shameful. The Democratic Party needs an overhaul. Badly. Gore losing to Bush was plenty evidence. How many more Senators must they run out there to be slaughtered?

As many others opine, Americans do recognize that Bush has his failings, but many of those same Americans look at Kerry and wonder. And think, ummm, that's a haggard Al Gore with a big coif. The insincerity meter runs high around Kerry in comparison to Bush. And that meter often sways elections (no, really, it does!). Bush may be a word-fumbling dolt on stage but he's a sincere word-fumbling dolt on and off stage. Voters who have doubts will go for the sincere incumbent every time no matter how much he bungled things.

Kerry? Unlike rabble-rouser Howard Dean and his yyyyyyyyahp!ing, which in the long run would have been a positive, Kerry has said and done nothing to convince those "looking for a change" to look his way.

It has been 52 years since a convention really chose the candidate - when Democrats in Chicago nominated Adlai Stevenson. Over the next 40 years, conventions became the stage for presenting a running mate, as a way of keeping some interest in the event. Even that little gift of news has slipped away over the years; Mr. Kerry selected Mr. Edwards three weeks before the convention.

Granted, the conventions are more about rallying and grooming but never (?) before were the early primary returns allowed to run roughshod over the entire primary process. The West Coast complains about early returns on the East Coast affecting elections, well, what about primaries?!

Thankfully, Edwards was named to the ticket. If it wasn't for him, I'd be voting same as I did in 1976, Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Don't expect the DNC to change that matter. That is unless the Big Dems wisely allow John Edward to run the show from here on out. He is capable of reaching those seeking change. He is positive and upbeat. Kerry is a reminder of the past. A reminder of the shell the Democratic Party has become. Edwards is the future. Stumping will return. Speechmaking will return. But the candidate must be earnest. He must not be afraid to make mistakes. Kerry? Copies GW's advertising and doesn't differentiate himself in the least. He wouldn't want to do something the focus groups don't approve. He's a deer in the headlights. Rather, a deer in the bed of the Grand Ol Party's hemi.

This is jek and I approved this blog.

P.S. Edwards/Kerry