Kerry Thinking of Another Run?

Apparently Sen. John Kerry (Democrat-MA) was back in Iowa over the weekend, attempting to rally the troops for another run at the presidency in 2008. Des Moines Register columnist David Yespen would love to see the party re-nominate the 2004 loser.

He came close, oh so close, in 2004. Bush got 51 percent. Kerry got 48 percent. Only 120,000 more votes in Ohio, and you wouldn't be reading this column.

Big deal. The closeness of that race, against a sitting President, only shows that Kerry didn't really step up to the plate. He needed to play Ronald Reagan to Bush's Jimmy Carter by focusing on the incompetence of the Bush administration. Granted, those incompetencies were just under the surface last year, as opposed to today where they shine as bright as day. But as the nominee of the Democratic Party, it was Kerry's job to bring them into focus for voters; to make them understand that Mr. Bush was not up to the job, that America needed a course change, and that the Senator was up to the task. But instead, Sen. Kerry played it safe. And Democrats don't win elections by playing it safe.

Prior to the 1980 election President Carter polled within a point or two of Mr. Reagan. American voters, fustrated by the malaise of the Democratic incumbent, weren't sure they could place their trust in a conservative firebrand like Reagan. On Election Day, they set those fears aside and sent Carter back to Plains, Georgia, licking his wounds and wondering what the hell happened. Voters did so in large part because Reagan ran a strong offense.

In 2004 Kerry should have borrowed a few pages from the Reagan playbook. American voters were weary of another Bush term, yet the Senator played defense through most of the campaign. In such a close election I can't help but wonder if, by playing hardball, Kerry's Reagan would have sent Bush's Carter back to Crawford, Texas, licking his wounds and wondering what the hell happened.

Sen. Kerry, your time has passed. You lost a totally winnable election. Sit this one out, campaign for the Party in 2006, and for the ticket in 2008, and perhaps - just perhaps - you'll be offered a plum assingment in the next Democratic administration. U.N. Ambassador Kerry, anyone?