Some smart words from
Steve Gilliard that I think bear repeating, comparing the styles of Clinton and Kerry to Civil War generals:
Clinton was a puncher. He went after Bush Sr. all day, every day. His aides were punchers. They loved to get in the mix and kick ass. Clinton was at his best, like Grant, in a fight. While Grant was derided as a drunk, a great personal flaw, it never affected him in combat. He fixed his goals and he went for them.
[...]
Kerry, OTOH, is different. He's more like Sherman than Grant. [...] He's a big offensive guy. Whereas Clinton would fight every day, stay in contact, Kerry picks his shots like hammerblows and lands them with skill. He also lets his enemy spend themselves in pointless spoiling attacks. Kerry, like some generals, is either blessed or extremely lucky with the sense of good timing. He let the Swift Boat attack run up and peter out, knowing they didn't have the juice for a sustained offensive. After all, he knows these men and they know him. He knew what they would be capable of. And while the DNC and some bloggers, including myself, were staring at this poll which said Kerry was being dinged by the slanders of these folks, Kerry knew he would attack, when and how.
Bush's biggest strength is that image that - somehow - people have of him as tough-talkin', straight-shootin', brush-clearin', g-droppin' regular guy. "Smoke 'em out", etc ad nauseam.
Now that regular guy is hiding behind flimflammery that makes "what your definition of 'is' is" look like a Gary Cooper line. In full public view, day after day. It's not even that people will decide that the SBVT tools are liars. People are cynical enough to suspect anything. But that was a long time ago, and this is what they will be seeing right now:
And instead of fighting the skirmishers like John O'Neill, a man willing to always carry other people's shit, he went straight for Bush and Rove. Whereas Clinton wore down Bush Sr, Kerry wants to break W. He's not seeking just to win, he wants to crush him and the GOP. Which is why they're targeting Republicans likely to vote Kerry, going to Red states and getting big crowds. When Kerry comes after Bush, he comes after him, he's swinging hard.
Now, people want Kerry to jump on Bush for everything. That's not Kerry. That's Clinton, who was at his best in a brawl. Kerry can fight one, but he's not a brawler. It isn't his style or inclination. He likes to stand back, think, and then act. He's not inclined to rush. Clinton could see a weakness, change his plans and drive for it hell for leather. Kerry creates weaknesses. He sees what other people don't. Like Sherman saw the way to end the war was to control the breadbasket of the Confederacy. If they couldn't ship their food north, Lee's Army would go home or starve. Kerry sees that he can not only survive this attack, but turn it on Bush.
He can press Bush to do things that work to his advantage, like insult his wife or not defend his heroism. John Kerry doesn't need Bush to stick up for him, but Bush needs to. Bush's smug denials are going to turn on him.
As Sunny John says, "This is a moment of truth for George W. Bush. We're going to see what kind of man he is and what kind of leader he is..."
Preznit want b'nana and Pillie?