Kerry's protest stance is no mere footnote to his biography; it has defined his political career, lies at the heart of his appeal, and constitutes a crucial flaw in his fitness to lead. It is a flaw that his generation (my own) has struggled with, often unsuccessfully: recognizing that it is long past time for us to outgrow the self-righteousness of protest and, instead, make the difficult decisions of adult leadership.
And,
So, too, did Kerry’s acceptance speech at the convention reflect the view that the spirit of protest provides the high points of American political history. He invoked the greatest hits of 1960s protest and saw his role in public life to deliver more of the same: the sixties era, he pronounced, was a “great journey—a time to march for civil rights, for the environment, for women and for peace. We believed we could change the world. And you know what? We did. But we’re not finished. The journey isn’t over. The march isn’t over.” Kerry seemed like an aging one-hit wonder rock star, who’d suddenly found that his song had come back in style. At last, another president could be charged with misleading the nation about war.
And,
This adolescent attitude has been the trap of Kerry’s generation—the feel-good politics that comes from telling off someone else as opposed to the risky politics of adulthood, such as going to war without definitive information but in the assured presence of terrible threat. For whatever reasons—cultural and personal—George W. Bush stands apart from this generational hubris. He has taken risks and stands to defend them.
Botox and Viagra and aging war protesters. That's a wonderful recipe for America's defense, isn't it?
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