Dems: Did you really think Kerry would win?

[TheCommentator]

There's a certain type of gaffe a candidate makes that reveals when they really, really want to win. For example-

Ford 1976: Eastern Europe is not under Soviet domination.
Carter 1980: If Reagan wins it will turn groups against one another such as Jew against Gentile.
Mondale 1984: Reagan will raise taxes but he won't tell you... I just did.
Dukakis 1988: completely stumped on the death penalty question.
Gore 2000: not a gaffe, but going sleepless the last 48 hours of the campaign and staying up to the wee hours of the morning, (then endorsing Dean in 2003...)

All these losing candidates (or tying in the case of Gore), wanted to win badly. These three I'm not so sure

George HW Bush, Bob Dole, John Kerry

I think these candidates may have simply gave up at one point and played the 'role' of candidate from then on out. Just actors play roles in plays... we do what is expected of us.