Kerry lost the election during the time frame when the Republicans successfully defined him as a waffler, .... He came close during the convention (but most people don't watch conventions and he spent too much time on Viet Nam) and during the debates (but it was still too late - impressions are lasting), but never could shake the image.
! I wanted to hear what Kerry was going to do, but I never did. His speech didn't answer it and he spent entirely too much time looking at the late 1960's and early 1970's.
I've always said that the campaign was stuck in the mid-70's, in terms of tone. Even without the Swifties, you still had that 1970's tone and mindset. The world has changed a lot since the mid-70's.
