Cornered

Here is a neat summation of the predicament in which John Kerry finds himself, and why it may have driven him to glom onto forged documents to smear his incumbent opponent:

If the base of the [Democrat] party slips from his grasp, Kerry will still be a Massachusetts Senator next January 20th. That's why he's throwing red meat to the far left, frantically trying to get it to the polls in November. By arguing that the war has stalled domestic spending, he is trying to focus on issues at home - the economy, health care, and education - where he thinks he is stronger than Bush. He hopes to attract undecideds who might otherwise be alienated by his position - or positions - on Iraq.

Kerry is in a Catch-22. He can't be aggressive on the War on Terror without alienating his left-wing base. But he risks chasing away undecided voters if he's too dovish…Furthermore, the public seems unlikely to focus on domestic spending. The third anniversary of September 11th is a day away. Afghanistan has national elections next month. President Bush won't allow the War to be put anywhere but front and center for the next two months.

Kerry's left turn will dog him until November.

Truth is, the Democrat Party has been this far out of the American mainstream for years. Bill Clinton was simply a good enough tactician to bridge that yawning gap. And he had the good fortune to come along between global wars and get out before his own strategic dovishness precipitated the next one, which was inevitably going to bathe that chasm in the full klieg lights of public scrutiny.

It’s hard to say whether even an operator like Clinton could have pulled off his schtick in the current era.

But it’s not difficult at all to opine that Kerry hasn’t got a prayer following in Sick Willie’s porcine hoofsteps.