John Kerry and the Wisdom of the Crowd
It is generally said that there is wisdom is crowds. And this is often the case. However in election season those crowds turn into mobs and the wisdom disappears.
This latest Kerry flap is just the latest example of this. The majority of the conservative blogosphere is roiling with righteous indignation about Kerry, hoping that this is their "October surprise". (Fortunately, a few of my favorites including James Lileks, Rod Dreher, and La Shawn Barber are not drinking the Kool-Aid). After hearing many conservatives scream for years about wanting to campaign on the issue, it is disheartening to see so many jumping on the bandwagon of a non-issue.
I suppose what keeps me from being a cynic is being willing to assume the best of people, not the worst. Some might think that this goes against my Christian theology (original sin and all that) but it doesn't. While we are all certainly flawed and make mistakes on a daily basis, we are also made in the image of God (memo to my conservative friends: yes, that means liberals too).
If Kerry says that his intention was to malign President Bush instead of the troops then I take him at his word. It is still a ridiculous blunder, especially for a man who aspired to the presidency. But why is it necessary to pile on and assume the absolute worst of Kerry and hang him like an albatross around the necks of the Democrats?
Of course Democrats have done no different during this campaign season. They are still trying to hang the loathsome Mark Foley on every Republican incumbent. And Jack Abramoff.
I don't even really mind negative campaigning so long as it is true and relevant. But there are fewer things less attractive that overplaying one's hand.
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Very true
I just finished expressing many of the same sentiments over on Page 132
http://expatteacher.blogspot.com/
Well said, Will.
Reason's tricky pal
What surprises me most about this is that I would not have guessed Nuance to be John's achilles heel. I mean, he's a Liberal!
Be not so quick to judge your comrades foolish
Have you seen every heart, my friend? You judge so quickly.
There is another view, one I fall into, and I am sure I am not alone. John Kerry is representative of the view of liberals in general. However, they are all smart enough to not play their hands so openly, for they know it will turn public opinion against them. Beyond that, if they do make a mistake, their cohorts at AP and NYT will cover it for them.
You are missing the phenomenon that is happening. We must know our times. If this were just 5 or 10 years ago, such words spoken by Kerry, and such photo's taken in Iraq (0r "Irak" as the soldier's spelled it), would have never been heard nor seen by the masses. We are seeing the internet blow the cover not of one man's belief, but of a party's. We all know that, or guess, that Ted Kennedy, and Howard Dean, et al, think so condescendingly about our military. We just have trouble catching them saying it.
Kerry is exciting because he blew the lid off the truth, and it is kind of fun trying to watch those in the news media and the democratic party try to put it back on in the old ways.
Your judgement that we conservatives are shallow for jumping on this might seem astute and fresh. But it's mistaken.
peace.
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