I Heart Kerry

Tonight, Digby writes:

Zen Master

Kos called Kerry that tonight and I think it's true. The guy just has a sense of inner confidence and centeredness that is very reassuring. He is a mature, fully realized human being. I think that peopole had forgotten that this is something we can expect in our leaders. It's with a strong sense of relief that I watch him in action and see him prevail.I would bet that by Friday the conventional wisdom will be that Kerry won all three debates. And the CW, for once, will be right. The next two weeks are going to be a wild ride, but the wind is at our backs. I think it's time for Democrats to start giving our man Kerry a little bit of credit. He's a very impressive politician and a very impressive man. Cool under fire, smart as a whip and hard as nails. Some months back I wrote that Kerry has been fighting the right since he was a very young man and may be the best qualified man in America for these times. I think I was right. He's the right man at the right time to set this country back on course. I'm proud to be voting for him.For the first time since 9/11, I am feeling a little bit zenlike myself. We're going to win.

I have felt the same way for quite some time, and I think that some of the other criticisms of Kerry (which, unfortunately, have manifested as concerns about Kerry on the Left), are patently false. When I see footage of him interacting with a crowd, I think he comes across as extremely likeable, and better than that, he comes across as genuinely liking the people he's with.

I also believe his inability to be succinctly articulate has been overblown. Yes, he’s bungled through things that should have been easier, but there have been just as many times that I've heard him deliver a line clearly and concisely, and - most importantly - with an honesty that stands in stark contrast to Furious George.

I remember the moment when I first really started liking John Kerry, and it was that moment that he was caught on film (and on mic) when he thought he wasn't being broadcast. He called the Bush administration (I'm paraphrasing) the biggest bunch of liars and thieves he'd ever seen. I felt good knowing that he believed that. I was reassured to know he wanted them out just as much as he wanted in, and for the right reasons. I like John Kerry a lot, and I'm proud to be voting for him, too.