Kerry’s speech responding to his critics

Following up on my post yesterday about Kerry taking off the gloves with his chickenhawk critics, Salon was kind enough to post the transcript of Kerry’s speech in Georgia on Thursday.

It’s really a good speech, well worth reading. The more Kerry gives speeches like this one, the better he’ll do in the campaign.

Oddly enough, DeLay, Hastert, and Co. may have accidentally given Kerry a new motivation in this campaign. This hasn’t been Kerry’s best week. First, he saw the Q1 reports showing that Edwards had better fundraising in the last three months than he did. Then a poll out of New Hampshire reflected that he is now tied with Howard Dean in a state he had been way ahead in.

Ironically, I think it’s possible that the criticisms from the GOP may have re-ignited the “fire in his belly.” The attacks also give his campaign a new focus that should resonate well with primary voters: Vote for Kerry, because Tom DeLay really hates him.