I liked everything about John Kerry’s swing through Arkansas yesterday. He was campaigning in a key southern state where the polls show a very close race, while traveling alongside Wesley Clark and touting him as a possible running mate. But Kerry also emphasized two of my favorite campaign points — the “military vote” and a certain someone named Bill Clinton.
First up, Kerry seems well aware of the rare opportunity he has to earn the vote of military personnel and their families.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Thursday he offers more to military veterans than “wrapping yourself in the flag,” pledging to mandate funding for veterans health care in response to what he said were broken promises by President Bush.
Kerry said that while Bush talks tough about patriotism and honor, he shortchanges veterans by cutting their programs. Concluding a four-day campaign focus on health care, the Massachusetts senator proposed a series of cost-cutting measures to assist veterans and their families.
“I will see to it that the first definition of patriotism is not talking about it, not wrapping yourself in the flag,” he said. “It is keeping faith with those who have worn the uniform.”
Kerry said Bush is quick to send soldiers in harm’s way but slow to offer them help when they return.
Regular readers of mine surely get sick of seeing me write about this, but I can’t help myself. The men and women of the military are assumed to be Republicans. They’re not. They’re assumed to be Bush supporters, but many are anxious for a new commander-in-chief. I’ll just leave it at this: The message Kerry shared in Arkansas should be a central feature of his stump speech through November.
That said, I’m also struck by Kerry’s willingness to do what Al Gore was not: embrace Clinton.
If there was a question about whether John F. Kerry has any qualms about invoking Bill Clinton in his quest for the White House, they were resolved this week after his visit to the former president’s home state.
The presumptive Democratic nominee ostensibly stopped here as part of a four-day effort to promote his healthcare plan. But it seemed more like a pilgrimage.
By the time he finished his 20-hour swing through the city Thursday, the Massachusetts senator had dropped Clinton’s name at least a dozen times. He had tried to imitate Clinton’s drawl. And he had visited Doe’s Eat Place, a smoky barbecue joint that was a renowned hangout for Clinton and his staff.
To be sure, this is a complex dynamic. Clinton still dominates as a political figure and remains the Democratic icon of the generation. Kerry certainly doesn’t want to draw unfavorable comparisons.
But it’s nevertheless encouraging to see Kerry highlight Clinton’s accomplishments and promise to build on them, as opposed to Gore, who went out of his way to distance himself from the former president.
I can appreciate that Clinton remains a controversial figure, but he left office with a 60% approval rating. Clinton’s record looks even better in hindsight, as we compare it to that of his successor.
Kerry and Clinton already sound like they’re getting along just fine.
This year, Kerry has shown no compunction about invoking Clinton and his legacy. In the last month, he has moved to define himself as a centrist in the Clinton mold, heralding the country’s economic vigor in the 1990s and trumpeting his support for Clinton’s deficit reduction measures. He’s also hired a raft of former Clinton White House officials to serve as his economic and foreign-policy advisors.
Clinton has returned the favor. In March, he helped kick off a $10-million fundraising drive for Kerry. On Wednesday, he sent out another e-mail solicitation, asking Democrats for more contributions. And he has signaled his willingness to do more as the campaign proceeds.
I hope Kerry takes advantage of the opportunity. He shouldn’t promise to turn back the clock to the ’90s, but he doesn’t have to. Kerry will simply remind voters how much stronger the country was before Bush took office with the promise of even more progress after he’s gone.