John Edwards's speech was long on style and short on substance. John Kerry's speech was short on style and long on substance.

The candidate's "I'm John Kerry, and I'm reporting for duty" line along with its accompanying salute seemed forced and corny. As honest commentators noted after the nearly hour-long speech ended, Kerry rushed his way through. His words stepped on applauses that he should have gloried in. Some in the convention hall, and many at home, certainly dozed off before the lecture ended.

The text of the speech was quite a gamble. Kerry generally buried traditional Democratic issues like health care, abortion, education, and Social Security. Instead, Kerry stressed traditional Republican issues: defense, foreign policy, and patriotism. The rationale for going this route may have been a recognition amongst the Democrats that these are the issues of great salience to 2004 voters, so why not establish Kerry's credentials as soon as possible? The risk is that Kerry will have to fight on the Republicans' home turf. Will the gamble pay off? We'll see this November.

For me, Kerry's most effective line was "We shouldn't be opening firehouses in Baghdad and closing them down in the United States of America." The powerful theme of the speech, of the night, and of the convention is that one candidate is an armchair warrior while the other is an actual warrior.

Not surprisingly, Kerry lost me, but stirred the hearts of the delegates, when he got to the red meat of his program. He argued for, "Head Start, Early Start, Smart Start." Why not ditch these daytime orphanages for a program that works: the family. "And when I'm president," Kerry announced, "America will stop being the only advanced nation in the world which fails to understand that health care is not a privilege for the wealthy, the connected, and the elected--it is a right for all Americans." If it's a right, who is responsible for supplying it? Scariest of all was his line that "all Americans will be able to buy less expensive prescription drugs from countries like Canada." Kerry's plan is an attack on American industry and patent law. The Canadian government dictates to companies how much they can sell drugs for there. They also violate our patent laws, which have ensured that so many innovative medical advances have occured here. Non-American companies sponge off the research of American drug companies by copying the drugs American companies develop and then offering them for less. It's a form of stealing, but so are so many other government programs that Kerry supports.

Kerry gets a B-. His running mate's address didn't upstage his, but the last Democratic President's did--as did the pre-Kerry Hollywood production. Kerry didn't come close to hitting a home run. He did, however, succeed in creating a credible image in the minds of Americans of a President John Kerry.

Reporting for duty? Finally?!!! This is the guy who has missed over 80% of his Senate votes this year alone and who has in the past been AWOL from his public duties.

In his years in the Senate, he sponsored and had passed eight pieces of legislation. An example of which was a bill for the preservation of sea mammals.

And, I wish this guy would stop using his military service over 30 years ago to try to convince us that he would make a good Commander in Chief.

The fun part though is now that he has highlighted his military service and will be using it as a campaign prop, the truth will come out. The staged videotaped combat footage, lack of trust and loyalty by his comrades, his immediate opposition to a war supposedly supported as a officer participating in it, the discarding of medals that he put for himself and his references to he and his comrades as war criminals.

Former Lieutenant Kerry demonstrates that he was unfit for service never mind the Presidency of the United States.

Check out: www.swiftvets.com

Some comments on Flynn's assessment of Kerry's speech:

"John Kerry's speech was short on style and long on substance".
- True but isn't that the point? It's a convention, politics as usual. Let's see how dubya does.

"For me, Kerry's most effective line was "We shouldn't be opening firehouses in Baghdad and closing them down in the United States of America." The powerful theme of the speech, of the night, and of the convention is that one candidate is an armchair warrior while the other is an actual warrior".
-There are two armchair warriors competing for the election in November. Or maybe two warriors for different causes, or being more realistic, two corporate officers.

"Why not ditch these daytime orphanages for a program that works: the family."
- I personally like these programs and think are worth fighting for. My question to Republicans on moral amendments and any other kind of repressive legislation or spiritual helping hands at this time in our history is, "Why not ditch these weenie intrusive doctines or dividends to the Moral Majority for a program that works: the family...and its privacy."

"If it's a right, who is responsible for supplying it?
-Well being an independant I have questions about lots of Democratic or liberal ideas but Health care is important and I think the system is bad. I think people can pay for it as an investment. It might be tough but something can be done. And Kerry might be a thief of sorts but monkey see monkey do right?

"Kerry gets a B-"
-Wow that surprises me! Seemed like after your riff, you would of given him a D. I don't think I would of given him a B- and I liked the speech more than you.