[lbo-talk] Kerry the pro-war candidate?

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

Jon:
> : While it is certainly true in a sense that Kerry is "pro-war," as
many
> : leftists like to say, I'm not sure how important this sense is.
> :
> : I'm assuming that the Iraq situation is in fact a quagmire, if not
> : precisely like the Vietnam one -- as long as the U.S. tries to keep
its
> : military involved there, it will be in a bad situation, yet the Bush
> : administration (and apparently also Kerry and at least the faction
of
> : his advisors which is currently ascendent) fears that "cutting and
> : running" will make the situation even worse. I'm also assuming that
the
> : situation will continue to get worse with the U.S. troops there, so
> : eventually either Kerry or Bush, whoever is in charge when matters
> : become completely hopeless, will have to C and R.

Good observation, indeed.  The Bush gang committed the country to the
policies that will take perhaps 20 years to completely undo, even under
the best case scenario.  That is, I suppose the biggest success of his
presidency - he does not have to be elected for his policies to
continue.  It really does not matter whether Mr. Kerry is pro- or
ant-war - he hast to follow the path set by the Bush gang.  He may
ameliorate some of the harshest aspect of that course, but he certainly
is not in the position to reverse it.  No one is.  

I think that Kerry haters can be divided into two not mutually exclusive
categories.  In the first category are those who for the lack of better
terminology I call the religious left - idealists who believe that
politics is a matter of ideas, words and principles, and things can be
done just by saying magic words.  Since Kerry does not say the magic
words or pay lip service to the right ideals - he is automatically
rejected, and inasmuch as he otherwise resembles somebody who might - he
is even hated with vengeance as traitor or impostor and perceived as
worse than Bush because Bush at least does not pretend to be "our" guy.

In the second category are folks who hate Kerry for more personal
reasons, either because he opposes candidates to whom these folks are
personally attached (many Greens and Naderites), or because of his war
crimes in Vietnam (I guess Yoshie would be in this category), or simply
he is too "elite-like" - urban, northern, educated, liberal (populists
would be in this category).

In some way, these folks are like many Bush supporters -they hate Kerry
because he is a personification of the ideals they loathe, just like
many Bush fans support Bush because he personifies what they hold dear -
vengeful meanness and rejection of everything that is not homey.  I do
not think there exists a logic argument that can sway these folks,
because their views are based in their emotions and cognitive styles
rather than in rational calculus.

Wojtek