Sebastian White :: Clinton, Gore Rally Support for John Kerry

NEWS

Clinton, Gore Rally Support for John Kerry

The Alfred Sun | July 27, 2004
By Sebastian White

BOSTON, July 26—With all the fervor of a old fashioned revival, Democrats kicked off their quadrennial party convention Monday evening to the fitting strains of the 70s-era pop hit "We are family," displaying a unified, upbeat image, one party leaders say will be the hallmark of this week’s convention activities and one political analysts believe is a necessity in this year’s desperately close campaign.

Former President Bill Clinton highlighted a glittering line-up of Washington and Hollywood celebrities on hand for the convention launch, emphasizing John Kerry’s Purple-Heart record in Vietnam and making unabashed attempts to reassure Americans that Kerry is a capable leader in the national security and counter-terrorism arenas. Clinton's front and center presence was a marked contrast to the 2000 meeting, when he was considered a political liability and strongly encouraged to stay away from the Los Angeles convention.

He told the thousands of delegates, journalists, and guests at the Fleet Center that Republicans “need a divided America. We don’t.” The scandal-rocked former chief executive provided 22 minutes of cogent, tight arguments for replacing the current administration. “We need a new commander-in-chief named John Kerry…a serious man for a serious job in a serious time,” he said as endless cheers and applause gushed from an effusive crowd of party cheerleaders.

Mr. Clinton delivered a self-deprecating and mostly upbeat message in order to appeal to America’s millions of undecided voters, but he didn’t miss a beat attacking the policies of President Bush and the Republicans. “They believe the role of government is to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of those who embrace their economic, political and social views, leaving ordinary citizens to fend for themselves on important matters like health care and retirement security," he said.

Despite calls by Democratic Party leaders to remain strictly positive in Boston and avoid the mudslinging, flip-flopping politics that have characterized this year’s campaign, Mr. Clinton did give airtime to what he sees as faults with U.S. policy at home and abroad. “The president had an opportunity to bring the country together…instead he and his congressional allies made a very different choice…they tried to push the country too far to the right and walked away from our allies,” he said.

In boosting John Kerry as the man for the job, Mr. Clinton made sure to subtly (or not) position the Senator from Massachusetts as the very intellectual and moral opposite of George W. Bush. “[Kerry] has an insatiable curiosity to understand the world around him and a willingness to listen to everyone, even if they don’t agree with him.”

And playing to the increasing divisiveness of the American electorate, Mr. Clinton urged Democrats “to create a world where we can celebrate our differences…because our common humanity matters most of all.”

Although Mr. Clinton wowed the crowd with his meat-and-potatoes substance and D.C.-style celebrity, it was other political heavyweights who offered the night's real heft, passionate glimpses into the heart of this year’s party platform.

Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski affirmed the party plan for moving the nation forward, expressing a frustration shared by many Americans this polarized year: “No more going to war on flimsy evidence, no more attacks without our allies. We know American is stronger when we stand together, not when we stand alone.”

In a brilliant move of strategy aimed at appealing to Democrats’ Latino popularity and reining in potential swaths of new supporters from Latino-heavy swing states like Arizona and New Mexico, Rep. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the highest ranking Latino in congressional history, delivered one of the evening’s most-watched addresses, a unique and fiery bilingual message to voters. “We need a president who will be truthful with Americans at home and with our allies around the world,” he said. “We need a leader who will engage the world, not isolate us from it.”

But it was former Vice President Al Gore, who book-ended the evening opposite President Clinton, who ultimately seemed to rally the crowd this evening as a contingent of relentlessly faithful boosters cheered him on from the floor and the stands of the cavernous arena. Capitalizing on the session's same theme of unity, he wondered aloud, “Is America more united today or more divided?” As if on cue, a rousing, even rapturous “No!” was shot back in his direction by an effusive crowd of party faithful.

Mr. Gore also joked, only half tongue-in-cheek, about his unsuccessful bid for the White House in 2000 and affirmed his continuing faith in the voting process despite notable setbacks, telling delegates, "I know America is a land of opportunity where every little boy and girl can grow up and win the popular vote."

He emphasized the importance of a free and open electoral cycle, and underscored the need for voter rights to be fervently protected here and abroad. But ultimately, Mr. Gore ended—almost predictably—back in Florida.

“Take it from me,” he said. “Every vote counts.”