I have faithfully listened to all of the debates, both Democratic and Republican, and I have pretty much picked out my candidate. For the record, I will vote for the Democratic candidate even if it is not my candidate. This diary is not meant to demean or denigrate any candidate or any campaign. However, I find all of the candidates and their campaigns lacking a certain something, a je ne saie quoi. What is that question that all are avoiding?
I want to know why you are a Democrat.
Why did you join the Democratic Party? Where as a Democrat do you want to take us as a nation? We all know why we're Democrats. Tell us why you're a Democrat. Like a long-married couple, we know you love us. We'd just like to hear you say it once in a while. Words have a power that lives long after they are spoken or written. They define us as a person, a party and a nation.
The great and near greats of our party have all articulated a vision of a Democratic America that I, for the most part, can agree with. FDR had a crystal clear vision of his Democratic Party and how it could and would help this nation pull itself out of a Depression and later, to win a war. Truman knew with certainty what it meant to him to be a Democrat. He threw his Kansas City cronies under the bus in order to maintain his ideas of what constituted a Democrat. With beautiful words and a flawless delivery JFK gracefully and artfully charted the path toward his vision of an America, strong in defense, kind to friends, gracious, yet firm with enemies and above all, willing to take on the challenges of seemingly impossible tasks like space, civil rights and medical care for the elderly. That he was assassinated in part for these Democratic beliefs makes his courage in saying them all the more impressive.
LBJ, while less artful than JFK, was no less a Democratic idealist who with the force of his personality pushed through the legislation that both he and JFK felt best served this nation. Bobby Kennedy thrilled us with his vision of a fair and equal America while Jimmy Carter offered the healing balm of honesty and a life lived with religion and tolerance walking hand in hand.
Bill Clinton with his mastery of both politics and policy plotted his course as the art of the possible made palatable to both Democrats and the Republicans who hated him.
Now comes the difficult part. Al Gore did not give us a clear eye vision of his Democratic Party in 2000. He does so now - in spades - which is why I believe there are so many who want him as our nominee. John Kerry for all his intelligence did not articulate his vision well in 2004. He certainly knew how to say those magic words back in the day when he was railing against the war. Somehow he lost it. I do think that Howard Dean said it best in 2004.
As for the current candidates I think that Dennis Kucinich has come closest to stating his vision. He is not my candidate but I do admire many of his proposals. Edwards is probably next. Obama and Clinton are both too cautious and too clever by half. Biden, Dodd and Richardson are likewise very cautious and are not the best speakers in the world. My feeling is that all of them have it in them but for whatever reason do not or cannot make the leap.
I believe that unless our Democratic candidates define what it is that makes them Democrats we are doomed to another eight years of a Republican president who will not do what is best for our nation but will do what is best for his cronies and donors.
While I am aware that it may seem like a high school Civics class assignment, I do think that our candidates need to sit down and write out
Why I Am A Democrat