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07/30/2004:

"Shattering Illusions***Kerry Doesn't Want Anti-War Activists"

by Sonali Kolhatkar and James Ingalls counterpunch.org
In the first minute of his July 29 Democratic National Convention (DNC) acceptance speech, John Kerry told us that the Democratic party has "one simple purpose: to make America stronger at home and respected in the world." The Republicans have set the standard by which a US President will be judged, and listening to peace and social justice activists is not one of the desired qualities. Regardless of who gets elected, the two parties tell us, the next president will be a "Commander-in-chief": tough on terrorism, national security and Homeland Security, and easy on corporations, while paying lip-service to jobs, healthcare, and education. According to Democrats quoted in the New York Times (July 25th 2004), this year's DNC was designed so that you "think you're looking at a Republican Convention." Kerry is reaching out to the same base that Bush is, so this election year there is hardly even the pretense of progressive values coming from the Democratic elites on the podium. full article

Kerry: Our country needs to be looked up to and not just feared
UK Independent
John Kerry last night vowed to turn America once again into a "beacon for the world", promising a foreign policy that would make the world's lone superpower an object of admiration again ­ not an object of dread. full article

It is exactly that 'beacon for the world' crap which is the problem.