I think the pundits are wrong about Kerry's speech being so important

Over and over the pundits all say this is a 'defining moment' and 'Kerry must give the speech of his life' and so on - I don't buy it. I think they are either just mistaken, or in some cases setting Kerry up for a fall by establishing too high of expectations. Another reason might be to try and pull in better ratings by hyping it up.

The ratings for the convention are not that great, really not many Americans are even tuning in, and won't even see his speech.

Even if Kerry only gives an ok speech, I don't think it will hurt his chances one iota as a practical matter.

And if he did walk on water, they'd crucify him anyway.

Then all we'll hear about is how stiff and boring Kerry's speech was and comparisons to Al Gore. I expect they will find some tiny insignificant flaw and exploit it for all it's worth.

TWEETY: "He didn't have any of the passion of, say... a Reagan."

FINEMAN: "Chris, he didn't have the passion of plywood!"

TWEETY: "Ha!"

Lets hope Kerry does not do that.

it is for Kerry to hit a home run in his acceptance speech. Geez, it's so obvious that they're just setting him up for failure. Nothing he can say will satisfy these glorified idiots.

In a couple of weeks, I want to hear what these same pundits say in anticipation of Bush's speech. We all know that any word with two or more syllables gives Bush fits.

On another note, I heard Rush Slimeball piss and moan about Teresa Heinz Kerry on Thursday, and how she's spending her deceased husband's money on radical causes. With all due respect to the late Senator Heinz, I'll bet that the vast majority of "his" money was inherited from the Heinz estate and not earned by the senator himself.

It's amazing that so many people put their allegiance behind a pill-popping bigoted windbag who's just been divorced for the third time. It speaks volumes about the intelligence of the people who consider him their moral compass.

I'm going to be watching closly what the pundits reactions are after his speech. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised and they will say he gave a great speech, but I have a feeling it will be things like "underwhelming" or "he did the best he could"

.....adviser Tad Devine told reporters Thursday: "Tonight is one of those big moments. That's what campaigns are about: big moments."
He acknowledged that expectations for the speech were high and that it was important....deliver a strong performance. But "the whole campaign doesn't occur tonight."

sound familiar? well, guess what. that was about GORE, from 2000. they pulled the EXACT same trick then, while reversing the scenario for the chimp, positing that all he had to do was avoid throwing up on his shoes to look like Disraeli.

bet they'll do the same thing with him this time, even though he's the incumbent.

the media SAVAGED Gore's speech last time, if you remember, especially almost all the TV pundits in the immediate aftermath, BUT the public ate it up, for the most part, spurring a surge in his ratings that didn't dissipate until that horrid Oprah moment, which, for whatever reason, brought the chimp back even with Gore, and gave the media the impetus to go after him with all the vitriol with which they'd pursued him up to his acceptance speech.

you are trying to lower expectations because there is no way Kerry will top Obama, Sharpton, or basically anyone else who has spoken.
Don't fall into the same trap the GOP did with Bush by having no standards.

The debates for one.

debates. Then the people can see for themselves what a smart, informed man Kerry is

This speech is for the choir, the debates will make the day IMO

don't you know they are actors for the RW propaganda machine?

and I say let them.

They are saying it will be boring, wooden, etc etc.

Yet in all footage I am seeing of Kerry he looks happy smiling relaxed. . . .

So let them keep going on and on and on about how bad it is going to be.