We need to nominate a tough talking populist, not a sophisticated liberal

In my opinion, no one could debate better than Kerry. But on the trail we need a tough talking, ornery populist whippersnapper. We need a guy who won't mince words.
Face it, Kerry is an establishment, new england blueblood. He did a great job when he was able to talk directly to the people like in the debates but he was vulnerable to slurs.
We need a no nonsense, labor union man who will get his hands dirty. One who does not look or act like a liberal but will fight for the people's interests.

It'd just become another battle of the bases election pitting core Democratic constituencies against core Republican constituencies.

What's needed is a man who can invoke the vision of the American dream that once was. We need someone who is charismatic as Dean but speaks eloquently like RFK--someone who knows how to make people who care for education, the environment, and health care feel good, someone who knows how to imbue people with a sense of pride and mission.

Regardless, at the end of the day, it is us, the people, who will have to fight for it ourselves. Leaders come and go, and some of the best were gunned down, but the people remain. If anything, remember that.

But not a Johnson clone. He had a lot of flaws, but when it came to passing controversial legislation, he was the best President of the second half of the 20th.

He's damaged goods now. The Democratic Party insiders made sure of that. However, he had some good ideas that I hope people will pick up on.
Build the local organizations and relationships that can take the message right to the people...through their friends and neighbors that they trust.

He came closest to fitting the bill. His rhetoric probably would have appealed to the majority of Americans. I mean, he electrified the Democrats, and he probably would have peeled off a bunch of Republicans if he wasn't destroyed by the news media and the insiders.

He tries to be, but he hasn't got that "grit" that a populist needs. Compare plain-spoken, no-bull Johnson with effete Edwards. I like Edwards, but it's like comparing a Texas "man's man" with "the Breck girl." America won't go for it. They still want The Marlboro Man.

We need someone with the "likeability" and "beer buddy factor" of Bush, but with an actual brain and an ability to pass Democratic legislation.

Dean is a possibility, but to be realistic, a southerner like Clinton would be better. Besides, Dean has a "damaged goods" problem of his own, due to the silly media frenzy over the fact that he yelled. Get a little too enthusiastic just once, and you're suddenly a nut-job.

one who is progressive and pro-labor who can speak the same language as a midwesterner.

There is no one that can survive the Republican propaganda machine and the enormous grassroots of the fundie churches.
We need to get to work on building the networks and infrastructure of our own.