Much ink is being spilled by all the pundits trying to understand what has happened in the Democratic primary thus far, and trying to guess what is going to happen during the next few weeks. Dean the insurgent has now hired a Gore man to run the rest of his campaign and this means that I may have to take back what I said a few days ago about not counting him out. He has just lowered his chances of win ning any other states. Edwards has to win South Carolina, or he’ll become the Vice Presidential nominee at best, and Clark has revealed himself to be, as George Will calls him, an empty uniform. It turns out that he is a silly and slippery man, a perfect Clinton friend. John Kerry is the man of the hour but, there are problems, and its not only his liberal voting record. Read this terrific charaterization of Kerry by William Saletan (not exactly a Republican!). He says this: "Physically, Kerry’s repertoire is painfully limited. He thrusts his index finger at the audience in an overhead arc again and again, as though launching a projectile. He seems to be trying not to animate his thoughts but to expel them. Above the neck, nothing but his mouth moves. If you showed anyone a video of Kerry with his lips blacked out, they’d never know he was speaking." Noam Scheiber of The New Republic points to one of many of Kerry’s vulnerabilities, how he took both sides of the issue in the first Gulf War. And Terry Garlock, a decotrated Vietnam vet himself is not amused by the perception that Vietnam vets are supporting Kerry. They don’t, and this will become an issue should Kerry become the nomineee.
Mac Owens, also adecorated Vietnam vet adds to this in a longer and more comprehensive review of Kerry’s so called pride in serving.

Max Boot compares Kerry’s stance(s) on Iraq to Clinton’s stance on the Gulf War when he was a candidate; this is not in Kerry’s interest. Hugh Hewitt isn’t questioning Kerry’s patriotism, but he is questioning his judgment, and that’s fair game.
Michelle Malkin doesn’t hesitate to go after Kerry’s wife, you know, the pickel and ketchup fortune lady who, until recently, had the acid tongue. If Kerry becomes president she’ll make a very interesting first lady to say the least.

Michael Barone is not yet persuaded that Kerry is the man. He is going to be attacked (they have to attack him) by the other candidates starting at tonight’s debate, and some of the attacks will hit their target. Andrew Busch thinks that the Demos will have a hard time making a case that their candidate (if Kerry or Dean) is a moderate, he thinks they are "left and lefter."