More Kerry: The GOP bigs say Kerry's "regime change" comments crossed the line, whatever that means. I'm not sure what they mean. I sure hope they're not implying that it's treasonous. Was it a stupid comment? Yep, and I think Kerry will have to grovel at some point. After all, he does have to win a general election after he wins the race-to-the-left nomination. But it shows you who the Democratic base is, what they want to hear. You can be sure Kerry's crew selected "regime change," just as Democrats have intentionally chosen to call right-wingers the "Taliban wing" of the GOP, to cause maximum Bush-bashing euphoria among the vocal, active Democrat stalwarts. As I've said before, this is as it should be. He'll race to the left, but then have to hack his way back to the center again. As a sidenote, check the headline of that WaPo article linked here: "Republicans Attack Kerry on 'Regime Change.'" Go back to yesterday and see what the headline was in the Boston Globe when Kerry's comment first hit: "Kerry says US needs its own 'regime change.'" Both are headlines to news articles. Which one sounds like the headline to an editorial? That's right. Only Republicans attack. Dems just "say" things.

Still More Kerry: But that's not what I came here to talk about, as Arlo Guthrie says. I came to talk about Kerry's plan. I think he believes he can have it both ways on the war. Sure, he's a total waffler and famously non-committal on anything politically unproven, but I think he believes he's got this war business licked. When members of the GOP complained about the "regime change" comment, one of Kerry's flacks chose to say this:

"Unlike many of his Republican critics, Senator Kerry has worn the uniform, served his country, seen combat, so he'd just as soon skip their lectures about supporting our troops."

Examine, if you will, the way that statement drips with hubris. Kerry thinks that his service allows him to "skip the lecture." Bullshit, dude. Nobody gets to cut this one. I'm sure Jesse Jackson's been at the receiving end of racial invective in his life; that doesn't mean he gets to go around calling Jews "Hymies" and then say, "I'll skip the lecture on racial sensitivity, thanks." Sergeant Akbar at Camp Pennsylvania wore the uniform, too -- was wearing it, in fact, when he fragged the officers' tent. Whaddya say, Johnny-boy, should we just let him go? We sure as hell wouldn't want to reprimand somebody that wore the uniform. Heck, I'd better shut up. I've never served, so who am I to judge Akbar, eh John?

Meanwhile, wordsmith David Frum doubts "regime" is really the word Kerry was looking for. (Click, scroll down.) Makes sense to me. I wonder if Kerry is smart enough to be president.