How Kerry can connect
THIS CONVENTION is different from most because up to now the race has been Bush against Bush. We're at war, and the focus is on the president.
Starting with the convention, events can attract the cameras away from Bush and onto John Kerry. It's Kerry's best chance to demonstrate what he has. There is a high degree of anger, and if I were John Kerry I would be sure to make the case for John Kerry. It has to be done in baby talk, in clear language that makes sense. The logic should be simple and clear. That's difficult to do.
A simple clear idea that could distinguish Kerry from Bush: He might start by saying, "We will not call the president a liar. He's our commander in chief, and we respect that. But we will say this. He was mistaken, as many of us were, about the three predicates of the war: weapons of mass destruction, complicity with Al Qaeda with respect to Saddam, and imminence of threat. "He did not know, but he was grotesquely wrong. Many of us were fooled by this, but he is the president.
"He now insists that the war was worthwhile anyway. Worthwhile? A loss of 900 Americans, many more wounded, 15,000 to 30,000 Iraqis killed, $120 billion spent on an occupation that has failed terribly in stabilizing the nation and has drawn terrorists from all over the world? Despite all that, the president said it was a good thing to do.
"Here lies the big difference between me and the president. He's saying he would do it again. Another 900 lives, another $120 billion, another 15,000 to 30,000 Iraqis killed. Another loss of respect.
"That's where I part company with the president. He has not yet renounced his preemptive war. I'm against preemptive war. I will not make that mistake. I will not let the country make that mistake again."
A speech like that might allow Kerry to be angry but not too angry. You should be able to bring a tear to people's eyes or a smile to their lips, a moment of revelry, a laugh. You should move people when you're trying to be president. Kerry is so accustomed to the precision of his words. He's complete. When people let themselves go and follow their own emotions, it can be wonderful.
For this convention, I want to see Kerry make people cry, make people a little nervous. This is not unfair to the president. Bush never said he was wrong about preemptive war. He could do this again. He admitted he was wrong but justified the war anyway.
Mario Cuomo is a former governor of New York and presidential candidate.
