JOHN KERRY made his pitch for election to the White House telling America: Trust me. Respect me. You don't have to love me to vote for me.

JOHN KERRY told us more last night about his childhood memories of bike riding in Berlin than he did about his nearly three decades in public office.

THE GREATEST hope that John Kerry offered last night was not so much anything he said in policy. It was in spirit. He held out the possibility of a less arrogant America. "I don't wear my own faith on my sleeve," Kerry said. "But faith has given me values and hope to live by, from Vietnam to this day, from ...

JOHN KERRY'S acceptance speech last night spoke to a core Kerry campaign belief: that voters are ready to abandon George W. Bush if they can be persuaded that the Democratic nominee is tough enough on national security. It was pitched less to the committed Democrats in the hall than to the undecided voters tuning in.

FOR REASONS he might like to explain, John Kerry last night raced through an acceptance speech that was way too long for a time slot he knew about for weeks.