I'm cross-posting this from Begum because I think it's good to look back a little:

I decided to look back over my posts about Kerry from the primary, and this is what I've learned:

I didn't like his stance on gay marriage, ie support civil unions but not marriage, because I felt it was a political straddle. It was also the straddle being made by the entire Party, including Dean, and so on that count in the end I was pretty much up the river.

I didn't like his war vote, and still don't. But I understand it better now and so I no longer hate it abjectly but rather I see the logic and agree with the principle but not the execution. I still kind of hate it, but at least I understand.

But on three counts Kerry has won me over:

He's gotten a lot more charismatic. Not actually charismatic, but he's getting better. His speech at the DNC was better than Edwards', and he's been watchable if not downright engaging on the talk shows I've seen him on.

I took big issue with the fact that he wasn't a fighter, but lately he has been acting like more and more of one, particularly regarding Iraq.

I also said he would be just a Dem placeholder, and I now think that the real Dem placeholder was Clinton. Kerry might not do anything too radical, as he is hampered by the wars and deficits caused by Bush, but the country can't afford radical right now. The past 4 years of having a radical as a President has done too much damage. Even given those limits Kerry can probably accomplish more than Clinton.