Abstract

Kerry's Crucible

The author argues that U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry should define himself more clearly to voters, and avoid mimicking the policies of Bill Clinton. John Kerry is borne aloft by party unity and the overriding imperative of defeating Bush, but the senator has entered a perilous zone where the outcome may depend more on the content of his character. During the next few months, Kerry must somehow fend off the smears and caricatures broadcast by Bush's attack machine and, at the same time, define himself in more convincing terms for the broad audience of voters, many of whom know little or nothing about him. I hope that judgment is premature, but the candidate does not have all summer to craft a compelling self-portrait. It's forming right now in the public mind and sounds more wonkish than inspiring. Kerry, for instance, proposed to reform corporate taxation--closing the loophole by which American multinationals avoid US taxes by holding profits offshore--as a way to encourage job creation at home. The loophole reform is itself a worthy idea--more ambitious than anything Bill Clinton ever attempted--but the cuteness of the overall package reminds one of Clinton's habit of always trying to have it both ways. Do something symbolic for the folks worried about globalization--but not so much that it will upset the corporations. Kerry, in fact, has assembled the old crowd from the Clinton White House to cook up such ideas. His economic team is led by investment banker Roger Altman, Clinton's Deputy Treasury Secretary, and the ubiquitous Gene Sperling, the Clinton economic adviser who shared his views with many of the Democratic contenders (even Howard Dean).