John Kerry is politically tone deaf.

This week, with many American voters uncomfortable with his personality and viewing him as "not a regular guy," Kerry goes off to Nantucket, of all places, the island of the elite. (Kerry similarly vacationed with the hoity-toity after his primary victory, when he went snowboarding in Ketchum, Idaho.)

This week, with millions of supporters desperate to get Bush out of office, there was Kerry striking an insouciant pose, windsurfing off the Nantucket beaches. Memo to Kerry: The campaign is not some backdrop for your wannabe Kennedy photo shoots.

Is the guy clueless?

The Republicans have been kicking the living crap out of him, first with the slanderous Swift Boat squad and now with the ridicule brigade in New York.

Kerry was woefully tardy in returning fire on the Swifties, and he and other Democrats have barely responded to the gang tackling at the Republican convention.

Why Kerry decamped to Nantucket is beyond me. This week, he should have holed up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, or Toledo, Ohio, or Eau Claire, Wisconsin--or spent a day in each.

Instead, he abided by some ridiculous unwritten rule somewhere that says it's impolite to campaign during the other guy's convention.

Impolite?!

The Republicans have long since taken the gloves off, and Kerry is still playing by the Marquis of Queensberry rules.

If he really wants to win, Kerry has to work harder and fight harder.

And if he can't fake being a regular guy, the least he can do is not flaunt his elitism.

Otherwise, he'll have plenty of time to snowboard in Ketchum and windsurf on Nantucket after November 2.

Copyright 2004 The Progressive

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