The Permanent Campaign is On!!!

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.

John Kerry's powerful video on Friday soliciting us to co-sponsor his bill to provide health insurance to children (watch it at Kerry Video) is an unprecedented call to arms by a fallen hero who refuses to quit the fight we all know we must win.

Before his body could get cold, John Kerry pulled himself off the mat and reminded us that he is tough as nails- the perfect attack dog for the next four years. With a permanent seat in the Senate, a warchest of millions, name recognition, and a good amount of respect, at least as a smart human being if not as the perfect candidate, John Kerry is bulletproof.

More important than Kerry's will, however, is that he has identified the perfect wedge issue to put the heat on the Republicans at precisely the moment when they are trying to gain momentum for spending their right wing political capital, and over the next four years.
Health care for children is hot dogs, baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet. The Republicans will of course shoot it down but at a cost. It will debunk "compassionate conservatism" and reveal them to be the mean-spirited and greedy Republicans of the past. Most importantly, it will plant the seeds for a growing theme that will define the Republicans in other arenas. Tax Cuts for the rich are great if you don't care about the health of children. Privatizing Social Security is great if you've got a stockbroker. The Republicans as the party of greed don't win elections, not even in all of the red states.

Becoming the champions of health care for children also reintroduces our party as the party of progress, but it does so in a way that defuses the naive image we foster everytime we talk about doing something to make sure EVERY American has a wonderful life. Health care for kids seems not only right put possible, especially if we don't throw our money down the toilet of war, or hand it over to the corporations and the rich. It sets aside the philosophical hand-wringing about "who we are" and answers the question with a deed worthy the great tradition of our party.

The Permanent Campaign is ON. This is exactly when we should be- hitting them BEFORE they get up a head of steam on Social Security, ANWAR, and judicial appointments that will take decades to undo.

In refusing to go quietly into the night, John Kerry has surprised and delighted all who are ready to quit crying in their beers and get on with the task of taking back the country we love. I don't know if he'll be the right man in 4 years but he is PERFECT man to carry the fight to them now, and his courage in getting right back at it is quite astonishing.