Democrats would do well to learn simple lessons from the past

JOHN FORBES KERRY, the new JFK, essentially wrapped up the Democratic nomination for the US presidency this week by winning nine of the 10 party primaries on super Tuesday.

His greatest political asset is the widespread belief that he can beat President George W Bush in November. In fact, he is currently leading Bush in the polls.

Throughout the primaries Kerry was the one man that Bush supporters feared most. They cannot attack him as weak on security, because Kerry was decorated for valour during the Vietnam War. At the same time George W Bush was a weekend warrior in the National Guard, which was seen as a legitimate way of avoiding the draft and overseas service.