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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels August 13, 2004 Our View Kerry knows his audience; how about Congress? Whether or not you agree with his politics, it's clear that John Kerry is a great orator who knows what his audience wants to hear. His audiences throughout his cross-country tour have wanted hope - but they have also wanted specifics. Sick of rhetoric and political doublespeak, the public wants to hear simple, unqualified sentences - the sort a third-grader is comfortable with - that make declarative statements. Kerry delivered Thursday in Central Point. To be sure, he did not completely lose his loquaciousness noted by the national media during the earlier parts of his campaign. Kerry is a master of telling the audience the same thing three times, keeping it just varied enough to still be engrossing. Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you've told them: The rule holds true in politics as much as a high school term paper. In the setting of a political rally, a candidate must do little to excite the masses. Indeed, Kerry had to quiet the crowd after making small points that led to larger ones - the latter being where he'd presumably scribbled "pause for applause" on the plane ride here. He gave concrete plans on health care, education, child development, jobs and other salient areas, noting that his competitor - never mentioned by name - has chipped away at the government support in all those areas. It is important to remember, though, that a president cannot, on his or her own, make such plans a reality. There's a small matter called Congress that can stand athwart the best laid plans. What must instead be expected of a president is that he refuses to approve legislation that goes counter to his promises, or better yet, his values. Cooperation is the name of the game when it comes to getting things done, even when the same party controls the presidency and both houses of Congress - as we have seen since last year. Should the Democrats retake legislative control, a President Kerry would have an easier time. But nothing would be guaranteed. Kerry's plans have a good foundation, and his interest in improving the country appears genuine. Plus, he sure knows how to whip up a crowd. Whether he gets a chance to make his plans manifest is up to the voters. We'd like to see what he does. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams