o 74470 77966 "[Clinton] used the book 0 explain his career as he actually saw it, with II the sentimentality, anger; affection, frustration, pride, and at times relentless self~exa~ninatjon that make up his elusive character.' PAGE 61

CDllte.ts

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3 PROSPECTS America Reinvents

4 CORRE:SPONDENCE DISPATCHES

6 DEVIL IN THE DETAILS 11 THINK DIFFERENT By Sarah Wildman How weH do you know John Edwards?; succession skirmish Teresa Heinz Kerry is not your typical poltswife. in ; Billionaires for Bush; plus Tonl Tomorrow 13 THE NEXT CENERATION By Garance Franke- uta Young bfack leaders, led by , have big plans.

C LU'MNS 16 ONWARD AND FORWARD By Tara MCKe,veyl Does Moveon..org rear.,y deserve all that attentio. ?Well, yes. 72 THE LAST WORD AFailure of Intelligence 18 "THE EVIL WAS VERY CRAVE ... "By Francis oColdman By Robe rt B8 Reich Surprisingly contemporary notes on the election t1884.

FEAT1URES FEATURES 1 20 THE KERRY I KNOW By Thomas Oliphant 55 PROMISI!S, PROMISES Bush's go-it-alone AIDS strategy is hurting more than it's helping. The. candid.ate faces a tough grind-W.. hich is just \' hat he likes. By Erika Casriel 24 CLIMBINC By Harold ,Meyerson Could a President Kerry handle Congress? Yes, prob1ably. 58 FOLLOW THE (SAUDI) MONEY Howa small Ca mbodian village got caught up in the war on terrorism. 27 THE POWER OF THE PEN By Clay Risen By NoyThrupkaew How presidents face down obstinate Congresses

62 liFE AFTE:R THEORY 30 A NEW PROCRESSIVE ERA? The theory vogue is over in the humanities. But what comes next? Seventeen thinkers and advocates answer the que tion: If you By Mark Greif had 15 minutes with President Kerry, what would y u tell him? By Robert Kuttner, Jan SchakQwsky, James Mac· Iregor Burns, Deborah Tannen, Chellie Pingree, Christopher Jr~, o Ed·'ey o Z Zbigniew Brzezinski, Steve Fraser, ,JoHn Podesta, E.J. Graff', Sean Wilentz, Deb Callahan, AShl.ey BeIJ, Robert S. 0­ 67 BOOKS ::J Mcintyre, Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren ~agi Alan Brinkl'ey on Bill Clinton's sprawHng, ungainly, and mostly right 'My Life; La~,rente H.Fuchs otlSamuelP. Huntington's sprawling, 46 LYNDON AGONISTE'S By Richard Byrne \ ungainly, and mostly wrong Who Are We? History has not been kind to LBJ. Sometimes, history lis wrong.

51 THE TALKING CURE By Laura Secor I Kerry would fight terrorism with diplomacy. Would t~at succeed? COVER Couerdesign by Point Five Design

The Amencan Prospect (155r'11049<128'5) IS ~)U ol,-shed mOfl,thlvl)y n,e /\liilerica n Prosp(::ct Inc ::1000 LStreet, NV\I, SUite 717 >'\' d:'>' "I' '"t:llu'll, Li~. "20036 (editoPi) I eniiCe) find 13 Beacon Silreet, Su it.e 11J.O, 8cIsto n ,'vlA o'2~o8 (bu 51 nes~; offi;ce)

Inc. The ,I'.,merican Prospect ':C' IS 21 registered tr21dernark ofThe /\,r-ne:-ican Prospect, inc Postrnaster· Ple,l';e sel',[1 Juldn'ss clianp,es to TI'e !\rncrican Plmspe~ct fJ.LJ l:iO)r bDl., IV1LlvIOi'!·I$.IL6105k7S:31. Printe(j in trle UlilitJccl St,)1'e<;. AI! afe Uir opinion of th{' author and not necessar"ily those of The /Hnerlcon Prospect America Reinvents rrl1illkback to last SLlll1111er. George W. BLISll'S af)lJrOval ratil.1gs stood 11ear 60 ercell.t~ Iraq, a "mission" the president had famously declared "accomplished" abdard the USS Abraham Lincoln that l\Aay, was no paradise, but it was a150not yet the ~0litica1 disaster It later became, J\\arti, the uncanny relevance to today of thl whisker' l1en10cratic cand idatf~s, portrayed by the 111ed ia as close P lectlon of 1884; and Richard Byrne Idel ivers a knock knred Barney Fifes, dravvlng stra\lvs to detcrnline provocative rpthinking and defense of Lyndon Baines which on,~ would face the unhappy chore of headlllg 0111' Johnson. arguing that the IO\~ .esteem il.' WI.l.. i(.~111. he'.5. cu.r~ into th0 noonday sun to duel the great gunslInger, scan1· l'f"l1tly hpld by lIberals says tar 1110re about tJh(~ "\fays tn pered across Anlerica, brandishing credentials and Sn1IJPSvVh.iCh co. ntempo_ r.ar Ylib_eral. iS111 ).11i...S~~.l.lses its hiS~[o.rY_th.a~n it to audiences that in the SUlll111er of 2003, were neIther par does about Johnson hinlself. ticularly large nor hopeful. ()ne of those candidates, a sen l\nd the future: Thonlas Oliphant, the journ llist \,vho's ator from Massachusetts, seemed so distant a contendf'r known Kerry longer and better than any other in IArnerica... ~ that the obI igatory paragraph devoted to hinl in a round- indeed, vvha vvas at Kt~rry's side as the veteran deilivered his up story invariably \,vent SOlllething like this one) fron1 farnous anti-\var testllll0ny before the Senat\e Foreign The Netv }'ork 'Tirnes: "Senator John Kerry Relations COnl111ittee in 1971-~xplains as of Massachusetts had a second difficult A Bush only he could how Kerry got tOJhiS point,

~i~~i~:~ I';:::~ ~:r~i~~()~t ~ (c~:~~~~;:t ijC f~:~~~l:~ ;~l~di ~'1 ::~~:(~:~ ~~~p~~t ~;.~~ l~'~ b~I:I::~e~~~ n ~ CarolIna in May, he struggled vvith a and iTIOVement \vonder, as t'Iarold l\Aeyerson, (lay Risen, hoarse, scratchy voice, a distraction fron1 and Laura SeeDl,' do, how a Pre..,sic .~.~nt Kerry seemed invincible.. ~ . vvhat his HI.des had hoped vvould be a (0111- vvould, respectIvely, deal WIth jLOngress,

H 111anding perfOrtl1ance. hat a difference use e_x~c.utive po"v~r., and.. fl. ght the war 011 What a difference a year rnakes. terrOrlSt11? We think not. J\n( vve have The canlpaign~relatedarticles and es asked a group of distinguished thinkers says in thi~; special Issue of 'The J\rnerlcan a year and advocates~-includin.g]Ohr1 Podesta, Prospect r,ptlect the changes of the past Sean WiIentz) Deborah 'T'annen, Zbignie\rv year. 'The optin1istll nO\\I prevalent in progressive circles Brzel'illski, Janles Iv\acGregor Burns,]an Schako vsky, and stems not on[y--or even chiefly~-from President. Bush's Christopher Edley,--how they would advise a ~resident recent bad fortune. f\fter alL such is the ineluctable power Kerry to reinvigorate progressive values in tIle public of the office that some of hlS bad fortul1£' is also thp s__.p.hr.rc,Thesp.eCl.l.. la.tion.c..ons~it.ut .. esne._-.jthP.-~l~~.Jredlctionnor. \V0 rId's, and \tve don't \,vish that a parad () xi cal and h 0 11 0 vv end0 rse 111 en t; rather, I t retleet sagr 0 \tv 1ng s4n sethat optilnisl11 that vvould be. /\nlPrica rnight be ready again, after four yeaf4 s during Rat her, 1t stenlS also fr01l1 a grovvl ng sense t hat "V_Il.. 1C.hcla}.!.~v.as ca.I.. le.C.lnig.. 'ht and a.,nyo.ne \Vt~O Objec~.t(.:~d to tl.1e Anlericans are vvorked up, and that they're vvorked up in redesignatlon vvas d Isnllssed as frivolous (or war. e), for ae-· defense of S0111e old values·,e_-honest governnlcnc polley tuat Ideas, 8gendas, and~1110st of all~~~evidence.1 nlaking based on fact rather than ideological assertIon, a Strange things have happened to thiS country these pubIle sector that is the private sector's counter\rvpight blst fOll r years. f\ great national tragedy, one that: affected rat her than Its handnlaIden~~that had seen1ed for a tinle us all (lnd took no note of n1attprs like party idenJitlcation, to have fallen out: of favor. '1 hIS issue of the Prospect is vva.s first_ (1.. .. ~.11.. 1ro. PrJ_(.l_.te,.d fo~~r r.).art~i...S.'.~._.m .(."l.ld.~ h..•en.~.~.a.-.. t~_'.~~.1:tl(~).1.11. p.' and about the possibilIty of a np\v progresslvlsnl, and the latel u')pd as Just1hcatllHl tor an act of' aggrpssl<_ n \rvhose n10vpnlPn ts tha t: sustEu 1'1 It (see C;ara nce franke Ruta IS IO:~lc led to a scandaL I\bu Ghraib, that has brOUglj tour na"' pleep on the !levv genpratlon of J\fncan Anlf'rlCan leader tlon unquHIIfled dIsgrace. But l\nlerlca alvvaY)'f\thinks, ship, arId '[';:lra L\'\cKelvpy's on the endlessly IllvcntlvP pxoup renlvc'nts; l'pnC'\vs. 1'hlS Issue is about rethInkIng, rein·­ 1\;\0 ve()n.0 n~). It roots ar() II n cl i nthP past for clu e S d bOll t Vp n lIon, and r c n ('vva LIn 0 ther \,y ell d ~ ~ 1t 's abo u t the hCJ\v \eve ~~D t \Nherp \rve a ff'. fh e ace] ai lnec1 novelIst !\ tTlf1rHa that has been -~and can be. rr~H1C1SCO Coldn1an ')ho\tv:, us, the eyf';;; of Jos6 --·1\\ I C H/\}-· f r )/\'\1\5 KY

THE f\MfR!CiN PROSPECT' has begun to mobilize this election year in a continuing cam­ must be outcomes, products, real change. These are what t paign to enact a progressive agenda. great force Kerry has mobilized will want and can crucial When Kerry is elected, some will say that Bush's firm ad­ help supply. As an organization Democrat, I have work{ heren~e to principles led to the incumbent's defeat, that with grass-roots people for decades, but I have never se( progressives need a cautious approach to change. But Bush such a mobilization ofthe liberal potential--independents has failed, not b.ecause of the way he pursued his vision, but well as turned-offDemocrats and an amazing number of dJ because the vision itself is flawed. If progressives move for­ enchanted Republicans~asI have seen over the last ~ ward with optimism and self-confidence, using our princi­ months. These are mainly policy-minded people dedicated ples to address the aspirations of the vast majority of action, results, real change. Americans, we will consolidate a progressive base for the So ifthis resurgent force has muchto offer Kerry, he WOll next generation. _ have even more to offer it. Its members will want a commi ted andconstant leadership tncomplete the unfulfilledpror ) AN SCHAKOWSKY is the U.S. representative for Illinois'9th ise ofthe Carter and Clintonpresidencies. The activists ha\ Congressional District. waited a long time. They know that another spasm of rr form-another Hundred Days-will flotbe enough. Norwi a strategy,ofcentrism.President Kerry mustoffer strong an continuous leadership, year after year, to finally corne 1 The Co.urage to Lead grips with the long list of delayed and inadequate prograrr for health, e11.vJ~Qnment,minimumwages, jobs,and-----abov Aresurgent movement awaits its organizer in chief. all-the reliefdfpove.rty at home and abroad. Catching up 0 BY lAME'S MACCRECOR BURNS unfinishedbu.,sine·ss will take more than a year or two, or presidentialterrn..lt might take a decadenr two-----the war of the Greatest Generation yet. AS PRESIDENT, JOHN KERRY WOULD INHERIT Tl4EMOST There is an even more crucial de:mand that this risin formidable·grass-rootsforcein recent American history. Born force would makeofa President Kerry: not to forsake rE in the rising populism of last year's frenetic primaries, this form and programs for war making. Opponents of Ira force has generated its own cobblestone leadership. What would hope that inthisca.mpaign, perhaps with George V\ will Kerry do with these exuberant leaders dispersed across Bush by his side, John Kerry would turn to his televisioJ country and city? What will they do with him? audience, look its members in the eye, and promise, "I wi] Tohald this vibrant force, he must planfor the long run----­ never-never---lie the American people into an unneces if Kerry hopes to put through his legislative program, to sarywar.". win the midterm congressional elections of 2006, and to carry the Demotratic Party to victory in 2008. But main­ JAMES MACGREGCRBURNS, co""author of George taininghis personal following will not in itself be enough Washington and author of thePuUtzer-Prize-winning to sustai'n hisstrong'personalleadership. Intoo many pres­ RooseVelt; The Soldier of Freedom} is a professor ofgovern­ idential campaigns, the candidate assembles an adhocteal11 mentJemeritus} at Williams College. that fails to strengthen the institutional Democratic Party. Kerry must merg~e his campaign volunteers and profes­ sionals with the rank and file and ongoing organization of the Democratic Party. We the Government Franklin Delano Roosevelt tried to build a reorganized and rev.italized democracy, but he failed in the face of en­ Repairing the rift between citizen and state trenched southern power and the distractions of impending BYDEBORAH TANNEN world war~ To complete this giant task" Kerry would need to be more than a broker. He must rise above the usual givec.and­ take interest-group liberalism of the Democratic Party. The WHEN WE RECALL THE NOW'"'FAMOUS INCANTATION, HASK checks and balances of the American constitUtional system, not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do the regional fragmentation of the polity, and our relatively for your cou,ntry," we focus all. i~s c91n~~Q,~: Jqhn F. Kennedy weak parties require an effective president to be a skilled invited Americans to become active participants in, rather brOker and transactional leader. But that brand of broker­ than passive recipients of, American democracy. But the word age, by itself, will not overcome the systemic bias against that stands out for me is the personal pronoun "your." How progressive action~it never has. Like other great leaders, different JFK's message would have been had he exhorted President Kerry must first provide transforming ideas at~ Americans to ask what they can do for "the" country. In the tuned tothe great liberal proclamations, from the Declaration word "your" resides the personalconnection.between citizens of Independence to the "Four Freedoms." and nation that has broken down, replaced by an adversarial Oratory will not be enough in itself, though. President stance of citizens toward their government. K€~rry must offer leadership of the highest order-creative, Presidential historian Robert Dallek cites a comment comprehensive, continuing. After years of delayed business someone made to Eleanor Roosevelt after FDR's death: "1 under Democratic as well as Republican presidents, there miss the way your husband used to speak to me about my

34 AU GUST 2004 WWW.PROSPECT.ORG government." Here, too, the personal pronouns leaped out Kerry and other candidates have exploited Internet tech­ at me: "my"government, hearing him speak «to me." In their nology for fund raising; organizations such as MoveOn.org eagerness to turn voters against the party of Roosevelt and use the Web to create communities of physically distant but Kennedy--the party that gave Americans services such likeminded individuals. When Kerry announced his vice­ as Social Security and Medicare that the other party now presidential choice in e-mails to his core supporters, he made claims to protect while clandestinely striving to erode­ them feel included, part of his community. Republicans have defined a new enemy: "the government." The Internet likewise can be used to restore bonds be­ The sense of unity that followed the September 11 attacks tween citizens and their government. E-mail offers perhaps by a literal enemy has been dissolved as Republicans en­ the most intimate connection of any technology. Many peo­ courage Americans to see their own government as a ple who would nevertalk about personal matters face to face metaphorical enemy. Like an autoimmune disease, this are able to do so in e-mail or instant messaging, which they metaphoric battle turns the body politic's protective forces experience as akin to personal correspondence,or to writing against the body itself. in a diary. And this technology is the one that young peo­ Rather than regarding the government as ours-a source ple---sadly, among the mostdisaffected from government--­ of services that better citizens' lives-many Americans now are most comfortable with. Itpervades their daily lives in a see the services the government provides as their due, while way that even teleVision never could. regardingthe governmentthat provides those services as an To understand the effect of public policies on people's enemy force. The illogic of this stance was eloquently ex­ lives, citizens need to hear personal stories. How about a pressed in Bill Clinton's remarks on the 30th anniversary of chan<:e to meet, each week, an individual whose life was af­ Medicare in 1995: "We had people all over America coming fected~for better or for worse-=--by decisions made by par­ up tome, o:r the first lady, or to Senator [Ted] Kennedy, say'" ticular judges ortheSupreme Court; by a particular act or ing, 'Don't let the government mess with my policy enacted with Democratic support or Medicare."; Again, the parts of speech tell People often speak alloWed to lapse by a Republican Congress; all: The per'sonal ",my" ("my Medicare") re­ by acivic actionof their own, such as union­ veals the closeness these speakers feel to­ of"my'j Medlcar,e; izing their workplace? How about regular ward the service the government provides, onlin~ town halls, in which the president while the in1personal "the" ("the govern­ they should 'slsobe answers questions put to h,im by citizens ment") evinces how distant, disconnected, over the Internet? In this way, those who and distrustful they feel toward the source logOn and participate-yes, not listen but of that treasured service. taught to refer to participate---can beginto experience them­ How could JohrtKerry as president re­ selves as partof a community that includes pair this internal riftand restore a sense of "au r" 'governmente their government. connection between citizens and their gov­ Restoring a sense of intimate connection ernment? One way is to attend to the smallest parts of betwe~n"Citizensandtheirgovernment is essential to heal speech. He should refer to himself as "your president" and thecorrosive'divisiveness that contributes'to the crippling talk of "your" governmentdr "ours." He must avoid the vulnerability so many Americans hOw feel. And it is essen­ temptation to leap on the bandwagon that Republicans tia.l to ensure that their government can continue to pro~ have built by claiming that he, too, will get government vide services ana protection rather than becoming their off your backs. It's an easy way to hitch a ride, but it un­ actual enemy, as, in the hands of Republitan administra~ dermines Democratic leaders' ability to get the credit their tions, it has in fact become. _ party deservesfor havirtgcreated the programs voters now see as part of the landscape, and to garner citizen support DEBORAH TANNEN is a professor of linguistics at for future programs. Georgetown University. Effective presidents have embraced new communica­ tions technologies,. Roosevelt's fireside chats made brilliant use of radio, a te'chnology that brought the public voice of a political leader into people's homes, the most private of The Breakfast Crowd spaces. ~ith television, notpnlya voice but a physical per­ sbnaeuters the hom~,s"-itsdownto dinner, becomes a me~­ "Mr. President,'spea'kdirectfyto''Otdil1ary people." ber ofthe fanility. Ronald Reagan exploited these aspects of BY CHELLIE P'I'NCREE TV to become a "great communicator." He was not a great orator, nor was he great at communicating information. But he was superb at communicating the illusion that he was I HAVE TWO WORDS FOR OUR NEXT PRESIDENT: NO EXCUSES. speaking directly to each listener--"to me." Ironically, he You will be facing an angry country frustrated by the serious used this skill to avoid communicating, in the sense of ad­ challenges we confront and hungry for a leader who will ac­ dressing an issue. With his famous "there you go again" tually get things done. quip, he sidestepped the substance of 's crit­ I am from a small town in Maine, where I occasionally icism. The good-natured image became the substance of join in an early-morning breakfast with a few longtime what Reagan communicated. friends. One builds houses, one is the plumber, there is a

THE AMERICAN PROSPECT 35