The Decembrist wonders what the reaction of Democrats and the Left generally will be after the election of John Kerry. Well, sadly, both among activists and within the halls of Congress, my guess is that it won't be pretty. As with Clinton, the "failed Kerry presidency" will start being talked about hours after the votes are counted.
But, I would hope that people would, as he says, recognize the limits of the power of the presidency to overcome public opinion and Congressional power when being dogged by a hostile media. Clinton had no media honeymoon (his coverage as a candidate was sometimes generous and sometimes miserable). Bush managed to extend the traditional (for Republicans) 100 day press honeymoon through early, at which point he got another extension.
I think the simple answer to the basic dilemma is that I would hope, generally, that people on our side - both rabble rousers like me and Dems in Congress - would give him a year.
Still, my bet is he won't even get an hour...
