And it’s too late baby, now it’s too late

“This only is denied even to God: the power to undo the past.” – Agathon

“You only get one chance to make a first impression.” – Head & Shoulders commercial

So now word comes that Bill Clinton urged John Kerry to drop Vietnam and focus on attacking President Bush on issues such as jobs and health care. Too little, too late – this is the direction Senator Splunge should have adopted four months ago, but he just couldn’t let go of his fixation on the events of 35 years prior. On every substantive issue, voters don’t have the slightest clue where Kerry stands. Take a gander at some of the quotes from this WashPost article on undecided voters in Erie, PA:

Even Bush supporters were lukewarm. "I voted for him the last time," said Christine Dimperio, 38, a dietary aide. "I don't know if I'd vote for him again. He did an all-right job."Kerry drew equally tepid evaluations. Even after hearing him speak, most members of this group said they didn't have a clear idea of who he was or what he would do as president.

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But everyone agreed that Bush had been more specific in laying out his agenda for his next four years. "Bush [provided] more details in his plans as to how he would address certain issues," Miraszek said. "Kerry kind of skimmed on the issues -- didn't get into depth."

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Even Mohar acknowledged that only Bush did exactly what these voters wanted both candidates to do -- talk specifics. "I didn't like a lot of the things he said, but he was in-depth. I would rather hear someone talk about things like he did rather than roundabout."

Members of this group had heard Kerry speak more than a month earlier, putting him at a disadvantage. After Bush spoke on Thursday, they struggled to remember anything his opponent said, until Strawn recalled his opening line: "I'm John Kerry, and I'm reporting for duty."

"I remember watching it," said Paul Wickles, 52, a communications worker who five weeks earlier said Kerry had nearly won his vote after hearing him speak. "At the time I remember thinking, 'Kerry is the man.' Now I don't remember anything about it, honestly."

The Kerry campaign made their bet that biography would trump issues and that Americans looking an alternative to President Bush would find Kerry. In other words, they considered this a one-man race, a referendum on the President’s performance. Now they’re horrified to discover it’s actually a two-man race and the challenger must lay out his own plans. Too late: anything presented at this stage in the game will feel rushed, contrived, and panicked. By hammering away on Vietnam, Kerry solidified his image to Americans – now, there’s no room for alteration.