You want to know what John Kerry's real problem is in running for president? It may not be Kerry as such as much as it is that he is a Senator.

To put it bluntly, his job description--and that of many Senators from both parties--involves whoring himself out to his constituency and party, changing policies and positions as demanded, and endeavoring to remain in power at all costs until he becomes a senile idiot. (Thurmond, the Republicans' senile idiot, is gone, so Byrd creates an imbalance. It's going to get even worse, since Ted Kennedy* is rapidly moving up to that position as well.)

This may be one reason few Senators have ever been elected as President. The House seems to be more forgiving of members who actually hold their own views.

*whose appendage poor Kerry has been for years