This thing is getting out of hand...

Kerry, speaking to prospective supporters yesterday in Rochester, MN, advanced a emerging argument as to why he should be elected commander-in-chief:

For too long, many of you say, we Democrats haven't been "real" or "serious" about national defense and warfare. I sympathize with you, and think your view is somewhat justified.

As you well know, I, myself went to Vietnam armed with a super-8 camera -- an act, I will admit, showed I thought of my service more as a political launching ground than a potential supreme sacrifice. Years later, back in the United States, I realized that my service in Vietnam could also be used to establish a leading role in protesting that same war which my home-made films had glorified.

Then, when you elected me to the Senate in the 80's, faced with a Soviet threat to Western Europe, I argued vigorously for a "nuclear freeze" on the grounds it would avoid provoking Soviet anger and thus lead to peace.

In the early 1990's, when Saddam, unprovoked, invaded a benign and peaceful neighbor, I did not hesitate to send a clear signal to this world: "This must stand." Contrary to those who say I lack resolve, I voted clearly against the use of military force to liberate Kuwait.

And during this war, my critics have accused me of taking a variety of conflicting stances, one minute arguing I would have done the same thing, the next minute calling it "the wrong war".

Clearly, I have a problem with taking national defense seriously.

And it's not just me: It's my entire party, who has often sided with me on these very same issues. Why, just the other day, Teddy Kennedy was reminding me of the way he himself had failed, many a time, to take national defense and terrorism seriously.

That's why I'm calling upon you to serve your country and get out and vote for me. And not just you, but your friends and loved ones.

This cannot be a one-party country. We cannot leave this great land of ours to the Republicans, with their failed economic policies, politics of hatred and discrimination, and tax breaks for the wealthy few. Our country needs a strong, robust Democratic Party, one which will take defense issues seriously.

And since we Democrats have lacked resolve on this important issue, it is up to you, the voter, to help us: You must vote us into office as a way of forcing us to take national defense and warfare seriously. We can't do it without you. But with your support, we can all confidently say:

Hope is on the way!

Kerry's closing statement was greeted with enthusiastic cheers.

Kerry's new line of argument, designed to win support from undecided voters in these few remaining days, seems to have been highly effective, persuading such notable undecideds as Christopher Hitchens ("his election would compel mainstream and liberal Democrats to get real about Iraq") and Andrew Sullivan ("the Democratic Party needs to be forced to take responsibility for the security of the country that is as much theirs as anyone's").

"This seems to be a powerful argument among undecided voters," said Kerry spokewoman Stephanie Cutter. "We thought we should adopt it as an official theme. If it continues to work as well we expect, we may also ask people to vote for Kerry to help force us to take fiscal responsibility or the campaign finance laws seriously. Perhaps we could promise to appoint George Soros to the FEC, for example."

She added that she was worried the Republicans might co-opt the fiscal responsibility argument.