Kerry defines the race

There may be a nine candidate field for awhile yet, but it's going to be Dean v. the Anti-Dean for the Democratic nomination, and John Kerry is staking his claim for the opposition role in New Hampshire this weekend.

He's putting in in plain terms in the text of a speech he's rolling out today.

"New Hampshire has a choice ahead between a candidate who will stand up for the middle class people who built America and who have suffered enough under George Bush, and a candidate who thinks the way to balance our budget is at the expense of families who are struggling to balance theirs."

Kerry said "we can't beat George Bush by being Bush-lite, but we also won't beat George Bush by being light on national security, light on fairness for middle-class Americans or light on the values that make us Democrats."

And that last point is really it, for me. For over 20 years, John Kerry has been a consistent, principled advocate for the values that make me a Democrat. Do I agree with every vote he's cast? Of course not. He's cast thousands, and he has a constituency to represent whose views and interests don't always coincide with mine.

But I am confident that his postions, even when divergent from mine, are informed by a reliable set of core values that I'm in general agreement with. I can see what he's done and learn who he is. I trust him.

HoHo? Who the heck is that guy, anyway? What does he stand for, and when did he start standing for it?

Who knows...but someone should care.