Since John Kerry revealed John Edwards as his choice for running mate, a new enthusiasm has been pumped into the Democrats’ presidential campaign. Edwards brings the populist appeal and charisma that Kerry seems to lack. Edwards, in the “two Americas” speeches of his primary campaign, articulated eloquently the domestic issue on which the election could well turn: the widening gap between rich and poor in America.

Heretofore, Kerry seems to have risen or fallen in the polls depending solely on President Bush’s fortunes or misfortunes rather than on any dynamic of his own. John Kerry’s qualities might well make him a fine president and his presidency a highly successful one. Unlike Bush, Kerry does “do nuance,” possessing a political acuity that can be critical in foreign affairs, but which has been so lacking in the present administration. But such skills are easily maligned as indecision or waffling and do not serve him particularly well as a candidate. It would not be the first time in American history that the qualifications for doing the job stood in the way of getting the job.