From Meet the Press:
Specifically, Senator, do you still agree with yourself? Should we raise the retirement age or consider it? Should we raise the cap on income level that people pay payroll tax?
SEN. KERRY: Precisely what I said in 1996 is “We should consider” a number of these things. We did consider them. I considered them. Others did. I rejected them. And I have said again and again throughout the campaign this last year, I do not believe we have to raise the retirement age. I’m not in favor of it. I am absolutely opposed to cutting benefits, and I believe we can save Social Security in any number of ways, Tim, other than what President Bush wants to do.
Senator Kerry graduated from Yale. Senator Kerry graduated from Boston College Law School. Senator Kerry has had plenty of access to communication consultants over the years. You’d think that somewhere along the way someone would have taught Mr. Kerry how to answer questions with simple declarative sentences.
“No, I don’t favor raising the retirement age because . . . .”
Yet for whatever reason he talks in a fragmented, passive style which often leaves listeners wondering what he just said. Couple that with the “I voted for it before I voted against it” episodes, and you see one reason why Kerry had a hard time getting a coherent message out.