Kerry's own answer to "Are you responsible for some of the costs of the war" in the debate last night was prime Kerry. He would not answer the question. But he did offer this:

While saying that he had been an instrument of American foreign policy in Vietnam, he said, "I carried that M16!"

But I understand that as a naval officer of his era, he would rarely if ever have carried an M16, the M14 Carbine and the sidearm being his standard weapons. (I was told this by a Naval vet of that era, but don't have the expertise myself. Can anyone here confirm or deny?) If true, why did he say that? Probably because the iconic image of American soldiers in Vietnam is of grunts carrying M16s, and he wants to be remembered that way.

More importantly, why would he not answer the question the way Senator John Edwards did following him, agreeing that as an individual supporting authorization, he bore some responsibility for the costs of the war? Because Kerry knows he is partly responsible, but cannot admit it.

In order for Kerry to win in the general election, his whole candidacy must be based on not taking responsibility for his votes, for the war, for Patriot Act, etc. "It's Bush who is to blame for the war," he will have to insist. "I just voted to give him the power to invade Iraq at a time when it was obvious he would do so! But don't blame me!"

In the same way, Kerry actually said last night that the only problem with the USA Patriot Act was John Ashcroft. As if giving a different right-wing Attorney General the right to arrest American citizens without charges and hold them without lawyers and violate all their constitutional rights would have been okay. It's just Ashcroft that's a bad guy.

He's shifting the blame, as he must. He didn't get called on it. In fact, last night he got his ass kissed by the moderators, who seemed to ask Kerry every his opinion on every other candidate's questions. "And Senator Kerry, what do YOU think of Reverend Sharpton's answer?"

Will Kerry's evasive answers work in the General Election, when Big Media will be on Bush's side? We'll see.