Sen. Kerry, read this, think about the question, what you said and how you said it, and then go and sin no more.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- At a town-hall meeting on a basketball court here last week, retired engineer Bob Kirkpatrick stood up, praised John Kerry for protesting the Vietnam War and then asked for his views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr. Kirkpatrick got an answer -- eventually. But first the Democratic presidential candidate wanted to tell the crowd that Republican attacks on his Vietnam-era behavior were "really ... an attack on the American people." That, Mr. Kerry continued, was like President Bush's "attack on overtime," which, he went on, had something to do with "settling for jobs that pay $9,000 less" than jobs outsourced overseas. And then there were weaker workplace safety rules. Which were like "attacks" on environmental rules that were leading to "more pollutants."

"Now, with respect to the Mideast and Mideast policy," Mr. Kerry finally wound up, saying mainly that he would do more than the Bush administration to continue Clinton-era peace negotiations.

"I sensed it was an issue he wanted to avoid," the 59-year-old Mr. Kirkpatrick said afterwards, and he left the session unsure how he would vote.

9-21-04 wsj article.