BOSTON — For three days, Democrats have built a frame for their nominee. Now, John F. Kerry has to fill in the picture.
From the Rev. David Alston, a Kerry crewmate in Vietnam, to vice presidential nominee John Edwards and a procession of retired generals Wednesday night, Democrats have systematically portrayed their candidate as principled, politically courageous, optimistic, forward-looking and, above all, tough and decisive enough to protect America in a turbulent time.
But many analysts agree that praise may quickly fade in voters' minds unless they see those qualities in Kerry when he stands before them, alone, in his acceptance speech tonight.
"There needs to be a more intimate kind of portrait," said David Axelrod, a Democratic media consultant. "He needs to leave here as a fully formed figure in the eyes of the voter ... and that is something he largely has to do himself."
Senior Kerry aides, although cautioning that decisions could change at the last moment, said he was unlikely to detail significant new positions today on key issues such as Iraq. That means the speech's success is likely to turn on Kerry's ability to establish personal connections with voters that build trust in him as a leader.
One thing this convention has shown is how great a priority each side places on defining Kerry's leadership qualities.
In a drumbeat repetition, Democrats contend that Kerry's performance under fire in Vietnam proves he can handle the pressures of command. His crewmates "saw up close what he's made of," Edwards said Wednesday night. "Decisive. Strong. Is this not what we need in a commander in chief?"
By contrast, on Wednesday, Republicans released an 11 1/2- minute video that they said showed Kerry shifting his position on Iraq in response to political pressure.
"His own words refute the notion that he is a strong and decisive leader," said Ed Gillespie, the Republican National Committee chairman.
This war of words will continue for months. But it may be settled mostly by the judgments voters make from their most important direct exposures to Kerry, at the debates this fall and in his speech tonight.
Heading into his speech, Kerry has crossed some important personal thresholds with the public, polls show. But other challenges remain.
