In fact, it looks like Kerry's political career could be ruined by the very thing that launched it -- running down the American soldier during a time of war.
There's before The Joke, when the Massachusetts senator appeared to be well on his way toward making a political comeback, laying the groundwork for a White House bid despite losing the 2004 presidential election.
Then there's after The Joke, when even fellow Democrats and former supporters question whether Kerry is still politically viable.
Kerry's quip just before the November 7 midterm elections that those who don't study hard "get stuck in Iraq" not only forced him into isolation in the campaign's final days, it rekindled criticism about his failure to beat a war-plagued president two years ago.
It also highlighted a shallowness to what he and his aides still considered to be widespread public support.
A picture of my cave
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