That's what we're afraid of ...

Maybe John Kerry, when he's at an outdoor rally in Pueblo, allows himself to look to the west, see the Rocky Mountains rising to hide the Arkansas River and Royal Gorge, then imagines himself alone on a motorcycle, heading across the Colorado high plains, and he thinks, "It doesn't matter what I say to these people. We're isolated. No one back home's gonna know."

And then he opens his mouth and declares that he, the hero of the Vietnam war, will hunt down al Qaeda "with the same energy he used to pursue the Viet Cong."

Well, Johnny, that's exactly what we are afraid of. To review:

1. Kerry served only four months on his Swift Boat, taking advantage of a rule that allowed multiple Purple Heart recipients to opt for stateside duty. His "wounds" were extremely minor, none requiring much more than a band-aid, and at least one (by even his own campaign staff's admission) probably accidentally self-inflicted. He is the only Swift Boat commander to ever leave with less than a year's service without major hospitalization involved.

2. Upon his return to America, John Kerry "swiftly" became a leading spokesman against the Vietnam War, and apologist for the Viet Cong. He went to Paris (France) and met with representatives of the VC and the North Vietnamese, then came back and organized the controversial "Winter Soldier" hearings that accused American military men of the worst kind of atrocities. He testified to Congress about his "findings."

3. Whether or not he was still an acting officer of the Navy in good standing while commanding the political fight against the war is a matter of some mystery and debate. Kerry will not release the Form 180 that would resolve this mystery by unsealing his records.

None of this would matter if he had once just sincerely apologized to all the servicemen whose reputations he tarnished in those years after he hopped off the Swift Boat. Instead he says he is proud of his service and cites it to show what a tough hombre he would be if only we would put away our reservations and elect him president.

No, if he would only apologize, then we could get down to the business of resolving why his U.S. Senate record of nearly 20 years is one of voting against a strong America, of opposing weapons systems, of votes to slash spending on intelligence, and of consistently voting in favor of expanding abortion "rights" and for higher taxes.

John Kerry, an al Qaeda hunter? He wouldn't even stoop to pack out his own goose last week in Ohio.