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August 28, 2004JOHN F. KERRY: GATSBY MINUS THE CHARM F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby is the fictional hero of the Great American novel. He is the archetypal American self-creator. He was born Jay Gatz but repudiated his origins and background while inventing a grand new persona. The perfect hero for a country born by casting off its European origins and creating a new world wherein success was determined, not by background, but by individual talent. Fitzgerald’s tale is, however, a cautionary one, because he warns against the inescapability of the past, the dangers of trying too hard to escape from history. Gatsby comes to grief because he rejects not only his personal parental past, but also the moral and ethical constraints handed down from one generation to the next. His romantic dream of himself finally collided with reality. As Nick Carraway said of him: 
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Comments
Sorry, I have to disagree with you on that one. Hillary can run and might win. However, the "age of Hillary" can only happen if Kerry looses. If he wins, it shows the democrats will elect anyone. Even someone worse (!!???) than Bill. They re-elected Clinton, so they will re-elect Kerry. By than, Edwards will have enough experience (something he is lacking now), that they just might elect him. Hillary can run only if Kerry looses THIS election. Have you noticed how little Bill and the Hill are supporting Kerry. That's not just an accident. They will be out to fight the RNC next week, but that's more show than anything else. Eight years is a long time in the political world, even for the HIll. I don't think she can afford to wait that long.
Posted by: t. gardner at August 28, 2004 04:54 PM
Hillary has two options for her candidancy: 2008 and 2012, as by 2016, she will be 65 and her age will become a major issue. Her chances are much better in 2008 than 2012, because by 2012, the "glory days" of the first Clinton administration will have faded. However, the viability of both opportunities depend on Kerry losing in 2004. Should Kerry be elected (which, in spite of his present difficulties, could happen if the economy takes a sudden downturn and Bush does not put forth a good performance at his convention), his first term will be an unmitigated disaster, dooming the chances of any Democrat who chooses to run in 2008, even if they should succeed in taking the nomination from him, and will furthermore make it harder for any Democratic Presidential candidate in 2012, especially one with Hillary's persistent negatives. Thus, a Bush victory is essential to a successful Presidential bid for Hillary, but this is not something she has a lot of control over, since Bush's re-election will depend on so many factors - the economy, Iraq, al-Qaeda - that are out of anyone's control.
Posted by: Tom Ault at August 28, 2004 06:00 PM
No disagreement with either of the above. Hillary must be praying for Bush to win.
Posted by: Stephen at August 28, 2004 10:04 PM
One significant divergence between Gatsby and Kerry is that Gatsby was a truly worthy, self-made man. Kerry married into wealth twice, can display no personal achievements, yet is marked by an enduring sense that he is entitled to what he wants. What he wants most, of course, is to be president.
Posted by: Francis W. Porretto at August 29, 2004 07:43 AM
Minor point: Gatsby was born James, not Jay. The change to the clubby 'Jay' was as important as the Gatz-to-Gatsby.
Posted by: old maltese at August 29, 2004 11:29 AM
Old Maltese: an important point indeed
Posted by: Stephen at August 29, 2004 11:30 AM
Mentioning that Kerry married into wealth beings up interesting comparisons. For instance, is it more honorable to be born into wealth? (Inevitable hint.) And, does everyone here remember how Gatsby became rich? (Suddenly, there's nothing wrong with marrying into wealth; just as there's nothing wrong with being born wealthy. It all depends on what you do in/with your position.)
Posted by: Frank at August 29, 2004 03:58 PM
In my copy of The Great Gatsby, this passage starts on page 119; it's the argument before the car accident...
"Who are you anyhow?" broke out Tom. "You're one of that bunch that hangs around with Meyer Wolfsheim—that much I happen to know. I've made a little investigation into your affairs—and I'll carry it further to-morrow."
"You can suit yurself about that, old sport," said Gatsby steadily.
"I found out what your 'drug-stores' were." He turned to us and spoke rapidly. "He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That's one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn't far wrong."
"What about it?" said Gatsby politely. "I guess your friend Walter Chase wasn't too proud to come in on it."
"And you left him in the lurch, didn't you? You let him go to jail for a month over in New Jersey. God! You ought to hear Walter on the subject of you."
(...)
"That drug-store business was just small change," continued Tom slowly, "but you've got something on now that Walter's afraid to tell me about."
(A great book, of course... I don't want to type forever, worth your re-reading.)
Posted by: Frank at August 29, 2004 04:53 PM
Tom is not exactly an objective observer---but he does recognize the essential fraudulence of Gatsby's self creation. Remember, Wolfsheim was involved in the Black Sox scandal, fixing the World Series, which did tremendous damage to the collective American psyche. Ultimately, though, Tom did more damage than Gatsby: “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together…”
Posted by: Stephen at August 29, 2004 05:13 PM
Well, that's how Fitzgerald's narrator feels, anyway.
More of my thoughts on this are here (including the ultimate question, the [in]validity of comparing Kerry to Gatsby).
Posted by: Frank at August 29, 2004 05:57 PM
I don't get it. Change Gatsby's name to Bill Clinton. If Clinton had been nouveau riche through illegal liquor sales, tried to take anothe man's wife... Wouldn't he be vilified?
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