Do you know, it occurred to me why John Kerry likes windsurfing so much. But more than that, why it’s so fitting a pastime for him that it’s become a sort of surrogate for how out of touch he is.

In windsurfing or kitesurfing - or sailing, for that matter - you choose a destination, or a course, that you want to follow. The winds may be blowing in any direction, and can shift at any time. They may even be competing with one another to buffet you about.

The intrepid windsurfer must be adept at flinging his sail about to any direction on the compass, at a moment’s notice and without regret or hesitation, to catch the prevailing wind, and shunt its power toward his goal. The sail at any time may be pointed ahead, behind, left or right, depending on which way the wind blows. But so far as the windsurfer’s concerned, it’s just what you have to do to get where you want to go. The winds don’t mean anything; they and the water are just tools to be deftly manipulated and ridden to achieve your ends.

Now you tell me: is that John Kerry — the politician — or what?

UPDATE: The Bush campaign is now running an ad showing Kerry windsurfing.

“John Kerry,” the ad says, referring to what it calls shifting positions on Iraq, education and health care. “Whichever way the wind blows.”

Heh heh.