Four years ago at this gathering Sen. John Kerry famously "reported for duty" as his party's presidential nominee. In 2008 he has had to concede that role to Barack Obama, who used that same convention stage in Boston to launch his own national political career. But if this Navy man will indulge us an Army metaphor we would note that, on the national stage, Kerry remains the loyal soldier.

It seems the passage of time has done for our junior senator what it has been harder for Hillary Clinton to do. Only the pettiest of pundits could argue her speech on Tuesday night and her show of unity yesterday was anything less than a full-throated endorsement of Obama. But frustration and disappointment remain palpable in Clinton circles while Kerry, since his early endorsement, has flown hither and yon to promote Obama's own fitness for duty.

It was a role he took up again on the convention stage last night, a night focused on security.

"When we choose a commander-in-chief this November we are electing judgment and character, not years in the Senate or years on this earth," Kerry said. "Time and again, Barack Obama has seen farther, thought harder and listened better - and time and again, Barack Obama has been proven right."

And while dishing up the red meat Kerry also managed to poke a little fun at himself, citing, for example, John McCain's change of heart on the Bush tax cuts.

"Talk about being for it before you're against it," he said.

No, John Kerry is not above lamenting what "coulda been." In a meeting at the Herald this summer he was quick to point out that it was his health care plan on which Obama and Clinton modeled theirs, that his views on Iraq were "proven right" by the Maliki government's call for a withdrawal timetable.

But at the same time he insisted he is not "wistful." Those watching last night would be hard-pressed to doubt him.