Besides needing an urgent Botox boost (click to supersize), the Lurch campaign has some other "issues" as they traipse towards the convention.

Mickey Kaus (July 22, 6:12 PM) spots a weird one:

Kerry was so soporific and frozen-featured in his Tom Brokaw interview last night (Wednesday) that while he was talking the network resorted to running moving photographs of a 9/11 poster, a candle, a child in a field of flags, a U.S. soldier on patrol, a flag-draped coffin, etc. --instead of the traditional head shot of the candidate answering the anchor's questions. ... Maybe next time they can show film of John Edwards on the stump or sneak in an update of the box scores.

Sheesh, when was the last time the newshawks had a "big interview" and did not focus on the subject? This guy's a real lead balloon.

Anyhow, the AP's Nedra Pickler entranced us all by running with the meme that Kerry to Show Soft Side Before Convention:

As John Kerry winds his way across the country and ultimately to Boston to accept the Democratic presidential nomination next week, he'll be talking more about something he hasn't discussed much in his campaign - John Kerry.

Nedra must not be keeping up with current events.

Many Democrats say he needs to reveal more of himself if he's going to win over voters. Besides, they say, his biography may be his best asset - particularly his lauded service in the Vietnam War.

Hey, did you know he served in Vietnam? And stabbed his fellow soldiers in the back when he returned after his four month resume-enhancing drive by? Hmm, they may skip the last part.

During the convention, Kerry hopes to move beyond his Senate voting record to define himself as a husband, father, combat veteran, tough prosecutor, national security expert, outdoorsman and man of faith, according to a campaign message document.

They left out lying crapsack, but that's OK. We'll help him out. Follow the link for more heartstring tugging, but here's a sample:

This is an emotional side of Kerry that he rarely shows publicly. At campaign stops he often asks voters personal questions about their health, their age and even their income, but he doesn't reveal much about his own feelings or share personal stories. He usually leaves that duty to people who campaign with him, including his children, his wife and his former Navy crewmates from the Vietnam.

Sounds real warm to me!

Kerry communications director Stephanie Cutter said the convention and the events leading up to it give Kerry a chance to tell the voters "what's in his heart."

Gosh, he's going to share!

"By the end of the week, they'll have a sense of who the man is," Cutter said.

Then the campaign's in real trouble!

Nedra also has another high sugar update from Friday which reveals:

After the rally, the Massachusetts senator headed to Fitzsimons Army Hospital in the Denver suburb of Aurora, where he was born 61 years ago in December and lived for his first three months.

"I started making noise in here and I'm still making noise," Kerry said as he looked around the former nursery, which is now just an empty room.

Similar sounds too. And to reinforce the multifaceted John Kerry riff:

On Friday, his campaign unveiled a new television ad meant to do just that. In the ad, Edwards talks about "somethings about John Kerry you may not know."

Maybe they'll cover him meeting with the North Vietnamese in Paris for a songfest?