It was also in Cloquet that Kerry laid claim to "conservative values," poaching on the president's territory (though, to be fair, Bush started it by stealing compassion from the Democrats). "It's hard to square that statement with his previous statement when he said, 'I'm a liberal and proud of it,' " Bush responded, accusing Kerry of being "out of step with the mainstream values that are so important to our country."

 The examples Bush and his campaign cited to show that Kerry is no conservative were telling: They noted that the senator voted against funding for the war in Iraq, opposed the federal ban on "partial birth" abortions, and resisted the administration's efforts to give tax dollars to religious groups that offer social services. A true conservative, apparently, supports war aimed not at defense but at remaking the world in our image; favors overriding state decisions about how to regulate abortion; and thinks it's a fine idea to coerce charity and make religious organizations dependent on government largess.

 In short, Kerry is on to something when he says Bush does not truly stand for conservative values. On spending, trade, civil liberties and federalism, the president has been a bitter disappointment to supporters of limited government. His main appeal to conservatives now is his backing for a constitutional amendment that would prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages -- a proposal that betrays a decidedly unconservative attitude toward our founding document and the system of government it established.

 Which is not to say that Kerry has a more constrained vision of the federal government's powers. At a July 4 barbecue in Independence, Iowa, where he faulted Bush for lack of fealty to conservative values, he implied it's the president's responsibility to make sure people do not pay too much for medicine, education or child care.

 Maybe that's what Kerry means by good values: Under his administration, we'll all get more for our money.