From the floor of the U.S. Senate chamber that has been his home for over two decades, John Kerry officially announced this afternoon that he would not attempt another bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

After a lengthy speech devoted to criticism of the direction the Iraq war has taken, and his commitment to work on getting America out of the war, Kerry said that despite his desire to help the nation, now is not the right time for him to seek national office, the New York Times reports.

His voice appearing to break at one point, he lamented his defeat in 2004 and offered hope that America’s best days lay ahead.

“Two years ago, I sought the presidency to lead us on a different course. I’m proud of the campaign we ran,” he said.

He also recalled his controversial denunciation of the Vietnam War once he returned home from combat, and recalled that he had asked:

“‘How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?’ I never thought I would be reliving the need to ask that question again. We are there.”

Following his speech on the floor, fellow Democratic senators Ted Kennedy (Mass.) and Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) praised Kerry’s service and called him a “true hero.”

Many other Democrats surely echo that sentiment - but only since Kerry made the announcement that he’s not running. Kerry is, in effect, resigning to a party clearly unreceptive of him, one that has turned its attention to new candidates such as Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (N.Y.).

Many Democrats say they expected Kerry would ultimately decide not to run after assessing his strength - or lack thereof - within his party. As it is, most of his aides from the 2004 campaign have moved on.

Ironically, the coup de gras for Kerry’s hopes for another shot probably was his botched joke during a stump speech for congressional candidates during the 2006 elections. Republicans seized on it and derided him for delivering a joke at the expense of American troops fighting in Iraq.

For many Democrats, the remark was a reminder of the ineptness by Kerry on the campaign trail, including his dubious attempts to explain his changing views on the Iraq war. Most famously, he said he voted for an $87 billion war appropriation before he voted against it - verbatim.

The people of Massachusetts and the entire U.S. owe John Kerry a debt of gratitude for his perpetual championing of many liberal ideals. But with the Iraq war looming as the marquee issue of the 2008 presidential race, the party couldn’t risk putting itself in the hands of a man who seemed hesitant to make a compelling case for George W. Bush’s ouster in 2004.

Lacking a decisive position or strategy for Iraq derailed the senator’s infinitely superior credentials. To borrow a sports cliche, instead of going for the win, he tried not to lose - which is exactly what Kerry the candidate did. A shame, because Kerry the man, war hero and dedicated public servant deserved a lot better.