NYT: For Kerry, a Strategic Return to the Limelight

[Pirate Smile]

WASHINGTON — A new old face popped up in the Capitol last week, just in time for President Bush's second inauguration. John Kerry was back.
He had a prominent seat - front but not quite center - at Thursday's inaugural ceremony, where he gamely smiled when the Republican crowd on the National Mall booed his image on the giant television screen. Earlier in the week, he made headlines with his aggressive questioning of Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's nominee for secretary of state, and his announcement that he would vote against her.

-snip-
"In kind of a strange way, I think it was smart to step out on the week that Bush was stepping out," said Steve Jarding, a Democratic strategist. "He is letting people know that he's going to be in Bush's face every step of the way, and if you are John Kerry, that is exactly where you want to be."

At a time when the nation remains bitterly divided and Democrats lack a national figurehead, Mr. Kerry's moves suggest that he is trying to set himself up as a kind of shadow president, a leader to the nearly 58 million Americans who voted for him.

-snip-
"He wants to give voice to the millions who want to be involved in the grassroots, who care deeply about the country, who know we can do better," said Mr. Giesser, insisting that Mr. Kerry is not trying to position himself for 2008. Others in both parties are unconvinced.

"It means he's still got the fire in the belly," Mr. Black, the Republican strategist, said of Mr. Kerry's re-emergence. "So the Clintons better watch out."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/23/weekinreview/23stol.html?adxnnl=1&oref=login&adxnnlx=1106456506-nCTgdzkdY1Lo69j51GUkOw

[usregimechange]

1. Kerry can do some good in that role. He woulda been a goodin nt

[pokercat999]

29. Why fool around.

Instead of being a repug-lite and a repug wannbe just go ahead and switch parties. We need REAL democrats in the Senate not Kerry and Clinton.

[ausiedownunderground]

31. Kerry blew it-Time for some real spine in Democratic America

Kerry's rich so he'll live in splendour for the rest of his life. He's only pissed because he lost to "The Bush Gang"! How anyone could loose to these psycho incompetant evil morons is beyond the rest of the world's comprehension. We would like to shoot Kerry at Dawn! He was a hopless candidate! God he's killed people? At least The Smirking Chimp's a bloody coward! Democrat's need to "block" everything this coward puts up, particularly war (to protect the rest of the world) and nearly all of his domestic policys except the removal of income tax for a consumption tax! This by world standards is huge! We couldn't believe that The Rethuglicans would put a revenue raising change like this!!! Many governments around the world, particularly progressive governments, have seriously thought about this type of tax change to government revenue raising. We have models that we have developed that show that this type of government revenue raising is absolutely faboulous for the middle and lower classes. No longer can the rich jump through income tax "loopholes". They like the rest pay tax when they "consume"!!!! I don't think "The Bush Gang" know what the're proposing here!! This type of government revenue raising will be terrible for the haves and the have mores. But it will be fantastic for the rest of America! Anyway the rest of the world likes the Howard Deans, the Kuchinich's (I can't spell this guys name), Boxer's and hopefully the Obama's of the Democratic world. Hopefully Hillary will get some "Spunk" soon and bloody well tell America where it really is in this world!! Will it be a Steelers V Eagles Superbowl?

[paineinthearse]

2. "He is letting people know that he's going to be in Bush's face every step

Right.......that's why he was AWAL for the electoral vote certification and voted FOR Rice. Gimme a break. Kerry botched two opportunities.

I'm shopping for a new senator.

[usregimechange]

5. Actually he voted against Rice, WTF? nt

[Cobalt Violet]

6. He voted against Rice.

[politicasista]

10. He voted against Rice

Must be a Deaniac or Clarkie.:mad:

[BUSHOUT]

18. Shop for a new news source!

:P

[fshrink]

3. If that's the kind of "fire in the belly" that

made him approve the theft in 48 hours then, yes, the "Clintons" are really the only ones who need to watch out.

[virtualobserver]

4. kerry had his shot and he blew it........

He won't have a prayer of winning the '08 nomination.
It is a little late to be in Bush's face now. He should have tried that when Bush was trying to get an Authorization for war.

[Oversea Visitor]

8. Dont really think he will try to go for

2008. Either he stomps Bush in the face now which I feel he intend to do or forget about 2008. However if he boot Bush out before Bush terms expire, he get to go for a second term.

[politicasista]

9. It's interesting you have a Kerry avitar

:mad: :mad: :puke: :puke:

[virtualobserver]

11. He's the guy I voted for.......

I like John Kerry. But he disappointed me in a number of key ways and I think that he is a fool if he thinks that he has the slightest chance for 2008.

[politicasista]

14. Shame, Shame, Shame

And we are playing right into Smirky's hands oops! we already did that by constantly berating Kerry for being such a lousy, weak, and pathetic candidate that we couldn't care less what kind of president he would have been once he was elected. :cry:

[virtualobserver]

15. I'm actually glad that Bush is the President

His policies will come back to haunt him.

Kerry or any other Democrat would have been blamed for the negative outcome of Bush's decisions.

I don't think that speaking the truth about a candidate is playing into anyone else's hands. Bush is doomed by his own policies and nothing can change that.

[Racenut20]

27. That says/sounds silly to me

[virtualobserver]

34. that doesn't make it any less true.........

Bush has placed us on the brink of financial collapse and inserted us into Iraq with a $100 billion + yearly price tag .

If Kerry had been elected, the same press that gave Bush a free pass would have blamed Kerry for every negative blip. The Republican congress would have attacked him relentlessly.

Kerry would have been attacked for the problems in IRAQ if he didn't leave and attacked for cutting and running if he did.

A Kerry win would have been a nightmare.

[Wilms]

7. Only the shadow president knows. n/t

:think:

[Senator Lamb]

12. he should be a leader of our party

and a representative and a voice to the 48 percent (or more) of Americans who voted for him and our not represented by Bush's destructive policies. though I would not advise an 08 run.

give Kerry a break.

[Wilms]

16. Hard to tell who the "leader" is...

cause every time smirky turns his smirk, there are more Democrats up in it. :grr:

The House and Senate is another one of "Bush's Vietnam". (With all due respect for Veterans.)

[Senator Lamb]

20. I think the leaders are

Kerry, the Clintons, Dean, Boxer, and possibly Wes Clark

[flpoljunkie]

35. Interesting, our shadow president "laying down a marker" to other Dems...

At a time when the nation remains bitterly divided and Democrats lack a national figurehead, Mr. Kerry's moves suggest that he is trying to set himself up as a kind of shadow president, a leader to the nearly 58 million Americans who voted for him.

Mr. Jarding says he sees Mr. Kerry "laying down a marker" to other Democrats, including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who might challenge him for the nomination in 2008. He says Mr. Kerry will be de facto head of his party until someone knocks him off that perch.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/23/weekinreview/23stol.html?adxnnl=1&oref=login&adxnnlx=1106456506-nCTgdzkdY1Lo69j51GUkOw

________
The choice for me in this case would be easy--JK, all the way.

[Just Me]

13. Kerry found what he needed: a cause to fight for.

The man is worldly, brilliant, passionate and strong.

He will take a stand for both the American way and the American people.

I expect even greater things to come from this incredible human being. I really do.

[Ms_Mary]

33. I strongly support Kerry's current actions

I was disappointed at how easily he gave in at the end of the election but had he contested vocally, he would have been made a complete fool by the media and the right wing. In this way, he retains the standing to be vocal and I am thankful that he is there now, advocating for us.

[stepnw1f]

17. Imagine We Could Dissolve the Current Administration

and replace "Dimlight Doer" with Kerry.

[Oversea Visitor]

19. Your wish

will come true. Loyalty to Bush does not extend to the destruction of America or the Republican Party.

The tide is turning, Bush better wake up before a tsunami hit him.

[d_b]

21. Any video footage links

of Kerry questioning her?

[proudbluestater]

22. Try C-Span.org

[jfern]

23. Kerry had better come out strongly against death squads

He should say something like "This is worse than the Iran contra scandal that I broke 17 years ago"

[earth mom]

24. I'm happy if what Kerry is doing is to get in Dubyas face

and never give him a moments peace! Kerry is slowly but surely winning me back and I am anticipating much more from him. I'm starting to really believe that he has a plan to bring about *s downfall.

Also, I prefer Kerry 1000 times more than Hillary Clinton who I never liked all that much anyway and who has now just totally turned me off with her faith based whatever crap she was spewing the other day. Give me a break! :eyes: More than anything else, Kerry has shown he has integrity which is something I can't say for old Hillary who seems to be testing which way the wind is blowing every time she turns around. I just can't respect that. It's bullshit.

Go Kerry! :bounce:

[rodeodance]

25. Like oher Senators he a chance to make a difference and I will stand

behind the Dems. "In his (BushCo) face" sounds grand to me!!

[rodeodance]

26. difficult to say if article is making fun of him or praising him-maybe

both? This article is pure speculation!! On the other hand, it would be great Kerry did play this role to the hilt (shadow president).

I bet the Right media really makes a joke of this????



.....At a time when the nation remains bitterly divided and Democrats lack a national figurehead, Mr. Kerry's moves suggest that he is trying to set himself up as a kind of shadow president, a leader to the nearly 58 million Americans who voted for him........

[Demit]

28. In addition to making fun of him, the article understates the vote total

Kerry ultimately got--59,028,548. (See http://uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/national.php?f=0)

The NYT is no friend to the Dems. "Like an actress arriving fashionably late..." to describe a presidential candidate? It's one of the reasons I cancelled my subscription. Not only are they hardly subtle in their put-downs, they allow crappy writing like this besides.

[Pirate Smile]

32. Right. "Fashionably late" because he was visiting 8 countries including

Iraq, Syria, Israel, Palestinian territories, France, Germany and Britain. Oh, yeah, what a slacker. :eyes:

[Just Me]

36. He certainly deserves acknowledgement for those efforts.

I am certain he has a far better handle on alternative SUCCESSFUL avenues to re-establishing international stability than this neoCONimperialist tyranny. Of course, a tyranny seeks destabilization as a means to rule by forces; hence, our regime refuse to even explore alternative avenues to peace.

[gademocrat7]

30. Senator Kerry

will continue to keep bush failures in the public eye. If he can bring rummy down, it will be a start.