Kerry Is The Steady Workhorse of The Race

[DrFunkenstein]

Kerry has been around long enough to know that presidential politics sometimes goes through a silly season filled with passionate yearnings for unknown or unattainable candidates.

"Remember where Clinton was in 1992?" Kerry asked rhetorically Monday night during an interview in Detroit. "Everybody thought they needed Mario Cuomo in the race. Everybody thought they needed somebody different."

But Kerry also pointed out that the Democrats went through the same wistful, if-only-somebody-better-were-running exercise in 1976 (the year voters elected Jimmy Carter) and in 1988 (the year they didn't elect Michael Dukakis). "This is the same old," Kerry said. "And it doesn't bother me. It doesn't worry me. I'm steady as I go."

So when does Kerry become "the next new thing"? His answer was emblematic: "I think it's steady as we go, we plug along. We're doing very well."

By almost every measure of the Democratic field (except height, where the 6-foot-4-inch senator is head-and-shoulders above the pack), Kerry is squarely and solidly in the middle. He was skeptical about the go-it-alone nature of the Iraqi invasion, but he never can rival Dean as a war critic. Kerry has spent nearly two decades in the Senate but, unlike Gephardt, never served in the congressional leadership. Kerry was a Vietnam War hero, but his military credentials are now measured against Clark's four-star luster. Even in the fundraising derby, Kerry claims to be running second to Dean.

While media attention has been lavished on Dean and then Clark, Kerry has picked up some high-profile supporters such as California Sen. Dianne Feinstein. A talented political organizer who helped both Jimmy Carter and Gary Hart win New Hampshire primaries, Shaheen may have the political stature to play referee in the bruising internal battles that have characterized the Kerry campaign.

Neither front-runner nor insurgent, neither shimmering Democratic fantasy nor surprise candidate, John Kerry is not likely to pop up soon on a news-magazine cover. But what Kerry has going for him may ultimately prove to be more lasting, a strong position just a bit off the pace as the 10-horse Democratic field heads around the far turn.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20030924/pl_usatoday/11867633

<>

[Brucey]

1. Good for Kerry, we need him in the race.

The more voices, the better. Kerry is a good guy and we need him. If he gets the nom, I will be a big supporter. If he doesn't, I hope all his supporters will join me and others in being a big supporter of ABB. ABB for President!

[deutsey]

2. Exactly

:thumbsup:

[babzilla]

3. or is he the PAC mule of the race?

[blm]

5. Funny, since it is wellknown Kerry never took corporate pac money.

And has advocated for public financing of campaigns as long as he has been in office.

Wonder why you would try to spread such a mischaracterization of a longtime liberal Democrat?

[babzilla]

7. a bad attempt at a pun

I apologize for offending you, I was referring to his concentration on big-money campaigning.

I know that he has snuck into my state a couple of times for high-end fundraising without coordinating any rallies for the benefit of people who might be interested, but not willing to pony up big bucks yet.

I think it would benefit his campaign to set up more public appearances that don't require a large donation.

[blm]

10. He's also been a target of death threats for over 30 years.

You know, from the kind of people who believe he lost the Vietnam war for the country and "others" - probably BFEE loyalists who know that Kerry knows more about them than any other person.

[babzilla]

11. so is that the reason that he can't have a non-fundraising rally?

just checking.

[blm]

12. Probably a factor in

that he doesn't have MANY, but, he does have some. I attended one anonymously in SC.

[babzilla]

13. anonymously?

so the BFEE loyalists know about you too? I had no idea about the cloak & dagger aspects about his campaign. Very interesting.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. Anonymously?

Do the tentacles of the BFEE reach that far?

Have you considered the Witness Protection Program?

I'm obviously joking, perhaps the Kerry campaign would be better served by supporters who are willing to divulge their identity.

[blm]

20. Get real...

I've told you my spouse works in a newsroom that forbids political advocacy. I muted my looks and wore a baseball cap and baggy clothes.

[DrFunkenstein]

15. My Wife And I

Watched Kerry rock out with Moby and Chic on the USS Intrepid for $30 a piece. That's not far from what we would pay just to see Moby - or visit the Intrepid!

[babzilla]

21. that sounds like a good deal for you and your wife

I was just pointing out that the Kerry campaign might expand its base by organizing some free events in conjunction with his high-ticket events.

[w4rma]

14. Campaign finance and Kerry's reelection campaign against Bill Weld

...
So let's go back to 1996, to Kerry's reelection campaign against then-Governor Bill Weld, specifically to the night Weld met Kerry at the senator's wife's Beacon Hill mansion. They finalized an unprecedented agreement to limit advertising spending to $5 million apiece, and to limit the use of personal funds in the campaign to $500,000 apiece.

Good government types hailed the agreement as a major breakthrough. Kerry and Weld basked in the plaudits of editorialists the nation over. Kerry described the pact as "a model for campaign reform across the country."

But a funny thing happened on the way to Election Day. Kerry didn't just violate the deal, he pulverized it. Running out of money in the waning days of October, Kerry mortgaged and remortgaged the Louisburg Square house, ultimately pouring $1.7 million in personal funds into his campaign. For those of you keeping track at home, that's $1.2 million more than the agreement allowed.

As he made a mockery of the pact, he did something else distinctly distasteful. He accused Weld of violating the agreement, a charge that seemed specious at best, an outright lie at worst.

At issue was a discount Weld received from the standard fee his media consultant would reap from all ad spending. It allowed Weld to buy about $400,000 more in ads for his $5 million. Every good campaign negotiates a discount, and the written agreement did not preclude them. Kerry claimed it was a violation of a rule that, well, was never written down.

Still, yesterday, he repeated the charge. "The Kerry campaign took appropriate action to level the playing field," said spokeswoman Kelley Benander, adding, "The situation with Howard Dean is much more serious."

Sure he did, and sure it is.
...
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/09/16/hard_to_pull_for_kerry/
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=11429

[DrFunkenstein]

17. You Keep Repeating This GOP Crap

Only from a conservative slimeball like Brian McGrory - with a long history of BS anti-Kerry articles - would ever argue this. By everyone's acknowledgement, William Weld broke the agreement and Kerry responded. Nice try to spin it, but your attempt is STILL obviously a stretch after posting it over and over.

A follow up on Weld-Kerry from the Windsurfer Magazine interview:

During his celebrated acceptance speech and shortly after the bitter battle that saw Weld's team attack very personally, John Kerry rose above the storm and invited Bill Weld to join him at a local pub so that they could put the past behind them by having a beer of civility.

Six months later, Weld made a bid for the ambassadorship to Mexico-a move that unfortunately brought his political career to a screeching halt. Firmly planted in his way was an intransigent and powerful Jesse Helms, who refused to open the door for a simple hearing. Seeing the injustice, Kerry could have easily stayed in the background. Instead he stood up against the potent Helms and wholeheartedly came to the aid of Weld.

[w4rma]

19. You don't show that the claim is false, DrFunkenstein.

You only show they made up afterwards.

Note, the only reason *I*'m attacking Kerry is because he (and particularly some of his supporters) are constantly attacking Dean using GOP attacks. I'll stop when either Kerry is out of the race or I see some progress in Kerry supporters cracking down on the Dean smears.

Besides, I don't really trust Kerry anymore. He's run a dishonestly negative campaign, IMHO.

[DrFunkenstein]

31. Fair Enough - People See You For What You Are

After Kerry told all the other candidates they weren't from the democratic wing of the party, after he told Graham, Kucinich, Braun, and Sharpton that they were "second-tier" and unelectable, after he called half the field "Bush-lite" and distorted Dean's quote about being "misled" on MTP - after all that, I guess you may have a point. Keep up the good work, and let me know what McGrory says next!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

32. Kerry said Dean wasn't qualified to be President.

Who attacked who at the recent debate?

Stop "crying in your teacups."



It's stupid to hold on to your anger. Put more energy into the campaign instead of meaningless message boards.


On edit- You're basically saying that Kerry can't handle Dean. Dean's attacks were so damaging that Kerry was powerless to respond. It's unfair! Spare me. Stop crying in your teacups and make some goddamned tea already.

[DrFunkenstein]

44. What Post Are You Referring To?

I'm kind of lost (honestly, your posts are getting more and more enigmatic). I'm not sure where I am supposed to be angry, or where I implicitly(?) suggest that Kerry cannot handle Dean. And the fact that I got on a bus to New Hampshire might suggest that I'm at least putting a speck of energy into the campaign.

And I happen to like tea very much! Coffee in the morning, but I love a nice cup of tea at night with some good music.

[w4rma]

37. Then, what am I? (n/t)

[blm]

23. That's Brian McGrory, Boston's version of Deborah Orin.

He spins HIS version of Kerry's spending and you WANT to believe his version when the people of Mass. were quite satisfied in how Kerry handled it.

Enjoy your dependency on rightwingers to smear Kerry. I hope it fulfills your sense of decency.

[w4rma]

25. Why not. I've seen Kerry's actions in *this* campaign.

I can see he's the type of person that would do that in other campaigns. Also, you Kerry supporters on this board would refuse to admit if Kerry were wrong on anything, no matter what the evidence, just like you'd refuse to admit if Dean were correct on anything, no matter what the evidence.

Note, also that you're attacking the messenger, not the message. I've seen nothing to show that Kerry's conduct in that campaign was not as poor as the author said it was.

[blm]

26. But everyone on the left who warns about Dean

has an axe to grind and are untrustworthy or just don't understand him. Like the obtuse Ted Rall who has no functioning brain, or Jimmy Breslin who is just stupid, or Richard Reeves who is an idiot.

[w4rma]

29. I can think and research for myself, thank you

Extremely massive information dump on Gov. Howard Dean, M.D. (v2.0)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=41214

[blm]

36. And yet you rely on Brian McGrory's

version of Kerry, but, ignore Rall, Breslin, Reeves, and even Gary Hart when it comes to Dean.

How wise.

[w4rma]

39. Prove him wrong. Quit attacking the messenger. (n/t)

[LuminousX]

4. Good point

Kerry is the 'Engine that Could' and he just needs to keep his steady pace. I'd like to see him hustle a bit more and get in front a bit, creates some excitement, create a narrative the press can pick up on and incorporate into their reporting, but that is just *my* preference.

Kerry's campaign is solid and we'll see if it will carry through for him in the end. If it does, it will be studied long and hard afterwards to show how he overcame Dean and Clark with his diligent and staid campaign.

[Jim Sagle]

6. You've hit on the answer to the age-old question about Kerry:

Why the long face?

[phillybri]

8. He'll keep chugging away....

He's still the man!

[clar]

9. He may not

be my first pick, but if he gets the nom, I'm with him all the way.

[TheDonkey]

16. It's time for Kerry to turn up the heat!

I'm getting nervous he may be overshadowed as the NH and Iowa primaries are drawing near. I am happy to see Kerry gaining in Iowa though, now just to top NH and I'll be happy.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

22. A workhorse is great for the Senate.

But in a race for the Presidency, I'll take the thoroughbred.

[blm]

24. You're right, Dean let others do the work while he took credit.

He's a showhorse, maybe, but, no thoroughbred. That would take some authenticity that Dean doesn't have.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

27. Dean is a lazy slob. You're absolutely right.

Ten cities in four days for Dean during the "Sleepless Summer Tour."

Everything is handed to him. Nothing is earned. Who should take the credit for Vermont being one of the few fiscally solvent states left in the country?

:shrug:

[blm]

28. Not lazy for himself. He works for himself like a mofo.

But, the firefighters in Vermont and the progressive Dems say that Dean would NOT go to bat for them, or expend himself in any way to push legislation important to them. He was more comfortable aligning with the GOP against them to maintain his centrism.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

30. Everyone makes choices, blm.

Dean wasn't progressive enough for you in one of the most progressive states in the country. Fine. Kerry wasn't progressive enough for me on the IWR, PA and Homeland Security. Fine.

I'm willing to live with my choice. So should you. As long as you vote, I don't care beyond that.

[DrFunkenstein]

33. What Does PA stand for?

Please say Palestinian Authority! I haven't posted the Dean/Sharon connection in days!

Random reminder: If Dean gets the bid, I'll be behind him 103%.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

34. PA=

Practically Absent. From Senate roll call votes.

Or Politically Anonymous.

Personally Abhorent?
Pointedly Assinine?
Partially A-ok?
Probably Adrift?
Politically Awash?
Pompously Aloof?
Philly Asking(for Swiss)
Please Abdicate?
Phenomenally Altitudinous?
Patrician Anomaly?

And most importantly:

Pesky Also-ran?

[DrFunkenstein]

41. How About Penitent Ass-Kisser?

<>

:pals: :pals: :pals: :pals: :pals: :pals: :pals:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

42. Nah.

Patently Absurd?









edit :toast:

[DrFunkenstein]

47. LMAO!!

That's second only to the Trojan Horse!

The fact that Kerry can even be next to that guy, let alone look at him, only proves he has the inner fortitude to take on Bush and Cheney!

I'm crying!:+ :cry:

[indigo32]

35. Nicely Put Rummy

eom

[blm]

38. And you know damn straight that

Dean's long record as a centrist and a hardliner on security issues is evidence of how HE would have voted on all those had he been in Congress.

He "tended to agree with the President" on the curtailing of some liberties and even brought it up himself 3 days after 9-11. Or don't you remember his July 2002 MTP?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

40. I'm more aware than you are of those positions.

Dean "tended" to agree. Kerry DID agree.



What's worse?

[blm]

45. The wordplay and the record should tell you.

He wordplays when he knows the real answer won't play so well with the audience from which he draws support. (see I/P)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

46. "Tended" to agree as opposed to DID agree.

Which one is more acceptable?

It's a pretty easy call. One was conditioned. The other was "Yea."

[PAMod]

43. Kerry is important to this race because he knows what he's talking about.

For the most part, his positions have been formulated over many years and are a starting point for many of the other candidates.

Even his career-altering mistake was only a snapshot in time when he and so many other Democrats were caught up in bad intel, administration lies and ominous public opinion polls.

If this were any other election cycle, I would agree with the basic premise of the article. This year, however, he will most be likely left to the sidelines this election and will be a vital force in the Senate for the new President.