Kerry is "vetting" DNC Chair candidates and "putting down marker for '08"

[ClarkUSA]

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is vetting the leading candidates to be the next Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman, and asking them to remain neutral in the presidential selection process in 2008. It is the latest indication that Kerry is putting down markers to run again for the partyÕs presidential nomination in 2008.

His outreach to DNC candidates also marks his return to the fray after Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, that candidate he was backing for chairman, ruled himself out of contention in November.

<snip>

Over the past six weeks, Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.), Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y,), New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and Kerry have been in touch with former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard, said Webb and Blanchard Ñ the two DNC candidates who agreed to speak on the record on this issue. Those are the same names that several other DNC candidates, or their campaigns, have privately said they contacted.

Former Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards (D-N.C.) has had limited contact with the DNC field, several campaigns said.

But Kerry appears to be the only potential candidate in Õ08 to maintain an open line of communication with the DNC candidates and has further set himself apart by requesting that the next DNC chairman remain neutral three years hence, when the Democratic selection process begins anew. Last week, Kerry asked former Rep. Tim Roemer (D-Ind.), whose home-state Democratic senator, Bayh, may run, to remain neutral.

<snip>

Kerry has also been trading phone calls with the man who ran his presidential campaign in Michigan, Donnie Fowler. KerryÕs conversations with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean have increased in frequency.

<snip>

Several of the campaigns said that Dean is all but a shoo-in to be on the final ballot, with all of the other candidates scrambling to be among the last two or three standing.

ÒDean has the highest floor and the lowest ceiling,Ó a strategist for one of the rival campaigns said. Blanchard, who did not attend the first regional gathering of DNC delegates in Atlanta, said, ÒI do believe Howard deserves a second chance. I donÕt know if this is the position for him, and this is not an endorsement, but he deserves a second look.Ó

BlanchardÕs interest in being chairman appears to be on the wane, and a source close to him said his initial interest was sparked by Kerry and Clinton. ÒWhen people close to Senator Kerry and Senator Clinton say, ÔYou should take a look at this,Õ you take a look at it.Ó

However, Blanchard said that he now believes it is a Òtwo personÓ job and that he would only be interested in the position if there were Òtwo tiers,Ó with an operational arm divided from the chairmanÕs office.

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/011205.html

[tjdee]

1. This isn't from Kerry's mouth--but he's *that* concerned about 2008?

Honestly.

I know the media blah blah blah...I don't want to believe that Kerry is already thinking about 2008 when his last election was less than 6 months ago and he was so blase about that one!

[Gay Ranger]

2. John Kerry...

Will be a serious candidate until the first batch of primaries and then he will be defeated into irrelevance. His rolling over without a fight did not set well with too many people.

[KittyWampus]

3. Ah, A Ray Of Sunshine...

[Gay Ranger]

9. I am not bashing Kerry...

but the primaries are a vetting process and he will go in with a defeat in the previous election and his quick concession as baggage. Not the best way to start a race. He made a valiant effort, gave it a good go, but came up short.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Ah, but Kerry has $20+ million from Concession 2004 going into 2008

That buys alot of staffers, offices, ads, commercials, networking, advisors, lawyers, etcetera. What a huge advantage $20+ million buys!

If Vilsack is running in 2008, we know who'll win Iowa, don't we? Is the next DNC Chairman (who I hope will be Dean with Rosenberg as COO) going to change that f*cked-up front-loaded primary calendar based around Iowa and NH?

[Cheswick2.0]

5. I tend to agree

Actually I think life will intervene in the meantime and we have no idea what will happen between now and then.

[txaslftist]

27. I hope you are right...

Kerry didn't fare so well against GWB, and the GOP successor to the crown may have a brain inside as well.

[ClarkUSA]

10. 2 DNC Chair candidates confirmed Kerry had contacted them about this

I included that part above but if you read the article, there is more.

[ClarkUSA]

15. btw, The Hill is a Capitol insider's read

[tjdee]

16. Well, it irritates me.

:grr:

I didn't click over to the article because I didn't want to get all riled up, LOL.

My initial feeling during the primaries was that Kerry was an egomaniac whose eye was more than slightly on his own glory rather than the welfare of the country, but I was told otherwise. I think he cares about people, but I think he cares about himself an awful lot too.

Which makes his actions on November 3rd even more ridiculous.

I don't want to badmouth him anymore, so I'll stop.

[ClarkUSA]

21. You're not the only one, tjdee

Good assessment, if you ask me.

[okieinpain]

17. that's because in 08, he won't be running against one of his frat

brothers

[JaneQPublic]

4. Kerry needs to get over himself. Many of his voters already have. (nt)

[KittyWampus]

6. This Entire DNC Chair Thing Is Really Interesting To Watch Objectively

I haven't anyone in mind.

It's hard to take what ANY newspaper, blog etc says about ANYONE now.

There's so much propaganda out there and so much of it is intended to harm Democrats.

[janx]

12. Exactly.

It's really out of control. The media are completely unreliable.

[ClarkUSA]

14. Repeat: 2 DNC Chair candidates confirmed Kerry spoke to them about this

The Hill is a publication which everybody in the Capitol reads assiduously.

[janx]

20. I don't doubt that. Kerry has been talking to Dean. Dean has

been talking to the Clintons. Dean said as much when asked today. Everybody is talking to everybody.

But speculation is rampant, and what passes for news these days is lucricrous.

[ClarkUSA]

30. When you have verifiable sources of specific info....

it's not ludicrous. At that point, it becomes logical deduction or educated guessing.

[Blue Shark]

7. Yeah Right!...

...Not in his wildest DREAMS!

To walk away from an election you won ... and leave us with BushCo is JUST the candidate we are looking for.

[HeatherG.]

25. How was it going to get overturned?

Machine manipulation is hard to prove. Looking at chads would probably bring the margin closer but I doubt it would have been enough. I wanted to believe it was possible. But you are angry at the wrong man. He would have looked like a desperate power hungry politician to many of the same people he needs votes from, and then when he failed to overturn the election any future chance of being president would have been blown.

[napi21]

8. I really hope Kerry doesn\'t run in 2008.

I'm ashamed of the American people, but they really do seem to vote for the candidate with the charisma. I still keep hearing the "I just like GWB." Sure there are some who are single issue voters, but the ones who actually swing the election are the ones who don't pay a lot of attention to the issues, but look at a couple of ads, and the face and smile of a candidate, and say "I like that one, and I'm gonna vote for him".

Charisma just isn't Kerry's thing.

[HeatherG.]

18. Please Don't Write Off Kerry

There are very few people that are widely believed to be charismatic. It is like with Dean. Some people found Dean very charismatic and others just didn't get it. Unless we have some very politically gifted candidate running that I don't know about I doubt the next feild of candidates will be any more charismatic than the last. I don't think the republicans will be able to find another fake good old boy type with the same appeal to the anti-intellectuals as Bush does for a long time.

[CrispyQ]

23. You state:

"I don't think the republicans will be able to find another fake good old boy type with the same appeal to the anti-intellectuals as Bush does for a long time."

I've wondered about that too, especially with brother Jeb. (I know he says he isn't interested in running for prez, but can anyone believe a Boosh?)

W supporters may go with brother Jeb simply because he's W's brother, but I don't think he has nearly the (I hate to use this word!) 'appeal' that W has.

[jrthin]

11. Mr. Kerry, my opinion

probably doesn't matter to you, but, please the f*ck don't run. You won't get my vote.

[arcos]

19. I thought Chris Heinz said Kerry was staying out?? nt

[Cheswick2.0]

22. I thought so too

[TeacherCreature]

24. I guess that was one of those....

"Exaggerations"!!!

(to quote the great idiot boy himself...)

[roguevalley]

26. this is wearying. He needs to stay the hell out. He had his time. The

party belongs to us and not the 'elite' and the last candidate. I want someone who won't acquiess to Kerry. His judgment leaves something to be desired after this election. I want a butt kicker in there. I agree with Ted Kennedy. We are either ourselves or we are irrelevant. Back off Kerry and Clintons and everyone else.

[txaslftist]

28. Wesley Clark, Howard Dean, Russ Feingold...

Strong, principled democrats who say what they mean and stand up for our principles.

Please let's get at least one of them on a presidential ticket in '08!

Kerry, sorry. I loved ya, guy, and I voted for you, but you don't have what it takes. There is a point where you can compromise yourself out of the running.

[ClarkUSA]

31. Amen...or a combination of the above would be nice!

[Kitsune]

29. Blah, the last thing we need...

...is a useless candidate who doesn't care enough to contest an obviously flawed election. I wasted my vote on Kerry. That won't happen again.

[Mirwib]

32. There are several **recent** cases where a candidate got a second chance

Adlai Stevenson got to run in 1952 and 1956 against Eisenhower (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adlai_Stevenson ). Nixon got to run for president in both 1960 and 1968 (or course Nixon also got that infamous try in 1972). So, in 2008 it will have been 40 years since a major party gave a candidate a second chance and 52 years since the Democratic Party did the same. I just cannot see it happening again any time soon.