Kerry's staff ignites VP tempest

[JI7]

<MINNEAPOLIS -- Sen. John Kerry's humor typically does not trigger alarm bells.

But on Friday morning, just as radio listeners were sipping their morning coffee, aides to the Democratic presidential candidate thought he was on the verge of answering the campaign's most closely held question: Who is the running mate?

It instantly traveled from Michigan to ABC Radio Network to Kerry headquarters and even to President Bush's re-election campaign, which monitors each word the Democratic rival utters. In late afternoon, it was dramatically announced on CNN.

Lost in translation, however, was the rest of Kerry's answer in which he revealed he had nothing new to say about a prospective running mate. As he always does, Kerry said, "I don't want to get into any speculation at all to be honest with you."

"We believe America wants a president with a sense of humor and a deep and abiding commitment to keeping the press on their toes," said spokesman David Wade. "A joke is a joke is a joke."

As Kerry flew home to Boston late Friday, he apologized to a CNN producer on his campaign plane. With a smile on his face, he told reporters: "Don't ever write about me being dour and sober and somber.">

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0406050169jun05,1,1392314.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

[I thought so.]

1. yesterdays papers.

The Trib is well behind the curve.

[Padraig18]

2. Today is the first day the Trib *could* have printed it.

It's a morning paper. :)

[sabbat hunter]

3. link

the link given asks you to register to see the site. anyway to see the article without having to go thru that?


peace
david
:hippie:

[JI7]

4. try this

put in "babalus" for both name and password.

[Null Pointer]

5. I'm sorry...

I totally don't understand this article. What happened?

[emulatorloo]

6. Kerry jokingly said he was gonna name a VP Asap, the interviewer took

it seriously, it spread like wildfire, Judy Woodruff breathlessly reported it etc etc etc.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. Transcription error starts rumor that Kerry named running mate

From his hotel room here, Kerry was conducting a telephone interview with WJR radio in Detroit. The Massachusetts senator demurred when asked about his vice presidential selection, but went on to answer host Frank Beckmann's questions about his Michigan campaign chief.

Confusion ensued, though, when campaign workers hurriedly transcribed the interview and mistakenly dropped the question about hiring the Michigan state director. Instead, a Kerry-issued transcript mistakenly left the impression that he had nearly revealed his vice presidential pick.

"Yeah, we'll have that done very, very shortly," Kerry said. "We've really got most of them in place and we're on the short list and we'll have it done in a matter of days." "Will you announce it now?" Beckman prodded.

"Yeah, absolutely," Kerry said. "That was my plan and let me see now, I'll run through the list."


<snip>

Lost in translation, however, was the rest of Kerry's answer in which he revealed he had nothing new to say about a prospective running mate. As he always does, Kerry said, "I don't want to get into any speculation at all to be honest with you."

<snip>

For much of Friday afternoon, the campaign staff tried to downplay the senator's radio comments. It was only discovered late Friday evening that the interview actually had been transcribed in error.
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/politics/8842763.htm

[no name no slogan]

8. HAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Gotta love gullable reporters!

Yes indeed, one of the great benefits of an instantaneous news cycle is that reporters no longer bother checking facts before the story spreads around the globe.

I didn't go to his appearance yesterday, but he did pretty well from the reports I've heard. He drew around 5,000 on a weekday at the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, which is quite good-- especially considering how annoying parking is around there, and the fact that almost everybody in Mpls/St Paul drives because the public transportation system here is so substandard.

It was his third visit since the beginning of the year, IIRC. I guess we really are a swing state this year!

[AgadorSparticus]

9. ROFL!!! UTTERLY FANTASTIC!

i think this is what he needs more of in his campaign. good for him! it will also be a stark contrast to bush's constantly dour face and somber tone.