Possible Bill Bradley endorsement for Howard Dean

[unfrigginreal]

Dean to make surprise visit to N.H.

Bradley endorsement expected

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff, 1/5/2004

NEW HAMPTON, Iowa -- Howard Dean, whose presidential campaign has already won the backing of former vice president Al Gore, is planning a surprise visit to New Hampshire Tuesday in expectation of receiving the endorsement of the other leading Democratic contender from the 2000 race, former US senator Bill Bradley.

Democrats in New Hampshire and other parts of New England have been invited to a previously unscheduled appearance by Dean in Manchester for what is being billed as "a very special breakfast'' at which "a surprise endorsement is in store.'' Dean had been scheduled to attend a pancake breakfast in Muscatine, Iowa, about the same time, before participating in a candidate forum in Des Moines in the early afternoon.

A senior aide traveling early this morning with Dean in northern Iowa authenticated the invitation but refused to say that Bradley was planning to endorse Dean, explaining, "Nothing is confirmed at this point.'' The aide acknowledged that scrapping the early-morning event in Iowa, whose kickoff caucuses are two weeks from tonight, Monday would be unusual, particularly on the day of a debate, but the aide explained, "It wouldn't be the only wacky thing we've done in this campaign.'' Dean is expected to fly back to Des Moines to participate in the candidate forum.

snip

The endorsement would also provide a last-minute tweak to Dean's main rival in New Hampshire, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts. His New Hampshire campaign is led by former governor Jeanne Shaheen and her husband, William, and aided by former Gore aide Michael J. Whouley of Boston's Dewey Square Group. All three of them were credited with Bradley's last-minute defeat in New Hampshire.

Asked about Kerry by sfpolitics.com, Bradley said only: "Well, let's go on.''

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/01/05/dean_to_make_surprise_visit_to_iowa/

[slinkerwink]

1. holy crap! a Bradley endorsement!

and this is the same guy that ran against Gore!

*jaw drops* this is simply astonishing.

[bearfartinthewoods]

30. for the benifit of former congressional interns

fyi...bradley was the also a senator from NJ and formerly a basketball player.

[tedoll78]

2. Hooo-ly crap!

Phenominal! Excellent timing - this will keep Dean in the headlines for another few days, in addition of course to his magazine covers..

[slinkerwink]

3. and black out Clark's announcement speech tomorrow of his domestic plan

this is a very masterful political stroke to dominate the political news cycle for this week.

[Rowdyboy]

7. Come on now, don't be hateful

It doesn't look good on you. Its a cheap substitute for class.

Be generous, always be generous, especially to your rivals...

[slinkerwink]

9. I'm not being hateful, just in shock, and amused by how this is played out

[Rowdyboy]

13. I must admit, I am ASTOUNDED

by the establishment support for Dean. 2/3rds of the party has already endorsed him

[slinkerwink]

16. the Dean campaign is so masterful at timing important endorsements!

that's what continues to amaze me about this campaign---it literally is a whirlwind campaign where anything can happen....

[SahaleArm]

18. Astounded at playing politics? Trippi has gone through many...

failed presidential bids, he's not a newbie. The timing is the way it is for a reason, to pre-empt Clark's announcement. All politicians want to pre-empt their opponents talking points and media coverage, Dean is no different.

[slinkerwink]

19. no, it's political savvy in keeping yourself out in the front, and others

in the back, that's the rules of the game.

[SahaleArm]

20. Huh? That was my point n/t

[slinkerwink]

21. I know, and you were trying to make it sound negative

[SahaleArm]

22. Politics is hardball - Dean isn't doing this out of kindness n/t

[slinkerwink]

23. nope. That's what you need to beat Bush is to play hardball

so if Dean's the nominee, I'd expect him to pre-empt Bush on issues which he did by supporting the amnesty program for illegal aliens, to take a large portion of the southwestern minority vote away from Bush.

[SahaleArm]

24. So long as it doesn't involve whining to the head of the DNC or RNC ;) n/t

[slinkerwink]

25. oh please, Terry McAuliffe is a wimp

[SahaleArm]

27. Make it stop Terry - the other Dems are hurting me...

:evilgrin:

[slinkerwink]

28. mmm, funny, so far Dean's staying high in the polls......

methinks he's really not being hurt, but is calling out the head of the DNC with the purpose of rallying the Democratic base against what they see as the ineffectiveness of the old Democratic party leadership? Yep, classic old gambit of rallying the people.

[SahaleArm]

29. Crying for help under the guise of unity? Good one ;) n/t

[slinkerwink]

4. man, this is great news!

:bounce:

[tedoll78]

5. Wow..

I am so friggin' psyched!

Maybe he can get Gore and Bradley to do a joint appearance, as an example of what Democratic unity looks like? :party:

[JVS]

6. Nice

[Melodybe]

11. Holy Crap, I LOVED Bill Bradley!!! Gore/Bradley is huge!

If they give a joint endorsement with photo ops, it could be the symbol of Democratic unity!!! YAY for Dean!!! Yay for us!


:toast: :bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast: :bounce: :party: :party: :party:

[slinkerwink]

17. there's no mention of Gore being invited to this announcement

but a Bradley endorsement is still big news!

[mouse7]

8. BREAKING: SURPRISE VISIT NO LONGER SURPRISE

Who's the genius editor that announced what had been planned to be a surprise event on the front page and still calls the event a "surprise"?

[slinkerwink]

10. it's still a surprise because this was broken out this night, and

this announcement is going to get major media play in the news.

[w13rd0]

12. In a masterful symbolic gesture...

...Bradley and Gore will appear on stage together to campaign for and endorse Howard Dean. Ok, I'm making that up, but wouldn't that be...oh, just...RICH?

[slinkerwink]

15. yes, that would be fucking rich!

but it's Bradley that might appear on stage with a couple of local politicos to endorse Dean anyway ;-)

[giantrobot_2000]

14. Wow

I'm impressed!

[slinkerwink]

26. thanks!

:hi:

[Freddie Stubbs]

31. Dean already has number of endorsements from NJ

Including the governor and several members of Congress.

[LuminousX]

32. So, the two people who were fighting for the nomination 4 years ago

both are supporting Dean.

The Bradley endorsement means more to me than the Gore endorsement... holy crap. So far all the politicians I respect except for a couple handfuls who endorsed Kerry are endorsing Dean. This is fantastic. I love starting a new year off with great news.

[rucky]

33. Anybody know how many letters BB received from Dean supporters?

He was one of the three pols the Dean campaign asked supporters to write letters to back in October. Gore was another. Jesse Jackson was the third (which I don't see happening, even tho he was the one I wrote). 2 outta 3 ain't bad.