A new, improved Kerry for 2008
A new, improved Kerry for 2008By Virginia BuckinghamBoston Herald Columnist Tuesday, January 23, 2007
If electability really is the Democrats’ chief concern, the alternative to Sen. Hillary Clinton as the party’s nominee will not be Barack Hussein Obama, an admitted drug user with the foreign policy credentials of, well, a state legislator from Illinois. And then there’s the unfortunate name, which shouldn’t matter but will. So why not Sen. John Forbes Kerry? If Kerry’s worst sin is that he ran a lousy campaign last time, as Democratic heavyweight (and Clinton backer) Terry McAuliffe’s new book charges, then that can be easily addressed. Experience, after all, is the best teacher. And as far as I know, no one is planning to make a documentary about Kerry that could pack the punch of “Fahrenheit 911” in the 2008 race, as writer/consultant Dick Morris is trying to do about Clinton.
Here are a few other reasons Kerry should officially jump into the field. The Swift Boat has sailed. Despite all the whispers about another shoe dropping in the Kerry Vietnam story, one never did and my money is on the fact that one never will. The Swiftboaters took their best shot and while it was a pretty good one, it wasn’t decisive in the 2004 outcome. Everything there is to know about John Kerry’s record is known. Obama? Well, for starters, we’re just hearing a bit about the senator’s early education at a madrassah in Indonesia. Yes, the source is Insight Magazine, run by the Moonies, but I haven’t heard a strong denial from the Obama camp. What else will we learn about this Democratic “rock star” in the YouTube era? Early cash is no problem. Some argue, as Republican strategist Matthew Dowd did in yesterday’s New York Times [NYT], that having a big campaign war chest early won’t be as important this cycle because of the ability to use the Internet to reach voters. Maybe, but a serious contender needs a serious campaign organization and that takes money. Kerry can both raise it and write a check. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson? Not so much. He owns the issues. Even more than 2004, foreign policy and national security will be the key issues in 2008. If Kerry’s able to tamp down an annoying grade school tendency to whine “I told you so” he has a great story to tell about an Iraq quagmire he predicted in 2004 coming true. Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Wes Clark, Dennis Kucinich. No need to belabor that Kerry is actually the most likable of the bunch, and that’s saying something. The strongest contender, other than Kerry, for an “electable alternative to Hillary and Obama” candidate is former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. But surely Democrats picture him being virtually patted on the head up on a debate stage with John McCain. No stature gap exists between Kerry and any of the potential GOP nominees. The ridiculously early start to the 2008 campaign season (with two debates/forums scheduled this spring in early primary states New Hampshire and South Carolina) also works to Kerry’s advantage. He doesn’t have to make a call on giving up his Senate seat until May 6, 2008, when he must submit 10,000 voter signatures on nomination papers to city and town clerks for certification. By then his presidential fate will have been decided by earlier contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and a handful of others. [continue]
There is no reason Kerry shouldn’t stay in the game through this year and early into the next. The worst that can happen is a few Massachusetts congressmen who want his seat get their noses out of joint. The best that can happen is he’ll win the nomination. Which would you choose?
http://news.bostonherald.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=178625&format=&page=1
If electability really is the Democrats’ chief concern, the alternative to Sen. Hillary Clinton as the party’s nominee will not be Barack Hussein Obama, an admitted drug user with the foreign policy credentials of, well, a state legislator from Illinois. And then there’s the unfortunate name, which shouldn’t matter but will. So why not Sen. John Forbes Kerry? If Kerry’s worst sin is that he ran a lousy campaign last time, as Democratic heavyweight (and Clinton backer) Terry McAuliffe’s new book charges, then that can be easily addressed. Experience, after all, is the best teacher. And as far as I know, no one is planning to make a documentary about Kerry that could pack the punch of “Fahrenheit 911” in the 2008 race, as writer/consultant Dick Morris is trying to do about Clinton.
Here are a few other reasons Kerry should officially jump into the field. The Swift Boat has sailed. Despite all the whispers about another shoe dropping in the Kerry Vietnam story, one never did and my money is on the fact that one never will. The Swiftboaters took their best shot and while it was a pretty good one, it wasn’t decisive in the 2004 outcome. Everything there is to know about John Kerry’s record is known. Obama? Well, for starters, we’re just hearing a bit about the senator’s early education at a madrassah in Indonesia. Yes, the source is Insight Magazine, run by the Moonies, but I haven’t heard a strong denial from the Obama camp. What else will we learn about this Democratic “rock star” in the YouTube era? Early cash is no problem. Some argue, as Republican strategist Matthew Dowd did in yesterday’s New York Times [NYT], that having a big campaign war chest early won’t be as important this cycle because of the ability to use the Internet to reach voters. Maybe, but a serious contender needs a serious campaign organization and that takes money. Kerry can both raise it and write a check. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson? Not so much. He owns the issues. Even more than 2004, foreign policy and national security will be the key issues in 2008. If Kerry’s able to tamp down an annoying grade school tendency to whine “I told you so” he has a great story to tell about an Iraq quagmire he predicted in 2004 coming true. Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Wes Clark, Dennis Kucinich. No need to belabor that Kerry is actually the most likable of the bunch, and that’s saying something. The strongest contender, other than Kerry, for an “electable alternative to Hillary and Obama” candidate is former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. But surely Democrats picture him being virtually patted on the head up on a debate stage with John McCain. No stature gap exists between Kerry and any of the potential GOP nominees. The ridiculously early start to the 2008 campaign season (with two debates/forums scheduled this spring in early primary states New Hampshire and South Carolina) also works to Kerry’s advantage. He doesn’t have to make a call on giving up his Senate seat until May 6, 2008, when he must submit 10,000 voter signatures on nomination papers to city and town clerks for certification. By then his presidential fate will have been decided by earlier contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and a handful of others. [continue]
There is no reason Kerry shouldn’t stay in the game through this year and early into the next. The worst that can happen is a few Massachusetts congressmen who want his seat get their noses out of joint. The best that can happen is he’ll win the nomination. Which would you choose?
http://news.bostonherald.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=178625&format=&page=1
posted by presgore19 at 7:24 AM
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