Seth Gitell's prediction

[whometense]

http://gitell.wordpress.com/2006/10/17/another-view-of-kerrys-big-week/

Another View of Kerry’s Big Week
October 17th, 2006 by gitell

Scot Lehigh, a political columnist with The Boston Globe, also thought Kerry did well in New Hampshire last Friday. Lehigh, who like Jon Keller, Michael Crowley, and me, had the job of political writer for The Boston Phoenix, where Adam Reilly and David Bernstein both work on the political beat. Lehigh raises a point I neglect; that is, whether Kerry, whose senate term is up in 2008, will run for president or senate. Lehigh asserts Kerry has “plenty of time to decide”. I’ll go out on a limb here. This will be Kerry’s last term in the Senate.

I'm inclined to agree.

[StoryTeller]

1. That's a cool way of putting it...

"I’ll go out on a limb here. This will be Kerry’s last term in the Senate."

The writer in me really likes that phrasing. And the Kerrycrat in me REALLY likes the sentiment behind it. :)

[whometense]

2. More from Gitell

(apologies if someone else already posted this)

http://www.nysun.com/pf.php?id=41645

Kerry Plunges Forward

BY SETH GITELL
October 17, 2006
URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/41645


Traffic choked Elm Street in Manchester, N.H., on Friday night. Throngs of people walked through the middle of downtown. The first two parking lots I entered on my way to Senator Kerry's speech for the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner were already full. I finally got into one further from the event. The lot attendant offered me tickets for free. Gauging the lines of people I saw lined up in the streets, I contemplated accepting the man's offer. Then I looked at the tickets: Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers.

With the New Hampshire primary some 15 months out, the New Hampshire public might be more interested in watching a basketball game than in seeing a potential presidential candidate. Nonetheless, the battle for activists, field organization, and money is very much in evidence. A function room in the Radisson Hotel was filled to capacity for Mr. Kerry's address. Members of the broader public, conservatives at large, and even late night comedians might be gasping with astonishment at the prospect of another presidential run from Mr. Kerry. But the reality is that the junior senator from Massachusetts just had himself a very good week. A well-financed, charismatic, and center-oriented Southern rival, Mark Warner, the former governor of Virginia, took himself out of the presidential contest. Mr. Kerry has roughly a reported $14 million in cash on hand to Senator Clinton's $15.8 million. At the Democratic dinner in Manchester he proved something else: He can now give a crisp, energetic, relatively brief speech...

That's the good part. Mr. Gitell seems to be one of the committed Boston journos who either can't or refuse to "get" Kerry.

I did enjoy this line, though undoubtedly not in the way Gitell intended.

I was with Mr. Kerry the night Mrs. Clinton won election to the Senate in 2000. I asked him about the possibility that given her national prominence, she might be given a seat on a high-profile committee. Ice seemed to form behind his eyes and his face tightened. Seniority, he told me, was always a factor when it came to committee assignments. That great warmth is what we may have to look forward to in the upcoming presidential race.

Seems to me that "ice" will be what is needed if he does have to go up against Mrs. Clinton and her adherents. They fight dirty.

[TayTay]

6. Excellent article

I agree. That crowd in NH was very interested in what Kerry was saying and loved the way he said it. That was also a studious crowd, they were paying attention to what was being said, how it was being said and how it was being received. (Hmmmm, a self-conscious crowd, how 'invisible primary' of them.)

[wisteria]

8. It really was the most excellent speech. n/t

[whometense]

9. And at least

someone in the press acknowledged that Kerry had a good week. I give him full credit for not being afraid to put Kerry's name in print.

[kerrygoddess]

10. Enjoyed this piece

We won't find a journalist who be 100% nice that's a given. This was very good however and his quips on his blog also worth noting. I'm going to post this on the Dem Daily.

[wisteria]

7. I enjoyed that line too. Actually, I feel the same way about Sen. Clinton.

Sometimes, I just want him to run just to take her and her husband on. I would love to see how she actually does in a real tough race.
Of course, the Clinton's will have the media behind them and their dirty little swamp gang, but I would love to see this couple smacked down for once.
I suppose I shouldn't be saying negative things about the Clinton's, but I can't help myself, I apologize to all I may offend with my honest assessment of this couple.

[Mass]

3. May I borrow your thread for that, I do not want to make a new thread/

For once, I will have to agree with this poster, who is ot exactly a supporter of Kerry.

I may have misunderstood, but,if not, Kerry has some qualities, after all.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2894589&mesg_id=2894721

[JI7]

4. maybe got a warning from mods

but whatever the case, i remember someone posted a thread about which Dems are the best speakers or something like that. many who were not Kerry fans said he was one of the top Dems in that area. i always found Kerry to be articulate and sincere in his speaking. while people do make fun of him for some of his serious policy speeches the way he lays it out does make it easy for many who aren't polical or experts to understand what he is talking about.

and this is without dumbing down anything.

[Mass]

5. Let's just say I was amazed because this person is not at all

Kerry-friendly generally, so it was interesting to see this post.