2008 catnip!

[whometense]

I know it's ridiculously early, but this put a smile on my face anyway.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050328/ap_on_el_ge/2008_early_feelers_2

In the realm of nonstop presidential politics, this is the slow time, when 2008 hopefuls are putting out early feelers in Iowa, a state critical to any White House aspirant. The calendar may show two years and 10 months to the next round of caucuses, but the courting continues.

Consider the experience of John Norris, who worked as a field director for 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) and has served as chief of staff to Gov. Tom Vilsack. Not long ago, Norris was at his home in Ames, playing with his 18-month-old twin sons, when the telephone rang. It was Kerry.

"He talked and talked and talked," Norris chuckled. "He wanted to tell me what his PAC (political action committee) was going to be doing in the next couple of years, things like that."

[TayTay]

1. Cellphone, check!

Ability to plan ahead, check!
Not giving up and going ahead into Iowa, check!

Yup, sounds like all systems are go, for now, for another run.

Nice.

[whometense]

2. Wait till they hear this on GD.

I can't bear to look. Gearing up for a new round of bash-o-rama...:P

[Hans Delbrook]

12. My ignore thread finger is at the ready!

But I was glad to read the original post! ;-)

[ginnyinWI]

7. Also

Optimism, check!
Fighting spirit, check!
Righteous anger, check!
Sword of Truth, check!
Boundless energy, check!
Limitless intellect, check!
Political saavy, check!

<img src="" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

[muse]

19. hot, handsome man, check!

:)

Couldn't resist adding that after gazing at the photo in your post!

[ginnyinWI]

24. but of course!

always an asset! :) :) :)

[politicasista]

20. Hey Tay Tay

There might be one problem, so many think a populist (like Clinton) has what it takes to win. Some also think maybe this was the reason Kerry lost. If he decides to run again, is there a way he can address this matter?:shrug:

[TayTay]

22. Populism, hmmmmm

Populism can be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing. There is an argument to be made that the Rethugs have 'gone populist' in their appeal to lower and middle income Americans. It is just not economic populism. It is the ugly, exploitable underside of populism, the kind that gave us race riots, religious intolerance and anti-intellectualism in the past. (When George Wallace ran for President in '68, it was from a Populist platform. Be very careful with this stuff, it is ungodly powerful and can be a force for regression. Just because something appeals to a wide base of voters doesn't mean it is a force for good in the political world.)

Kerry has always been an economic populist. (This is what Al Gore began to talk about in his 2000 race.) Kerry is always going to be Kerry, he is not and never will be a 'plains populist.' He is a New Englander, a bit on the patrician side and he simply cannot pretend to be what he is not. It will not work. He is not Clinton and he will look and sound like a phony if he pretends to be Clinton. (Which he wouldn't do anyway since he is smarter than that.)

What to do then? Well, for one thing, he can emphasize the types of votes he took in the buildup to the Bankruptcy Bill. He can showcase his votes in favor of giving veterans a break on bankruptcy issues. He can talk about how the Credit Card companies are screwing people over and making even people who got into economic trouble over medical bills unable to discharge their debts. This is economic populism, it fits the speaker because it is what he has always believed in and it is a good platform to run on.

Does this make sense?

[ginnyinWI]

3. speaking of elections

Who is going to take on your MA governor next time? I thought of it because of how impressed with Barney Franks I was this morning on Washington Journal. But maybe becoming a governor would be a step backward from being a congressman.

[whometense]

4. Right now

the main contenders I hear about are Deval Patrick, Attorney General Tom Reilly, and Bill Galvin, Secretary of State. Barney would not want to give up his seat - I haven't heard even a whisper. If anything, he's thinking of a possible move up in 2008 - when JK becomes president.

There are also rumors that Andy Card might want to run if Mitt doesn't.

[rox63]

5. Not a chance

Barney Franks wants to move up to the Senate. Most of the Massachusetts congressional delegation is chomping at the bit to run for the Senate. There hasn't been an open MA Senate seat for over 20 years now. Kennedy's had his seat for 42 years, and Kerry passed the 20 year mark in January.

[ginnyinWI]

6. Awww...

MORE people who have good reason to be bitterly disappointed in the results of the election. :( I hope they get their chance after the next election! :) Especially Barney Frank.

[LittleClarkie]

8. That's okay

if he doesn't get the presidency, I'm going to lobby the shit out of whoever does that John get some sort of administration post. SoS, Attorney General. Anywhere he could do some good.

[JI7]

9. if Edwards becomes President i'm sure he would offer Kerry any

position he wanted in the administration. i think he would like Sec of State or Attorney General . maybe he can do both over 2 terms.

hopefully we can get a Democratic Governor in by that time so if there is any need to resign from the Senate for any reason they can appoint another Dem.

[TayTay]

10. MA Dems took care of that last time

Can't just leave these things up to chance. The MA Legislature passed a law that any open Senate seat would be decided by a special election. The Governor would NOT have the right to make a temporary appointment. (Screw him, he's just appoint himself anyway.)

We don't screw around with these things here. Mitt has done enough damage in MA. We are responsible enough Federal citizens to not let him litter DC with any Rethug appointments.

It would be really nice to have a shakeup in MA politics wherein everyone could play musical chairs for a few open positions. It may yet come to pass. Mittens might not run again, given that he hates the state he is Gov of. Andy Card might run. (Oh that would be a goodie! He got as far as State Rep and couldn't get any further in the '80's.) And John Kerry has some serious thinking to do about running for his Senate seat or for President. He can legally do both, but I forsee trouble in that regard. (Although, probably not enough trouble that he wouldn't get elected. Hmmm, but is it the right and decent thing to do. Hmmm. My liberal side is showing.)

[rox63]

11. I don't think they let Kerry run for both

I think if Kerry ran for both Senate and President at the same time, he'd royally piss off his constituents. He'll have to choose one or the other. And he'd better win whatever he runs for, because I don't want us to go Kerry-less. :(

[Hans Delbrook]

13. Lieberman did, didn't he?

Not that I consider Joe, "almost a freeper" Lieberman a role model but if he got away w/ it, why not Kerry?

[TayTay]

14. Because this is Massachusetts and, and, and

it's just too gauche for words. That's what people in wimpy states like Connecticut do. If you are going to make a big gamble, like running for President for a second time, then you have to ante up. (You can't say 'check' when they come around to you. It just isn't done if you expect people to respect you in the morning. When they ask, "What do you bet," the Senator from Massachusetts replied, "I bet one US Senate seat and I call.") Muy macho!

We are not a wimpy state and we simply cannot have ourSenators hedging their bets. If word got around that we were allowing this to happen, places like Vermont and New Hampshire would start snickering behind our backs and then we would no longer be the top New England state. It's a matter of honor, for goodness sakes.

[Hans Delbrook]

16. Ohhh KAY but I like "hedge funds" for a reason

If you can keep the balls in the air and come away a winner no matter what, so much the better.

I don't go in for all that: " If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings..." I would finish that statement - "Then you're a reckless jackass, my son."

But what do I know? I'm a "soft-bellied" mid-Atlantic stater ;-)

[TayTay]

17. I just don't think it would go over very well.

Sen. Kerry took a lot of flack for running for the Presidency while a siting US Senator. There was a lot of grumbling here-abouts that he was not fulfilling his duties to the office.

If he runs again, it is for the second time in 4 years. That would effectively mean that he will serve about 1/2 the time he was elected to serve, the rest of the time will be on the campaign trail. This will not go over well with the old-home crowd. It just simply will not. We take our politics pretty seriously around here and that would not go over well at all. IT would be viewed as insincere and as leaving MA with only one Senator. (This would be the second run, that changes things a bit.)

[politicasista]

18. So he won't be able to run again if he wants to

I understand it is a tough decision for him and his family.

[europegirl4jfk]

21. A question

As a newbie to American politics I have a question. If John Kerry wants to run for President in 2008, couldn't he wait until after the Primaries before making a decision about a senate race? I mean he can't be sure to win the primaries and if he looses, he would still have his senate seat. Or does it look too bad to do it this way?

[TayTay]

23. Yup, he could.

A lot of it depends on what the primary schedule is in Massachusetts and when he has to pull papers for the run. (Pull papers = Get the legal forms that have signature lines on them that announce what office you are running for and in what legal political party. You need a certain number of registered voters to sign these in order to get on the ballot or get to the nominating convention.)

The Massachusetts nominating conventions are usually held in May. I suppose Kerry could pull papers, have them waiting and signed and then drop into another Senate race. I actually question whether he would want to go back to the Senate again. I wonder.

The answer to 'What, When, Why & How' is somewhere on this page, but I don't have time to look it up now. (Sorry, I will try later.)

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleidx.htm

[rox63]

25. As a fellow Bay-Stater

TayTay knows what she's talking about. If Kerry runs for both positions, he could possibly lose both. If he only runs for the Senate, he's almost certain to hold onto his seat. Another presidential run is a total crap shoot. But he may be ready to take that chance. I'm sure he'll figure out what he wants to do by the time the 2006 mid-terms are over. In fact, the results of the mid-terms will probably be part of what pushes him towards one decision or another.

[elshiva]

15. NICE! Thanks!