A Trailing Kerry Has Been There, Won That

Los Angeles Times ^ | September 6, 2004 | Mark Z. Barabak

[Max Combined]

Now they are spinning it so that being way behind is a good thing for Kerry. How pathetic!

At least the story points out the fact that Kerry is a lying cheater who will break a gentleman's agreement in his lust for power.

[Salvation]

What's the lat? Bird cage liner? Fish wrapper?

[Brett66]

This isn't going to work in a presidential election for a couple of reasons:

1. Kerry could spend part of his own fortune that could make a huge difference in a couple of primary states in a small primary. In a national election, he would have to have 100 million on tap to do the same thing. He doesn't have that kind of money to do this.

2. The primaries consist of dem voters that could be easily swayed from one candidate to another, not caring who won as long as it wasn't Bush. That situation simply does not exist in a national election.

The Kerry campaign probably doesn't realize that he's already been defined and if people didn't undergo a dramatic shift in their opinions after the dem convention, then it isn't going to change much, except for a surge towards Bush after his convention.

[fhayek]

I have a couple of other reasons.

1) Running as a liberal in Massachusetts is, let us just say is not the political challenge of the century

2) He was the incumbent Senator at the time

3) There are more nuances this time around. How does he try to capture more moderates in Ohio, without surrendering liberals to Nader in Florida? How does he spend time in Iowa, costing him campaign stops in Pennsylvania? He has to worry about losing Wisconsin and perhaps Minnesota.

I'm not saying that Kerry can't overcome these things, its just a great deal more complicated than a Senate race in MA.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Unions are gearing up with money and muscle for the big Kerry push

[goldstategop]

William Weld was to the LEFT of John F*ckin' but lost because he was 1) a Republican and 2) couldn't compete with Kerry's luster as a war hero. It helped in Massachusetts where a liberal Democrat could be himself. That's not true in America writ large. Kerry is not running against someone for whom the "R" label is a liability with most voters and the Swifties have made sure he can't use his war hero status to put his record off limits to criticism. 2004 won't be 1996 Redux as the Dog Trainer so fervently hopes.

[kennedy]

Anyone who thinks that that Kerry is toast needs to remember that not only does Kerry have access to countless millions from the Soros and Heinz bank accounts, he also has most of the media willing to say or do just about anything to get him elected.

It is a long time until this election is over. Assume that Bush is way behind and campaign/contribute accordingly.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Ck post #65.

[Republican Wildcat]

Indeed. 60 Minutes will be on the attack Sunday from what I understand.

[kennedy]

Kitty Kelley's slime attack is scheduled to be released September 14.

[kennedy]

In a national election, he would have to have 100 million on tap to do the same thing. He doesn't have that kind of money to do this.

Actually, he does. Anytime she wants, Teresa can open up the taps on the Heinz fortune (laundered through one or more "independent" 527s of course).

Does anyone doubt that Teresa would be willing to drop $100 Million or so of her late husband's fortune if it will buy 4 years in the Whitehouse? It would be tight, but she could probably scrape by on the $1 Billion or so she would have left.

[Artemis Webb]

I agree...Mass and Cuba have more in common than Mass and the rest of the country. Still there are few things we can do more destructive than underestimating any opponent. I can guarantee already that Kerry will make a better showing in the debates that Al Gore did, admittedly no great feat. Still as many freepers have said it is best to act like we are 10 pts behind.

[KC_Conspirator]

You folks are thining too hard. Those polls are not made up to set up Bush for a fall. In politics it is always good to be ahead because people will go vote for the winner on election day.

[hershey]

I can hardly wait for Kerry to reveal a more personal and humble side, plus defend his Vietnam record! Whoopee!

[hershey]

Well, when Dukakis was governor, before he ran for President and climbed into that tank, he passed out 6000 phony Social Security numbers to illegal aliens so they could get welfare goodies and....register to vote you know what.