Kerry Says Get Ready - To Announce Running Mate July 6th - It "Could Be" Hillary

The American Spectator ^

[Happy2BMe]

DESPERATE MEASURES
Could it be that desperation is setting in a bit more, well, desperately in the Kerry campaign? Up till now, most political tea leaf readers had Kerry announcing his decision on vice president coming the week of July 11. But recent polling numbers may have Kerry advisers changing those plans.

According to a Kerry campaign source, Sen. John Edwards, Rep. Dick Gephardt, Gov. Tom Vilsack, Gen. Wesley Clark, and "a surprise candidate" were each contacted on Wednesday and told to be prepared for an announcement with Kerry as early as July 6. Each short-lister provided the campaign with updated contact and travel information for the July 4 weekend and afterward.

"It's accelerated. It all began happening on Wednesday," says the campaign source. "For the past week we've been told there was no decision, then all of sudden, this. We've been sifting through some cruddy poll numbers, so maybe that has something to do with it."

Cruddy indeed. New polling from a number of sources, including internal polling, has Kerry struggling and even lagging in a race that by all rights he should be leading by low double digits.

"When you factor in a president down in the 40s of approval, and a candidate that many people claim they don't know much about, there is no way we should be losing Michigan and Pennsylvania. But we are," says the Kerry adviser. "We've spent $50 million and have nothing to show for it. Not a single point."

According to the source, the thinking goes that a complete Kerry ticket out in public sooner rather than later should energize things enough in the media and the base to give Kerry the uptick his people have been waiting for.

There was no indication of who the "surprise" candidate was. "It could be Hillary. It's assumed that she has been vetted on a separate track from the others. At least that's the talk. No one here knows for sure," says the source.

Edwards was due in Boston after the July 4th holiday for campaign appearances, at least one of which was to be with Kerry.

According to a Clinton Senate staffer in New York City, late on Wednesday, a staff colleague called from the road and indicated that "the Senator may need to change some things around next week." "But we weren't told to do anything for now," says the staffer.

[ShandaLear]

I don't believe Hillary will be on the ticket. The Kerry campaign is just floating this to try to get some excitement whipped up about his boring campaign. I still have my money on Edwards.

[Condor51]

Replace "trash-talk" Cheney with good old Rudy! Now, there's a thought ! :-)

Yeah, well here's a thought (as Dick Cheney would say), blank Rudy! :-)

Now no offense meant, but considering your profile isn't filled out I can only assume that;

• You live in NY, CA or some other leftist controlled state and consider people like Rudy a Republican - which he ain't, he's a RINO - and barely a RINO at that.
• You're young and don't know that Rudy's PRO Abortion and a GUN-GRABBER, ergo really a democrat.
• That since you don't live in 'fly-over country', you don't realize that Rudy would go NOWHERE on a national ticket and would therefore assure a RAT landslide as conservatives would sit home by the droves.

Again, no offense but people on the 'coasts' don't realize that Rudy is NOT loved in 'the Heartland'. What he did for NYC on 9-11 is a singular issue and means zero on a national level.

[Coop]

When Blacks, Mexicans, liberals, and borderline voters looks at Hilllary - THEY DON'T SEE JUST HILLARY. They see her *and* her husband, Bill Clinton - "The First Black American President," darling of Hollywood, champion of gay and lesbian rights, and the return to the gubmint payroll. Oversimplify and see what you get in November.

Is this your confusing way of saying "I stuck my foot in my mouth and don't want to admit it"?

[BlueAngel]

Excellent points!

[Coop]

WHAT?!? Are you series?

Yes! Isn't it hugh news?!?

[Condor51]

Excellent points.

Plus what people (R's) on both coats don't realize is that Rudy isn't liked in 'fly-over country'. It amazes me that they would think that a pro-abortion, gun-grabbing RINO would have a prayer on a national ticket. Conservatives would sit home by the droves.

In addition, what he did 'for' NYC on 9-11 was a singular issue and means zero now. (BTW, exactly what did he do that was so outstanding?)

[Puddleglum]

It aint Hillary. That's just a rumor to get folks to tune in ("tonight, on the most controversial episode of 'Survivor' ever...").

It'll be someone we never heard of, more wooden than Kerry so the #1 spot on the ticket will look slightly less boring. I predict it will be Bill Richardson, despite what he said a few days back. That was just smoke so he could pack his bags without the press snooping too close. Or else some wonderbread governor from some ag state.

[Condor51]

;-)

[Attillathehon]

July 6th is President Bush's birthday. What a coincidence.

[Pylot]

If it is Hillary I predict she will use the position to make absolutely sure Skary Kerry does not get elected.

No way she wants the number two seat. For her to be veep would mean the same thing as if Kerry won with the only difference being that she would run against the incumbent veep if that person tried to succeed kerry in eight years.

Kerry would botch things in four years and get booted anyway and Hitlery does not want to run in that situation. Her only hope is to run against the successor to Bush in four more years.

If she takes the veep slot with Kerry, look for Kerry to implode in October with Hitlery as the shining star and victim - a role she is pretty experienced at playing.

[section9]

I suspect that Kerry will pick Hillary. I also believe that everything else is misdirection.

Kerry needs to improve his standing among the Oprah Book Club crowd of white women. He has no chance among men, but probably believes that he can score enough of a decisive victory among women to take the popular vote and enough battlegrounds to secure an electoral college victory.

Now Bush can't afford to cede white women to Kerry. We're running somewhat close in that demographic right now because of the "security mom" issue. Hilly has been tough on the war, and got herself on Armed Services so she could burnish her credentials in this area. Kerry knows that this will not affect his base voters, the Deanie Sturmabteilungenverbande who actually believe what Michael Moore says. They don't care if Hilly has positioned herself to the right of Kerry. They hate Bush too much to stay home.

So what do we do? Condi Rice is the obvious answer. There will be a media mania surrounding Hillary's candidacy. You have to match that and give white working women, and some black women, a choice of two women. Most women will stick with their own if given a chance; 1984 was the exception because Mondale turned out to be a much weaker candidate than we suspected.

Rice eats into the female vote and gets it back to 50-50, where we need it to be. Rice is also much more telegenic than Hillary. She is as sound as Cheney on virtually every issue, but needs to do a GHW Bush on abortion. What's really important is that Rice can edge the black vote for Bush above 15%. That is deadly for any Democratic candidate. Any Republican who can get between 16 and 20 percent of the black vote can doom a Democrat in swing battlegrounds.

Bear in mind, Bush does not have to dump Cheney. Bush can move Cheney to NSC as one writer suggested yesterday and have it not look as if Cheney is being sent off to Telluride to live out his days. Cheney would go for this because that would keep him in the game, and reassure Republicans that a sound conservative voice would remain near Bush. Nor does Rice have go through hearings. She can be nominated, while Cheney can serve out his term. Her deputy, Steven Hadley, can handle NSC briefings during the fall campaign.

We will need to trump Kerry's pick of Hillary. We will need to do so the very day Kerry picks Hillary, so as to step all over the news.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[sphinx]

I'm waiting to see if you guys are prepared for what it will take to keep Dubya in the White House .

Cheney goes in for a sex change and campaigns in blackface?

Ok with me.

[prairiebreeze]

But, but, but.......Hillary promised her NY constituents that she would serve out her Senate term. She said she wanted to!

Would a potential Democrat VP candidate LIE to the American public??

(Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear poop in the woods? Will I have to pay taxes next year?....etc.)

Prairie

[Coop]

Chris, even if your scenario plays out, Bush's move would not trump Her Heinous' selection. We all know how that would be sold. Kerry would be an inspirational visionary, while Bush would be simply pandering to black voters and women.

Of course the media would then add that minorities and women would decide this election. My question is always "How come men or whites never decide an election?"

Oh, wait! We do! But the press doesn't like the way those blocs vote. :-)

[PhiKapMom]

ROFLOL!!!! Hillary would be the most polarizing candidate for Republicans yet. Bet those Republicans who sat on their hands in 2000 will help set an all-time record for voting for Republicans! :)

[two23]

Did you happen to see O'Reilly last night and the comment that Dick Morris made? O'Reilly was SHOCKED and told the producer and audience to ignore what Morris had just said. Unreal!

[Valin]

Kerry Says Get Ready - To Announce Running Mate July 6th - It "Could Be" Hillary

"Go ahead, make my day"
R. Reagan

[Valin]

Karl Rove doesn't have to make Kerry look like an idiot, he does a good job by himself.


Did you know Kerry is a decorated veteran?

[ken5050]

With respect, this is all nonsense..good old fashioned political 4th of July fun..tweakign the opposition.. it's designed to diminish whomever Kerry does pick..because that person will be the THIRD choice..not McCain, not Hillary..

Even if Kery mightt entertain the idea of choosing her, ONE person would absolutely veto the idea..TereZa...she's looking forward to her moment in the sun as First lady..but with VP Hillary..she'd be ignored..totally...and she could never countenance that..

BTW...if Bubba were living in the Naval Observatory...would he be called the "Vice-spouse?"

[section9]

You've got a point, but Kerry wants to win more than he wants to listen to Teresa. Teresa will go with whoever gets her close to the White House. She doesn't care about Hillary's cachet. She has a billion dollars. Hillary doesn't.

Be Seeing You,

Chris