Posted on 07/02/2004 2:20:17 AM PDT by 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.
hillary.org says that Dems STILL want to vote for her over Kerry, 47-44%.
Why would she wanna be second fiddle to a loser.........because she's used to it !
Stay safe !
Spot on.
Good to see you around...
If Kerry chooses Hillery, he will have made a serious mistake. His best bets are Clark or Edwards.
If he picks Hillery, it won't energize his leftist base any more than it already is. The Bush haters are as hepped up to vote against Bush as they ever will be.
However, Hillery will push many many moderates who might otherwise have voted for Kerry into the Bush camp, or keep them at home. It WILL energize all conservatives, including some potential fence-sitters who right now regard Bush's conservative credentials with ambivalence.
And MOST of all - he would be setting the stag for his own "Arkancide".
With Edwards and Clark he MIGHT get more support from Middle America and the South, perhaps enough to tip the scale in a key battleground state. Hillery could only give him the liberal states which he has already.
On the other hand, Hillery and her consort are big money raisers - in more ways than one.
If Kerry had half a brain in his head, he would find some way to bend the rules on age to get Harold Ford of Tennessee. I realise not everyone believes me on this, but the man is frighteningly similar to Tony Blair, circa 1983.
Regards, Ivan
I think Sam Nunn could be the surprise candidate. He has been a bit more visible in the last few weeks.
You mean like pass a Constitutional amendment? As long as that takes, Ford won't need it even it were to pass. He'll be old enough by then.
Very bad assumption. Hillary is very smart, and very devious. She's also unelectable in her own right, because she has the personality and charm of a warthog, and an awful screechy voice. So she has to move by stealth.
If Kerry announces a Hillary choice on July 6th, prior to the convention, it will end up hurting him. The novelty of Hillary Clinton might last from July 26th to election day, but another damned month of her will cast a pall on things even before the convention.
The campaign against her is the same one they used so effectively on Dan Quayle -- can you really imagine her as president? Somebody who can't even keep her promises to her adopted state of NY?
I predict the surprise candidate will none other than Michael Moore!
Dukakis Redux.
I'm telling you Republicans are getting ready to be broad-sided.
Au contraire, mon ami.
(A little French lingo there to prove that I bear no malice towards frogs.)
Hitlery is indeed devious. That is her and Billy-Goat's stock in their chosen trade.
But she is far from "smart" if that term is used to denote intelligence.
My theory has been that she is a certifiable nut-case and a candidate for a straitjacket.
Sit through an entire Hitlery speech or interview. There's one C-Span keeps airing that was originally aired on Tuesday of this week. I defy anyone to tell of one cogent statement uttered by this worthless piece of idiot voter and Marxist-created robot.
Of course the same goes for her nominal husband.
I would just as soon he not pick Hillary -- will only make an ugly campaign uglier.
I think he'll choose Edwards, but Gephardt would be a better choice politically.
I think you're being alarmist about this. I agree that the pairing could well be formidable, but I have yet to meet one woman that likes hitlery. Most don't even respect her. The vast majority dispise her.
It'll be a challenge, but if we can keep the information out in front of the public I think we'll win.
Don't forget -- a lot of the young vote seems to be shifting toward the conservative. More young people than ever are pro-life, and the hate-filled murder-love of the femi-nazis who would support hitlery will not go over well with them.
When this discussion has come up on other threads people always bring up the Ferraro comparison. But that was a totally different ballgame. Mondale/Ferraro were up against a very popular incumbent who was in an extremely strong position going into reelection. As much as we'd like to think otherwise, Bush is none of these. Hillary will bring in enough of the far-left vote that might otherwise go to Nader to tip the balance to Kerry.
No way will it be Hillary. Far too polarizing. Kerry needs a moderate, not someone more liberal than he is. What do you really think he gains by picking her, except to make him the lesser person on the team? The guy is not that stupid. So, he solidifes the black and mexican vote? Last I checked, Mexicans were not allowed to vote in US elections. Picking Hillary as a running mate only serves to wake up the conservative base and drive our numbers up. No self-respecting conservative will stay home.
Has anyone seen any polls about the results of a Bush-Cheney/Kerry-Hillary! ticket?
To assume she's stupid, is to ignore the fact that she's done a very good job of positioning herself for further gain.
No Edwards or Gephardt for vp. Hitlery will run in 2008.
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