Kerry, micro managing stooge
Posted on 09/27/2004 6:10:16 AM PDT by kattracks
John Kerry is trying to convince Americans he is more qualified than President Bush to lead the nation, especially during a time of war.But Kerry’s own aides are complaining his has difficulty managing his own campaign.
According to a report in the New York Times this weekend, which described Kerry as "a four-term senator with comparatively little management experience," aides say Kerry too often deliberates even the smallest detail, leaving himself little reaction time to a much swifter Bush-Cheney campaign.
The paper noted that Bush’s background as a business executive and then governor of a large state has allowed him to manage his own campaign with greater success.
Of course, the Times still played Kerry up – quoting some aides as describing Kerry as "uncommonly bright, informed and curious. . . "
But the paper also paints a picture of "analysis paralysis” within the Kerry operation.
Some aides complain their boss gets bogged down in the details, making him slow to take action as he struggles to process and use information.
One aide told the Times he has figured out to influence Kerry: he doesn’t say anything until the very last moment. The waffling Kerry tends to take last minute advice.
Case in point: His staff was recently asked to find out all it could about certain details regarding the Bush administration's Medicare plans.
After his staff did all it could to provide the information, Kerry didn't even use it in a speech on the subject.
His staff says such a waste of their time makes it difficult for them to prepare their boss for the positions he wants to take against his Republican opponent.
". . . The downside to [Kerry's] deliberative executive style, they said, is a campaign that has often moved slowly against a swift opponent, and a candidate who has struggled to synthesize the information he sweeps up into a clear, concise case against Mr. Bush," says the Times. "Even his aides concede that Mr. Kerry can be slow in taking action, bogged down in the very details he is so intent on collecting."
Aides have other complaints, too. Like when Kerry spent more than a month trying to decide on his campaign logo. He was mulling over the font of the logo and whether it should have an American flag. Eventually Kerry decided to keep the flag.
Even diehard liberal the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has traveled with Kerry's campaign, says although the Massachusetts liberal is a "thinker" by nature, "a boxer needs a manager and needs a cut manager in the corner and needs someone to handle the towels. But once the bell rings, a boxer needs his instincts."
Other Democratic Party stalwarts and officials complain Kerry is more interested in the "finer points" of politics, but doesn't seem too concerned with the mechanics of the business.
"Scott Maddox, the chairman of the Florida Democratic Party, said he could not recall getting a call from Mr. Kerry checking in with what was going on in that critical state," the Times said, in one example.
Florida is considered a "battleground" state; it is headed by George W. Bush's brother, Jeb, but polls indicate the state is still in play.
Aides also say Kerry isn't one to delegate too much power to any one person. There is no "Karl Rove" on his staff, say aides.
"I am always in charge," says Kerry.
Kerry's also not afraid to upbraid his staff – even longtime friends and associates – as well as let staffers go if he feels his campaign is running "off the tracks."
As a result, few loyalists of his 1972 campaign are still around. Now, few who consider themselves friends are currently on his campaign staff.
Meanwhile, President Bush takes advice from a small – and unchanging – gaggle of staffers. His most senior campaign staff hasn't changed in 18 months.
"He's not involved in the details," says Rep. Ted Strickland of Ohio.
Yes, that is quite obvious from the mess your campaign is in.
How could the Dems think someone who hasn't shown any leadership in 20 years in the Senate, could lead the country??? It just baffled me.
Kitty Kelly does...
KERRYTHINK......?.....OXY-MORON......Emphasis on MORON....
I keep hearing the comment he is so bright.
Everything, I mean everything I see from him makes me think Kerry is just a modern day Chauncy Gardener.
He is not thinking deeply, he is just slow.
"The dems have to ask themselves.... 'If this guy can't beat Bush then how's he gonna defeat Bin-Laden and Al-Zarquowi?'"
Please. To the Democrats, Bush IS Bin-Laden and Al-Zarquowi. The Democrats could care less about defeating Bin-Laden and all the other Islamo-terrorists out there.
Wow. Is it really that difficult to decide to have an American Flag in your logo when you are RUNNING FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Geez this guy is a dope.
Emmitt Kelley - Didn't speak
Kitty Kelly - Shouldn't speak......Doesn't think.....
How big of him.......I can't imagine hesitating about a thing like that. Guess he might of preferred a U.N. symbol or maybe the French flag.
If he can't beat Bush, then your question is moot.
The better question is: "If this guy couldn't even anticipate, plan for and neutralize the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, then how's he gonna defeat bin Laden and al Zaraqawi?"
Jesse forgot one: A manager to throw in the towel...
Let staffers go? Seems that all he does is add more and more people every day? Who has he let go?
WORKING PEOPLE FREQUENTLY ASK RETIRED PEOPLE WHAT THEY DO TO MAKE THEIR DAYS INTERESTING.
I WENT TO THE STORE THE OTHER DAY. I WAS ONLY IN THERE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME OUT THERE WAS A CITY COP WRITING OUT A PARKING TICKET.
I WENT UP TO HIM AND SAID, "COME ON, BUDDY, HOW ABOUT GIVING A SENIOR A BREAK?" HE IGNORED ME AND CONTINUED WRITING THE TICKET. I CALLED HIM A NAME. HE GLARED AT ME AND STARTED WRITING ANOTHER TICKET FOR HAVING WORN TIRES.
SO I CALLED HIM A WORSE NAME. HE FINISHED THE SECOND TICKET AND PUT IT ON THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE FIRST.
THEN HE STARTED WRITING A THIRD TICKET.
THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. THE MORE I ABUSED HIM THE MORE TICKETS HE WROTE.
I DIDN'T CARE. MY CAR WAS PARKED AROUND THE CORNER AND THIS ONE HAD AN "ELECT JOHN KERRY" BUMPER STICKER ON IT
I TRY TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN EACH DAY NOW THAT I'M RETIRED.
IT'S IMPORTANT AT OUR AGE.
Kerry, micro managing stooge
"He" who? Kerry I presume since Strickland was campaigning with Kerry recently and Democrat Strickland does not have a clue about how Bush does what he does. The rest of the article says that Kerry is involved in all these small details.
Which is it? Kerry is involved details or "he's not involved in small details?". Not that it matters. Kerry does not take advise from anyone anyway from all that I've read.
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Not that any of this matters. Kerry is toast one way or another. The Clinton's will make sure of that.
Kerry takes all of the credit and none of the blame.
LOL that is great.
And for all you foreign intelligence people out there in our Freeper audience, start your MBTI and other profiles now!
This is fantastic information for anyone profiling Kerry as a strategic decision maker.
"Acts on the last advice given"
Nice.
Kerry: finding a position.
Bush: has a position.
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