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Kerry Returns to Life As Senator
AP ^ | November 16, 2004 | MARY DALRYMPLE

Posted on 11/16/2004 4:10:45 PM PST by West Coast Conservative

Sen. John Kerry, who has $45 million left from his record-breaking Democratic campaign, hinted on Tuesday that he may try again for the presidency.

On his first workday back in the Senate since losing his White House bid, Kerry remained far from the spotlight, granting interviews to hometown reporters and joining the depleted corps of Democrats as they elected the party's new Senate leaders.

In his first extensive interview since his Nov. 2 defeat, Kerry was asked by the Fox News affiliate in Boston about running again in 2008 and reminded the questioner that Ohio is still counting votes from 2004.

He then said, "It is so premature to be thinking about something that far down the road. What I've said is I'm not opening any doors, I'm not shutting any doors." Kerry added, "If there's a next time, we'll do a better job. We'll see."

Reflecting on his loss, Kerry said he was not sitting around thinking about it. "You've got to go on," he said. "Do I find it some mark of failure or distress, the answer is no."

The former presidential nominee described himself as a "fighter," and added, "I can envision a lot of years of fight ahead of me."

The Democrats have no clear front-runner for the 2008 nomination. Kerry has a distinct financial advantage over any rival based on his fund raising.

Kerry had roughly $45 million left in his primary campaign fund as of mid-October and could use that as seed money for another presidential bid. In addition, he had about $7 million on hand in a legal and accounting compliance fund that he could use for legal expenses in a 2008 campaign.

Because Kerry accepted full public financing for the general election phase of this year's race, he will have to give any of that money that remains back to the government.

During his day in the Senate, Kerry's colleagues thanked him, congratulated him and wished him well.

"Every time his name was mentioned, there was enthusiastic applause. Literally, every time his name was mentioned," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.

Democrats met in a closed-door session to choose their leadership team for next year in what is certain to be an uphill struggle for the party. Not only did Democrats lose their second straight presidential election on Nov. 2, but the Republicans increased their numbers in the Senate and the House.

In January, the GOP will control 55 Senate seats to 44 for the Democrats with one Democratic-leaning independent.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., a former vice presidential candidate who lost in 2000 and a one-time presidential aspirant who fell short in the 2004 primaries, spoke from experience in offering Kerry words of support.

"He has a lot to be proud of, and I hope he'll find what I did — that it was great to have the U.S. Senate to come back to," Lieberman said.

Senators predicted that Kerry would find an expanded role as he eased back into his old job.

"Obviously, he brings some experience, and people are interested in what he has to say," said Sen. Ben Nelson (news, bio, voting record), D-Neb., pointing out that nearly half the country, if not quite enough to elect him president, voted for Kerry. President Bush received 60.5 million votes to Kerry's 57.1 million.

Kerry didn't make any remarks on the Senate's pending legislation nor did he deliver any speeches at the Democrats' meetings. He met privately with Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., the former Minority leader who, like Kerry, lost on Nov. 2. Kerry also thanked other Democrats one-by-one for their support.

Kerry got a two-minute standing ovation from his staff, whom he thanked for giving "your heart, your soul and even your vacation time," one aide said.

The day belonged to another Democrat, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the party's newly elected leader. Questioned on a range of issues as he assumed the job, Reid predicted that Kerry will find a role, pointing to the four-term senator's past work on banking and foreign policy issues.

"Senator Kerry is not a shrinking violet," Reid said. "We are looking for John Kerry to find what he wants to do. We are sorry that he's not in the White House, but we're glad that he's back on Capitol Hill."

Kerry also met with his policy staff to talk about health care, energy and other legislation that might build on themes from his campaign.

Not since George McGovern lost a bid for the presidency in 1972 has a senator returned to the Senate as a defeated presidential candidate, according to the Senate Historical Office.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: bushvictory; kerrydefeated; senate; skerry
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To: West Coast Conservative

"He has a lot to be proud of, and I hope he'll find what I did — that it was great to have the U.S. Senate to come back to," Lieberman said."

hah! I bet Kerry loved to hear that! Worthless prissyboy will be eating his liver for the next two years.


41 posted on 11/16/2004 4:46:43 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: Oreo Kookey

LOL! How typically Kerry.


42 posted on 11/16/2004 4:48:19 PM PST by texasflower (Liberty can change habits. ~ President George W. Bush 10/08/04)
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To: SubMareener

"You will note that the DemocRATS selected their Senate leaders, today, and Senator Kerry was not among them! The DemocRATS will not trust him to lead them in the Senate! It is a good thing we didn't trust him to lead us in the world!"

Now THAT is an excellent point! I think Rush would like to expound on that for awhile! Great observation.


43 posted on 11/16/2004 4:48:59 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: West Coast Conservative

"still counting ballots"

does this idiot think he has a chance to win the 2004 election? bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha roflao, pounding fists on floor lmao, bwahahahahahahahaha, doubled over in pain, tears coming down cheeks, lmao, oh man gigilo an idiot bwahahahahahahahahahahaha


44 posted on 11/16/2004 4:49:00 PM PST by rockabyebaby (What goes around, comes around!)
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To: Izzy Dunne; My2Cents
The best part of the campaign turned out to be all the unintentionally funny photo ops Kerry had. Here's one after he lost the election -- for old times' sake, once more with that boney finger:


45 posted on 11/16/2004 4:49:32 PM PST by Wolfstar (Counting down the days to when the new White House puppy arrives.)
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To: West Coast Conservative

Wow, I'm suprised they didn't say the Senators greeted him "like a rock star".

The press always likes to use that line about Slick Willie. They used it a lot at the Dim convention too.


46 posted on 11/16/2004 4:49:57 PM PST by GaltMeister (Can I get me a terrorist huntin' license in hea?)
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To: Fiddlstix

ROFLMAO!!!!


47 posted on 11/16/2004 4:50:04 PM PST by Wolfstar (Counting down the days to when the new White House puppy arrives.)
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To: West Coast Conservative
Kerry got a two-minute standing ovation from his staff, whom he thanked for giving "your heart, your soul and even your vacation time,"

Riiiiiiiiiiiiight

48 posted on 11/16/2004 4:50:22 PM PST by RWR8189 (Its Morning in America Again!)
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To: West Coast Conservative

We should encourage Senator Kerry to try again for 2008 to keep Hillary off balance. Let him stir up trouble within the Democratic party's left wing.

Maybe Kerry should form a new party - the New Communist Party U.S.A., and have his "I hate America" crowd rally to it.

Senator Kerry is a LOSER, but his ego is such that he cannot accept defeat. Democrats in Massachusetts should be encouraged to defeat him and also Sen. Kennedy at their next campaigns.


49 posted on 11/16/2004 4:51:09 PM PST by mohresearcher
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To: Wolfstar
"Darn...I pointed my finger at so many people during the campaign, it's now stuck in this position."

(He's still wearing a flippin' pink tie, though.)

50 posted on 11/16/2004 4:53:23 PM PST by My2Cents ("The bombing begins in five minutes...")
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To: All

Kerry has 45 million left? What a dumbass! I think it was Clinton who says it's better to be broke and win an election than to have money left and lose. If you win, I assure you there will be enough people who want to contribute to your stash.


51 posted on 11/16/2004 4:53:27 PM PST by grandpiano007 (http://billclintondailydiary.blogspot.com You want fries with that shake?)
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To: West Coast Conservative
Sen. John Kerry, who has $45 million left from his record-breaking Democratic campaign

Shouldn't his supporters be teed-off at him that he didn't buy more air time in Ohio?

52 posted on 11/16/2004 4:54:22 PM PST by My2Cents ("The bombing begins in five minutes...")
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To: reg45
That's for sure. Don't expect him to pass up leisure time for hard Senate work, do you? Twenty years of bad habits are hard to break.
53 posted on 11/16/2004 4:56:07 PM PST by CedarDave (Served with pride alongside the Swifties, USCG patrol boat, Coastal Division 13, Viet Nam, 1967-68.)
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To: West Coast Conservative

John Kerry was a Senator? Get out!

Next thing you're going to tell me is that he was once in Vietnam!

...and that John Edwards is also a Senator!

You big kidder you!


54 posted on 11/16/2004 4:58:20 PM PST by ItsOurTimeNow ("For great justice...")
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To: .38sw

Going to leave my "Vets for Bush" sticker on for a while and thinking of getting a Vietnam veterans plate next time my registration comes due. Wouldn't have done that before this campaign.


55 posted on 11/16/2004 4:59:03 PM PST by CedarDave (Served with pride alongside the Swifties, USCG patrol boat, Coastal Division 13, Viet Nam, 1967-68.)
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To: Fiddlstix

He should be forced to re-cert. Take an oath to uphold the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic .... then have himself arrested and tried for crimes of treason.


56 posted on 11/16/2004 4:59:40 PM PST by knarf (A place where anyone can learn anything ... especially that which promotes clear thinking.)
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To: West Coast Conservative
So John Kerry is coming back? Just what this country needs, NOT! The Boston Globe had a huge story Sunday about how John Kerry's sophistication worked against him. They trotted out quotes from his Yale roommate who said something like "John's complexity worked against him".

Heh the first step of any 12 step program is admitting you have a problem. Listen up: JOHN KERRY IS A LIAR WITH NO CREDIBILITY ON ANY ISSUE! John Kerry ran as an opponent to the marriage tax penalty but voted to keep it in place at least 7 times. John Kerry ran as an anti-death penalty Senate candidate pompously telling Bill Weld "I (pregnant pause) know a little something about killing", but he voted for the death penalty for terrorists. John Kerry told Don Imus he released all his Navy records, knowing he did not as he said it. John Kerry lead the people of Massachusetts to believe he was Irish even entering "we of Irish decent..." into the Congressional record, but he's not Irish he's Jewish and English. He told somebody he said "I actually voted for the 87 billion before I voted against it" at the end of a long day of campaigning; in reality, he said it in the afternoon. John Kerry voted for the Iraq War then called himself an anti-War candidate and voted against the $87 billion supplemental when running against Howard Dean, then said knowing then what I know now(about WMDs) would still vote for the war because it was the right authority to give the President. [aside: I thought the Senate declares war.] Also, anyone buy that line of bull about I gave George Bush the authority to go to War but I didn't think he was really going to go, and when he went he did it wrong?.

John Kerry, go away. Flip Flop is a nice way of saying LIAR!. America does not need a LIAR like you.
57 posted on 11/16/2004 4:59:40 PM PST by jackieaxe (FU2NBC&cBS)
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To: Fiddlstix

That picture goes onto my hard drive! Great one!


58 posted on 11/16/2004 5:00:13 PM PST by CedarDave (Served with pride alongside the Swifties, USCG patrol boat, Coastal Division 13, Viet Nam, 1967-68.)
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To: billhilly
"What I've said is I'm not opening any doors, I'm not shutting any doors."

What he means is, he will have an un-documented butler to open his doors for him and Tuh- ray- zuh.

59 posted on 11/16/2004 5:02:00 PM PST by jrewingjr (Let the Bodies Hit the Floor.)
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To: mohresearcher

teddy hiccup and gigilo are like rock stars here in MA they will never be replaced in office unless one of them drops dead - of course he will be replaced with another idiot like maybe teddy hiccup's son Patches or hell even gay barney frank - in my town 80 percent of the people that voted, voted for gigilo, it's a disease, see a dem, vote for a dem, mental illness


60 posted on 11/16/2004 5:02:04 PM PST by rockabyebaby (What goes around, comes around!)
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