KERRY WEIGHS IN ON DNC PICK, PUTTING DOWN MARKER FOR 'O8

The Hill ^ | 1/12/05

[areafiftyone]

John Kerry (D-Mass.) is vetting the leading candidates to be the next Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman, and asking them to remain neutral in the presidential selection process in 2008. It is the latest indication that Kerry is putting down markers to run again for the party’s presidential nomination in 2008.

His outreach to DNC candidates also marks his return to the fray after Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, that candidate he was backing for chairman, ruled himself out of contention in November. The DNC contest is exposing the presidential ambitions of a number of Democratic politicians. In addition to Kerry, other potential 2008 presidential candidates have also contacted — or been contacted by — the several DNC aspirants, providing an early list of who is sending clear signals within the party that they will run for the Democratic nomination.

Over the past six weeks, Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.), Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y,), New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and Kerry have been in touch with former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard, said Webb and Blanchard — the two DNC candidates who agreed to speak on the record on this issue. Those are the same names that several other DNC candidates, or their campaigns, have privately said they contacted.

Former Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards (D-N.C.) has had limited contact with the DNC field, several campaigns said.

But Kerry appears to be the only potential candidate in ’08 to maintain an open line of communication with the DNC candidates and has further set himself apart by requesting that the next DNC chairman remain neutral three years hence, when the Democratic selection process begins anew. Last week, Kerry asked former Rep. Tim Roemer (D-Ind.), whose home-state Democratic senator, Bayh, may run, to remain neutral.

“Kerry wanted to make sure that Roemer would be neutral,” a source close to Roemer said. “I’ve talked to a host of different party leaders, including people that have run for president and people that want to run for president and I have benefited from their advice, but I don’t want to get into specifics,” Roemer told The Hill.

As a member of the Sept. 11 commission, Roemer was not permitted to endorse a Democrat in the 2004 cycle, and he vowed that he would remain neutral in 2008 if he becomes the next DNC chairman.

Kerry has also been trading phone calls with the man who ran his presidential campaign in Michigan, Donnie Fowler. Kerry’s conversations with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean have increased in frequency.

Former Rep. Martin Frost (D-Texas) declined to comment on any private conversations he was having with presidential candidates. “I don’t want to name any individuals, but I have had some conversations,” Frost said. “I have been very clear that I am absolutely neutral,” he said. Dean’s office also declined to comment on the specifics of his conversations with his onetime rival, Kerry, but Dean spokeswoman Laura Gross said their communications have increased of late. “It has probably been a little more frequent than what it’s usually been,” Gross said. “Of course Governor Dean would remain neutral in the presidential primary or caucus,” she said. Kerry’s office did not respond to calls seeking confirmation by deadline. Kerry has not recently contacted the New Democrat Network’s Simon Rosenberg, Blanchard, Webb or former Ohio state party Chairman David Leland.

Meanwhile, Dean, who formally announced yesterday, is emerging as the clear front-runner in the race, according to strategists for the other campaigns.

The vote will take place Feb. 12, and, much like House leadership races, every declared candidate will be on the first ballot, with the list winnowing by one with each round of balloting. “Dean has the highest floor and the lowest ceiling,” a strategist for one of the rival campaigns said. Blanchard, who did not attend the first regional gathering of DNC delegates in Atlanta, said, “I do believe Howard deserves a second chance. I don’t know if this is the position for him, and this is not an endorsement, but he deserves a second look.”

Blanchard’s interest in being chairman appears to be on the wane, and a source close to him said his initial interest was sparked by Kerry and Clinton. “When people close to Senator Kerry and Senator Clinton say, ‘You should take a look at this,’ you take a look at it.”

However, Blanchard said that he now believes it is a “two person” job and that he would only be interested in the position if there were “two tiers,” with an operational arm divided from the chairman’s office.

The candidates are continuing to contact the 447 DNC members who have a vote, with several candidates claiming to have spoken with more than 200.

[Graymatter]

I have to admit I'm worried about our chances in 2008. George Bush has really put his stamp on the times, and after him---it just looks like such a sparse field in comparison. He's like Reagan in stature and influence, but Reagan had veep Bush to follow him and the current Pres. Bush has no obvious successor. Whoever follows him is going to be just another Republican, and look what we needed just to beat the Dems narrowly in 2004.

Well at least it won't be Kerry running in 2008, and if we're real lucky it'll be Old Crusty. Even a pale Republican could beat her.

[areafiftyone]

It should be fun and I would love to see Hillary sink her claws into Kerry and vise versa! CAT FIGHT!!! MEOW!!

[dawn53]

Meanwhile, Dean, who formally announced yesterday, is emerging as the clear front-runner in the race, according to strategists for the other campaigns.

Last I read they were asking McAuliffe to stay on because a lot of Dems were afraid of Dean as DNC chairman.

[gov_bean_ counter]

This is the battle I have been waiting for. Kerry is every bit as much of a weasel as Hillary. The recent campaign showed there is no depth to which Kerry will not descend in an attempt to win.

IMHO, Kerry/Kennedy vs Clinton/Clinton may end up destroying both sides. The eventual Democrat candidate may now on the sidelines waiting to emerge after the political bloodbath.

[griswold3]

What will the ABB change their initials to? How can they win without HATE?

[TXBSAFH]

Yeah, I see another Arkancide coming.

[areafiftyone]

Looks like Clinton and Kerry are both trying to gain control of the Democratic party. Clinton put in Terry McAwful and they are not going to relinquish power of the DNC to Kerry's choice. This should be good!

[Cicero]

I think I'd be a lot more careful about refusing an offer from hillary than one from kerry.

Interesting to see if Richardson will be willing to go head-to-head with his former associate.

Kerry loves himself so much he simply can't conceive that everyone else doesn't love him too.

[William of Orange]

Clinton to Kerry: "control of the DNC? I dare you! from my cold dead hands!!!:

[mountaineer]

Poor Effin doesn't realize that being the loser he is, he's utterly irrelevant.

[Reform4Bush]

The party is too mad at him for bumbling this election away, no way they let him get a second chance.

Even if they do, the Swift Vets are still going to be there, telling the TRUTH about John F'n Kerry.

[Southack]

"Over the past six weeks, Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.), Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y,), New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and Kerry have been in touch with..."

There's your list for 2008 on the Dem side. Not Dean. Not Gore. Notice that three of the Dem names are from our Red states: Bayh, Richardson, and Warner. The other two have an entrenched base of hyper-radical left-wing supporters: Hillary and Kerry.

Once again for 2008, all of the Dems' serious candidates will be White, and all but one of them are male.

Richardson on the above list is merely a placeholder...at best jockeying for a VP nod due to his past pro-Clinton record among Dems and his anti-gay behavior as Governor of New Mexico.

That leaves them with just 4 candidates for the top nomination in '08. Their names are above. There will not be another (at least, not seriously).

...Well, at least if they handle Dean properly. One would think that giving him the DNC nod would get him out of the way for '08, but perhaps they fear his kingmaker ability if he holds that slot.

On the other hand, if Roemer gets the DNC nod, then the Dems get a pro-life front in the DNC and Senate (Roemer and Reid)...and that opens the Dems up for Roemer to favor Bayh in the '08 Dem primaries.

Do they want Dean out of the way...that they are doing Dean a "Favor" by giving him the DNC nod? Or do they want the pro-life front by giving the DNC nod to Roemer (gambling that he goes for Bayh)?

Clearly Bayh thinks that he has enough of a shot at getting the Presidential nomination in '08 that he isn't even *trying* for the DNC nod (ditto for Warner). Bayh, of course, is a very real threat to flip a Red state over to their side, instead. That's something that Hillary and Kerry haven't demonstrated that they could do very well.

But for Bayh to win the Dem primaries, he'd need strong Party backing (to keep their base of radicals happy). Frankly, that could happen with *either* Dean or Roemer in the DNC chair, under the right circumstances.

Of course, Kerry and Hillary are both capable of winning the Dem primaries; their electoral deficiency is in winning nationally...a feat that requires flipping Heartland states over to voting Coastal.

Three of the above players, it's worth noting, are from Indiana: Bayh, Warner, and Roemer. That's no coincidence. The Dems are going to put a Red State centrist on their '08 ticket, no question. There will be no Hillary/Kerry ticket, nor Kerry/Hillary.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Good Analysis--however, both Hillary and JFnK desperately crave being POTUS. Kerry is a kept boy though; I really see Ted Kennedy as having less control behind the scenes, his power is diminished. Bill/Hillary indeed, as Rush Limbaugh says, really do run things with their bloody not-so-Invisible Hand.

One fly in HRC's oinkment (that's ointment for an Orwellian PIG!) is that a lot of real men with spines would have a tough time playing VP to HRC's POTUS. Not that there are a lot of real men in the Democratic Party these days, so maybe that's a moot point....

[Polyxene]

Kerry/Gore '08 or Gore/Kerry '08 -- either way, that would make them two-time Sore-Losermen! What a couple of maroons!

[areafiftyone]

You have a point there. I've lurked over at The Depressed Underground and most of them are very pissed off at Kerry and will not vote for him again!

[Common Tator]

Clinton to Kerry: "control of the DNC? I dare you! from my cold dead hands!!!

No!

Clinton to Kerry: "control of the DNC? Even if you succeed, I will take it from your cold dead hands!!

[NEPA]

Even the DUmmies are mad at Kerry for being such a loser and conceding the election which of course they believe he won.

He'll never get through the primaries.