'Unfit for Command' coauthor eyes Senate run against Kerry

Boston.com ^ | Oct 14, 2005 | Scott Helman

[Hadean]

An architect of the swift boat campaign that contributed to the derailment of John F. Kerry's presidential bid has created an exploratory committee for a run for the senator's seat in 2008.

Jerome R. Corsi, a 59-year-old author from Denville, N.J., who co-wrote the antiKerry book ''Unfit for Command," took his first formal step toward challenging the four-term junior senator from Massachusetts.

Corsi said Kerry was not fit to be senator. He said he was ''testing the waters to see if there's enough interest to support me to make the run feasible."

Corsi has not yet registered with the Federal Election Commission, but his committee has received an employer identification number from the Internal Revenue Service, an early step that candidates for any office must take.

Corsi said that he will consider running regardless of whether Kerry seeks reelection but that he would relocate to Massachusetts only if it were clear he could attract the financial support to mount a serious campaign.

''If I have no backing, it may not work," he said.

If Corsi does run, it would revive for Kerry perhaps the most painful episode of his failed 2004 presidential bid.

A group of Vietnam veterans called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth launched an extensive, well-funded campaign questioning Kerry's combat service and antiwar activities. Corsi is not a veteran, but he wrote ''Unfit for Command" with John O'Neill, a Navy veteran and ally of the Nixon White House incensed by Kerry's role in the antiwar movement.

The Kerry campaign did not immediately respond to the attacks in hopes that the issue would wither.

Asked about a prospective Kerry-Corsi race, Kerry spokesman David Wade wrote in an e-mail yesterday, ''Although I could say plenty about Jerry Corsi, John Kerry is focused on his work for the people of Massachusetts."...

[jdm]

"Jerome R. Corsi, a 59-year-old author from Denville, N.J., who co-wrote the antiKerry book ''Unfit for Command," took his first formal step toward challenging the four-term junior senator from Massachusetts."

When someone merely exposes the truth, why is the word "anti" frequently used? I'm taking it that this isn't the Boston paper which is more centrist/conservative.

[WorkingClassFilth]

bttt

[OKSooner]

"If I have no backing, it may not work, he said."

Can some of you folks up in Kennedy country tell him he's not gonna get anywhere saying stuff like this?

And if this point has to be explained to him he might as well not even waste his time?

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Hope it happens! A "battle royale"! I'd like to see a steel cage match!

[Piquaboy]

I would love to see him sink Kerry's boat.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I think it's a good idea -- he has name recognition; conservatives across the country would contribute; he helped save the country from Kerry. He might not win, and he might be wasting his time, but ours is one household which contributes to campaigns outside our own state.

[misterrob]

The Boston Glob will serve as Kerry's PR outlet and bash Corsi mercilessly

[LLBeet]

It's about time somebody tries to beat that pompous Kerry at his own game. Now if only somebody else would do the same to the swimmer Senator from that same state.

[OKSooner]

Hey, I wish him the best. I'm just saying he's gonna have to stop making stupid statements about how much support he has it he wants to get anywhere.

[cynicom]

" John Kerry is focused on his work for the people of Massachusetts."...

You can tell when a politician is in trouble when he has to fall back to the abv quote to cover himself.

[Gay State Conservative]

The unfortunate reality here in the People's Republic is that a large majority of voters are glad that Mao and his puppet,Ho Chi Minh,won.

If this guy is lucky.he'll get 8% of the vote.And there's a real possibility that he won't even make it onto the ballot.

Politically,and in many other ways as well,Massachusetts is a lost cause

[Hadean]

My thoughts exactly.

[rightinthemiddle]

I kinda like your governor.

[Roccus]

IMHO, it's just a fund raising feeler.

[Gay State Conservative]

I kinda like your governor.

Romney's pretty good...certainly light years better that anything the democRATS have.But the problem with him (and this isn't really his fault) is that the Legislature is so heavily democRAT that they routinely override his vetoes.

[bitt]

'It's about time somebody tries to beat that pompous Kerry at his own game. Now if only somebody else would do the same to the swimmer Senator from that same state.'
~~~~~~~~
Bill Cosby lives in Shelburne, Western Ma.

Altho he is no Republican, he is moderate enough and intelligent enough to get MY support to run against The Swimmer in 2006.....and wouldn't the Dems have a hell of a time trying to run down this Black man with a Masters in Education...?

'Day-O' and Calypso Louie would go bonkers...

[bitt]

LT ping

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[gidget7]

You don't think if Corsi campaigns outside of the greater Boston area, he could beat him? I'm saying, west of Boston, and especially western MA, there are a lot of conservatives. The trick is getting out there to campaign. The MA newspapers, and media, are not going to get the news to people in western MA, so the people campaigning have to.

If they do that, cause a lot of exposure to the folks who never vote, and get out there to make their message heard, I think he could take Kerry. The trouble is, most folks out here don't bother because they don't hear about the conservatives, or the Republicans, for that matter, because they are basically shut out of the news. It's obvious to me, especially when you look at town/city populations, and then look at the number who voted.