Posted on 06/03/2008 3:09:36 PM PDT by Shermy
U.S. Sen. John Kerry - wary of a potential political embarrassment - has been calling in favors to top Bay State Democrats in a bid to block a Gloucester lawyer from getting on the ballot to challenge him, the Herald has learned.
Several high-ranking Democrats said the senator has reached out in recent days seeking support and asking for help in preventing attorney Ed O’Reilly from getting the convention votes he needs to force a September primary race against Kerry.
O’Reilly, a former firefighter, needs 15 percent support from the Democratic State Committee at the party’s convention Saturday in Lowell to get on the ballot. He did not return calls yesterday.
Kerry campaign spokesman Roger Lau said: “The senator has been in Massachusetts politics for a long time and he believes what Tip O’Neill said, that all politics is local. You have to ask everyone. You can’t take (support) for granted.”
Insiders say Kerry has drawn the ire of some party officials for backing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary race and that some may use Saturday’s convention to exact political payback.
Clinton backers recently showed their clout in intra-party elections, ousting longtime state delegate Margaret Xiafaras, reportedly because she backed Obama.
“In a (presidential) primary race as close as this one has been, it would not surprise me to see people take sides and for there to be hard feelings,” said state Sen. Jack Hart. “I know the Kerry campaign is calling around to all the delegates, which they haven’t done in the past, asking for their support.”
If O’Reilly gets on the ballot, he would be Kerry’s first primary opponent since 1984.
“They want to put him on the ballot,” said one longtime party operative. “They figure it ruins Kerry’s summer by making him have to campaign in the state.”
But state Auditor Joseph DeNucci, a Clinton backer, said Kerry deserves the party’s full support.
“I’m with him,” DeNucci said. “He’s an incumbent. He’s been a good senator. It wouldn’t look too good for the Democratic party to come out against one of its own.”
Former state Democratic Party chairman Chester Atkins added: “John is an important senator, an important partner to Ted Kennedy and an important national voice. To have John distracted by someone who is just a nuisance candidate would be unfortunate.”
Interesting. Kerry has to demean his pompous self and “reach out” to the mid-level people.
Telling that he is not calling in his friends to help him win the primary from what is probably a long-shot challenge, but legally working to deny voters a choice.
The irony probably is missed by the Stalinist Party of Massachusetts-- Kerry doesn't even want a challenger on the ballot! Seig! Heil!
What Kerry is really afraid of is winning the Democrat primary by less than incumbents usually do. He’s begun to wear out his welcome.
O’Reilly..Kerry..Massasses..Didn’t Kerry change his name to appear Irish? Or was that bs.
Insiders say Kerry has drawn the ire of some party officials for backing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary race and that some may use Saturday’s convention to exact political payback.
LURCH rides again! Hopefully 15% are really ticked at LURCH and will force the pompous antiameican gigolo to ruin his summer campaigning with the common folk, you know, those outa work bitter scum who cling to their guns, religion, and pickup trucks for solace. Does Lurch wear rubber gloves and bathe himself in disinfectant when he is forced to greet the commoners trying to con them out of their votes.
Say nothing of Ted Kennedy. Why should Kerry worry? Massachusetts Senators have insured tenure. Manslaughter can't keep one if them out of office.
Ping
There is just so much chaosssssssssssssss these days. lol
Poor John Kerry and those inconvenient nuisances.
Just wait until national U.S. politics truly becomes just like the ongoing socialistic Massachusetts politics! After mid-January ‘09, the rest of the country will probably get to see for themselves just how bad socialistic politics really is. If both the Fairness Doctrine eventually becomes fully implemented and illegal immigrants are eventually legally allowed to vote in all future U.S. elections along with being allowed amnesty “to the max”, then both the Republican Party and U.S. conservatism will eventually die forever throughout the U.S. and be replaced by long-term third world socialism.
Kerry must really be scared he’ll be unceremoniously tossed into retirement, otherwise why try to prevent a newcomer from even getting on the ballot. What a dirtbag. Massachusetts voters have been denied choices for way too long. Maybe this is one of the reasons why.
With apologies for messing with your words.
If conservatives sit by and let that happen, then we deserve what we get. Conservatives by nature just bitch and moan, but rarely get into an activism mode. If there is ever a time to do so, it’s this election. McCain is a problem and none of us want him as our choice, but there has to be some conservative leadership out there that can get conservatives excited about taking back congress and preventing the nightmare that will take place if we don’t.
So much for democracy, eh, John boy?
DINO - Democrat In Name Only. That is, Democracy is a nuisance that must be avoided at all cost.
A member of the citizenry seeking political office is now...
“A nuisance candidate”
But, the liberal dems in the northeast are NOT elitists.. they are not they are not they are not...
It would be funny if it weren’t so darned sad.
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