Kerry, Hit From Inside and Out: Marital Strife, Personnel Infighting Battered Campaign

Wash Post ^ | 11/15/04 | Howard Kurtz

[Cableguy]

Teresa Heinz Kerry hardly suffered from a lack of media attention during the presidential campaign.

But if a lengthy, behind-the-scenes Newsweek piece is on the mark, press accounts failed to reflect the degree to which she was a disruptive force in her husband's campaign who often looked "sullen," was deemed a "hypochondriac" by the staff and had a knack for "silencing a cheering crowd."

"On the campaign bus," Newsweek reports, "there had been constant talk of marital spats between the candidate and his wife. . . . Though they kept Teresa's sometimes erratic behavior out of their copy, when they were speaking among themselves . . . the reporters were increasingly vocal in mocking the candidate's wife."

It is difficult for daily journalists covering a candidate to report on the personal travails and staff infighting that envelop most campaigns. Some reporters who traveled with John Kerry said these stories are hard to pin down because campaign officials refused to discuss such details on the record. Others said it was risky to write stories that would alienate not just the candidate but the staffers on whom reporters depend for news.

"There were hints in the daily coverage that Kerry had problems with being decisive and Teresa was not completely helpful," says Evan Thomas, who wrote the Newsweek article. "But I don't think anybody tried to step back and look at the pattern of it. The press has gotten so consumed with the day-to-day that they've forgotten about or become uninterested in the whole Teddy White approach to reconstruction."

[hineybona]

"more indecisive than he was portrayed by the media.."
I rest my case

[ladyinred]

• Kerry was both "cranky" and more indecisive than he was portrayed by the media.

The media has a million excuses of why they didn't report these sorts of things. The truth is, they didn't want us to know before we voted because they wanted Kerry to win, no matter how nuts and indecisive he was, and how crazy his "wife" is.

[TC Rider]

Though they kept Teresa's sometimes erratic behavior out of their copy, when they were speaking among themselves . . . the reporters were increasingly vocal in mocking the candidate's wife."

It is difficult for daily journalists covering a candidate to report on the personal travails and staff infighting that envelop most campaigns.

Notice how they showed so much restraint in reporting on Jack Ryan in the Illinois Senate race?

When it comes to GOP candidates, they not only report all the gossip, they go to court to reveal sealed records.

[Max Combined]

"I don't recall Democrats mocking Bob Dole's war service, so let's show a little respect for Kerry, too."

So you think their war service was equivalent? They both deserved their purple hearts?

[conservativeteach]

I'll second your observation.

They couldn't attack Dole's service; he actually served.
At every turn though, Bush's record was questioned...the name dan blather rings a bell.

[conservativeteach]

I'll second your observation.

They couldn't attack Dole's service; he actually served.
At every turn though, Bush's record was questioned...the name dan blather rings a bell.

[konaice]

Kerry gamed it in Vietnam...

Yeah, how else can e explain 4 stinkin months in country, when your average dog soldier or mud marine did a full year?

And why the hell would he brag about THAT...

[Calusa]

I think that what kept me together for the last few months was the categorical imperative , the cosmological impossibility of that Harpy Mama-T ever bein' First Lady. It just couldn't happen in this dimension. Thank you God for Lady Bush.

[konaice]

"Who wants to start a divorce pool?"


Not I. That would mean I would have to
watch the press for Kerry stories.

Yuck.

[dmw]

I'm surprised you haven't been zotted yet. You made some similar remarks on another thread. Moderator, do you smeeeeel somtun stinky?

[Old Professer]

Excreology is a dismal science.

[processing please hold]

Welcome to FR. I see you joined us on 2004-11-01

Enjoy your time here. Feel free to critize the DUmmies anytime. Afterall they are just dummies.

I'm a relative newbie myself so I would like to ask some of the oldbies...what's a troll?

[Slyfox]

Shouldn't we know this kind of stuff before we vote?

I think we sort of knew how things were going. Us Americans in Flyover can sense when things are not right even if Newsweek or the Washington Post haven't spelled it out for us yet. 60 million people voted for the President not knowing the 'full' truth. Not bad, eh?

[Old Professer]

I picked this very one...

[Reagan is King]

Though they kept Teresa's sometimes erratic behavior out of their copy, when they were speaking among themselves

If Laura Bush had some of the same "erratic behavior" as Teresa had it would have been on the front page of these rags the next day.

[victim soul]

"It is difficult for daily journalists covering a candidate to report on the personal travails and staff infighting that envelop most campaigns.'

Especially when you want everyone to vote for your guy.

[dmw]

Zactly!!! MSM are disgusting hypocrites. I'll be glad when they no longer exist.

[processing please hold]

Americans are smarter than the MSM. we all saw through their BS. That's why all their ratings have hit rock bottom. Only the Dummies watch them now.

[Tunehead54]

Bump for wussy MSM lying slimebags reference. ;-)

[dk/coro]

185, I think you hit it on the head.

There were a number of factors all laced together that gave our "W" the election.

However, from Terreeezzzaaa's entrance upon the scene -- with her nastiness and unseemly decorum, Laura did far more for the ticket than will ever appear in the statistics.

This is a subliminal, gut sense, but I feel this was a very substantial factor in garnering the female vote; especially in an election held during the Iraq War, etc.