Kennedy: "I'll back Kerry in 2008"

[welshTerrier2]

why would Kennedy issue a statement like this at this time? most peculiar ...

any word from Kerry on Iraq ??? looks like he'll be waiting until after the vote on the Constitution now ...

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051013/ap_on_el_pr/kennedy2008

BOSTON - Sen. Edward Kennedy said Wednesday he would back fellow Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 — even if Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton also pursues a White House bid.

"If he runs, I would support him," Kennedy told The Associated Press in an interview at his Boston office. <skip>

[AtomicKitten]

1. They're buddies.

Somebody probably asked and he answered the question. No matter. Even though Al Gore says he isn't running, he's going to be the Dem nominee, or at least in my dreams he will be.

[DaveColorado]

2. I worked for kerry last year

I'll be damned if I do again.

[zann725]

14. Same here...UNLESS he steps forward NOWand admitsTRUTH about Election

in '04. If we need him at all, we need him now. And that will require some quick frog-marching, indictments, impeachments, etc.

[blm]

21. He and Dean are working to get full access to the machines LEGALLY.

They are working their asses off to get THEIR candidates into Sec of State races.

We best be paying attention to those races all over the country.

[FormerDittoHead]

22. Please elaborate. n/t

[Admiral Loinpresser]

3. While I respect both Kennedy and Kerry,

it certainly must be based on their friendship, as you said. There is a certain cognitive dissonance in this statement, given Kennedy's strong stand against the war.

Ditto on Gore. Our party, our nation and planet are desperately in need of a leader with a vision on how to change the fundamental relationship between the earth and civilization. Gore is the only one who fits the bill.

[AtomicKitten]

5. I read where he said he wasn't going to run in 2008.

I, of course, intrepret that to mean he is. He has to.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

31. Tweety vs. reality-based journalism.

The short answer is that nobody knows at this point, probably not even Gore. He has been extremely clear since December 2002 (when he said he wouldn't run in 2004), that he is keeping open the option to run in 2008, although he often adds that he has no current (no pun intended!) plan to do so.

There are two general sources for the Gore-said-he-won't-run myth:

1) Chris Matthews reported on his show that he had talked to a Gore confidant who said Gore wouldn't run. This report is highly dubious for several reasons. First, from a statistical point of view, Matthews tends to misreport on Gore more often than he is accurate. Second, Matthews is an enemy of Gore's. He has consistently attacked Gore and was one of the worst offenders in the War on Gore in 2000. It is unlikely that Al would leak to such a miscreant, even if that was his position. Finally, it isn't Gore's M.O. to leak a decision on whether to run. Rather, in 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2004, i.e. in each case, he has always made a public announcement, whether yea or nay.

2) The other reason for the myth is that Gore is often asked (and encouraged) about 2008 at his speeches these days. Sometimes Gore is emphatic about his lack of intention to run. Occaisionally this is misinterpreted (and even reported) as him saying he won't run. Actually nobody knows whether ANYBODY is actually going to run at this point. But his publicy stated position remains that he reserves the right to run. Obviously he doesn't want to emphasize that aspect because it is well known in presidential politics that a potential front runner (such as Gore) should wait as long as possible before weighing in.

But some of the anti-Gore sentiment in the press remains. I believe a lot of the guilty parties do not want Gore to run again because bloggers on the left will have a field day with NYT, Washington Post, etc., etc., because of their unprecedented unprofessionalism in 2000.

A Gore candidacy would be the perfect way to illustrate how the contemporary press has become the enemy of not only the Democratic Party, but democracy itself.

[karynnj]

33. In the Jan, Feb meet the press interviews,

Russert tried to play each against the other, Kennedy and Kerry BOTH insisted that there positions at that time were VERY close and were more a difference of process. Since then, Kennedy seems to have dropped talk of withdrawal and is even closer to Kerry's position.

Obviously, Kennedy, who has know Kerry for decades, clearly believed Kerry when he said that he would not have invaded Iraq - that he wanted the inspectors more time to avoid the war. It is others, for their own reasons, who feel the need to distort Kerry's view.

[IndianaGreen]

4. I think it is important to cut off Hillary at the pass.

If we don't coalesce around an anybody-but-Hillary (ABH) candidate, the Big Female Dog will take the nomination for herself and her corrupt hubby Big Dog, and we will have the DLC back in the White House and nothing will change.

[AtomicKitten]

6. I've got no problem with Hillary.

I just want Gore to run. Gore/Obama, yeah, that's the ticket.

[Dr Fate]

7. Gore/Obama could be a winning ticket.

Damn- that sounds pretty good.

I like Kerry, Clark & Gore for '08.

[zann725]

15. Obama is sooooo D.L.C....he IS D.L.C. Sorry, if I vote Dem, I vote Dem...

not a Remocrat.

[Dr Fate]

28. Ever hear him on the Ed Schultz show?

He is great. I dont agree with him on every single issue either- but I would support him as VP.

[welshTerrier2]

29. Obama is too hawkish for me ...

During the Bolton hearings, Senator Obama offered these hawkish comments on Iran:

"I would say the policy has been less about patience and more about paralysis--a dangerous situation for a nation such as Iran that is developing nuclear weapons, is a state sponsor of terrorism, and is meddling in Iraq."

if Senator Obama wants my support, he'll talk about avoiding a conflict with Iran before he beats the wardrums for one ... i would also have appreciated a comment or two about the US "meddling in Iraq" ...

[Dr Fate]

30. Well, obviously it all depends on the issues.

I would also prefer a candidate who emphasizes smart ways of avoiding more conflicts.

[disndat]

34. Stop Hillary!

Not only is she on the same page as Lieberman, she is tagged by the Repugs as most easy to beat and probably stealthily pushing for her candidacy. Don't delude yourselves, the "angy white male backlash" is alive and well.

[wiley]

8. Ur, I, uh, help!

:banghead:

[AtomicKitten]

9. Lighten up.

We can dream.

[win_in_06]

10. Kerry may have asked him to. Maybe he wants to boost fundraising/exposure

[Mass]

26. He was giving an interview about his 06 run and was asked the question

http://www.turnto10.com/politics/5091560/detail.html

Ted Kennedy Will Run For Another Term
Mass. Democrat Says He'd Back Kerry Over Clinton If Both Run For President

POSTED: 6:17 pm EDT October 12, 2005

BOSTON -- After 43 years in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Edward Kennedy, of Massachusetts, says he's ready to run for another term.

Kennedy told The Associated Press that he will mount a vigorous campaign, regardless of whether he has opposition or is unopposed for the first time in his career. No Republican opponent has emerged.

Kennedy has about $8 million stockpiled for his re-election bid. He plans to raise even more, which his political advisers believe could scare off challengers.

Kennedy also told the AP Wednesday that he would support U.S. Sen. John Kerry for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 -- even if Sen. Hillary Clinton runs.

While Kennedy has frequently entertained Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, he said his loyalty is to Kerry.

Early polling shows Clinton and Kerry among the favorites for their party's nomination in 2008, but neither has confirmed they're in the race.

Kennedy calls Kerry, who lost to President George W. Bush last year, an "able, gifted and talented political leader."

He criticized President Bush's leadership, saying he believes the American people "regret that John wasn't elected."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Why would this surprise anyone?

He is backing the hometown guy. Even Rick Santorum backed Areln Specter when he ran for President in 1996.

[Ufour20]

12. Kerry had his chance

and blew it big time. Time for a real American hero, Clark is that man. I like Gore as well and wouldn't be upset by his nomination, but Kerry can just ride the pine now.

[Totally Committed]

17. Welcome to DU, Ufour20...

Kerry may have blown it in some people's eyes, but that does not make him any less real an "American hero".

Like you, I support Wes Clark, who is, to me, a genuine American hero, too. But, there are far too few heroes in America today, to not give credit to those who have really earned the title. Say Kerry's time is over. Say he's not your choice. Say he never was your choice. But, do not say he isn't a real American hero. He is. He's just not my choice to run this country. And, as you say, not yours, either.

[Sallow]

27. Kerry didn't blow it.

Kerry was up against the best..Karl Rove. It's extremely hard to compete against a person like that, he has no ethics. They gathered together the despicable "Swift Boat Vets for Truth" which basically told alot of unsubstantiated lies about Kerry and they resonated. It was hard to fight against them too - if you sue for liable, you look bad and if you don't you look bad. Kerry blew the doors off of Bush in all three debates. Kerry came off as well reasoned, in touch with the facts and forward looking. Bush was lost and got angry alot. And if you believe election results (Which I don't) It was something like 58 million to 61 million..not a wide margin.

[Totally Committed]

13. They are friends, and Kennedy was a sort of "mentor" to Kerry

for years. Of course he'd say that. The big news would have been if he said he wouldn't. No big deal.

[Donna Zen]

16. Got it TC

I was wondering if this was only a political friendship, one that reflects the relationship between the junior and senior senators, but the mentoring sounds about right.

Do you think that there are competing factions at work: the Kennedy faction vs the Clinton faction? This is not about this particular statement, which I suppose was an answer to a direct question from a reporter on a slow news day, but rather I'm looking forward to what can be expected from the struggle that will ensue between "Old" and "DLC" Democrats. Just wondering if you're catching any buzz my dear.

[blm]

20. You nailed it exactly. It's the Kennedy left wing v Clinton centrist wing.

And has been for quite some time.

Bear in mind that Matt Cooper is married to Mandy Grunwald, a Clinton team player.

Matt Cooper refused to testify ALL LAST YEAR about Karl being the leaker while Wilson was being treated like a political partisan who was attacking Karl and the WH as a political hack working for Kerry campaign.

That information was material to the voters. Cooper and ALL OF THE DC MEDIA knew that there were traitors in the WH and they chose to keep that information from the voters.

[Mass]

25. Exactly.

[TayTay]

18. I think a speech explaing the feeling on Iraq is coming.

The vote on the Constitution is this Sat.

Condi gets to testify about it on Wednesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at 10 AM on Wednesday Oct 19th. (Dems are: Biden, Sarbanes, Dodd, Kerry, Feingold, Boxer, Nelson (FL) and Obama.)

That also seems like a good time to clarify how everyone feels about Iraq now.

[Dulcinea]

19. What if he doesn't run?

I've heard Kerry doesn't want to run again.

[TayTay]

23. I think he might.

He is showing up in Iowa and New Hampshire, that's usually not just to sample the goods at the County Fairs. He is also raising money and distributing it liberally to Dem candidates around the country, that's also an early sign of interest in a national race.

I had thought, at one point, that his family might not be up for another run. He has two daughters who basically had to put their lives on hold for almost two years while their father ran for Pres. Both women are now getting their professional lives back, one as a medical doctor, one as a film director who just got a nice job in Hollywood, a place not known for being friendly to women directors. But, it seems the family said they are up for it if he wants to run, so wait and see.

[Totally Committed]

32. Does that mean he won't be running for the Senate from MA?

Kerry's term is up in '08. Anyone know if it's possible to run for the Senate and run for POTUS at the same time? I know Joementum did it, but he was only the VP candidate, and was only in at the last part of the election cycle. It should be interesting to see. I'd love to see Tierney run for Kerry's seat and win.

[Mass]

24. Because he was asked the question probably.

He is not a statement, but part an AP interview and it seems that the only thing AP found interesting to report was this non-news.

CJR has a good take on the subject.

http://www.cjrdaily.org/archives/001911.asp

News That Isn't
October 13, 2005
AP Still Wishing for 2008


We thought the Associated Press was jumping the gun with its Scandinavian non-scoops about who might run for U.S. president three years from now. Today, the AP outdoes itself, with more "news" about Campaign 2008 (and this time, they got their story stateside).

Liberal Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy told the AP's Glen Johnson yesterday that he will support Massachusetts' other liberal senator, John Kerry, in '08, should Kerry be a candidate.

Because if there's a story more meaningless in October 2005 than who might, or might not, be running for president in 2008, it's a story about who might support someone who might, or might not, be running for president in 2008.