Kerry Country - Missouri voters are rallying behind him.

[bigtree]

By Harold Meyerson
Web Exclusive: 2.2.04
http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2004/02/meyerson-h-02-02.html

ST. LOUIS -

According to the Post-Dispatch, the Kerry and John Edwards campaigns have each dropped a paltry $40,000 on St. Louis TV stations -- an amount that Saint Louis University political scientist Ken Warren termed "incredible peanuts." Indeed, both Kerry and Edwards have been outspent in the St. Louis media market by Lyndon LaRouche, who paid $51,000 for a half-hour spot on the local CBS affiliate. The
Post-Dispatch reports that the LaRouche extravaganza had higher ratings than Seinfeld and The Simpsons on rival stations, which suggests that people here really are as bored as they look.

The Kerry campaign says it will spend about $120,000 for Missouri media; the Edwards campaign is in for $80,000. Wesley Clark's campaign says it will begin advertising in the last few days before Tuesday's primary. Howard Dean's campaign will have no media here, nor does it have a headquarters. While Missouri Representative Dick Gephardt was in the race, Dean's was the only other campaign to have visible supporters in the state. As far back as February 2003, Deaniacs converged to create a statewide volunteer network. But unlike Kerry and Edwards, Dean has declined to open campaign offices here since Gephardt dropped out right after Iowa.

As a result, Dyan Ortbal-Avalos, volunteer state coordinator for Dean, has been running the campaign out of her living room. There are 800 Dean volunteers who have committed to work their precincts on election day, and the pro-Dean unions are rallying their members, too. The combined Missouri membership of Dean's two powerhouse unions, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), however, is less than 20,000. And in a speech to several hundred AFSCME members in St. Louis on Saturday morning, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee proclaimed, "We're gonna fight like hell for Dean. But let it be understood: Our main theme is, 'Anybody but Bush!'"

A poll conducted from Wednesday through Friday that ran in Sunday's Post-Dispatch gives Kerry 44 percent support among likely Democratic primary voters. Edwards runs second at 14 percent, Dean third with 9 percent, and Clark and Joe Lieberman poll at 5 percent each. As candidates need at least 15 percent support Tuesday to qualify for delegates, it's possible that no one but Kerry and Edwards will claim any of Missouri's 74 delegates.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. Kerry's showing in Mo. bodes very well

Missouri's bellweather status indicates Kerry will be very strong in the GE.

[Monte Carlo]

2. Ashcroft's home state, no less.

Perhaps his verbal lashing of our honorable AG has worked.

[sistersofmercy]

10. Kerry's Ashcroft comment got the biggest cheers at his rally in STL

BTW we don't want Ashcroft back either.

[Monte Carlo]

12. That's encouraging.

Really. I'm not being sarcastic.

I'll assume you're from Missouri... can you tell me something about how Kerry is recieved way over there? I'm curious.

[sistersofmercy]

14. Here in STL Kerry is received very well

There was a huge turnout for his rally here. Already cast my vote today, can't wait til 7.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. Kerry is building the broad coalition needed to win in the GE

Kerry has appeared twice here this week, on Wednesday in St. Louis and on Saturday in Kansas City, each time surrounded by the phalanx of Vietnam veterans who now turn out wherever he goes. The message that the Kerry campaign is seeking to convey seems to be getting through in Missouri; one of the respondents to the Post-Dispatch poll called Kerry "straightforward and tough."

Try to remember the last time that there was a Democratic candidate whom people called "tough." There, in a nutshell, is Karl Rove's dilemma.
http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2004/02/meyerson-h-02-02.html

[blm]

4. This is as I always expected.

I have no doubt Kerry will get 56% of the vote in the general election. At least.

[sistersofmercy]

9. Hey Feanorcurufinwe, are you in MO?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

11. No, I wish I could vote today

I'm in MT. We vote last, on June 8. I'm just basing my post on what I've read in the papers and polls.

[hatrack]

13. I was at the rally Saturday in KC

About 7-800 people turned out on a bone-chilling morning to hear the stump speech, which was very well received. Plenty of firemen and vets on hand, and though the crowd was largely white and middle-aged, about 1/4 of the people I could see were 25 and younger, with maybe 15% African-American and Latino.

The Ashcroft line definitely blew the doors off the ballroom, though a lot of other topics were crowd-pleasers as well, esp. regarding "intelligence failures", cutbacks in VA medical care and related programs, Bush foreign policy, deficits & spending & environmental issues.

Various VIPs were on hand to endorse - KC's Mayor Barnes, Jackson County Executive Shields and former governor Wilson, whose son is heading back to Iraq for a second tour.

[sistersofmercy]

7. That's right ...

Missouri has in the last 100 years swung with the winner of the GE everytime except once.

I would say twice if one were to include the last election which bush* didn't win.

[dolstein]

5. CORRECTION: Missouri Democratic primary voters are rallying behind Kerry

Again, just because Kerry is doing well among Democratic primary voters doesn't mean he'll be able to carry the state in November.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. Thank you

for your persistent and consistent voicing of the glass-half-empty view.

[dolstein]

19. You don't get it -- we're talking about two completely different glasses

The primary electorate isn't a representative sample of the general electorate. It's not even close. Stop trying to spin a primary victory into a likely general election victory.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

20. I promise not to make uninformed comments about what you understand.

Could you please do the same for me?

I do 'get it' - I understand your point. That doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

Look at the demographics of the vote, and the number of Independents and crossover Republicans for an indication of how primary results transfer to the general election.


Once again, though, I thank you for continuing to voice your opinion that we will lose to Bush.

I disagree.

[andym]

6. The value of money

The value of money in campaigns is clearly shown. Positive media coverage, especially being considered a "winner" is priceless and far more important than a big warchest. That said, having alog of money is very useful as well.

[loyalsister]

15. It's the Newsweek poll stupid

Noone actually likes Kerry where I live. Anyone who voted for him did so ONLY because of perceived electability. Too bad it's illusory.

[bigtree]

16. But they believe in him enough to vote for him

Check the exit polls tomorrow. They should be revealing.

[loyalsister]

18. They just want to get rid of Bush

They can't stand Kerry- just prefer him to Bush.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

22. As long as they vote against Bush I will consider them allies.

[Trajan]

17. WHY do I question those numbers ...

WHY do the voters of Springfield, MO (at least those that visit the TV channel website for Springfield33 - http://springfield33.com ) ... why do THEY choose Wesley Clark(76 %) over John Kerry (8 %) Howard Dean (2 %), and John Edwards (7 %) ??? ...

Furthermore: .. just next door in OK: .. Clark leads ...

Hmmmmmmmm ....

[Feanorcurufinwe]

21. Maybe the reason is that online polls are 100% bogus. lol

[bigtree]

23. Good spot Trajan. TV polls are subjective to the subject matter

displayed, and the audience may not represent the majority of the population. Still . . . Here is the election results page for later tonight for MO. from Greene County: http://www.greenecountymo.org/election/

Good luck to your candidate!

[nwstrn]

24. Missouri Democrats HATE Ashcroft

I went to a sold-out showing of Michael Moore's film in Columbia, Missouri last year. The film was very well received, with people applauding and cheering throughout the movie. When Ashcroft's face flashed on the screen, people started hissing and booing--it was great!

A Republican at work who voted for Bush in 2000 has declared that he will not vote for Bush this year. Why? One reason: Ashcroft.

I'm looking forward to this year's election. The Democrat nominee will have a good chance of taking Missouri.

[sistersofmercy]

25. I agree with your last statement and

I think the Democratic nominee will take MO in the GE. Hi from St Louis and Welcome to DU :hi:

[littlejoe]

26. This Missouri democrat hates Ashcroft.

[mitchum]

27. Great news