A Newsweek article assessing the damage Kerry made to himself.

[Mass]

I wonder how accurate this is when the writer cannot have her chronology correct. She said that Schumer called Kerry to ask him to apologize on Thursday afternoon when he issued his apology Wednesday Wednesday at 2 pm.

Other than that, a lot of the same old same.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15562022/site/newsweek/

Chuck Schumer got right to the point. On Thursday afternoon, the New York Senator, who’s leading the Democrats’ efforts to win back the Senate, called John Kerry and let him have it.
...

Interestingly, however, the conclusion is the same one I would have made: there is some repair work to do, but I doubt Kerry was counting on DC strategists for that. So, I hope he get a few good people who understand him well and stop trying to get him to be somebody else, and then, we'll see.

[karynnj]

1. They also totally mischaracterize the reaction in California

I saw the video on Kerry's website. I'm not surprised at Eleanor Cliff, but I would have hoped for better from Howard Fineman although he was not kind to Kerry in 2004. He had mentioned on Imus how kind Kerry was to him when he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer.

[Mass]

3. I am confused where Eleanor Cliff fits here. Are you talking of another article.

I only heard her on McLaughin and she was not too negative with Kerry (contrarely to Marl Shields on the NewsHour).

This article is totally uninformed (full of factual errors), which is why I am surprised that the writer does not state that he is done. I think that it is true that no big name strategist thought Kerry was going to win in 08 (but they also did not think he would win in 04, so how is it significant.

I have seen her on DU

[emulatorloo]

5. article ends w credit -- "With Howard Fineman and Eleanor Clift" n/t

[karynnj]

8. They are credited at the end of the article

With Howard Fineman and Eleanor Clift

[emulatorloo]

2. "The [dem] strategist, who spoke freely and at length about Kerry

on the condition of anonymity . . .

Something needs to be done about this vile class of vicious vindictive hanger's on.

I gotta tell you, I think one of the results of the Kerry 'gaffe' may very well be that it reminded some people of this:

"OH SHIT IF I HAD VOTED FOR KERRY INSTEAD OF THAT LIAR BUSH WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS"

[Firespirit]

4. Are they afraid that the Kerry Mafia will put out a contract on them?

Really, they don't mind undermining the party by being seen as criticizing it, so why be anonymous?

These people have absolutely no courage whatsoever. None.

Let's just say, he knows who his friends are now.

[ProSense]

6. That article is stupid, choppy and

unbelievable! I read it earlier and the chronology is not the only problem with the article:

Kerry’s attempts to fight back, by calling the Republicans “stuffed suits” and “right wing nutjobs,” was only prolonging the story and making things worse. Apologize now, Schumer told him, according to a high-ranking party official who didn’t want to be named talking about a private conversation. (A source close to Kerry said the exchange was cordial.)

Kerry's statement didn't include any of those words!

[Mass]

9. She is speaking of his first statement on Tuesday Morning.

Her chronology is totally messed up.

http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/release.html?id=33

[ProSense]

11. Thanks. I see, but the article is still misleading and unbelievable

Washington – Senator John Kerry issued the following statement in response to White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, assorted right wing nut-jobs, and right wing talk show hosts desperately distorting Kerry’s comments about President Bush to divert attention from their disastrous record:

"assorted right wing nut-jobs (which Malkin is), and right wing talk show hosts..." The way they describe Kos' posts is spin. I also doubt that any call with Schumer when down as they described!

[Mass]

14. When I saw the first paragraph , I did not read the details.

Somebody who cannot remember the dates of events that happened less than a week ago has to be weak factually. I just wanted to know the conclusion.

If the conclusion is that Kerry is not a favorite of the DC insider crowd, as it seems to be, I could have told her that a long time ago.

[beachmom]

10. Yes it did -- in his press release.nt

[beachmom]

7. This part I hope is right:

“This is not something that will linger in pool halls and bars and normal places in America,” he says



That's step #1. That the American people see this as a gaffe, not somebody who would insult the troops. In fact, that's really the most important thing.

[YvonneCa]

12. The only thing 'Botched' is this article...

...it has so many false statements it's unbelievable. I saw the audience reaction to the joke...everyone knew he was cutting Bush down. Everyone deserves a second chance...JK hasn't had his, yet....but he will.:patriot:

[Noisy Democrat]

13. It's interesting to see what's going on

The pundits and Those In the Know say that JK has really blown it, but these are the same people who never thought he had much of a chance for 2008 in the first place,so what exactly do they think he's blown? In short, they don't get JK. Thanks for posting this link, though. It's interesting for us faithful to read. Still, I hope it doesn't catch on as gospel among people on the sidelines, 'cause I think it's mostly a load of crap, except for what you summed up as the conclusion.

[Mass]

15. Exactly. This is why I found the article interesting.

It confirmed my conviction that things had not changed this week.

[ProSense]

17. Agree, but think about what this article means!

This is Fineman and Clift, yet they produce this weak BS article with a headline that promises a critical assessment:

Botched
Assessing the damage done to Democrats—and his own chances in ’08—by John Kerry’s epically flubbed joke.

Then offer nothing but inaccurate, unbelievable and speculative crap with a hokie ending:

Kerry put down his fork. His meatballs lay in ruins. “I always thought that in America you do get a second chance,” he said. It’s the third chances that are harder to come by.

LOL! Third chance! WTF?

[karynnj]

20. I guess they are implying that this was his second chance

So, the guy rasises more money than anyone, developes the only comprehensive Iraq plan, helps protect al the military candidates which are 3 key elements of this 2006 race and because he botches a line and apologizes within slightly more than 24 hours after disputing a false, unjustifiable interpretation, that he's lost his second chance. He clearly was exhausted.

What about Hillary suddenly being portrayed by her comment to the NY Daily News on torture as MORE willing than McCain to torture - this GIVES up the claim to moral leadership if she is the candidate. (This was bizarre as McCain was able to say that his bill precludes this which it doesn't - leaving Hillary as the more pro-torture person.) That however is NOT a gaffe.

[Firespirit]

16. These people weren't for him in the first place

And the article says as much. So that's exactly right -- what's changed?

These strategists have been losing elections for the Democratic Party since 1994.

They were able to salvage the 1996 presidential for Clinton, but that's because Clinton was all about himself rather than all about helping the party. The party suffered while Bill Clinton basked in popularity, and after he was no longer on the ticket, it became far more obvious the damage he and his strategists had done, by building him up rather than the Democratic Party.

These strategists made 2004 close enough for the Republicans to suppress, trash, and hack their way to "victory." The single biggest problem with the 2004 campaign was that he trusted these people. They were NEVER for him. They are about keeping their own jobs, just like Bill was in the 1990s.

I am sort of sorry for the Clinton bashing lately, but my eyes have really been opened to what was going on over the past decade, and it makes me angry.

[wisteria]

18. Its News Week, Fineman and Clift. None of those mentioned ever

supported Kerry.News Week never even mentions him unless it is negative. Clift especially gushes over Senator Clinton regularly any chance she gets. This is wishful thinking on their part. Knock out the toughest competition before the primaries so you have no real challenges and can save money for the general. This has been, pure and simple an chop job on Kerry in hopes he is eliminated now. Screw them all. I continue to fight until the day he tells me not too.

[TayTay]

19. Fineman on the war in 2003

Let's assess his powers as a seer

"We had controversial wars that divided the country. This war united the country and brought the military back."
(Newsweek's Howard Fineman--MSNBC, 5/7/03)

And the jury says, pfffffffttttt

[karynnj]

23. I take it that it would be tough to have a Fineman was right list

comparable to the Kerry was right list that seems to have expanded to almost everything he said in 2004. (Hint for Fineman: I bet our Kerry was right list is 3 or more times longer than the list of Kerry's gaffes.

[sandnsea]

21. My take too

"Clift especially gushes over Senator Clinton"

The continuation of this is Clinton supporters. Looking back on the election, I thought everything was going really well. Then all of a sudden in August there were all these attacks from Democratic consulants, and the hiring of McCurry and Lockhart. I always liked them so I thought it could only help. But now, I wonder if that isn't where the disarray from the campaign really came from. They just never 'got' JK, or real Democrats, and still don't.

[benny05]

22. Isn't amazin' how Kerry was expected to give a full apology

When GWB has made none...and yet, Bush gets the brownie points. Insipid.