John Kerry was part of a conference call on behalf of the Obama campaign this morning

[beachmom]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/us/politics/07cnd-pundits.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

As of this afternoon, the climb for her seemed steeper. Mr. Obama’s campaign responded to the Clinton conference call with one of its own that included some big-name party leaders and superdelegates, among them the last Democratic nominee, Senator John Kerry, who declared, “Barack Obama took a giant and possibly decisive step toward the nomination.” Minutes earlier, CNN had broken in with news from The Associated Press: Another former nominee was breaking for Mr. Obama, former Senator George McGovern, of South Dakota, which will vote along with Montana on June 3, the last primaries of the contest.

The article is about how pundits have started to embrace the CW that this nomination is locked up for Obama. Nice to see John Kerry still a prominent name for the Obama campaign on such an important day.

[Luftmensch067]

1. JK has been an AMAZING surrogate!

I watched the two MSNBC appearances from yesterday and marveled at his steadfast and sensible message and his loyalty and imperturbability (not to mention his good humor in the face of cable idiocy!) He was also great on the Michael Baisden Show yesterday. The news of this call just proves that he will never quit 'til the job is done. I imagine Obama knows just how lucky he is to have this man on his side.

[karynnj]

2. Yep and it might explain HRC's tone today

when she made the case for herself. She said that she had won the blue color voters - who Kerry lost in 2004. She went on about how Obama could not get them either. (The problem is I think Kerry DID win them in the primaries - and that is ALL she has gone through - the difference is that unlike Kerry, she is not winning enough of them to win the nomination. The tone in her voice when saying "Kerry" was kind of like when she said "Obama" She is approaching Bush level - she really needs to stop.

(I also saw McAuliffe spinning all over the TV - he is a real jerk. as well)

Between them - I got over whatever sympathy I felt.

[blm]

4. I do believe they will not let Kerry out of their target range because they KNOW how much his help

to Obama all this time was significant to their defeat and they will never admit that they deserved to lose after the deceits they performed to undermine both Gore and Kerry.

[karynnj]

5. I'm sure that they and Obama realize the value

of his endorsement (and Kennedy's). He was the first other than Durbin to do so, while she had many as they were setting up the coronation. That is not to diminish Obama, who did an incredible job in Iowa - which effectively ended every campaign except HRC - though Edwards seemed to hold on for a miracle. Kerry changed the topic from the actually small NH win and his strong voice of that ridiculous NV suit by Clinton supporters and saying that being a former President does not give you the right to abuse the truth helped shine a light on the ethics of the Clintons. Even people mad at Kerry because he lost, respected his integrity and honesty. The Kennedy endorsements were amazing and they likely gave many faith in Obama in the 20 plus superTuesday races. The national polls showed a jump and some of that had to be reflected in the voting. Other than Gore - no one else could have had the impact of the MA Senators - and Gore did nothing like what Kerry did when he endorsed Dean - he didn't become a surrogate.

[blm]

6. Kerry has also been the steady voice persuading the Supers, and contributing the network he had

built up nationally in 2003-4 was a huge coup for Obama, too.

[Inuca]

13. I don't mean to pick on typos

really, I don't, but "blue color voters" is just too funny :-).

Also, I happened upon the conference call twice yesterday as I was driving (CSPAN radio and POTUS on XM), Kerry was the leader of the pack, but the whole bunch of super superdelegates was very good. Claire McCaskill has also been a very effective and visible surrogate.

[politicasista]

3. He really has

He seems to be having a good time supporting Obama. And I saw the interviews. It's funny to see him laugh at some of the garbage the media spews out. :rofl:

[MBS]

8. I agree!

I missed last night's MSNBC interviews, guys. Did anyone tape them? or has anyone found them archived anywhere?

[MBS]

7. I just got a funding solicitation from John Kerry,

raising money for Frank Lautenberg. Sen. Kerry wrote:

One of my oldest friends in the progressive movement always had a saying to describe how he took stock of people: he said it wasn't whether you were liberal or conservative, it's whether you were a "stand-up person." He meant that it mattered what you did when the chips were down, the positions you took not when it was easy, but when it was really hard.

Frank Lautenberg always shows up for the fight and he speaks his mind. In 2004, when a lot of people were having a hard time separating fact from fiction about the military service of politicians, Frank stood on the floor of the Senate and said, "We know who the chicken hawks are. They talk tough on national defense and military issues and cast aspersions on others. When it was their turn to serve where were they? AWOL, that's where they were."

Well, when it's been Frank's turn to show up and fight, he's always been there -- and I mean he's been there in difficult times. Back in June of 2006, it seemed like no one wanted to come within a mile of legislation Russ Feingold and I introduced to set a deadline to bring our combat troops home from Iraq. Only eleven brave Democrats stood with us and voted for an end to the Bush Iraq policy.

My immediate thought was:actually, it's John Kerry who's the real, the best, the ultimate "stand-up person". For Obama. For net neutrality. For vets. For the environment. For our country.Standing tall in all ways!

[karynnj]

9. I am so glad he is doing this for Lautenberg

He will be facing a challenge in the primaries. There are two candidates who are running against him.

The more serious is Congressman Rob Andrews, who many thought would be picked by Corzine when he became Governor and needed to fill his set. (Corzine did good picking Menendez) One issue is that Andrews was one of the co-sponsors, Co-authors (?) of the IWR. He is taking a quote out of context (a la Bill Clinton to say that Lautenberg, who was not in the Senate for the vote once supported the war. I saw him speak once at a rally for Democrats when Menendez was running in 2006. Both he and Lautenberg spoke. He is very polished and speaks well and was clearly a favorite of the party. One difference between him and Lautenberg was how they interacted with people - Andrews was competent and responsive in a WJC/JRE way. Lautenberg was a storyteller whose life related to his politics. A couple in their 50s came up and told him that there families also came from Patterson. After the usual Jewish geography where they found many likely connections, they mentioned the silk factories that Patterson was long ago famous for. What followed was a fascinating story about the Senator's family.

His dad worked in the silk factory and he remembered his dad telling him, as he pushed him to do well in his school work, that he (Frank) needed to work hard and get an education that would allow him to work in a place where his life would not be shortened by exposure to things like the air in the silk factory. He spoke of how his dad would show him small pieces of thread that had fallen on his clothes, telling him that it was hard to breathe with that in the air. He then spoke of how his dad and others died young - I think he said that his dad died at 45. He spoke of how he joined the service for WWII and then got a college degree.

This then spoke of how that background was why he stood up for unions, for environmental initiatives etc. This was all off the cuff with a large part of the crowd of county Democrats standing in a semicircle around him. He was just a very good guy. (This was about September 2006 - so the details may be off -but it does convey my impression.

The other challenger is the Mayor of Morristown. Cresitello was the Democratic major back in the 1970s - then he sounded progressive - though his idea to merge too low tax towns (many corporate headquarters) to the high tax Morristown never - for some reason interested the other two towns!. After he lost, he was on and off the town council - even as a Republican for a while during a period where he annoyed too many Democrats. He gained notoriety on immigration - when he spoke at a America for Americans (or something like that rally) http://symsess.blogspot.com/2007/08/mayor-donald-cresitellos-speech.html He actually came close to not being on the ballot because he just barely had the 1000 signatures needed.

The part is supposedly angry at Andrews for challenging and all the official Democrats are supporting Lautenberg. (Cresitello is - I think just considered a nuisance.

[wisteria]

11. Yes, but I really like Lautenburg too. I just had to donate to him. He has been a loyal supporter

of many of Senator Kerry's bills.

[ray of light]

10. Good audio here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x128971

[beachmom]

12. Hey, did everyone watch Keith Olbermann last night?

Kerry was quoted heavily from his conference call. That was the soundbite at the top of the hour. Excellent.

[beachmom]

14. More here at The Raw Story:

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Kerry_Limbaughs_tampering_gave_Clinton_IN_0507.html

Kerry: Limbaugh's 'tampering' gave Clinton Indiana victory

Obama strategist also credits Limbaugh with Clinton win

After Hillary Clinton's squeaker victory in Indiana Tuesday night, opponent Barack Obama's advisers and surrogates are saying the only reason she won at all is because of meddling by conservative Hoosiers following the orders of talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

"If it hadn't been for Republicans taking Democratic ballots, he likely would have won in Indiana," Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said Wednesday on a conference call hosted by the Obama campaign. "Rush Limbaugh was tampering with the primary and the GOP has clearly declared they want Clinton as a candidate."

Kerry's statements regarding Limbaugh's meddling follow several e-mails from Obama's campaign to journalists and supporters pointing to the effects of his "Operation Chaos." The right-wing host began encouraging listeners to vote for Clinton, with the goal of at least prolonging the Democratic primary campaign and perhaps making her the nominee.

[karynnj]

15. Given her huge 1.1% victory - this is very very likely true

They know how many Republicans crossed and from exit polls there were many voting HRC saying they would not vote for her in the general election. (I assume the Obama camp has also looked at where the votes were - there are areas in Indiana where if there are lots of people likely to like Rush Limbaugh - the patterns may be clear enough to say it.