Young Turks talking about JOHN KERRY NOW....and it is good!

[_dynamicdems]

http://zoo.pgh.pa.us/

http://www.theyoungturks.com/

I was just logging in to comment and I heard them talking about how great JK is!!!!

edit: new link....

Also, they are saying he will be leader in the party but won't win if he runs for POTUS.


Edit again: it IS live...they are West Coast.... (brain freeze)

[wisteria]

1. John Kerry is going to surprise them all!

I'm glad they have positive words about him, but they shouldn't be making predictions at this point in time.

[globalvillage]

2. I missed it.

Curious. Did they give reasons for saying he won't win?

[kerrygoddess]

3. Maybe they should talk to me

After all by the ned of my interview with Shaun last night I had him saying JK should run again!

[_dynamicdems]

5. Maybe you should contact them for a transcript or even get an interview

on their show. They sound very pro-Kerry right now, so the time might be right, especially after your other interview.

John Aravois (sp?) of American Blog was just on the show talking about Mary Cheney. They both said Kerry's/David Wade's statement about Mary's comments were terrific.

It isn't important that people don't think he can win in 2008 now because it's only 2006. What is important is that he's getting lots of respect and admiration. People are taking him seriously, probably moreso than they did in 2004 when there was an ABB factor in play.

[globalvillage]

6. Why don't you contact them?

You did great last night. Might as well keep up the momentum. Seems like they might be receptive to a Kerry blogger right now.

[kerrygoddess]

9. I think I will.

It might help that I was on Young Turks with Brad from Brad Blog during the Alito filibuster.

[_dynamicdems]

4. I got the tail end but it was an interview with that guy from the Nation..

I can't remember his name.... They were talking about John Kerry and singing his praises and talking about him and his future as a party leader or a Senate leader, the next Ted Kennedy. The subject of 2008 brought up the comment, and I believe it was on the part of the guy being interviewed, that John Kerry will probably run and not get very far. However, he also felt that Hillary Clinton wouldn't get the nomination in the end although she is now considered the front runner.

I missed a lot and I have dialup so chunks of the stream were obliterated. Maybe they will post a transcript.

It was a very Kerry-positive show...and the 2008 stuff was just speculation. I think the interviewer (not sure if it was Cenk) wasn't certain that Kerry was going to run. Need a transcript of this.

[politicasista]

7. It may be the Gore factor/momentum

:shrug:

[wisteria]

8. I think Gore is the flavor of the month. I don't see him running or

gaining any more momentum than he has now. But, you raise a possible current point of view.

[ginnyinWI]

10. Gore and Feingold are both the darlings of the left this year

but it remains to be seen what happens after that.

I'm especially dubious about Feingold. I read about a speech he gave Monday where he blasts Dems for being too weak, all the while promoting himself as a strong and independent legislator. The article said it was recorded by Cspan for later broadcast. But I'm thinking--how is this going to advance him politically? Rather than promoting his party, he's tearing it down. Negative, negative, negative. This strikes me as politically stupid for him personally, not to mention discouraging for any grassroots people who might be listening.

John Kerry's speech in Boston was the exact opposite. He encouraged and unified people and motivated them with hopes for the future. What a difference.

[_dynamicdems]

11. I really like both these guys but some of their supporters.....

are idiots. Notice all the whining and bashing whenever there is a post about Senator Kerry? Would anyone here jump into a Feingold thread and attack him for say, his vote on Rice? NO WAY. Would anyone here whine that Gore had his shot and should have stayed away. NO WAY. We appreciate it when any and all Dems step up to the plate.

These people really deserve a smackdown, but I try to resist the temptation to equate the hostility I feel for them with the individual they support. Sometimes it is difficult to hold my tongue. It's like the Deaniacs all over again. Whine, whine, bash, bash. I like Howard Dean but some of those Deniacs gave me a migrain.

[jenndar]

12. I was thinking about that a lot

today when we were patiently pointing out things like JK's speech at Fanueil Hall. If somebody other than JK had given that speech, and we hadn't heard of it, there would be OUTRAGE. And I can think of a bunch of other examples, but you obviously understand the point.

It raises concerns for me about how certain people would conduct themselves if their candidate of choice ran a national campaign. Some supporters don't seem at all equipped to reach out to voters.

[karynnj]

13. I don't understand Feingold either

But it's no different than his initial censure proposal. He mentioned it first on a Sunday show, saying then that he had talked to no one. He then presented I think on the Monday. I wasn't overwhelmed by his speech - which is amazing given the topic. (Imagine a JK version, if he chose to do it - the history, the incisively spelled out case, the passion) He then tore out of the room, not even responding to Specter. The nextday he was complaining that none of the Democrats were willing to follow him - maybe because non had the text yet.

I can see his frustration. My guess is that the last year and a half has been awful for a liberal Democrat. Before the election, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Since then, with the increased majority and the extremely undemocratic way the Republicans have handled things, work must be awful for them. Kerry has been very open about how dysfunctional he thinks it is. He seems to have channeled this into working for 2006. Feingold may just be fed up.

It may well be that Feingold IS the loner, the press said Kerry was. If that's true, I really can't see him connecting beyond the far left - who think censure is the most important thing going and who love Feingold even if they really seem not to know him. Does he have any kids? If not or if they're young, he doesn't have anyone to "soften" his image.

[_dynamicdems]

14. Senator Kerry and Senator Feingold seem to be fairly close on the

issues lately. I see mutual support and I wouldn't be at all surprised, if your conjecture about Feingold being a loner in the Senate is true, to see John Kerry supporting him like he did McCain in years past.

I'm sure Senator Feingold is frustrated and it probably did irritate more than a few Senate colleagues when he came out for censure. I'd bet my bottom dollar that, if that were the case, JK was the one who went to bat for him. They are both good guys and I see them more as friends and colleagues than I see any spirit of competition between them.

The rivalry seems to be the fantasy of some of the snotty supporters Senator Feingold has attracted from the far left. Too bad. He's a fine man and I'd hate to see nutty supporters bring him down.

I never got the idea that we have to choose between Dems. It's not a contest. We are all supposed to be on the same team. Why can't we love Dean, Clark, Gore, Feingold and Kerry? Why do we have to choose? I love them all. They are ALL heroes in my book. What is so difficult to accept about that.

Does Senator Feingold have kids? You know, I have no idea. If he does run for President, we will no doubt learn much more about him.

[ginnyinWI]

15. He's my senator and I've never heard mention of any kids.

I do know that he's just been through his second divorce. I'll have to see what bio info I can dig up.

I think all this rivalry stuff is mostly made up by the netroots. They've been weaned on sports teams and mistake this for rivalry between teams. But the Democrats are all on the same team! And like a football team, each one has his or her own areas of expertise and own responsibilities in the game.

[ginnyinWI]

16. Ok I found some info on Feingold:

Bio
Wisconsin traditions have always been central to Russ Feingold's life. In 1917, his family settled in Janesville, Wisconsin, where Feingold was born to parents Leon and Sylvia on March 2, 1953. Growing up in Janesville, Feingold's political views were shaped by discussions at the family dinner table and his father's early involvement in the Progressive Movement. In Janesville's public schools, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and later practicing law in Madison and serving in the Wisconsin State Senate, Feingold has built his life in Wisconsin.

In his first try for an elective position at age 29, Feingold defeated a longtime incumbent to take the seat in the Wisconsin State Senate for the 27th District. Feingold was re-elected in 1986, and in 1990 faced no opponent for reelection to a four-year term.

When Feingold first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1992, he won a tough three-way primary with 70 percent of the vote, and went on to defeat two-term incumbent Robert Kasten. In 1998, after keeping his historic pledge to limit his campaign spending, and disallowing party soft money from being spent on his behalf, Feingold defeated Congressman Mark Neumann to win a second term.

Feingold stays in touch with Wisconsin's communities, visiting each of Wisconsin's 72 counties every year to hold his Listening Sessions. Feingold's top priorities in the U.S. Senate include working for health care coverage for every American, keeping jobs in Wisconsin, fighting for fiscal responsibility, and combating terrorism – including strong support for first responders – while still protecting our civil liberties.

Working with Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, Feingold has led the fight to clean up our federal campaign finance system. McCain and Feingold's bill to ban unlimited soft money contributions to the political parties was signed into law in 2002.

Feingold also works to carry forward the legacy of great Wisconsin leaders like Bob La Follette and Gaylord Nelson by advocating for Wisconsin's families – safeguarding the environment, supporting Wisconsin's farmers, ensuring fair treatment for veterans, and striving for the best in public education.

Feingold has two daughters, Jessica and Ellen, and his wife, Mary Feingold, has two sons, Sam and Ted Speerschneider. The Feingolds live in Middleton, Wisconsin.

I think this mention of a wife is from pre-divorce, not updated.

[_dynamicdems]

17. So similar to John Kerry as far as the family goes...

Two daughters. Second marriage to a woman with two sons. (Teresa has three sons, but still...)

[ginnyinWI]

18. hey, that's right

I must have been too tired to see that when I first posted it. Funny! Except for now that second marriage is on the rocks, and JK's is fine--or more than fine from the looks of it!