John Kerry Update: Running For President?
EmailABC News’ Kate Snow Reports: Kerry will be mostly dark for the next several days, probably through the weekend. He is fighting a head cold. His folks say he had always planned to take a little down time after the election.
But as for where his head is now– someone who just spent 24 hours at his side makes it VERY clear that Kerry fully intends to make a run for the White House. From that person: "You guys (in the media) went nuts" (over the botched joke). "This was people hyperventilating in the moment. We took it down for 6 days." and key: "In a few weeks people will be over the comment."
THE RADAR RECOMMENDS
As for timing on a potential official announcement for Kerry establishing a presidential bid: Not likely before Thanksgiving, but possible before the end of the year.
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I certainly hope that Kerry doesn’t run for President again. When he backed down after his gaffe about getting an education or getting stuck in Iraq, he proved just how weak he comes across. He’s smart, but voters need someone who is also a strong figure (which Bush, for all of his shortcomings, comes across as). Kerry no longer has a hope for that. He had the chance to turn the tables and show some guts (by demanding that Bush apologize to the troops, for example, for getting them involved in an unnecessary war), but Kerry just backed down instead. The Democratic Party needs a stronger figure to run in 2008.
Posted by: David P. | November 8, 2006, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
John Kerry should get out of politics. He has hurt the Democratic Party every time he opens his mouth. Maybe he should try making ketchup. I am a registered Democrat
Posted by: Martin Forman | November 8, 2006, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
You’ve got to be kidding me: What’s next – Santorum and Allen running for Pres?
Posted by: Do_do | November 8, 2006, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
Not in my lifetime! He had his chance and proved only that he is inept. God Bless Massachusetts: Let it keep him! Remember the “prayer for the Czar” in Fiddler? “He should live long, and far away from me.
Posted by: Irwin Moss | November 8, 2006, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm
Kerry should run for ambassador to australia and leave the country. Think of it, John, beaches, toilets that flush the other way, and a nice place to hide from the whole country who is completely OVER you.
Posted by: Dave | November 8, 2006, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
No, no no no no. John, please go away. You’re done. You’re a smart guy and you seem pretty nice, but people have to like you to vote for you…and people don’t like you and they hate your wife. I’m a life-long, liberal Democrat and I even cringed when I had to vote for you in 2004.
Posted by: Carl | November 8, 2006, 6:21 pm 6:21 pm
So who are the altrnatives: Hillary Clinton(though I love Bill), Gore, Obama, Dean. Kerry is still the best of this lot!
Posted by: Rory | November 8, 2006, 6:51 pm 6:51 pm
As a democratic supporter, I urge people to write John Kerry and advise him not to run. He does nothing but hurt the party by looking fake, waffly, and smarmy. Yes, we know hes smart and would have been a better president than bush, but people will vote for someone dumb over someone smarmy any day.
Posted by: Elle | November 8, 2006, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
Hold on there, nay sayers to Kerry! You talk as if Kerry’s losing an election by a few thousand votes in Ohio was a landslide for Bush! Don’t jump on the negativity train, because working together is our only hope. Please! Realize how many people are now VERY sorry they did not vote for Kerry at that time. And aren’t you sorry they didn’t?
Let us be realistic, and consider who would be best as president. Maybe we can get beyond the fact that running for office is not the same as executing the duties of that office. Kerry’s main problem is perceived weakness in the race part of the game.
Finally: You see Kerry as a problem? Very well, who would be better and who would be best?
Posted by: don | November 8, 2006, 8:19 pm 8:19 pm
Nope. We need someone stronger, more decisive and who can fight fire with fire — because Republicans don’t bring a knife to a gunfight!
Posted by: Lou | November 8, 2006, 9:17 pm 9:17 pm
Oh god no…
If we had had a half decent candidate in 2004 we wouldn’t be dealing with Bush right now. He is terrible at campaigning and every time he says anything he just gets himself and the party in trouble. Go away please.
and I’m also a Democrat.
Posted by: Peter | November 8, 2006, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm
To Don:
How about John Edwards? He is intelligent, charismatic and can attract a lot of votes in the South. He outshined Kerry in the 2004 election. No more Kerry please.
Posted by: Linh Nguyen | November 9, 2006, 10:36 am 10:36 am
I’m a democrat and think that John Kerry should definitely not run in 2008. His own Campaign advisor from 2004 said that Kerry just isn’t presidential material, and probably wouldn’t win an election for president. I think John Edwards should run, or how about Hillary Clinton??
Posted by: Annie | November 9, 2006, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
Kerry does not seem to have the ability to convey his thoughts in a way average people understand, and “you know what I meant” just doesn’t work in politics. He is just not electable, though I did and would vote for him should he be the nominee. But we democrats need to choose wisely in who we nominate this next election…Hillary, though I like her, would galvanize the right wing and undecideds into an ” anyone but her” mindset. Too many people really dislike her. Too bad we can’t re-elect Bill. Gore (my personal choice because of his dedication to the environmental emergency we face), Obama, Edwards all promising prospects. But not Kerry.
Posted by: Elizabeth | November 9, 2006, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
John Kerry contributed more funds and support to the democrats that won this cycle than any other representative – go online and check for yourselves, if it was not for him we would certainly be short of where we are today. How can we expect to encourage people to work that hard for the Democratic Party if we do not show any more loyalty or respect for him than what is being displayed by some of you here today? How many of you have ever given your all to someone; who left you short in return. Senator Kerry should go through the nomination process just like anyone else and let the chips fall where they may. That is what fair play is all about. History has shown many candidates have run before as is evident today and some of them have been successful. Let us not act like republicans and frame our candidates like Anne Richard or John Kerry the way the republicans have done, let us look at the enormous work and sacrifices our candidates have made for us and show respect in return, it’s the least we can do. When we win let’s win with honor, if we lose than do so with dignity, let us not lose our dignity in order to win . If we have to act like bush and rove to win an election than everything we value as democrats would be lost. Our soul is the most valuable thing we have – lets be sure we never lose it !
Posted by: T. HINES | November 9, 2006, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
Lieberman?
Posted by: Joseph | November 9, 2006, 8:27 pm 8:27 pm