My Choice For President
With Barack, we can build a new majority of Americans from all regions who can turn the page on the politics of Karl Rove and begin a new politics, one worthy of our nation’s history and promise. We can bring millions of disaffected people – young and old – to the great task of governing and making a difference, child to child, community to community.
Please help me to support Barack Obama’s campaign for President and help build this future for our country.
The moment is now, and the candidate for this moment is Barack Obama. Like him, I also lived abroad as a young man, and I share with him a healthy respect for the advantage of knowing other cultures and countries, not from a book or a briefing, but by personal experience, by gut, by instinct.
He knows the issues from the deep study of a legislator, and he knows them from a life lived outside of Washington. His is the wisdom of real-world experience combined with the intellect of a man who has thought deeply about the challenges we face.
History has given us this moment. But we need to decide what to do with it. I believe, with this moment, we should make Barack Obama President of the United States.
Please join me in supporting his campaign.
Thank you,
John Kerry
70 Comments
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I am very disappointed that you’ve chosen to support Barack Obama and have cancelled all newsletter subscriptions from you.
Please remove my name from your email list. I no longer wish to be associated with your group. Although I steadfastedly supported your candidacy for president, I do not agree with your current endorsement. In fact, I cannot diaagree with you more!
When I supported you it was because you had the experience and the wish to change our country from the path that George Bush had led us.
Obama has neither the domestic or international experience to aid our country in the enormous tasks that await us. Who is he? Where did he come from? Just because he is a great orator and inspirational does not mean that he will know what to do if we face another 9/11. He doesn’t have the fiscal experience to dig us out of the enormous deficit our country faces. There are so many reasons that we should not elect Obama, I can’t begin to list them all.
If I need inspiration I will go to church, what we need now is someone experienced and strong as our country is in REAL trouble.
I am a college educated CPA and have always voted and involved myself in the entire political process - both locally and nationally. I have no idea if I will vote for Hillary or not. I know one thing - if Obama is the nominee for the Democratic organization, I will vote republican for president for the first time in my lifetime.
I fear for our country with Obama as president. I am also dissapointed in John Kerry and his choice. Did he let personal feelings cloud his choice? I feel he has done the entire country a great injustice.
I no longer want to be associated with his list and will no longer support those politicians he endorses as I have done so in the past. I have even contributed to the campaigns.
I also hope that there are many who feel as I do and that his 3,000,000 email list soon shrinks to 300.
Sorry
Dear John,
I am very disappointed that you have chosen to endorse Barack Obama for president. Yes, he is a powerful and inspiring speaker, and I believe he has a good future ahead, but this time belongs to Hillary. She has a history of political involvement,experience and I believe a passionate love for our country. I am ashamed at how low our standing in the world has sunk in the past 8 years and believe Hillary is one who not only wants to, but can restore our country. We have many, many serious problems to resolve and need someone who understands the difficult art of bringing disparate parties to a a consensus. She has the intelligence and experience to do this from Day 1. I will now go remove my Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker that I have proudly continued to show and replace it with one for “Hillary”. Also, I will make convention signs for “Hillary” in an abandoned building in the Quincy,MA shipyard as I did for your campaign.
Sincerely- Karen Benjamin
Dear John,
I am deeply concerned about your “endorsement.” I do not think that much good can come of one democrat endorsing another at this stage of the race. The American people did not ask for your endorsement. It seems oddly self serving.
Respectfully,
CLSalem
How very dissapointing that you chose to endorse Obama.
I find it disheartening that you would support Obama when Edwards was your running mate. I guess I don’t understand why.
Senator, you made a decision that each Democrat must make for him- or herself, and I am confident that you made it in good faith, and out of the desire to be a good citizen and a loyal member of your party.
I would support you no matter whom you did or did not endorse - but I, too, have listened to my heart, and I’ll be very proud to vote for Sen. Obama on Super Tuesday!
Thank you Senator Kerry!
I think Sen. Obama is an excellent choice for President and I am thrilled that you have endorsed him. I think he has the right hopeful and positive message for America that has captured support in my family from my 80 year old Mom, to me, to my college age kids.
It took a lot of courage to come out with this endorsement, knowing that it would invite the kind of hate mail that I see already posted here. I am glad that you spoke from your heart yesterday and told it like it is. I agree, btw, we are blessed with fine Democratic candidates this year and I will vote for the Democrat in November. But I do think Sen. Obama is the best choice to lead the country. I applaud your endorsement. It was for the right candidate at the right time.
Dear Senator Kerry,
Your endorsement of Senator Obama means a great deal to me. I’d been undecided up until now—I wasn’t thrilled with either Clinton or Edwards, but had several times felt alienated by Senator Obama, not so much in terms of substantive policy issue disagreements as in terms of rhetoric—statements that had rubbed me the wrong way. Since you and your 2004 campaign made me feel inspired in exactly those areas where Obama’s campaign made me feel put off, your enthusiastic endorsement does a great deal to convince me to set aside those points of irritation and line up behind Senator Obama. In fact, I made my first donation to the Obama campaign yesterday, in response to the e-mail you sent out. Thank you very much for speaking out in support of the candidate you believe in. I think that an endorsement from a respected and inspiring leader like yourself can do a lot to help energize voters who hadn’t yet been inspired by any of the current candidates, and this will help our Party find the unity it needs to win.
Thank you, Senator Kerry for your brave and wise decision to support Senator Obama in his bid for the presidency. I believe you will be vindicated in this choice when President Obama leads this country into a period of peace, prosperity and maturity unlike any that has come before. It is ironic that many of the fears that are being expressed now about Senator Obama were once voiced just as strongly about Lincoln (an inexperienced one-term congressman), Kennedy (an even younger Senator) and Clinton (a ‘backwoods’ governor). Just as these men demonstrated that wisdom and good judgement were more important than ‘experience’ in Washington - I believe Barack Obama will prove more than able to lead our country out of the darkness of the Bush years. I am confident that many share my opinion and I thank you again for your insight and courage.
I am disappointed also and I regreted that I tried to elect you as president. People err and it is not wise to choose this early unless you live in Iowa or New Hampshire.
Regards.
In that case, Minnie Moore, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know that you can still vote for Barack Obama.
As for the emails that are making the rounds, they’ve been debunked. Snopes has the scoop here. I recommend snopes.com as an authoritative source for checking out all the wild rumors that get passed around the internet.
As for JK’s choice of Senator Obama, Senator Kerry is not known for making the “easy” decision. The easy thing would have been for him to stay out of it. I think JK sees Obama as a real transformational-change kinda guy and he’s betting on him because he thinks that’s what is right and good for our country.
Karen Tumulty at Time’s Swampland wrote about the process today and I suspect she got it pretty close to right.
Dear Senator Kerry,
A lovely moment yesterday.
A fine choice, a choice that I believe is an authentic choice, honoring the truth of both you and Sen. Obama. Excellent timing, too: it honored the initial primary process, letting the IA caucusgoers and NH voters do their job without interference, waiting until after the first winnowing to make your endorsement.
It was so wonderful to feel the energy and clarity in your voice yesterday, to see you in full fighting trim. It was a generous and gutsy speech, just like the junior senator from MA himself.
I loved hearing comments on Hardball that concluded that Sens. Kerry and Obama are the future of the Dem Party. That is a future that gives me hope.
Ignore the carpers and the second-guessers: this moment felt RIGHT in all ways, for all the reasons that matter.
I am proud that you are my senator, and, though I will always grieve that you did not become president in November 2004 (a tragedy for which our country has paid a heavy price), I take real consolation to know that you will not only continue to represent us in the Senate, but especially that you are continuing to fight for our country (as you always have), with your trademark combination of thoughtfulness, dignity, compassion, and boldness.
Bravo.
Great choice, Senator! Obama seemed like the real deal to me before now, but I wasn’t totally sure until your endorsement. Now I am. Thanks!
Sen. Kerry, I voted for you as President in 2004, and contributed financially and with my time and support during your campaign. I arrived at your website to express my deepest disappointments in your choice to announce an endorsement for any of the democratic candidates before the primary election. Once I arrived, I was elated to see that I was not the only one who felt this way, and see many others who have already posted my similar feelings. First let me say shame on you for further inviting divisiveness within the Democratic Party who so badly needs to band together right now, to help take us out of an 8 year administration disaster (something you were unfortunatly unable to do yourself). You have alienated not only Sen. Edwards who you trusted enough to have as your running mate, and was partially the reason why you fared as well as you did in the 2004 election from younger and Southern voters, and you alientated Senator Clinton, who along with her husband publicly backed you during your own campaign, but you have also chosen to alienate their supporters who believe that either Sen. Edwards or Sen. Clinton would offer a “change” from the current Bush administration, but also have the experience and political clout to make things happen. Listen, I am not suggesting that you are wrong to support Sen. Obama, nor am I saying I would not consider voting for him as President if he were to go on to win the Dem. Primary. What I am saying is that you have offended a great deal of Democrats who support another candidate and are pushing to see someone on the Presidential ticket that stands a chance of taking the Republicans out of office for the next 4 years, and don’t necessarily choose Sen. Obama as the one to do it. Your timing was inappropriate, your message was disrespectful, and your endorsement in my opinion, has been more harmful than helpful, to yourself, to Sen. Obama, to Sen. Edwards, Sen. Clinton, and to the entire Democratic Party, and in turn, to America. I will no longer subscribe to your emails and I will no longer have respect for your public opinions. (On a side note, just since your public endorsement, I have started receiving unsolicited email from Barack Obama’s campaign. My guess is that you sold or offered your mailing list to your new endorsee. Thank you for respecting my privacy and I will be removing myself from his email list now as well). --Laurie Saunders, 33, Orlando, FL
NO Thanks, he isn’t my choice and neither are you in the future.
Take my name off your lists, you have lost my respect with your recent actions both in this support of an inexperienced Senator (all of one month on the job then running for office and taking a paycheck all these years and NOT gainging ANY experience from his ‘senate’ history) and your lack of action for consumers and middle America in the Senate by NOT taking actions against big business, big oil and gas or the ‘new’ monopolies popping up all over this country to raise prices and drive the middle America into poverty. You should be resign from public office and not be in a position to ‘support’ ANY candidate, especially one with as weak of a history and work background as Obama.
The democrats are NOT doing anything more for us out here than the Republicans did when they ran the Senate, maybe even less for the dems this time.
So, I can’t support you or ANY democrat that isn’t working for us out here but only ‘pretend’ with weak words and NO action.
Please have your staff remove my name from all your lists, especially the one asking for money for you and those you support.
Robert Smith
----- Original Message -----
From: John Kerry
To:
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 11:55 AM
Subject: My Choice for President
Dear Senator Kerry,
I was disappointed in your endorsement of Barack Obama. Let me emphasize, however, that it has not diminished my admiration for you one bit.
As you know, The New York Times had a front-page article on your relationship with John Edwards. How accurate it was, only you would know. With regard to Hillary Clinton, I believe that her campaign is striving for the same goals you had set in your presidential campaign, especially health care. I believe she has the wisdom and battle-tested toughness to withstand not only the fall campaign, but the shenanigans of a self-serving, self-righteous Republican minority in Congress. However eloquent your tribute, I’m not convinced that Barack Obama can match that.
One thing that annoyed me about Senator Obama: After the 2004 “election”, David Letterman asked him what John Kerry might have done differently during the campaign. Obama replied that you should have “eighty-sixed the windsurfing.” From that point forward, I regarded Obama as one who takes his new-found stature as a working-class hero too seriously! Not to mention his lack of gratitude to the man who made him a TV star!
That said, I am glad you’re running for re-election to the Senate. I had the opportunity to meet you twice—in Bronxville, NY in December 2003; and at the 92nd Street Y during your book tour with your lovely wife Teresa. I hope to meet you yet again, for I plan to help your Senate campaign in any way possible, and remain part of your online community.
God bless you and your family in 2008.
Sincerely,
Thomas Chacko.
To say Kerry “chose too early, unless you are from IA or NH” is just plain stupid. What facts do citizens of IA and NH have that no one else in the country have? I have all the facts living in IA because of the RESEARCH that I’ve done...not because of the commercials or the speeches. I am a registered Republican that will vote for Sen. Obama. If he doesn’t get nominated, you will see every other moderate Republican go right back to the GOP side. WHY? Because he unites BOTH parties. Sen. Clinton always says “it’s a good day for democrats”. Sorry, but that is dividing our nation into 2 different groups. Sen. Kerry’s endorsement wasn’t “early”...all the facts are out there. If you support Sen. Clinton, be ready to see the nation still split into 2 very different groups-and if she gets nominated...GO MCCAIN!
Shame, shame, shame...The American people deserve better than a “Senator” with such poor judgement. I have argued on your behalf to hundreds of my friends and family over the last few years and I want you and your handlers to know how profoundly hurt I was to hear the news of your endorsement of Mr. Obama. While I’ll vote for him if he is our nominee, John Edwards deserved better from you and so did the Clintons. Enjoy your retirement from the U.S. Senate.
Thank you, Senator. I respect your judgment and understand perfectly why Obama’s message of hope and unity would be appealing to you.
I can’t say that I will now vote for him. But you have open the door, making me stop and think. I’m am now considering him, and I wasn’t before.
As always, I have your back.
Erica
To the people who posted comments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 19:
Some of you have called Senator Kerry disloyal for his endorsement of Mr. Obama for President, others have asked that their names be off of Mr. Kerry’s list of supporters for the Senate. It is to you that I am directing the following words, because I feel that YOU are being shortsighted - politics is not about loyalty, its not about who supported who in the past (as John Edwards himself later stated in response to Mr. Kerry’s endorsement). Politics is about who is in the best position to lead out country into the future and quite frankly, Hillary Clinton, though she may possess the experience to suggest that she is qualified to do this, is far too much driven with the mentality of partisan politics to serve as president of the United States. In this time of economic crisis we need a president that can be impartial and heal the 8 years worth of wounds that has been George Bush’s presidency.
Thank you, Sen. Kerry. I voted for you and I will be voting for Sen. Obama. RepublicanfromIA is right on with his comments…
Minnie Moore, please take your ignorant, racist comments and crawl back under the rock you crawled out from. Maybe do some research before you start throwing out comments like that on a public blog. You embarass yourself.
Mr. Kerry, please remove me from your lists. Your choice to endorse Obama at this stage of the game was yet another unwise decision in a string of them. I’m not quite sure what (or who) prompted you to do this. All I can come up with is that it might be and ill-advised publicity stunt to keep your name in the public’s eye. Why else would someone so callously disregard a former running mate and people who have been of enormous help to you in the past? I have no doubt of your support for Mr. Obama but the smartest thing you could have done is endorse the chosen Democratic candidates for President and Vice President. Right now you have made the story about you which unfortunately says more about your character. I voted for you in ‘04. I was glad to give you my support for president then. I’m disappointed in your grandstanding this year.
Senator Kerry, I almost forgot what inspiration felt like during this primary campaign, yesterday I saw it. I haven’t made my choice yet but I listened closely to your speech and as a woman, I read between the lines and the message that came out is change not just for the country but also for the Dem party, which we so desperately need with what we face in the future. I will definitely make my choice with my gut and heart that is the way I did it in ‘03 for you Senator and I haven’t for one moment ever regretted it.
I see from some of the posters here sent in unison from mainly one group of supporters and yes I have seen the blogosphere filled with the unsubscribes, how childish and especially since your candidate gave a classy response to Senator Kerry’s endorsement of Senator Obama.
Senator Kerry,
I am from Iowa and I was astrong supporter of yon in
the Iowa Caucus and 2004 Election. I wanted you to run again and I was crushed when you did not run.
I supported Senator Clinton in the Iowa Caucus this time. Also I think Senator Obama is very good man. I could be happy with either one as our nominee, although you were my first choice. I have the greatest respect for you and always will! I wish you were running for your second term as President now. I think you are the best man in the U.S. Senate !
Please remove my name from your list, I trusted that you had better judgement than that. I cannot support an inexperienced narrow minded person like Barack Obama. Sorry
Brad
If you want to be removed from the list, go to the bottom of the latest email and see if there is a place to click and unsubscribe. If you just ask on a blog, it’s not going to happen. You didn’t think the good Senator maintained the list himself, did you?
Also, I rather thought it politically brave of Kerry to step in just now. He could have waited until it was safe to endorse the obvious winner. But he didn’t. He chose to endorse when it could make a difference. I applaud him for that, regardless of who I end up voting for.
Please remove my name from your mailing list. Your recent letter asking for my support of Obama has completely disappointed me. After the way he treated Hillary on and off the debate stage - I would never consider voting for him. I want someone to represent me and my concerns and I have heard nothing to show he has my interests - BUT HILLIARY DOES & SHE HAS MY VOTE. Therefore - REMOVE MY NAME FROM YOUR EMAILS
Senator Kerry - Having supported you as the Democratic candidate in 2004, I am most disappointed in your ‘judgement’ in choosing to endorse one of the Democratic candidates in this year’s campaign. Your timing, just prior to the SC primary, was particularly in poor taste. You, as every citizen in this country, have the right to support the candidate of your choosing, however, your position as the Democratic candidate in the previous election and running mate with Senator John Edwards makes your decision to endorse another candidate, at this time, extremely ‘tacky’ and much less that what is expected of a man in your position. It speaks to your character and, in my opinion, that leaves you ‘in the dust’ of our current top three democratic presidential candidates. Your ship has sailed and my only solace in your error of judgement is that there appear to be few who give your ‘endorsement’ any creedence.
Senator Kerry, your courage as well as your profound dedication to the people of this country always makes me glad that you’re a leader in the Democratic Party. I trusted you enough to financially support you and vote for you in ‘04, and I thoroughly trust your assessment of those running for office during this pivotal time in U.S. history. It is because your evaluation of a presidential candidate is based on competence, honesty, and ability to deliver for those whose voices have not been heard in the past seven years that I will now support Barack Obama. Always, my first requirement in a candidate is honesty. You have it in spades, and you have found Obama to have the qualities you feel are best for our country NOW. This endorsement took courage on your part, especially where there are so many well qualified democratic candidates, and in that department you never let us down. I will scrutinize Obama’s every vote, and revisit his voting history. I will not hesitate to hold him accountable if he deviates from the progressive message, but I will caucus for him in Nevada on the 19th.
As Becky said at the very beginning. I supported you but do no longer and will NOT support Barack Obama for President. I have unsubscribed from all of your mailings. Too bad, still see the “ole’ boys network” is still in force.
Congratulation, Senator, to have made a choice. Whether I support Obama or not, this choice was yours to make and I can only congratulate you to have made it as every citizen should.
I am amazed by the answers of some people, who think that the Senator is not free of his choice, that he owes something to any of the three mainstream candidates. I wish the best to their candidate, but they certainly do not make me want to consider him/her in the first place. So, I guess I am left with Dennis Kucinich and Obama.
Once again, Senator, thank you for having spoken your mind. This is all you owe all of us. And you make me proud to live in MA.
Senator Kerry -
Given this demonstration of poor judgment and short-sightedness, I am questioning my own endorsement of you in 2004. The fact that you would support Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton gives me pause and makes me wonder why I ever supported you in the first place. I find this endorsement beyond disappointing at this critical point when our Nation needs real leadership.
While I fully support Senator Clinton, I would have expected the least you could have done is endorse the running mate that you selected in the previous election. Or, better yet, remain out of it. This amounts to a very unnecessary slap in the face to John Edwards, who agreed to be your running mate and worked tirelessly in your campaign efforts to create a winning team. This endorsement is nonsensical and serves to reveal a major character flaw in you.
Barack Obama has no real experience and no clear vision and while his abilities as an orator are skilled, he is still unable to articulate a substantive position on anything. He is currently running on a one-trick pony called charisma. Perhaps in the future, he will be more ready to serve as our Chief Executive but he is definitely not ready for the complex and critical challenges we face now.
Certainly, Sen. Kerry, you of all people should know that charisma is not what runs the country.
Again, I am very disappointed in your endorsement and as a result I have unsubscribed from your site.
What a wonderful endorsement, and a great speech yesterday. I am happy to support Senator Obama, and was leaning his direction before yesterday. Now, with Sen. Kerry’s endorsement, I know I’m making the right choice.
Funny how many of the Hillary and Edwards supporters here feel they have every right to support their choice of candidate, but that the Senator does not. Obama is a fine candidate. He’ll make a great President.
Happy and proud to donate, thanks for the email.
GObama!
I appreciate and trust your judgement. While I would not make a decision entirely based on this endorsement, I am certainly take a more close look at Obama because of it. I will ultimately vote for whoever I believe can beat Hillary Clinton more easily since I don’t vote till Feb, because I believe she will definately take the country in the wrong direction, but now I am starting to like Obama even more. None of them are you, unfortunately so I am not thrilled with any of the candidates yet, but after seeing the speeches yesterday I am hopeful that Obama has the closest chance of making me wholeheartedly support him and not just as a vote against Hillary Clinton who I would have a real hard time voting for in the general election though I would rather than see another republican in office.
Meg in St. Louis
I am disappointed you are endorsing Obama at this time. I thought it was a slap in the face to other candidates, who appear be more qualified. I have nothing against Obama, but I think it would have been prudent for you to wait until he was actually nominated. Now, if Obama doesn’t get the nomination, your voice will not help the candidate of choice. In my opinion it is important to get a democrat elected this time, and I think you hurt that goal by your early committment.
I just have to add to all the Edwards and Clinton folks here that I find it incredible that you would expect Sen. Kerry to endorse either one of your candidates in the primary after the disrespect both have shown him. Kerry was very gracious in his speech to the other candidates despite the fact that both chose to throw him under the bus in the past.
Consider this, too. Sen. Kerry will support the Dem nominee in the general election. If it’s not Barack Obama, he’ll endorse whoever it is.
So you may want to keep those emails coming, just in case. And perhaps try to be a little more respectful. The man does have a right to his opinion, after all, just like the rest of us.
GObama!
I appreciate the courage it took to endorse Sen. Obama, knowing that you would hear from people like some of the posts above. I was leaning to Obama and you helped push me in that direction. I was terribly disappointed when you decided not to run again and I would vote you now if I could and I know many others who feel the same way (yes, even in Oklahoma!) We truly appreciate all that you do for this country and for the Democratic party. Keep up the good work.
Hello,
It seems like if you were going to endorse Obama, you could have waited until he had the nomination...instead of slapping both Clinton and Edwards in the face. I have always liked you, I voted for you for President, and I bought your book, but I have to say how disappointed I am that you did this, Senator Kerry.
To JR, your anger as a supporter of John Edwards is obvious, but did you listen to Senator Kerry’s speech. He clearly sees the healing of the partisan rift in the US as essential to doing any of the important things that need to be done. That is a message that he addressed himself often in 2004 and afterwards. He is a person who favors diplomacy at home as well as abroad.
Listen to Edwards’ 2008 campaign, he has made confrontation a virtue. That is the opposite of what Senator Kerry is saying is needed. As to the place and time of the announcement, the various articles indicate that it was set up in conjunction with the Obama campaign.
Also, from some accounts, Edwards refused to take calls from Kerry - that alone should absolve Kerry from an obligation he never had to endorse him for President. From Edwards’ own comments in the NYT, in 2004, after agreeing to be VP, he refused to use the campaign’s slogan “Help is on the way” preferring the lamer “hope is on the way”. To me his version is weird, because I already had hope, what the country needed was help - and we couldn’t get that until we won. But, it didn’t matter who was right - it was not his place to make that decision, which led to reports that the Kerry campaign couldn’t agree on a slogan.
As to the uncalled for nastiness, no Democrat should EVER validate the SBVT. They were liars and they don’t become truthful, because you are angry with Senator Kerry. As to Ohio, I think that that is a myth. In 2005, both the Senator and Teresa spoke about voter suppression, machines that could be hacked and other problems - the Edwards were silent on that until mid 2006, when they suddenly made claims on blogs that they would have challenged it. He never has explained the case that he could have made that would have proved to a court that Kerry won. You don’t get 60,000 votes via a recount.
Senator Kerry: It was totally inappropriate (and toally premature) for you to endorse Barack Obama over the other democratic candidates currently seeking our party’s nomination for President.
Your endorsement was an insult to John Edwards in particular and to Hillary Clinton.
Bad Decision, John!!!
You have lost my support for exercising extremely poor judgment.
The simple point of the matter is that you are not going to effect change in our broken system by greedily taking money from the very people that have broken it in the first place. Edwards gets it, Kucinich gets it, Howard Dean gets it, and I think Al Gore finally gets it. It’s a shame neither you, Hillary, or Obama does. I hate being the Republican LIGHT party. People are being broken by this system and quarter measures or half measures aren’t going to fix it! We need environmental policy, health care for everyone, enough jobs for everyone, etc. and we need it now in full measure! We WILL NOT get these things from someone taking monies from these corporate cronies (your words)! Why Obama now right before S.Carolina? I don’t need your opinion on who I should vote for, I’ve already made that decision on my own and my vote is going for Mr. Edwards whether he’s still in the race or not by the time my state gets to vote!
When JK could have used Hillary and Edwards support, they knifed him in the back. Why in God’s name should he support them? He isn’t obligated to either one.
Were you disappointed in Hillary when she repeated the smears against JK last fall? Were you disappointed in Edwards when he refused to take responsibility for his weakness in ‘04 and the repeated jabs the Edwards have made at JK since?
Nothing is mentioned by Sen. Clinton’s supporters about the endorsements Hillary has received from other Senators. Does she have a right to endorsements, but not Obama?
Senator Kerry likes Obama. He thinks he’s the right person to lead the country. How hard is that to grasp?
Sen. Kerry,
Your support for Sen. Obama shows your integrity and leadership qualities. Just like him, it is very clear, simply because of the timing of your endorcement which could have only been a difficult decision, that America won’t be able to defeat its enemy around the world, if it is divided itself, into Red States and Blue States. Thus, I thank you for your support and strength in realizing America’s defense starts with United Americans, from the Red States and Blue States, of all racial and religous groups.
Please pardon the innocent few who have rushed to insulting judgements against you and your service to this great nation of ours. Like Senator Obama says, we need a solid governing coalition of America’s leadership to help us defeat our enemy around the world. And with your endorcement of Senator Obama for President, we are closer to that goal, of a united America defeating its enemy around the world.
Thank you Senator Kerry.
Sen Kerry,
I supported you in 04. I actually stood outside late one evening in the most dangerous part of the city I live in just for the small possibility of catching a glimpse of you. I am so very disappointed in your early endorsement of Mr. Obama. I can not understand why you would endorse someone with so little experience. You along with all the media (Chris Matthews) have it wrong. I dropped to my knees on Wednesday when the AP projected Hillary the winner of the NH primary. Thank you NH!There is hope. Obama was crusing to victory before we all had a chance to cast our vote. Now I feel with all of these early endorsements or vote is again in jeopardy. I never thought I would say this but if Obama is the nominee, I will not be voting in this election.
You have lost my support for demonstrating very poor judgement.
Senator Kerry,
There is no other Democrat leader that I respect more than you. I value your judgment and your wisdom. And, even though I remain undecided in this race for the presidency for now, (Perhaps, because the best person isn’t running) I want you to know your endorsement of Senator Obama has made my choice much more difficult. As a woman, it would be nice to see a woman leading the way in the White House-something entirely new and very different. But, the need for a new vision for America and a fresh start are also important. I remain concerned about Senator Obama’s lack of experience especially concerning foreign policy matters and keeping America safe and strong. I look forward to hearing more from you and Senator Obama as the campaign progresses.
My favorite line from the above posts:
“Certainly, Sen. Kerry, you of all people should know that charisma is not what runs the country.”
If only we had Senator Kerry in the White House, we might have enough charisma to actually run the country well...who knows? Not to mention enough intelligence, experience and judgment.
I’m ambivalent on Obama, but even Senator Kerry has the right to express his opinion and make an endorsement if he chooses. The fact that some people attack him for his choices...no matter what they are, is just ridiculous. I’m at a loss as to the reason, but I do see the pattern: these crazies come out of the woodwork whenever Senator Kerry appears powerful enough to influence policy.
So, Senator, you must be doing something right with this Obama endorsement.
Congratulations!
GV has it right. Sen. Kerry has every right to back whomever he chooses, as does every American. Honestly, I hope Barack wins this and takes Edwards as his running mate. I think Edwards is a stand-up, class-act. I just hope his supporters are starting to take notes.
Democrats should be looking at who can win once this is over. I think it is Obama. Sen. Kerry thinks so too. You might think it’s Clinton or Edwards - and that’s ok that people disagree. You act like he killed someone. Geez people! Remember, whoever it is, it will be better than Romney.
It is obvious to me, now, why Kerry lost to President Bush - lack of commitment and loyalty by Democrats like Kathleen, Kathy, and all the others who are bashing him.
And, please listen to Erica, because the “remove me from your e-mail list” is getting old.
Sally H’s opinion on Obama’s track record doesn’t have any validity. Boo hoo. Are you just mad that Sen. Kerry didn’t pick your candidate? If that’s the case, go cry in a corner or pick up a microphone if you think you can do better.
And, wow Rick. Let’s tackle the Howard Dean issue on another thread....can you say PSYCHO!
People backing Clinton or Edwards are going to be upset with Sen. Kerry’s message. We get it. Come up with something else to be mad about, or use some tact when talking about a Senator that you once supported.
I won’t ask you to please remove me from your mailing list, I demand it. I think it’s a shame that a former presidential candidate could turn his back on his former runninng mate and support another candidate in the very next election. I think your actions are heartless and quite frankly spineless. What this country needs is a representative that can not only deliver a strong speech but a person of character and strong determination combined with family values that will fight for the middle class and the benefit of all Americans. Could that be Obama? Sure. But there is no doubt that it resides in John Edwards and there should have been no doubt when you picked him in 2004 as your running mate. To endorse Obama now makes me ashamed that I cast a vote for you in 2004, I should have written in and voted independent. I would say you are disgrace to your party but in reality you are just a disgrace to yourself and your own honor for selling out John Edwards. I hope in fact that this endorsement sees you slide back into the private sector where you belong because myself and many other former supporters feel like that is where you belong. Keep all of your BS fundraising emails for your cronies to yourself and have a good day Senator.
Wow. The nastiness and general criticism in these posts kind of surprises me. To the Clinton and Edwards people, honestly, what did you expect, based on the past behavior of those people?
First of all, there is no way John Kerry can help out John Edwards after the whispering the Edwards’ have engaged in about the 2004 campaign. Plus, Edwards can’t win. He’s not winning now, and he isn’t going to.
Second, do the Clinton people out there remember Kerry’s “botched joke” incident, where Kerry stumbled by skipping ONE WORD out of his prepared speech and Hillary Clinton used the moment to knife him in the back? When the Bushies questioned Kerry’s patriotism and Kerry said he would not apologize, that he had had enough of seeing this crowd get away with questioning his patriotism and his support of American troops, many of us cheered him on, glad to see him standing firm. Over the next several days, however, the piling on really began, and Hillary Clinton, knowing she would be running in 2008 and wanting to make sure Kerry was not going to be competition, joined in insisting that he had to “apologize to the troops.” As if a Yale graduate who volunteered for Vietnam actually believes military people are stupid!! And during that time, Kerry had raised more money and done more campaigning to help the Democrats take control of Congress than anyone else in the country - and SHE helped with shunning him, possibly right out of the 2008 race. Loyalty counts, Hillary. Right and wrong matter more than does the scoring of political points, Hillary, at least in my book. I don’t know Kerry’s opinion on this, because if he harbors a grudge he is, as usual, too classy to say anything, but I sure as hell hold a grudge.
Having said all of that, however, I am 100% sure Kerry endorsed the person he thought would make the best president - period.
As for Obama, I’ve kind of expected Kerry to endorse him, especially with Dodd and Biden out. First, Kerry picked Obama for the convention speech back in 2004 when Obama wasn’t even in the Senate yet. He must have seen some potential there, right? Second, if you really, really read the bills that are introduced in the Senate, you would have noticed, as I have, that Kerry and Obama are working together on a range of topics. Their names have been popping up together quite a bit. They seem to be becoming partners.
Also, can the melodramatic “remove me from your email list” posts, please, because anyone who has been on the ‘net for more than a month understands that you get OFF of email lists the same way you get on them - by sending your request to a computer that does it automatically. Geez! And the fact that the same people demanding to be removed from the list due to the Obama endorsement also come here to say nasty stuff about Kerry’s campaign in 2004 just proves that they were not Kerry people to begin with. If they were Kerry people, they wouldn’t be here to slam Kerry over 2004, would they?
To people like Sally H and others claiming Obama has shown no vision, has given no specifics, I hear this about candidates EVERY election cycle - “no specifics.” Do you people bother to read? Have you read Obama’s two books? Have you read his position papers? Don’t wait for the media-tainment industry to explain it for you. Go actually read! And if you think Kerry would EVER actually endorse someone who has not put out specifics, then I say again that you were never really Kerry people to begin with.
This was great timing on the part of Senator Kerry. I think he waited late enough for the field to narrow down somewhat, and yet was early enough to make a difference with a candidate he really supports.
Senator Kerry’s opinion does carry some weight with me. I will be donating what little I can to Obama.
Yesterday’s speech was wonderful. The only down side to it was that the talk about passing on the torch, although nicely and carefully done to counter the charges about Obama’s lack of experience, made it sound like Kerry does not see himself as a possible presidential candidate again. I hope this isn’t the case!
I have no doubt, Senator Kerry, with your integrity and selfless service to country, you would have chosen Clinton or Edwards, regardless of your shared history, if you thought they could bring the “transformational change” we need. They can’t.
Too much of Hillary’s past partisanship and corporatism, Edwards’ populist rage, however much the primary Dems like their issues at fever pitch.
I know you value the international perspective gained from Obama living abroad, as you and Teresa have. Much of the 2004 campaign was about solutions, hope, and “making friends on this planet.” Feels full circle to me.
I imagine the endorsement to be a personally gratifying one for you. Thank you for taking this bold step.
Senator Kerry,
Thank you so much for your endorsement of Barack Obama. You are a true American hero and your support of Obama’s forward-looking candidacy is testimony to how much you care about your party’s future and America’s future.
You would have had my support had you run for president in 2008 and I appreciate this wise choice.
God Bless You!
I am incredibly shocked and greatly disappointed that you have come out to support Obama vs. John Edwards. I STILL do not know which democratic candidate I will support, but I am still spinning at your decision.
John Edwards was good enough to run, with you, when you sought the presidency. Now, he is not good enough for you to support. His money went toward your campaign. Now, you don’t need him, and you support another candidate.
This decision alone should make me NOT support Obama. You only ran with Edwards because of campaign dollars, and all that you said of him was untrue. What ELSE do you say that is untrue, Mr. Kerry?
Oh, I cannot tell you what a let down this is. I cannot tell you what a letdown YOU are.
Senator Kerry,
I worked tirelessly on yours and Mr Edwards presidential campaign. I called people from all of our 50 states, raised money for you, engaged in political debate for you, and generally spent a vast amount of time on you and Mr Edwards. Now, not 4 years later it is frustrating to me that you are endorsing another candidiate. Why is it that now, Mr Obama is a better choice for America than your running mate in 2004? Today, I believe that Mr. Edwards is the best, and also the most likely choice for us as president. While I feel that you may no longer be the best endorsement, you certainly still hold a position of some power and persuation, I feel you owe Mr. Edwards your support, since he followed you to an almost voctory in 2004. Also, Mr. Edwards supports the American ideal, he will fight for peace, for freedom, and for the American way. I don’t believe Mr. Obama or Ms Clinton will so adamantly fight for the Constitution and for the ideals our founding fathers gave their lives for. I feel you missed the (swift) boat on this one Mr. Kerry, and feel sorry you have lost your way.
Mr. Kerry,
You may think that what this country needs is Obama, but I do not, I will not contribute to his campaign, or yours should you ever run again.
Obama has 0 experience, so your choice is nothing more than the big boys coming out to make sure a woman never becomes President.
A former, very disappointed, voter for you.
Ruth
Ruth, John Edwards was a one term Senator. Sen. Clinton is in her second term. Sen. Obama has as much or more legislative experience, actually, if you look at his record. I really don’t know where the experience argument comes from. Obama isn’t a kid, you know. He was elected to the Illinois State Senate three times. I think that counts for something, don’t you?
Ruth,
Come on. Seriously? Have you seen the debates? Listen closely. Obama says “we”. Hillary says I, I, I, me, me, me and that she has brought about “30 years of change”. Too bad after all of her “changes”, we are still in a slump. To say that Kerry doesn’t want a woman to be president is CRAZY. If he would have picked Edwards or Clinton, do you think there would be hate mail that he wouldn’t want a black as president? I haven’t heard the race card being played and I hope it never does. We don’t need activists on either side in this election. It isn’t about that. Why don’t you stop and think. Kerry wants Obama. Period. He would back a woman, just not this one.
GV,
That is what I wonder: Why doesn’t the Obama campaign tally up Mr. Obama’s legislative experience against Mrs. Clinton’s to argue against her legislative experience, which Mr. Clinton has been implying against Mr. Obama lately. Of course, in a general election between a Mrs. Clinton candidate and any republican, you know what they’d do. Unearth all the dirt about the Clintons, fron Arkansa to NY, and in-between. All the dirt about the Clintons, past and knew. Then, who would elect them?
Senator Kerry knows what he is doing. He has done this thing for most of his grown-up life.
Obama isn’t the type to run a negative ad campaign. He doesn’t need to argue AGAINST Mrs. Clinton. That just brings more negativity into something that already has too much to begin with. It doesn’t empower Americans to rip on one individual. Let’s not compare any of the dems to Mitt Romney. He knows, unlike so many who have posted here, when all this is over that we are all on the same side.
Isra,
Good question. I think Sen. Obama’s campaign should highlight more of his accomplishments, both in the U.S. Senate and in Illinois. I hear a lot of people point to him as inexperienced, although I think he’s got plenty. I also expect that he draws on the experience of his more senior colleagues in the Senate (like Sen. Kerry), and will listen to their advice on matters where they have specific expertise.
As for Sen. Clinton, if she gets the nomination, I’ll do my best to help her get elected. The Republicans will try to use whatever smears they can on either one, even if they have to make them up (like they did in ‘04), so both are vulnerable to attack.
That’s why it’s best, in my opinion, for us all to try to be civil despite the pressures of the primaries. Eventually, we’ll have one candidate on the Dem side, and we want that person in the WH.
And yes, Sen. Kerry is a very smart man. I think he made a good choice in endorsing Obama, but as he said yesterday, he’ll support whoever gets the nomination.
I think that’s wise, and I’m doing my best to follow his lead in that regard.
Isra,
Here’s a good story that makes the point pretty well:
http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/politics/?ArID=229333&SecID=285
Sen. Kerry is endorsing Sen. Obama while still staying positive toward Sen. Clinton. I’m sure it’s sincere, but it’s also good strategy, because if Clinton were to get the nom, no one can point to a negative statement from him when he supports her.
The Clinton supporter who was quoted, on the other hand, made a mistake with his negative remark. Cheap shots don’t help his candidate’s image. And if Clinton gets the nomination, that sort of comment, repeated and magnified by the Republicans, could lessen the impact of an important endorsement. Also the ‘failed’ remark minimizes the incredible effort of all of us in ‘04. Not a good strategy. We all worked pretty hard, and a lot of people look at the ‘04 loss as a shared one. So, it turns off a lot of people and has no up side for his candidate, it just makes them appear ungrateful and petty.
Bridges should not be burned by candidates or candidate supporters in the primaries. They may come in handy down the road.
Senator Kerry
I think you made a mistake not in endorsing Obama I like him I think he would make an excellant choice as a VP. This would have given him 8 years to gain the experience that someone needs to be president. Look at the situation we are in now with a president that was totally inexperianced except for 2 years as govenor of Texas. Not to mention that if Senator Clinton does the job that I think she will, with Obama as VP it would give us a lock on the presidency for maybe 16 years. Also I think it is a long time till the convention and a lot could happen between now and then. I think you were premature in making an endorsment. Not to mention the fact you slapped John Edwards in the face. I think he would make an excellant VP prospect in an Obama ticket. You should have given more time for the party to get behind someone after hearing everyone. Bad timing.
OK, I can’t address you as Sen.Kerry or anything else. If you had again made the choice to run for President of the United States I again would have choose to vote for you! But now after I was informed that you have endorsed, Obama for Presidency I honestly can and will state that I would NOT vote for you if you were running for “Mayor”!!! I’m totally, totally disappointed in you and myself for ever “believing in you” I must have had a “weak moment”!!!!!!!
ZOMG! WTF!! Senator Kerry endorsed Senator Obama. The skies are falling, the earth is opening up and hell’s demons are spilling forth!
Listen to yourselves, guys! Why is everybody so up in arms about this? Was there the same hue and cry when Gore endorsed Dean in the last election?
In the end, it is Senator Kerry’s decision and we should respect it as such. Does that mean we have to follow and vote for Obama when the time comes? No. Your votes are still your own. People who have already firmed up on a candidate won’t be swayed, as evidenced in the howling complaints here. What are you so afraid of?
Are some people, who were on the fence before, going to be swayed by this endorsement? Probably - if they like Senator Kerry and value his judgment.
His explanation for the endorsement was given above, and in his speech in South Carolina, so there is really no need to ask for more explanations, although I’m sure in the course of the election Senator Kerry will go into further detail as to why he believes Obama to be the best choice.
As for personal reasons why neither Edwards nor Clinton got the nod - while I could think of a myriad of them, such as the good Senator being stabbed in the back by both of them - I am fairly certain that John Kerry is a bigger person than I would be and did not base his decision on anything personal.
Kerry is meticulous and hardly impulsive, which might lead one to assume that he did extensive research about Obama, his legislative work in Illinois, and his stand on issues, before he arrived at his decision.
Bill Scott -
Who do you support? Because to call the candidate that ran 1st place in Iowa and 2nd place in NH is hardly worth calling a loser! Better take a look in the mirror before you start judging. I doubt whomever you support is gutsy enough to call Obama a loser, considering the numbers.
Reality check - this “loser” has the votes and the potential to be YOUR President.
GV,
Thanks. But what we need is a candidate whom the American public won’t reject. With Sen. Clinton as the Dems nominee in Nov., all the Republicans will have to do is REMIND the American public about the Clintons’ deeds and character, from the cover-ups with White Water to the suicide of a childhood friend in the WH, let alone the personal services that cost us so much, with so many lies told to us IN our face, through our legal system and public media (lies and then disgraceful confession)and now stories of “street money” going around to Church preachers and other black leaders.
The truth about the American public is that, regardless of what may be said about us, by the outside world of the religious xses, we are MORAL people; and it is this fact that the American public will not accept Mrs. Clinton , in Nov, IF she is the nominee.
I’d like to know what kind of a deal she made with him during the scandal in the WH, to have stayed with him: stick by him, for his support on her desire to journey back to the WH as the Dem’s candidate? Someone should ask him if this was the deal she made with him? On the Reps side, all they have to do is follow the trail, to see his role in her political profession, from the WH to NY and now in the primaries, on deals he brokered on her behalf to live upto the deal he made with her to save his presidency then.
Clue for all the people unjustly bashing Senator Kerry here:
Hillary joined the Limbaugh knuckle draggers crowd and jumped all over him for the botched joke in Nov. ‘06.
Edwards has been less than gracious since their run in ‘04.
With the quick exit of Dodd then, Kerry really had no choice than to go with Barack, and while I too, (as have many) have had reservations about his youth and lack of experience, he makes a good arguement as to why he is now the best choice. The huge compensation for his resume deficits Obama now brings to the election, is his amazing ability to draw people to the polls. I see that as a huge asset with which we will crush the Rovian GOTV and election rigging they pulled in’04 i Ohio and elsewhere.
Thank you Senator Kerry, full speed ahead!
John Kerry Did stand up to the Swiftboat Lies during ELECTION
More here.
The media armed with the facts paid no attention to the liars, that is until the MSM launched its onslaught in August:
“By the time the Swift Boat story had played out, CNN, chasing after ratings leader Fox News, found time to mention the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth–hereafter, Swifties–in nearly 300 separate news segments, while more than one hundred New York Times articles and columns made mention of the Swifties. And during one overheated 12-day span in late August, the Washington Post mentioned the Swifties in page-one stories on Aug. 19, 20, 21 (two separate articles), 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31. It was a media monsoon that washed away Kerry’s momentum coming out of the Democratic convention.”
Why would the media, with the facts in hand, devote so much time to airing information they knew was false?
This was free advertising for the Bush campaign.
John,
hanks so much for supporting Sen. Obama, he truly is the best man for the job. Kudos!
Just came back in to see what the tone was here since I last posted. I know that John Kerry does not make hasty decisions. He must have watched Obama in action over the years. He has also worked with him to fight for legislation that is both progressive and paramount in giving the power back to the people (internet freedom and accessibility at a reasonable rate for all). I find it hard to believe that the most angry posters here have ever really understood where John Kerry was trying to take us all along, both as a nation and as an empowered people. For my part, I just learned that a registered republican on our street is going to caucus for Obama. I was shocked, but Obama obviously has the ability to reach the very best part of us humans to try to get us to work with the opposition while not letting our principles be compromised or diluted, you know, the argument Kerry has advocated in dealing with nations who appear to be our enemies like Iran. He doesn’t come on with the heavy artillery, creating adversaries before we’ve even engaged. I can’t imagine anyone madder at the neocon machine that installed Bush as our president twice in spite of the electorate than I, but having a candidate like Obama, endorsed by people of the caliber of Kerry, Gary Hart, even Kucinich said if he didn’t get enough votes on the first ballot in Iowa, then his people should go for Obama (just in the Iowa contest), and not Edwards as he did in ‘04. Well, that says something important to me. Kerry and Kucinich are the conscience of the democratic party and their opinions weigh heavily with me. How could it be otherwise for all of us who blog but aren’t there working daily with these people. We must put our trust somewhere until we discover whether it was misplaced. Now it is up to Obama and Kerry to enumerate all the reasons why Obama is the best for the position, and let’s get his whole record out there for all to see, but the same goes for Edwards, who is saying all the right things, but whose every vote and whose personal financial investments must be scrutinized for us to know whether he can back up his talk.