All We Have To Say Is…
Chris Cillizza of The Fix spent some time discussing some changes in JK’s staff:
Well, all we have to say about that is…Kerry has recently begun to bolster his Senate and campaign staff in preparation for what some Kerry insiders insist is a likely run for president. Kerry has signed on Erik Smith to serve as a senior adviser to his Senate campaign committee and Vince Morris to be communications director in his Senate office.
Smith, who runs Blue Engine Message & Media, served as national press secretary for Dick Gephardt’s 2004 presidential bid and previously was communications director in Gephardt’s leadership office. He also served a stint as communications director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Morris comes to the Kerry camp after a stint as communications director for former Washington, D.C., mayor Anthony Williams. Prior to his work for Williams, Morris was a reporter for the New York Post and Washington Times. Morris started officially on Monday.
Asked whether his decision to join Kerry signaled that the senator would be running again for president in 2008, Smith demurred. “Whatever he chooses to do, he is going to have a tremendous impact on public policy,” said Smith. “Whether on Iraq or domestic policy, Sen. Kerry bring tremendous political assets to the table and the party benefits when he takes a leadership role.”
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With respect to those of us who are citizens of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, we can hold our heads high - as true, blue patriots - for electing Senators and Congressmen willing to stick their collective heads out to preserve our republic from those hellbent on a descent into fascism.
Kennedy’s speech today introducing his bill on Iraq was moving and on the money. [It is now on Huffingtonpost and youtube.] If Markey’s bill flies through the house along side Kennedy’s Congress will be on a collision course with the the Imperial presidency.
This is what people have been waiting for.
Run John Run!!! There is no one else I trust more to run this country then you sir. So please get in the race now!!
Welcome Erik and Vince!
Awesome news. Great to see two new people with such impressive credentials join Senator Kerry’s team.
I think you newbies :-) will find that the Senator has some very loyal supporters. My advice is to take advantage of that. We’re here to help, and hopeful we can put our skills (and yours) to the test for a shot at the WH in ‘08. We can win it, you know.
Good luck to you both!
To echo the sentiments of a previous poster:
Run, John, Run!
Well, Erik and Vince,
I’m usually the one to open mouth and insert foot. So why should my welcome be any different than any other posts of mine?
Welcome! While I know you and Senator Kerry just want to jump-start our country back onto track, please make sure you do it carefully and swiftly.
Run or walk…I don’t care. Just go kick some… and never let the liars get the upper hand again.
I can’t wait for Sen. Kerry to announce that he is running. No one is more qualified to be president. This country desperately needs him.
Welcome Aboard, Erik and Vince.
To echo some other responses here, you will find very loyal supporters here and like GV says, “take advantage of that”, we are prepared.
Also I’m with Tia, “Run or walk…I don’t care. Just go kick some… and never let the liars get the upper hand again.”
Senator Kerry taught us to NGU ( never give up), so lets roll up our sleeves and get this show on the road.
Kennedy endorsed JK tonight on Hardball - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5083
Pamela,
He endorsed JK? How wonderful. I wonder what everyone who claimed to have Kennedy’s endorsement is thinking.
I’m not surprised though and never expected otherwise. Afterall, JK has been re-elected in MA by 80% so he has solid support across the board.
Plus, his hardwork in getting Dems elected in 06 deserves some kudos. And from Ted Kennedy the best kudo is an endorsement.
Great news about Sen Kennedy endorsing Sen Kerry, although I can’t say I’m surprised.
Teddy’s a very smaht man, after all.
He called mittens ‘multiple choice’? Hehe.
I watched Sen Kennedy today call out Bush on his insane plan to add troops to the quagmire. Good move, Teddy. I expect Bush’s polls to drop even lower after the speech tomorrow night. He’ll be in single digits before too long.
Following is the link to tonight’s Hardball where Senator Ted Kennedy expressed his strong support for another run for President by Senator Kerry. Gee, what a wicked smart guy that Senator Kennedy is!
Oh, and Senator Kennedy also had some important things to say about the Iraq war too.
http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/01/09/28999.aspx
Thanks to John Kerry for introducing legislation r/t drilling in the Arctic and also with Ken Salazar r/t ethics.
& bravo to Ted Kennedy - the more I hear about what he’s been doing lately, the better - that means it’s got a high profile.
The Republicans are doing a poor job at PR & “framing” of the message. “Surge” is not an effective term, even according to the Republicans’ primary pollster & they won’t even use it tomorrow night. Tony Snow says it suggests a “rush hour” approach to policy.
May the Democrats continue on the upswing! All it takes is common sense and the right message.
Run, Senator Kerry, Run.
You’ve heard it many times. Just as often, you’ve heard detractors crow about your perceived shortcomings. I add only one voice to many who support you, to many who, four years later, remain loyal to both your politics and to your person. There is, of course, no guarantee that you would be successful, no guarantee that an honorable position or act would actually set things right. To great chagrin, the 2004 election was ample evidence of that. There is, however, honor in measured conviction - conviction measured against realities - and in that field, you are far from lacking. Without needing to go into policy, I’d like to extend that point to the possibility of another presidential run. Firstly, the presidential field, and the scope of debate, will be poorer without your presence. Let people say what they may - there is a difference between spring chickens, ambition-driven pilferers and seasoned, profoundly reasonable individuals, the latter pertaining to yourself. A race without this latter factor is phyrric, even with a democratic win in the general. Secondly, on a more personal note - I think most of us here know what you’ve done in the past, and what you think your potentialities to be; on this forum, at the very least, I think you’d be selling yourself short by not giving it another shot. If you fail, so what??? You, I, and a couple of hundred thousand other core supporters will be devastated - but we will not waver, neither in our shared, core, political convictions, nor in our trust, and dedication, to you, as a man who justifiably represents the core values and political imperatives of a sizeable proportion of Americans, not to mention those non-Americans who not only currently believe in you, but whose increased size and cooperation you would be able to count on as head of state. In short, Senator Kerry, please run: it will be no blight on you if your run does not succeed - your detractors are already entrenched and sharpening the knives, their opinions inextricable from ‘conventional wisdom’ (whatever the hell that is) - but your supporters, and the millions who can be educated and convinced of your purpose, will be willing to go the distance. Plus, for those of us in the know - we know you can blow them all out of the water, be it the inexperienced media flavor-of-the-month star, the Humpty-Dumpty ambitious wife, or even the former running mate. Do us proud: I think YOU can be the dark horse that can both expose the glaring shortcomings of your rivals AND present both a unified platform and unified persona around which the majority of Americans (and, for sure, the majority of non-Americans) can rally. As you spend these days deliberating, I’m reporting for duty. I’m sure many others are too, and I think you should too. It’s never too late to change history; never mind the Stevenson-sagas - you may well find a lot of support coming from people who previously voted against you. Let’s do this, and regardless of outcome, we can hold our heads high: either we get you through to the presidency, or we create a trans-national platform for your politics… and that sounds like a win-win situation to me.
Run, Senator Kerry, run.
Glenn,
Hey man long time no hear from you. This is Dante your American friend. As always you provide insight to the issue at hand. We need get in touch again soon.
Senator Kerry, please please for the sake of the country and for the sake of sanity, announce that you are running for President in 2008.
We need a candidate who can do the following: 1.) put together a national campaign and a team that can win the nomination. You sir can do that; 2.) Will have a broad appeal and win the general election. Again sir, you can do that. America wants a redo and you can provide it. (although I still believe you won last time). 3.) We need someone with vision, who once elected, has the skills to hit the ground running, bring this country together again, stop this war and be able to dig us out of the hole that Bush has put us in over the past 6 years. You sir, can do that and more. You can give us hope again, and give the entire country hope again. Please sir, if you have it within you, please run. We have your back. Thanks.
Kudos to the five senators who have already co-sponsored the Kennedy resolution to avoid escalation. No big surprise in the names though:
Boxer
Harkin
Kerry
Leahy
Sanders.
But, once again, great to try to do something.
Erik and Vince,
Welcome!
We have a big job to do but we have a great Senator up to the task!
Today, when the President announces that another 20,000 brave American men and women are being sent to Iraq to fight a failed policy, let us remember what Senator Kerry testified to in 1971 regarding Vietnam:
No Iraq is not the same as Vietnam. But ironically, we have recycled the same leadership from Henry Kissinger on down, that subscribes to the same failed philosophy of military occupation and nation building.
American needs Senator Kerry at the helm today more than ever before in its history!
Robert Freedland
John Kerry for President 2008
Thrilled to bits re: the focus on hiring people with expertise in communication. :-)
Effective communication of ideas is (nearly) as important as having them in the first place.
Godspeed!
Posted by Glenn Leaper | January 10, 2007 12:19 AM
Cool statement!
I love good news. Welcome Eric and Vince. Glad to see Senator Kerry adding more talent to his staff.
Congrats.
Run John, Run!