Kerry camp lowers N.H. expectations

[Khephra]

Kerry camp lowers N.H. expectations
Behind in polls, senator now seeks spot in `top two'

By Patrick Healy, Globe Staff, 12/8/2003

Facing harsh political terrain in New Hampshire, Senator John F. Kerry and his presidential campaign advisers have begun bracing for the possibility of a loss in the state's Jan. 27 primary, which the campaign had previously labeled a "must win" to sustain his presidential bid.

snip......

Through much of 2003, Kerry's advisers -- as well as many political analysts and some Democratic Party leaders -- said that if the senator didn't win New Hampshire, it would be hard to see him coming in first in South Carolina or Arizona, where he also hopes to perform well in primaries.

Now, his top advisers -- many of them hired in the last month and reluctant to label anything "must win" -- are trying to make two points clear: that New Hampshire primary voters historically choose a candidate after New Year's Day and that even if Kerry doesn't win Jan. 27, he is also competing in primaries and caucuses in 17 other states.

"Kerry and his team have read the polls and are now giving themselves as much wiggle room as possible in New Hampshire to live and fight another day," said Dean Spiliotes, a specialist on presidential primaries at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. "The problem is, I don't see him showing much strength in any other states beside New Hampshire and Iowa. So if he doesn't win either of those, where does he win?"

snip..........

Two Kerry advisers said yesterday that a second-place finish in New Hampshire was acceptable in part because of Democratic Party rules: Candidates who receive at least 15 percent of the vote in a primary or caucus will receive a share of the delegates who will go on to nominate the Democrats' presidential candidate at the party convention in Boston in late July.

more...........

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/12/08/kerry_camp_lowers_nh_expectations/

[pruner]

1. LOL

State leaders, polls since 11/10:
Dean: 8 states (DC, IA, NH, SC, MA, NY, FL, NJ)
Lieberman: 3 states (DE, OK, CT)
Edwards: 1 state (NC)
Clark, Gephardt, Kerry: 0

State leaders, all polls:
Dean: 16 (DC, IA, NH, AZ, NM, SC, MI, ME, WI, MD, MA, NY, RI, VT, FL, NJ)
Lieberman: 5.5 (DE, OK, TN(t), CT, OH, PA)
Clark: 3.5 (TN(t), CA, GA, AL)
Gephardt: 2 (MO, IL)
Edwards: 1 (NC)
Kerry: 0

http://ca-pol-junkie.dailykos.com/story/2003/12/7/55534/5196