Kerry Communications Director Resigns

[ModerateMiddle]

Kerry Communications Director Resigns

WASHINGTON - John Kerry's communications director has resigned over differences in the direction of the Democrat's presidential campaign.

snip

Campaign officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Lehane told them he was leaving over philosophical differences with Kerry. They said Lehane, who was Al Gore's press secretary in the 2000 race and worked for President Clinton, was among a cadre of Kerry aides who believed that Kerry ran too cautiously against the threat posed by Dean.

Campaign strategist Bob Shrum and others urged Kerry to remain above the fray in an attempt to look presidential. Kerry avoided confrontation with Dean in the first two debates, but his rhetoric on the campaign trail has become more critical of the former governor.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/6778015.htm

[ProfessorPlum]

1. that's weird

Lehane resigns just as Kerry seems to be adopting his strategy more. Why?

[w4rma]

6. Maybe he's decided to back off from that strategy.

That would be good for the Democratic Party if he goes through with the new "above the Kerry v. Dean fray" strategy he seems to espouse in this article. As long as he isn't "above the Kerry v. Bush fray".

Good for Kerry, I say! Beat up Bush* not Dean!

[blm]

8. Kerry was always laying low till September.

He's not a mudslinger.

What you perceive as Kerry attacks now were reactions to Dean generated issues. One, the Mideast misspeak from Dean which Kerry noted and Dean even admitted he shouldn't have said. Fair play for the political arena.

The other, reacting to a snarky remark to the media from Dean about Kerry saying things to his face, prompting Kerry to accept the challenge in debate. Fair play in any political arena..

[ProfessorPlum]

9. blm, could you please stop being so prickly?

Nobody is knocking Kerry for his "attacks" here - pointing out flaws in what opponents do is what these candidates are supposed to do. You always jump in and get defensive and start bashing Dean in response, even where no one is knocking Kerry. It detracts from what otherwise would be a more supportive tone in the thread for everyone.

And, I would say that there is at least one Dean generated issue that Kerry definitely needs to react to - Dean is kicking his butt! :)

[blm]

13. If you kne me, you'd know I'm just being matter-of-fact.

Not prickly. I'm much more deadpan.

Try thinking of it from that pov. Remember, I'm the one who enjoys long drawn out policy speeches and loved to listen to Al Gore. ;)


But, when I do get prickly, I can guarantee you I learned to lacerate from one of the sharpest minds this country ever produced. I try not to get that prickly.

[ProfessorPlum]

14. fair enough

It just doesn't pay to make trouble where there isn't any.

I, for one, don't expect Kerry to sit on his hands. It is his job to make trouble for Dean or any of his other rivals. You don't always need to defend his motivation - he wants to win, the same as the others.

Anyway, you've got a great candidate and a potentially great President who you are backing. Me too. Us Democrats are sitting pretty right now. Let's just see how it plays out.

Cheers, PP.

[chimpymustgo]

23. Hey, blm you are very matter-of-fact. You don't make the prickly group.

But those who attack you do. Please keep bringing your insights and opinions.

[DrFunkenstein]

24. Agreed

:yourock:

I believe it was Bono who said, "Don't let the bastards grind you down."

Stay positive, avoid the snark, and enjoy the Kerry groovy train to the Oval Office!

<>

[RogueTrooper]

2. A Flip Flop from the Kerry Campaign

From the same article...

Early this month, as he formally began his campaign, Kerry told reporters he "reserved the right" to make changes and gave a mixed assessment of his staff's performance. Trying to quell talk of a staff purge, he issued a statement saying there would be "no changes."

The statement, drafted with Lehane's assistance, was meant to be the last word, but Kerry has backpedaled from it. "Those weren't precisely my words. They were the words of a press release sent out," Kerry told The Boston Globe in a story published Sunday.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Nuanced Waffle?

[DrFunkenstein]

7. A Waffled Nuance?

Mmmm...waffles.

In the immortal words of Howard Dean (and you can bet they'll come back to haunt him), "I suppose that's a good thing."

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. Mmmmm

NUANCE

[DrFunkenstein]

12. LMAO

That's the Rummy I know!

(The flip-flops are the crowning touch)

<>

She wore bluuuuuue velvet...

[Egnever]

20. ROFL!

thanks for that!

[sandnsea]

25. lol

okay, that was pretty funny!

[DrFunkenstein]

4. I Guess Something Had To Give

They say that his staff was overstuffed with advisors, which I assume means they had competing visions of what Kerry should do. Lehane managed to get Gore elected President, so I'll be sad to see him go, but I suppose this is ultimately a good thing.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. I thought it was good, too. At first.

From the article it says that Lehane was the one advising Kerry to become more proactive with Dean, a pov that I agree with. Who knows if it's a good or bad thing yet but it's interesting.

[dsc]

22. No Gore got Gore elected President

Yes I know these are talented people and the candidates need them but the candidates are the ones who do the real jobs here.

[jburton]

10. Lehane has his hands full in CA

Isn't he working on the stop the recall campaign? He hasn't really been "at" the Kerry campaign for awhile.

[blm]

15. You're right. But, I don't mind he is going.

I don't think Kerry should ever throw mud, even at Dean. I don't like it.

Issues are enough and there are certainly enough differences between them that can be emphasized. The problem is that when those differences are brought forward, the political newbies scream like it is mudslinging and attacking.

[renie408]

16. Is this bad? This seems bad to me.

It smacks of campaign problems or something. Especially if Kerry is finally adopting Lehane's approach. Is this a rat off a sinking ship??


(BTW...I recognize this as shameless shit starting. I just thought I would give it a shot.)

[ProfessorPlum]

17. LOL

Not bad, not bad at all.

Ok, I'll bite: It is clearly the sign of a campaign in disarray, which will soon collapse amid finger-pointing accusations among the participants.

How's that?

[renie408]

18. Oooohhh, that was just perfect

Thanks!! Just what I was looking for!!

[blm]

19. Nah...Lehane hasn't been there much, anyway.

He's been working with Davis in Ca. It's a good move for those of us who never cared for Lehane and thought he was a weak link.

[sandnsea]

21. I think you're right

I didn't know much about him, after reading up, I think I'm glad he's gone. There's a difference between being tough and going after someone and being a smart-ass. If he was supposed to be the tough critic of Bush in 2000, it failed. Making smart ass remarks doesn't expose a candidate's weaknesses.

[polpilot]

26. Coulda..woulda..shoulda..

Dean '04...The New Democratic Leader of The New Democratic Party.

[KaraokeKarlton]

27. I bet he's going to work for Clark, the other "military candidate"

Just a hunch.

[renie408]

28. Well, gee, let's hope so

Cause Lehane has been such a great success so far......

[KaraokeKarlton]

29. He just needs a candidate he can compliment

If Trippi were working for anyone other than Dean, he wouldn't be doing the same job he is doing for Dean. I don't know why more people don't understand this. It doesn't matter how good staff members did for another candidate and it's not going to indicate how they'll do for anyone else. It's all about how they "fit" with any given candidate. Kerry clearly has hired a lot of people who are not good "fits". Dean, however, has a team that is in perfect sync and compliments him perfectly.

[renie408]

30. Good point

and not one I had thought of, you are right. For a campaign team to do their best work, they have to BELIEVE, passionately, in their 'product'.

[KaraokeKarlton]

31. Not just believe

Their personalities, methods, ideas, communications style...everything, it all has to work together and compliment each other to get the maximum benefit. If there are any conflicts in these areas, it's going to affect the way the campaign works.

[DrFunkenstein]

32. Dean and Trippi Are Clicking

I may not agree with the message they are putting out, but they are doing a hell of a job putting it out.

[WyLoochka]

33. And good riddance to

Lehane - he was a loser when on Gore's team and a loser on Kerry's.

[KaraokeKarlton]

35. I doubt it's him being a loser

He's just not comaptible with those candidates. It happens.

[KaraokeKarlton]

34. Yes they are...as he is with all of his staff it appears

I suspect that much of that is because his assistant that worked for him throughout his governorship joined his campaign as well. She ran his other campaigns and worked with him for a long time. Aside from that, he writes his own speeches and he does things his way. It's not so much that his staff works for him as they work with him. They organize things for him, schedule things, bring in what he needs them to and he gets out there and lets people see and hear him. They aren't hearing what others tell him he should be. I think that's making it easier for people to work with him so effectively. No one in the campaign is working to create an image, they're just working to introduce people to who he is and what he has to say. If the Kerry people did more of that and less of putting forth some image they think is presidential and electable, he'd be doing much better, IMO.

[DrFunkenstein]

36. That's Good Advice

You see, we can be on opposite teams and still be civil!

I think you may have a point. The Kerry campaign should stop trying to look Presidential and just let Kerry be Kerry. The guy is a brilliant thinker, and he let's you in on his thought process. Sometimes that's too much for people who only want the bullet point final version. But if he would focus on his plans rather than persona, there would be no stopping him!

In the end it may or may not be enough, but Kerry really does have the best ideas. The Iraq vote and an ineffective message may cloud that, but it is the truth. That's what I've been trying to do at DU. The petty bickering stuff is annoying, but you can't let BS go unanswered (vicious cycle, I know). I would much rather discuss policy, because that's where Kerry is head and shoulders - literally! - above the rest.