How come John Kerry isn't more popular in MA?

[cali]

His approval ratings hover from the mid to high forties. What's he doing that people there don't like?

[Mass]

1. Susa polls? Because our brand new governor has the same numbers.

BTW, this month,his polling numbers were 54 to 41, not quite the same than you quote.

(in fact, these last few months, after the fake outrage, it is more high 40s to mid 50s)
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollTrack.aspx?g=167be8b3-bb54-4fb9-bd74-401e630f31d8

[cali]

3. yep. Susa polls.

but I don't get why he doesn't rate higher.

[Mass]

4. Far from being bad, from somebody who is blasted by the media again and again.

and sometimes, as you can see from the next comment, some people believe it is true (so easy not to know, but believe).

Remember, Teddy benefits of the Kennedy name.

[NewHampster]

2. He epitomizes old time Beakon Hill Snobs

Boston blue blood accent and general obnoxious look down the nose look.

But I'm not from Mass. so don't ask me.

[cali]

5. Well, I suppose that could be it.

I just wondered. My own Senators have approval ratings in the high 60s and low 70s.

[Mass]

6. Teddy only is at 61, so may be it has something to do with MA.

Deval Patrick at mid 40s to mid 50s, like Kerry.

Ironically, latest SUSA poll has Kerry at the same level than Teddy for liberals, lower for moderates and conservatives. May be it could be the talk shows working. I somehow doubt that they spend a lot of time criticizing Leahy and Sanders.

[Petrushka]

18. Just wonderin': Who are YOUR "...own Senators...."? {eom}

[tabasco]

7. How come you post so many "Why do Democrats suck so much?" posts?

Kerry is a great American and, last time I checked, the People of Mass. have sent him to the Senate several times.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[karynnj]

14. Is somthing bothering you today?

The fact is that even in the poll where he did the worst, when polled against the top Democrats in the house (the strongest primary challengers) he beats them by 20 points.

[cuke]

17. Did you read the post I responded to?

The one that falsely accuses another poster

And did you read mine? Did it say anything about Kerry's popularity in Mass?

[karynnj]

20. I did read your post -

I guess I put more weight into the content in the Tabasco's post - not the frustration in the subject.

[cuke]

22. I guess

all these accusation is getting to me a bit. I'm not saying I don't ever do it (as a victim of mine, you know I do). I'm saying I don't like it. Even when I do it.

[karynnj]

26. Actually, from the other thread - I'm reacting the same way

I saw that as attack, you saw Tabsco's that way. In fairness to you, I've seen Cali's posts and they are great - as yours typically are. This one was clearly asking what people - presumably MA people knew of this - and she did get many good answers.

[cuke]

27. Thanks

time for me to cruise the lounge and try to catch some sleep

[cali]

11. I don't. You seem to have a personal grudge against me.

Let me suggest it's coloring your perspective. I have a high opinion of Kerry, and nothing in my OP suggests anything to the contrary. Try not to take things so personally, and get over it.

[TwilightZone]

8. SurveyUSA - 10/18/07: 54%

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=be4dd434-3ef9-4965-b5f4-3d03963cd420

[cali]

13. That's better.

Glad to see it. The Susa I just looked at was 48%.

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. Still about 10 times better than the numbers for any Repukes in MA.

Not that there are many of them...........

[BlueManDude]

If he ran again he'd still paste any GOPer.

[ProSense]

12. Hey did you know

Kerry is focusing on Blackwater?

The RW are paying attention. Every time he does something like this they go all negative with their spin.

[cuke]

19. Thanks, I did not know that

Glad to hear Kerry (of BCCI and Iran/Contra fame) is back in the DA's chair

[rox63]

15. He keeps winning reelection, which is what counts

We like him fine, thank you.

[Ian David]

16. For one thing, he hasn't blown me yet.

That's usually a good way to prove you love me.

[mtnsnake]

21. After that dreadful campaign of his, I think he's fortunate to be polling in the 40's

I'm surprised he's polling that high after getting throttled by a complete imbecile which resulted in 4 more years of Bush.

[Mass]

23. LOL - Poor whining baby.

[frazzled]

24. He is not very constituent friendly

As a former resident of Massachusetts I can attest that his staff is snotty and unresponsive when you call the office. I was hung up on once myself, and I never forgot it. I was politely registering my view that I hoped the Senator would vote against the Iraq War Resolution in 2002. I didn't even get the whole sentence out before the staffer slammed the phone down. This, apparently, was not uncommon practice. No need to listen to the pesky peons.

As I got more involved with local politics (and it was pretty high level involvement, including serving on a board with people who had held high positions in the state government), I heard stories time and again about how Kerry failed to show at this or that meeting for a housing project, a medical project, an environmental issue. Or would come and doze off. By contrast, Ted Kennedy would show up and offer to lend his personal staff to the projects. I always heard this: if you need something done go to Teddy, he's the go-to guy.

So I don't want to knock Kerry, and I'd probably vote for him again if I lived there. But he is not known for being senstitive to his constituents needs ... and there is a sense that he thinks he can handle everything his way with no input. He's also not a very warm fuzzy guy in person (something I don't care about that much myself, but you need to be able to relate to people in politics).

So that's just my two cents about why people don't love him all that much there.

[ProSense]

25. That's not what these constituents

say.

[Mass]

28. Well 54 % is not that bad, considering that it is about what Deval Patrick got

and that Teddy, despite all the love he has, only got 61, and basically identical to Kerry for liberals, but more for moderates and conservatives.

I know people who actually met Kerry for exactly the type of projects you speak of and who had totally different stories, so I guess tastes and colors vary.

[arrested_president]

29. Being Irish Would Help

he got some mileage out of it til it came out his name was changed and he's not at all Irish

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Kerry+%22not+irish%22&btnG=Search

[beachmom]

30. He never said he was Irish. It was the Boston Globe that did.

And then when they did his geneaology, they got all bent out of shape, because Kerry wasn't putting staff on combing their snarky pages, calling them with heritage corrections. Out of all the reasons not to like someone, that whole Irish kerfuffle isn't one of them.

http://www.dotnews.com/stpats03.html

But that was about the only thing checking the merriment on Sunday, when elected officials once again convened for the annual St. Patrick's Day Breakfast in Southie, skewering each other and even themselves in one of the city's grand political traditions. From the world-famous to those known only locally, the professional flesh-pressers took to the dais and tried to score points through a mix of comedic timing and insider humor that left the 600-strong, packed-house crowd either choking on the corned beef or waiting for a better punch line.

The morning's grandest performance was John Kerry's. The junior senator entered to rousing applause and a fawning introduction from Congressman Steve Lynch, then delivered the day's best line with, "Who said I didn't have the matzo balls to be here?" - a jab at the recent controversy about the presidential candidate's ethnic heritage. He sparred a bit with the state's chief executive, commiserating over their shared attention to all things follicular, then added, "It's great being here with the Governor - my money's on Bulger," to hoots and cheers from a crowd partisan to the event's longtime and erstwhile host.

...

Speaker of the House Tom Finneran, whose quick tongue suit well events of this ilk, agreed that this year's breakfast "I think it went terrifically," Finneran said. "Nobody got out of control, as sometimes happens at these things."

Finneran, too, felt that Kerry's showing was a good one, saying the surprise guest "hit the ball very, very solid."