Reply #5: I agree and he did a brilliant job keeping it going after losing. [View All]

[karynnj]

It would be hard to win an argument that his campaign was well run. However, an analysis of where the problems came from would be interesting. Kerry's primary campaign was exceptionally good, winning almost all the states easily without increasing interparty rancor. The intern smear was handled as gracefully and as professionally as any attack. Not only did it become obvious that there was nothing there, the woman involved was treated with respect by everyone in the campaign. The SBVT were beaten back twice.

It was when the people from other campaigns came in that all the stories seeped out criticizing the campaign - most with Bill Clinton's fingerprints. You also had Clinton people pushing the ABB message, that is normal for primaries, not general election. (Though now, I can absolve my self for voting for WJC, I was ABB. I just didn't know it.) Not to mention, extrapolating from Edwards' comment where he prided himself for not using the campaign's slogan, it's clear that at a point where everyone should have ceded leadership to Kerry, he had two ego maniacs to deal with - while trying to unseat a President in time of war. I'm not sure anyone else could have managed the campaign better. Not to mention no one could have bettered Kerry in debates and interviews. (just compare Clinton and Kerry this Sunday)