Ted Kennedy: I’ll Support Kerry in 2008 Race

[kerrygoddess]

Ted Kennedy: I’ll Support Kerry in 2008 Race
October 12th, 2005

Today, the senior Senator from MA, Ted Kennedy, added more speculation to the 2008 presidential race…

Sen. Edward Kennedy said Wednesday he would back fellow Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 even if Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton also pursues a White House bid.

“If he runs, I would support him,” Kennedy told The Associated Press in an interview at his Boston office.

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=827

[whometense]

1. I

totally :loveya: Teddy :loveya:.

[Mass]

2. an “able, gifted and talented political leader.”

Kennedy called Kerry, the 2004 nominee, an “able, gifted and talented political leader.”

He is right, but I am not sure that this country can recognize an able leader when they see one. IMO, since Bobby Kennedy, the last one we saw was Carter, not that I agree with all he said, but that he had the courage to say things honestly to people, which is partly the reason why he was beaten.

May be 8 years of Bush will make people wake up on what they need in a political leader.

EDIT : Of course, Teddy is a great political leader as well.

[TayTay]

3. Thanks Uncle Ted! I love you too!

I take back what I said about your dancing at the MA Dem Convention in May. (But not that chest hair comment, sorry, but yuk!)

I am happy to hear this. It's nice to see MA Senators making all nice-nice. (Did you see Vitter and Landreiu on the floor last week. Louisiana Sens. hate each other's guts. Sigh!)

Seriously, I will work for Uncle Ted next year, because, that guy nobody heard of from Wakefield looks serious. (Not!) and I figure that the other Sen. from MA might go to rallies and such for Uncle Ted. (To innoculate him from that guy from Wakefield that I never heard of.) Oh and I heard that the MA Rethug Party is trying to get someone else to run for Teddy's seat, but nobody wants to be the sacrificial lamb, especially since Uncle Ted threatened not to be nice to any opponents this time out.

[Mass]

4. There was a comment yesterday in the Globe that the Repugs were

trying to get Essex Sheriff to run against Kennedy. The article seems to say that they have nobody running against him.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/10/12/gop_urges_essex_sheriff_to_take_on_kennedy/

GOP urges Essex sheriff to take on Kennedy

By Frank Phillips, Globe Staff | October 12, 2005

Massachusetts Republican Party officials, down to their last chance to find a credible candidate, are working to persuade Essex Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr. to run against US Senator Edward M. Kennedy next year.

...

''It would be a massive undertaking and I don't know if I want to do that," said the 47-year-old former Republican state representative from Newburyport. If he declines to run, party officials say they are unlikely to find a potential GOP candidate who they feel could mount an effective challenge to Kennedy.

Governor William F. Weld appointed Cousins to the sheriff's post in 1996 to fill a vacancy. He was the first African-American to be a Massachusetts sheriff. He won elections in 1998 and 2004 in heavily Democratic Essex County.

[TayTay]

5. That guy's smart not to take on Kennedy.

I don't think he'll find the money is there for even a practice run in '06. It's not going to be a Rethug year.

I also heard that the Rethugs were trying to get this guy to challenge Kerry (or A Dem To Be Named Later) in '08. The Rethug bench is very thin in MA right now. I'm all broken up about it. Christy Mihos and, ahm, that unknown guy from Wakefield.

[Mass]

7. Kerry Healey will be ready, in 08. Who knows, Barbie may have

ambitions in case she loses the race in 06. (this idea makes me sick - there are intelligent women in MA. Why cant they break the glass ceiling).

[TayTay]

9. Mass, OMG, this is horrible!

I have a hard enough time thinking of anyone else in that seat. Sen. Barbie Doll would be awful beyond belief. She is not a Senator, she is a fashion model who got older. That would be like replacing a Da Vinci painting with a paint-by-numbers from a kindergarten class. There is no friggin way that Barbie comes after Kerry, not while I draw breath. We do have standards in MA, after all. Our Senators have to be able to walk, chew gum, cogitate, and plan all at the same time. Barbie can only walk and I'm not ure there aren't strings involved in that endeavor.

I'm going to have nightmares tonight now. Thanks a lot. Barbie after Kerry, I should only lay down and die. I'm so distraught now. Help!

[Mass]

10. Sorry - I did not want to upset you. It's just that reading your previous

post, this terrible idea crossed my mind. Anyway, there is no way she would beat Kerry or any other plausible Democratic nominee. Too many great people are in line on the Democratic Party.

[TayTay]

11. Nobody beats Kerry, '96 proved that.

I was thinking that if Kerry decides to gamble it all on a second try at the nomination, then we have a DEM senate seat to fill. If Kerry decides to stay in the Senate, he's the Jr. Senator from MA for as long as he wishes to grace the seat.

IT would be a friggin free-for-all in MA if he decides to give up the seat. It would be very exciting. I think I know who Kerry would endorse for the seat, but it would be a very exciting event. Half the House Reps would seriously consider going for it.

But, I really don't want to contemplate that yet. It would take a while to get used to. (But that's what I wanted last year, an open Senate seat. Yes, but I had that cloning project in mind. Sigh!)

[kerrygoddess]

6. I know this guy!

I am writing about this tonight... have not had time all day. I grew up with him.

[Mass]

8. I am waiting for your post, KG.

BTW, did you see that your blog was quoted in the Phoenix article concerning Inside the Bubble.
http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/other_stories/multi_3/documents/05025920.asp

Kerry partisans have been less kind. The Unofficial John Kerry Blog (kerryblog.blogspot.com) suggested that Inside the Bubble should be retitled The Snore Room — an unflattering reference to The War Room, the 1993 Clinton-campaign documentary — and dismissed its director, Steve Rosenbaum, as "a shill the infamous Swift Liars and the red elephants.

[kerrygoddess]

12. Thanks! I missed that...

I finally got some info I was looking for about my old "friend" and now have to write this.

[kerrygoddess]

19. GOP Scrapes the Bottom of the Barrel for Opponent to Kennedy

GOP Scrapes the Bottom of the Barrel for Opponent to Kennedy
October 13th, 2005

The GOP has scraped the bottom of the barrel looking for an opponent to Ted Kennedy in the 2006 Senatorial Race in MA. So far, the GOP has not been able to find anyone with the gumption to give it a go. Kennedy is a formidable candidate who is too well ensconced in his position as the senior Senator from MA.

The Boston Globe reported yesterday, that “Massachusetts Republican Party officials, down to their last chance to find a credible candidate, are working to persuade Essex Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr. to run against US Senator Edward M. Kennedy next year.”

Cousins, is a 47-year-old former Republican state representative from Newburyport, MA. Prior to his appointment to the Essex Sheriff’s post, by former Governor William Weld in 1996 to fill a vacancy,“Frank Cousins served two terms as State Representative (1992-1996) from the 1st Essex District and was a Newburyport City Councilor (1989-1993).” He was the first African-American to be appointed as a Massachusetts sheriff.

One would have to ask why would some one with so little experience in the political arena even agree to run against the “Lion of Senate”, Ted Kennedy. Ambition, perhaps… but it certainly doesn’t seem very wise.

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=828

[FreedomAngel82]

18. I loved his little dance

LOL. I thought it was cute him having some fun. Does anybody have a downloadable video on this? Nobody can take away Ted!

[BlueIris]

13. I love Ted.

I was so happy that this is also what he said when he was asked last winter whether he would support Hillary or JK in '08. "...my man is John Kerry." Got to love his smarties.

[Mass]

14. Good take on this AP piece by CJR

If the media were willing to report something substantial, this would be great.

http://www.cjrdaily.org/archives/001911.asp

News That Isn't
October 13, 2005
AP Still Wishing for 2008


We thought the Associated Press was jumping the gun with its Scandinavian non-scoops about who might run for U.S. president three years from now. Today, the AP outdoes itself, with more "news" about Campaign 2008 (and this time, they got their story stateside).

Liberal Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy told the AP's Glen Johnson yesterday that he will support Massachusetts' other liberal senator, John Kerry, in '08, should Kerry be a candidate.

Because if there's a story more meaningless in October 2005 than who might, or might not, be running for president in 2008, it's a story about who might support someone who might, or might not, be running for president in 2008.

[TayTay]

15. That is good, I have to admit.

2006, 2006, 2006.

I think a Dem will be elected in 2008 as Pres. It would be nice if that Dem had a sane and Democratic Congress in place to begin to fix what is so wrong with this country. So, I am focused on 2006.

[jillan]

16. Last nite I was listening to Alan Combs, and a caller called in to talk

about the GOP's double standard. She was talking on how they trashed Kerry for his military service, but how noone can say one negative thing about them.

And she ended the call with "I really like Kerry and hope he runs again in '08".:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: awwww - made my day!

[FreedomAngel82]

17. Yay!

:bounce: Those two guys are the best!

[whometense]

20. Great WBUR audio

analysis here: http://www.wbur.org/news/2005/52541_20051013.asp

Fascinating explanation of the politics of Teddy's announcement by WBUR political analyst Lou Dinatali, who directs the Center for Economic and Civic Opinion at UMass-Lowell.

[TayTay]

21. That was good.

I like Lou Dinatali. I think his analysis was dead-on. It does save Teddy K from being bugged about who he is going to support endlessly and it does send a shot across the bow of the good ship Hillary that Teddy is going back more liberal roots.

The "Start me up" analogy is priceless, btw. I loved that and the end of the interview when Dinatali says that Kerry IS running, fer sure.

[whometense]

22. Me too.

Pretty much the whole thing made me smile. It was fun to hear the subject discussed by someone who actually understands Teddy and John and all the personalities and dynamics involved. He had a nice dry tone, too.

I loved what he said about the Kennedys and the Clintons.

And of course, I :loveya:LOVED:loveya: the part about Kerry running. He oughta know. Not that it's a surprise, but still...

[TayTay]

23. So did I. And Teddy was plenty pissed about some Clinton stuff

Teddy is the liberal lion and he is true to what he has always believed, some times the poor need help and federal programs have to be there when they are needed. (See Katrina) I don't think Teddy K ever really loved the Clintons, but, good pol that he is, he found a way to work with them.

Kerry also functioned as a conscience for Bill when he was Pres. He was a conscience on the environment and the cops program and on a lot more. I am very pleased that Uncle Ted has already stated he will be with John Kerry next time out. Saves a lot of wear and tear on the 'What's he thinking' meter.

[whometense]

24. I was just catching up on

the Stephanie Miller show from Thursday, and at the very end of the last hour she was talking about Teddy's announcement, and about his comment that what he's hearing is that a lot of people are feeling a lot of regret that Kerry isn't in the White House now. I steeled myself for snark, but there was none. They were actually harder of Gore (in complete opposition to what is being posted these days on DU and Kos, I might add...)