I still think its too close to call - but the mere fact that a story like this is running in September is nothing but good news for us.

Link

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Democratic leaders, increasingly concerned that John Kerry's presidential campaign is adrift, are urging the presidential nominee to make changes in his staff before Labor Day, according to some party sources.

If not, said one party strategist, "it could be too late." Sources say major changes could come at the campaign's highest level.

The concern, according to these sources, is that Kerry has failed to effectively respond to attacks from Republicans and criticism of his military service in Vietnam, particular ads from a group calling itself Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Several campaign sources dismissed talk of a "major" shake-up. But these sources acknowledge there will be some changes in the coming days and some "evolving roles" at the campaign's senior level.

"We don't have a Carville or a Begala," said a senior Kerry official, referring to Democratic strategists James Carville and Paul Begala, who masterminded Bill Clinton's successful 1992 campaign. "We can't mimic what happened in 1992."

The worry voiced by some Democrats comes as Republicans meet in New York for their nominating convention.

Much of the Democrats' criticism -- which is coming from donors, top strategists and elected officials -- was directed at Mary Beth Cahill, who was hired to run Kerry's campaign after the senator fired campaign manager Jim Jordan in late 2003. Democrats are also urging the candidate to overhaul his media strategy, led by communications director Stephanie Cutter.

There's no indication that Kerry will fire Cahill or Cutter, or change their titles. Cahill has spent the past several days with Kerry at his home in Nantucket, and she also met with the candidate at a private home Monday for 90 minutes. Kerry met with her again, along with his finance chairman, Louis Susman, on Tuesday morning.

But sources say Kerry could bring in other top advisers who would have more authority over strategy and day-to-day operations. Two people who could fill those roles are Joe Lockhart, a Democratic consultant and former Clinton press secretary, who was brought into the campaign last week as a senior communications adviser; and John Sasso, who is currently the Kerry campaign's liaison to the Democratic National Committee.

Lockhart said he was unaware of any major changes.

"The campaign has a strong team in place, and a strategy to win this election," he said.

Cutter was even more blunt. "That's not going to happen," she said. "This is nothing new. Mary Beth is still campaign manager and will continue to be."

Lockhart was traveling Tuesday to meet with Kerry in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and then fly to Nashville, Tennessee, with the senator later in the day.

While he originally had planned to maintain a low-key schedule during the Republican National Convention, Kerry now is expected to hold a small rally in Nashville on Tuesday evening. He's scheduled to address members of the American Legion on Wednesday at their national convention.

On Thursday, he's also stopping off in Boston, Massachusetts, for more private meetings with top staff before he joins his vice-presidential pick John Edwards for a midnight rally in Ohio.

When asked if there is going to be any announcement about staff changes, Cutter replied, "Not to my knowledge. And if there is, it does not mean any shake-up."

Cutter pointed to the addition of Lockhart and Joel Johnson earlier this month as evidence that the campaign is "beefing up." Cutter said that adding people during the home-stretch of the campaign is commonplace.

At the same time, however, top campaign officials acknowledge that major problems have arisen since Kerry accepted his party's nomination in Boston last month. The swift boat ads have done serious damage, reflected in both polls and fund raising, and aides have complained of a lack of overall strategy.

A senior campaign source said "this will pass" and that there is an effort to "quell" the concerns being raised by some fund-raisers in New York and California. The campaign is sharing "data" with those parties complaining about problems and laying out the plan for where the campaign goes from here.

Sen. Ted Kennedy has been calling Democrats over the past several days to discuss their concerns about the campaign's message, according to one source.

When Lockhart came on board, the expectation was that he would travel with Kerry. Now, the decision has been made to leave him at headquarters overseeing what one senior campaign official called "a sometimes confused and short-sighted" communications strategy.

Cutter, recently taken off the road to return to campaign headquarters, likely will return to her role as traveling press secretary, sources said, although some campaign officials and advisers are exploring other options.

Johnson and another former Clinton adviser, Doug Sosnik, also have taken on major roles in recent weeks. Johnson directs a "rapid response" operation and works closely with Lockhart, while Sosnik works on broader strategic issues.

There was talk of putting Sosnik on the road with Kerry. Several campaign officials and advisers say they recognize the need to have an "adult" traveling with the candidate -- as one put it, "someone who can tell him to shut up, or change something if and when that is necessary" and quickly deal with other strategic issues from the road.

"The 'sky is falling' people are out of line, but we do need to fix some things," said one senior campaign official.

But Sosnik's wife recently had a baby and the plans envision him working at headquarters and perhaps traveling in the campaign's final weeks. So they are still exploring options for a traveling senior staffer. Johnson is an option because of his longtime experience in the Senate, but Lockhart is among those who prefer him where he is, according to several sources.

Some of this buzz may have been fueled yesterday when Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg said he was stepping down from working for a 527. Some viewed it as a step toward joining the campaign. Several inside and adviser sources, however, say they know of no such plan.

In politics, a week is a month.

Plenty of slip twixt the cup and lip.

I sure hope so.

I just hope the GOP takes the bounce that will DEFINITELY happen after this convention and runs with it..... HARD.

Quoted:

The USS Kerry is goin down!

Quoted: Quoted: fhh1.hamburg.de/fhh/behoerden/senatskanzlei/internetausstellungen/emigration/englisch/E/bilder/titanic.jpg The USS Kerry is goin down!

Maybe he will get another purple heart

Kerry can't effectively respond to the Swiftees' "assertions" because they are not assertions...they are the TRUTH!

Not even Carville, Begala, or any of the rest of the lying Democrats can help him.

Kerry is a lying medal hound who has been working on this job for about 35 years now.  Too fucking bad he got caught.

He is not a hero...he is a lying bag of wind....fully deserving of our scorn.  I think I speak for about 90% of all of us who served there with honor...that man does not deserve our vote.

Quoted: fhh1.hamburg.de/fhh/behoerden/senatskanzlei/internetausstellungen/emigration/englisch/E/bilder/titanic.jpg

I hope so but I fear that Kerry may be the sacrificial lamb for Hitlery 08.

Quoted: Kerry can't effectively respond to the Swiftees' "assertions" because they are not assertions...they are the TRUTH! Not even Carville, Begala, or any of the rest of the lying Democrats can help him. Kerry is a lying medal hound who has been working on this job for about 35 years now.  Too fucking bad he got caught. He is not a hero...he is a lying bag of wind....fully deserving of our scorn.  I think I speak for about 90% of all of us who served there with honor...that man does not deserve our vote.

AMEN, shipmate!

It is all part of the Grand Scheme to set Hitlery up for '08.

BigDozer66

... Cahill has spent the past several days with Kerry at his home in Nantucket, and she also met with the candidate at a private home Monday for 90 minutes...

what were they um, doing for several days in his Nantucket home.

And what were they doing in his home that took 90 minutes?

The Klintons are privately laughing.

CRC

Remember Truman pulling victory out of a hat when everything pointed to his certain defeat. I'm talking 29% in the polls.

Hitlery will get slaughtered anyway.

I’ve dealt with more than a few political operatives professionally here in the land of the Massholes:  Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Greens.  That’s part of my job, until, the end of the week when I tell them all (or, almost all) to get [expletive deleted].

Here is the take of one of the guys (who will remain a friend) who taught me the ropes:

Kerry has leaned heavily on the political operatives and coordinators attached to the Kennedy family.  It strokes Teddy’s ego to think of Kerry as his protégé.  Kerry gets a similar stimulation from being associated with the liberal “king” of America.

The problem is that Kennedy’s people have not had to handle a real [re-]election campaign in years.  They have no experience in anything but aggrandizing a man already guaranteed to be “Senator for Life.”

It’s really rather sorry and pathetic, and destructive.  I love it.

Lets hope he keep falling.

Quoted: I’ve dealt with more than a few political operatives professionally here in the land of the Massholes:  Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Greens.  That’s part of my job, until, the end of the week when I tell them all (or, almost all) to get [expletive deleted]. Here is the take of one of the guys (who will remain a friend) who taught me the ropes: Kerry has leaned heavily on the political operatives and coordinators attached to the Kennedy family.  It strokes Teddy’s ego to think of Kerry as his protégé.  Kerry gets a similar stimulation from being associated with the liberal “king” of America. The problem is that Kennedy’s people have not had to handle a real [re-]election campaign in years.  They have no experience in anything but aggrandizing a man already guaranteed to be “Senator for Life.” Totally agree! Kerry wasn't vetted properly by fighting against a real opponent. The liberal Dem primary voters chose a leftist. They should have taken someone from a more 50/50 state like Arkansas. It’s really rather sorry and pathetic, and destructive.  I love it.

QUOTE FROM CAPE_HUNTER:
I hope so but I fear that Kerry may be the sacrificial lamb for Hitlery 08.Hunter,Let's not worry about Hillary now. First things first.......
As an infamous bloated Senator once said to his secratary during a midnight drive in his car : DON'T WORRY. WE'LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE GET TO IT!

It could be late for the whole of the Democratioc party, for that matter. My vote has less to do w/ Kerry than it does w/ the whole party, in general. Kerry is only a symptom of his party's problems.

Most dems I know like to make great platitudes about saving the environment, only to drive off in their SUV's (Seattle is awash in showroom clean, pavement-only SUV's). They deny that people - all people - act in their own interests. The philisophical nonsense of 'safety' & 'you don't need that' only applies to others & not themselves. Always want to have their cake & eat it too.

On guns, the party is brimming w/ hypocrisy, as some of the strongest proponents of national gun control/confiscation (same diff.) possess a CCW's (e.g. Dianne Feinstein, Don Parata), or can't seem to adhere to the same rules that the rest of us abide by regularly (e.g. Sarah 'Straw' Brady). You also talk of freedom of choice; that we should have the freedom to choose. What you forget to mention is that our choices are contingent upon being in agreement w/ your edict. Take healthcare, for example. You attempt to craft a national healthcare plan in secrecy, behind closed doors. Never thought I'd ever see a healthcare plan that included the term 'prison' in its drafting. 'Prison' - seven times, no less. You call this 'taking care of me'. Sure thing. That should take care of me.

Get a clue - the tactics of old have become passe. Protest marches, repetitive argumentation, & ad hominem attacks don't hold any substance. Stop trying to needle into peoples lives to the Nth degree & accept that not everyone's going to agree w/ you, & you might make some strides. As it stands, the party that Chicken Little made isn't getting any more mileage for all it's shrilling that the sky is falling. In spite of the screams that reforming the system would put people on the streeets didn't come to pass. People adapted & rose to the occasion (Strike 1). In spite of increasing numbers of states allowing CCW permits, the 'Wild West' that you shrieked would befall us all, if 'untrained' Joe's carried firearms for personal protection, didn't happen. Quite the opposite, in fact, as even Bill Maher had to admit: according to UCR statistical evidence, crime in CCW states is lower than in non-CCW ones (Strike 2). In spite of advocating tolerance & acceptance, there always seem to be those shining, trumpeted, & espoused patriots of the party - like, say, Mr. Franken - who are ready & willing (& obnoxiously loud & stupid enough) to demonstrate your version of said virtues (Strike 3).

Party of the people? How about party of control issues; 'do what I say, or else'? Yeah - you want to do the right thing. Problem is, you want to do the wrong thing even more. Just can't help yourselves.

There should be a law...or at least a pill.

So, when do the rats start swimming?

(another usefull message board animation... rats off a sinking ship...)

I hope so but I fear that Kerry may be the sacrificial lamb for Hitlery 08.

Let's deal with that in '08. Kerry is now and a four year delay in the progress of socialism is still better than the alternative.

P.S. Gulianni is gonna hand her her ass in '08!

Quoted: Hitlery will get slaughtered anyway.

yep!