Should Kerry run again in 2008?

WASHINGTON - It’s almost as if Sen. John Kerry never stopped running for president.

He still jets across the country, raising millions of dollars and rallying Democrats. He still stalks the TV news show circuit, scolding President Bush at every turn.

His campaign Web site boasts of an online army of 3 million supporters.
The Massachusetts Democrat, defeated by Bush in 2004, insists it is far too early to talk about the 2008 race, but some analysts assume he has already positioning himself for another shot at the White House.

“Obviously, Kerry has all but said he wants another crack at the thing,” said Neal Thigpen, a political science professor at South Carolina’s Francis Marion University. “He’s going to make a second try.”

While most losing presidential nominees quickly fade into the political landscape, Kerry has worked hard at maintaining a high public profile.

The Massachusetts Democrat, defeated by Bush in 2004, insists it is far too early to talk about the 2008 race, but some analysts assume he has already positioning himself for another shot at the White House.

“Obviously, Kerry has all but said he wants another crack at the thing,” said Neal Thigpen, a political science professor at South Carolina’s Francis Marion University. “He’s going to make a second try.”

While most losing presidential nominees quickly fade into the political landscape, Kerry has worked hard at maintaining a high public profile.


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Do you think John Kerry should run again?



“He’s continuing the fight he began in 2004,” said Kerry spokesman David Wade. “He wants to make it very clear he’s a fighter who is going to continue to fight for his agenda.”

Borrowing a page from Republican Sen. John McCain’s 2000 postelection playbook, Kerry has kept much of his presidential political organization intact. He has also used his fundraising prowess to aid Democrats across the country, collecting chits that could be called if he seeks the party’s White House nomination.

“He believes in his heart and soul that he came just a whisker away from being president,” said Ronald Kaufman, a veteran GOP operative with Massachusetts roots.

Traveling extensively since his 2004 loss, Kerry generated nearly $5.3 million for dozens of Democratic candidates, state parties and charitable causes, according to aides.

‘Dedicated to electing Democrats’
He gave more than $200,000 to help Washington state Democrats prevail in Christine Gregoire’s gubernatorial recount.

Kerry has expanded his campaign’s e-mail supporter list, a vital organizing tool if he runs again. He has bought TV and newspaper ads promoting pet issues such as children’s health care and his opposition to oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He also reunited several members of his campaign policy team.

“No other past presidential candidate, with the exception of McCain, has done what Kerry has done in terms of converting his presidential campaign into a grass-roots political and legislative operation,” said Wade. “He’s dedicated to electing Democrats.”

Despite such political spadework, Kerry can expect an uphill fight in 2008.

“He is going to have a difficult time overcoming his last campaign and explaining to the party regulars how and why he lost,” said Dan Payne, a longtime Democratic consultant and former Kerry strategist. “There’s only so much that the Democrats can blame on (senior Bush adviser) Karl Rove.”

Kerry will also be bucking history. Adlai Stevenson was a two-time Democratic nominee nearly a half-century ago. He suffered back-to-back losses in 1952 and 1956 to Republican Dwight Eisenhower.

“Democrats are less prone historically to turn to a defeated nominee again,” said political scientist Thigpen.

‘Not a lot of fire out there’
Richard Nixon won the Republican nomination in 1960, but lost the general election. He rebounded eight years later to capture the presidency.

In 2008, Democrats will probably be eager for a fresh face, said Thigpen, citing New York Sen. Hillary Clinton’s lead in early polls and her ability to raise large sums of money.

“There’s not a lot of fire out there for Kerry,” he said.

Kerry’s image as a Northeast liberal with fuzzy views on major issues like Iraq would make him vulnerable once more, said Kaufman, who was White House political director for Bush’s father, President George H.W. Bush.

“I go to bed every night praying Kerry is the nominee again,” he said.

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may

hot linking is bad ju ju

link does not work

"Yes, he will be easy for any Republican to beat"

Fixed it.

Quoted: hot linking is bad ju ju link does not work

since when is 'hotlinking' (who made this term up) to a news website a bad thing?

Why would Kerry '08 be a bad thing?

The guy's a loser.

Has anyone run a second time for prez and won?

I thought Nixon ran twice. But I admit I could easily be wrong.

Quoted: I thought Nixon ran twice. But I admit I could easily be wrong.

He did. I believe he got elected the second time.

Do you think former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry should make another run for the White House in 2008?   * 5667 responses   Yes. He represents the best chance Democrats have.    (They are in big trouble)   29%   Yes. He'll be easy for any Republican to beat.       (And you guys think WE wear tin foil tight?)     10%   No. There are stronger Democratic candidates out there.    (Who)     34%   No. He lost and should just accept it.    (Yep!)     20%   I don't know.   6%

Quoted: I thought Nixon ran twice. But I admit I could easily be wrong.

1960. He won vs. Kennedy.

Nixon had to run again in '68 to actually take office.

Quoted: Why would Kerry '08 be a bad thing? The guy's a loser.

Thats my thought. He would almost guarantee a Republican win.

Quoted: Quoted: hot linking is bad ju ju link does not work since when is 'hotlinking' (who made this term up  Not us) to a news website a bad thing?

The site operators can see who the refering web site is.  There has been at least one poll that I know of that retracted the poll after we did a fire mission on it.  They specifically refered to us in the reason why.

I hope he does..... My hero.... Purple Harts and all....





Plus he WILL be easy to beat....

I think he should run.  We know how to beat him.

Would his campaign slogan be "GW Bush can't beat me this time around"?

He should run with Shrillery as his mate.     Urrrp.... threw up in my mouth just then!

Yes. He represents the best chance Democrats have.
29%  

Yes. He'll be easy for any Republican to beat.
10%  

No. There are stronger Democratic candidates out there.
34%  

No. He lost and should just accept it.
20%  

I don't know.
6%  

Hell yes, hit that poll and get him in the running! Besides, I still have two or three 'Viet Nam Vets Against Kerry' buttons!

Quoted: Quoted: I thought Nixon ran twice. But I admit I could easily be wrong. 1960. He won lost vs. Kennedy. Nixon had to run again in '68 to actually take office.

Fixed.

hot linked polss are a big no no!!!!

If I was Ter Ay SuH I would take out a big policy on JFK before '08. There is no way the Klinton machine will allow him to distract from the passage of the BEAST

Quoted: Why would Kerry '08 be a bad thing? The guy's a loser.

+1

Quoted: hot linked polss are a big no no!!!!

Did I do something wrong?

Quoted: hot linked polss are a big no no!!!!

The hot link doesn't go to the poll.   The poll is a unique link at the hotlinked page.

I'd love to see him run in '08! And again in '12... Heck, he can be the next (whatshisname, the guy that would run for President as a joke...)

The guy's such a loser he doesn't know when he's been beat.

Quoted: I'd love to see him run in '08! And again in '12... Heck, he can be the next (whatshisname, the guy that would run for President as a joke...) The guy's such a loser he doesn't know when he's been beat.

The late, great Pat Paulsen

He would be easy to beat..If he does run, someone just didnt get the message...

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: hot linking is bad ju ju link does not work since when is 'hotlinking' (who made this term up  Not us) to a news website a bad thing? The site operators can see who the refering web site is.  There has been at least one poll that I know of that retracted the poll after we did a fire mission on it.  They specifically refered to us in the reason why.

No shit, if I ran a poll on something and DU tilted it over the side, I'd be pissed too. Polls are for the benefit of you and your audience, not some kind of important vote thing where it makes a difference if it gets changed. But as I'm probably the only one here who has run online communities etc, that makes me the only one to get that.

Have fun though.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: hot linking is bad ju ju link does not work since when is 'hotlinking' (who made this term up  Not us) to a news website a bad thing? The site operators can see who the refering web site is.  There has been at least one poll that I know of that retracted the poll after we did a fire mission on it.  They specifically refered to us in the reason why. No shit, if I ran a poll on something and DU tilted it over the side, I'd be pissed too. Polls are for the benefit of you and your audience, not some kind of important vote thing where it makes a difference if it gets changed. But as I'm probably the only one here who has run online communities etc, that makes me the only one to get that. Have fun though.

Umm, you're the one who asked why we didn't hotlink.  

Quoted: Quoted: I'd love to see him run in '08! And again in '12... Heck, he can be the next (whatshisname, the guy that would run for President as a joke...) The guy's such a loser he doesn't know when he's been beat. The late, great Pat Paulsen

I loved that guy! He use to live down the street from my parents.


Check this out here, Pat could walk on water!

BETTER HIM THAN THE BEAST...

HILDABEAST

Quoted: Check this out here, Pat could walk on water!

I don't think you mean to try and javascript a pop-up window, did you?

Do you think former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry should make another run for the White House in 2008?   * 7767 responses  


Yes. He represents the best chance Democrats have.
28%  

Yes. He'll be easy for any Republican to beat.
10%  

No. There are stronger Democratic candidates out there.
35%  

No. He lost and should just accept it.
21%  

I don't know.
6%  

Just got my copy of US News & World Report today.  There's a satire page in the back by Mort Zuckerman.

"The Democrats on Sen. John Kerry's persuit of the Democratic nomination (again): "He is going around the country stirring up apathy."

HOW FITTING!  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: hot linking is bad ju ju link does not work since when is 'hotlinking' (who made this term up  Not us) to a news website a bad thing? The site operators can see who the refering web site is.  There has been at least one poll that I know of that retracted the poll after we did a fire mission on it.  They specifically refered to us in the reason why. No shit, if I ran a poll on something and DU tilted it over the side, I'd be pissed too. Polls are for the benefit of you and your audience, not some kind of important vote thing where it makes a difference if it gets changed. But as I'm probably the only one here who has run online communities etc, that makes me the only one to get that. Have fun though. Umm, you're the one who asked why we didn't hotlink.

I was hoping it had more meaning behind it than the reasoning behind african villagers putting plates in their lips :P

Do you think former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry should make another run for the White House in 2008?   * 8509 responses
Yes. He represents the best chance Democrats have.
28%
Yes. He'll be easy for any Republican to beat.
10%
No. There are stronger Democratic candidates out there.
34%
No. He lost and should just accept it.
21%
I don't know.
6%

Quoted: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10663257/]Should Kerry run again in 2008?

HELL YES!!    Let that LOSER run.   He'll be easy to beat (again)

Y'all are a bunch of haters.

This man will be the next President of the United States...mark my words!

Vote yes guys.  Why not support a loser and this way he won't win when it counts?

Quoted: Y'all are a bunch of haters. This man will be the next President of the United States...mark my words!

LOL.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., talks about President Bush's Iraq speech during a Capitol hill news conference in this Nov. 30, 2005, file photo.
Dennis Cook / AP file



Dec, 2002

Boy, this guy just keeps getting younger-looking every day [tongueincheek] How does he do it?.....[/tongueincheek]

Quoted: "Yes, he will be easy for any Republican to beat"

That's what I selected, too.

Quoted: Quoted: I'd love to see him run in '08! And again in '12... Heck, he can be the next (whatshisname, the guy that would run for President as a joke...) The guy's such a loser he doesn't know when he's been beat. The late, great Pat Paulsen

YES!

Thank you    I couldn't remember his name for anything.