John Kerry Steps Up Fundraising for 2008
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James Joyner | Wednesday, March 9, 2005 |
Kerry fortifies war chest, keeps momentum for 2008 (Boston Herald)
It was an intimate political gathering: Sen. John F. Kerry playing host to about 100 of his richest friends. Kerry huddled with his top fund-raisers Monday night in his Georgetown mansion, preparing a massive money push aimed at keeping the defeated presidential nominee’s ambitions alive. “He wants to keep his team together,” said one member of Kerry’s national finance team. “He’s looking ahead. He will be a strong voice in the party.”
Strategists say Kerry will use his new political action committee, Keeping America’s Promise, to promote his agenda, help party causes and keep his army of 2.7 million supporters together. “It’s something that has never been done before – in terms of a nominee coming back,” said a Kerry source. “We’re trying to stay relevant.”
Unlike most defeated nominees, Kerry has barely broken stride since the November election. He’s been busy pushing legislation on kid’s health care, traveling overseas, raising money and expanding his political network. Kerry’s PAC will raise money for other candidates, parties and issues – helping Kerry build political chits.
Stay relevant? Honestly, I can’t imagine the Democrats will give Kerry another shot. The nomination is Hillary Clinton’s for the asking. And she will almost certainly ask.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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What Kerry and his supporters fail to take into account is that many people did not vote for him, but against GWB. With GWB out of the picture in 2008, how much support does Kerry really have on his own?
If money is all it took to win, Michael Huffington would be a US Senator. This has all the earmarks of John Connolly's vanity run in 1980..
I disagree. You're underestimating Kerry's ambition and resiliency. I'm no fan of his but this is a guy who defers to no one. Not everybody can hook not one, but two heiresses.
I was surprised that Al Gore did not run again in 2004. As a former Vice President, Southerner, and winner of the popular vote in 2000, he would have had a reasonable and legitimate claim to the right to fight again for the ultimate title.
On the other hand, John Kerry -- the Senator from Massachusetts who lost the popular vote by 3 million votes to a largely unpopular sitting President -- doesn't deserve a second chance.
Nixon pulled it off years ago, narrowly losing to Kennedy in 1960, then beating Humphrey 8 years later.
The Democrats ran the same candidate against Eisenhower twice, Adlai Stevenson (losing by large margins both times).
As for Kerry, he came close, but all he sold himself as was the anti-Bush. I don't see him expanding his base. Should Hillary run, Kerry doesn't have a chance.
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