Reply #7: The book indeed

[H2O Man]

says that Carville told the White House that Kerry was considering contesting Ohio. But there is nothing in the book that indicates that the White House did anything to keep Kerry from doing so. In fact, the book makes it clear that the decision not to use one of three options to contest Ohio was entirely Kerry's.

Everything in the book regarding Ohio supports, in my opinion, the belief that the democratic vote was not counted. Kerry seemed aware of that. He could have contested it, but choose not to for two reasons: he felt it could be damaging to the country to have two contested national elections in a row, and he was convinced that even though he was correct, he would not win the struggle. Neither of these beliefs hinged on what Carville told people in the WH, or what they did in response.