Did Shrum dismiss Kerry in this piece on Huffington Post>

[Mass]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-m-shrum/the-leaked-gop-memos-bro_b_44788.html

Robert Shrum Robert Shrum
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04.02.2007
The Leaked GOP Memos: Brownback, Huckabee and Gingrich

...

Against running:


1. You closed down the government and are (unfairly) accused of acting out of personal pique--that you didn't get a good seat on Air Force One on the way to Yitzhak Rabin's funeral. I know it was really a matter of principle, but this is tough to explain even to a lot of Republicans.
2. During impeachment, you were going after Clinton's infidelity in the midst of your own adulterous affair with a staffer. Scandal generally hits Presidents after they're elected. You're pre-scandalized and the base, while intrigued by your ideas and energy, will have a hard time living with this.
3. Several operatives have commented to me that you've already lost a presidential election. In 1996, you became the other face and name of Bob Dole in the Clinton reelection ads--an inseparable pairing, as in "Dole-Gingrich Congress" and "Dole-Gingrich cuts."
4. You have some support from Republicans in the polls, but I've seen one that says two-thirds of Americans don't want you to run. You have the opposite problem of most candidates: We'd have to figure out how to lower your name recognition, so you could re-invent yourself.

For running:

I can't think of a good argument.
...

So as a friend, my advice is just keep doing events like your scheduled April debate with John Kerry on climate change. The global temperature may or may not rise, but you can raise real money for a think-any-thought think tank--for example, from some of the energy companies. Thinking any thought, no matter how improbable is your strength. But the presidency--it's just not there for you.

You and Frank Luntz decided that Republicans could win by renaming policies, so the "estate tax" became the "death tax." I don't see any way to rename Newt

I may be overly sensitive these days, but it seems to me that the next to last paragraph is basically a dismissal of Kerry as somebody not important at all.

What do you think?

[cadmium]

1. my superficial impression is that he

is dismissing Newt Gingrich as a contender but encouraging him as a fundraiser. I love the way they are basically telling Gingrich that his best asset is that he is good at marlarky.

[karynnj]

2. I don't think so

I didn't know he had a scheduled debate with Kerry on climate change. He's telling him that something like that is his strength. It actually may well be - he is an intellectual and bright - though wrong.

He already listed several reasons why Gingrich should not run - none of which apply to Kerry. He has usually defended Kerry when I have seen him speak.

[blm]

3. Shrum knows Kerry will win that debate, so of course he wants Gingrich to have it.

I think it's more of a taunt to make sure Gingrich doesn't chicken out.