CQ Politics: Craig Crawford handicaps the 2008 contenders

[whometense]

http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/11/from_cq_weekly_the_08_race_for.html

Kerry: http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/11/from_cq_weekly_the_08_race_for.html#Kerry

John Kerry — Junior Senator, Massachusetts; 2004 presidential nominee

Rationale: The preferences of a few counties in southern Ohio cost Kerry the electoral votes that would have made him president last time. Since he came so close against an incumbent, he could put it over the top in a race for an open seat in the White House — especially considering that, since the 2004 election, the country has turned against Bush on the war in Iraq. Battle-worn from that race, the 22-year senator from Massachusetts says he has learned crucial lessons in how to run against Republicans. Primarily, he vows to fiercely defend attacks, evidenced by his initial refusal to apologize last week when Bush assailed him for joking that young Americans must get educated or “get stuck in Iraq.” Instead, Kerry counterattacked, calling the president’s aides hacks who are “willing to lie.” He apologized for the gaffe the next day.

Resources: Money is the least of Kerry’s problems. He raised nearly $350 million for his last presidential campaign and nearly $6 million in the 2006 cycle for his political action committee, Keeping America’s Promise. His personal wealth, mostly from the fortune of his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, came in handy in his first national run, when he infused his Iowa caucus campaign with his family money in the final days and eked out a win that propelled him toward the nomination.

Hobby Horse: Kerry has determinedly used his Senate platform to extend his campaign against President Bush and fuel another presidential bid. He turned much of his 2004 campaign policy agenda into a legislative agenda. Just a few weeks after that election, for instance, he retooled his campaign health proposals into the first bill that he introduced.

Hobble Horse: Last week’s imbroglio over what Kerry himself termed a “botched joke” — which, to many, appeared to suggest that American soldiers are uneducated — was yet another reminder to Democrats of how clumsy he can be on the stump. It forced him off the campaign trail as fearful Democratic candidates canceled his appearances.

[ProSense]

1. That's the hobble?

yet another reminder to Democrats of how clumsy he can be on the stump.

Very lame, as Karyn astutely points out:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=273&topic_id=112409&mesg_id=112441

[whometense]

2. Oh, I agree.

It's a mere NOTHING. Especially after people get to hear him actually speak, as opposed to hearing his words interpreted through the MSM filter.

They need to make sure he gets enough rest - he only stumbles like that when he's hideously overtired.

[Island Blue]

3. You're right about when he "stumbles".

Still though, I can only think of three such incidents, while with bush* there are so many stumblings that people have written books on the topic.

As an aside, I'm sure JK has stumbled in his speech more than three times, it was a loooong campaign and he is after all only human, it's just that I can only think of three that received a lot of negative media attention.

[wisteria]

4. Yawn. As Tay Tay says, this to shall pass. n/t

[Mass]

5. It is fairly positive, you know. They list the + and - of all candidates and frankly

Kerry does not come out that bad when the offer a full assessment like that rather than a soundbite.