December 8, 2003
JOHN PLANS, HOWARD LAUGHS
Kerry camp lowers N.H. expectations. Behind in polls, senator now seeks spot in `top two' (Patrick Healy, Boston Globe, 12/8/2003)
Facing harsh political terrain in New Hampshire, Senator John F. Kerry and his presidential campaign advisers have begun bracing for the possibility of a loss in the state's Jan. 27 primary, which the campaign had previously labeled a "must win" to sustain his presidential bid.With two recent New Hampshire polls suggesting that Kerry is 30 percentage points behind Democratic rival Howard Dean, Kerry and his advisers are moving to lower expectations of his primary performance there. The campaign issued a memo Saturday night saying for the first time that Kerry is competing for "the top two" spots in the primary, not just for an all-out victory.
"Clearly, Senator Kerry is trailing in New Hampshire, by any reasonable measure, but there are a lot of people who went on to be president who didn't win New Hampshire," campaign spokesman Michael Meehan said yesterday. "We have definite plans to win states after New Hampshire."
Source: Gore To Endorse Howard Dean (AP, 12/08/2003)
Democrat Howard Dean is apparently going to pick up a big endorsement Tuesday.Barring some implosion, which is by no means impossible, Howard Dean is the Democratic nominee and will have wrapped up the nomination by the end of February. Before too long, only he, John Kerry and Al Sharpton will be campaigning. (Kerry is dedicated to beating Sharpton in the delegate totals).Sources said former Vice President Al Gore plans to endorse Dean for the Democratic presidential nomination.
It’s a dramatic move that could help firm up Dean’s role as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination.
(Also, if Al Gore was a secret Republican, wouldn't that explain a lot that's happened over the last 12 years?)
Posted by David Cohen at December 8, 2003 6:29 PMI eagerly await Al's answer to the question on Tuesday at the announcement in Harlem as to why he endorsed Dean over his own 2000 running mate before any votes in the Democratic primary have even been cast.
Lieberman's response also should be interesting, as should the unnamed sources -- read Clinton supporters -- in the party who have been trying to stop Dean's momentum and now have to deal with Gore's action.
Posted by: John at December 8, 2003 7:09 PMNice. I was beginning to worry that the establishment Dems and his own gaffes would be enough to derail him. Keep it together, Howard.
Posted by: Jerome Howard at December 8, 2003 8:03 PMI had been wondering when Gore would strike back at Clinton. This is pretty good. However, it marginalizes him should Dean lost big. On the other hand, it gives Dean an opening into the black community that he will need. We'll know big Al is serious if he calls for McAuliffe to go.
Posted by: jim hamlen at December 8, 2003 9:07 PMI believe it's a phenomenon known as momentum.
Dean's the only one generating a whole lot of it. And there's a lot of thundering hooves making a whole lot of dust. With George Soros adding quite a lot of the color green.
Anyone ever visit a place called Head Smashed-in Buffalo Jump?
Posted by: Barry Meislin at December 9, 2003 3:19 AM