John Kerry showed up in South Florida – THE destination for anyone sniffing for campaign capital – over the weekend, hobnobbing and socializing and even attending the Nextel 400 NASCAR race. That sound is me gagging, but it will pass.
Along with recent signs he has learned how to talk tough about Bush/Cheney only one year too late, is Kerry planning his 2008 presidential run? Miami Herald:
Before setting off for Homestead on Sunday, he attended a brunch at Miami attorney Stuart Ratzan’s home.
“A lot of people in the room were asking him to run,” said [Kirk] Wagar, Kerry’s deputy finance chairman and later Florida finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee. “Like I do, a lot of people think he’s the best standard bearer for the party.”
Wagar said the talk that the Massachusetts senator can’t run because he failed in his first bid to oust President Bush is mistaken. But it got a round of laughter Saturday night when comedian Al Franken dryly noted to the Miami-Dade Executive Committee at a fundraiser that Kerry was thinking of running for president in 2008.
“Now that’s something to live for,” Franken said to scattered laughter.
But Wagar noted that Kerry garnered 10 million more votes than any other Democratic candidate.
“Name me one candidate that could have done better in 2004 than John Kerry,” Wagar said. “I don’t think Hillary Clinton would have gotten within 60,000 votes in Ohio.”
Hmmm…that’s a toughie. One Democrat that could have gotten more votes than Kerry. Wait, don’t tell me. Who’s that guy that won the national popular vote in 2000, even in a three-way race that included Ralph Nader? It’ll come to me. Oh yeah! Al Gore.
Sheesh. I only voted for Kerry once (in the general), and it was one of those Michael Dukasis moments: you know it’s bad but it’s marginally better than the alternative. Please don’t make me do that again.
