Big Endorsement Announcements Planned this week for Kerry

[DJcairo]

Tune in online this Tuesday night for an all-star announcement event
From the recent endorsements of state leaders in Iowa, Arizona, and New Mexico to upcoming major national endorsements, Kerry continues to gather an arsenal of strong backing. Watch online at 8:45 pm, EDT, for a major player’s endorsement, broadcast live online. Visit our homepage for more details…. and look for huge endorsements for John Kerry’s campaign all over the country this week.
www.johnkerry.com

Who do you guys think it's going ot be tomorrow night. I can't wait.

[trogdor]

1. Oh, I dunno.

Edit: snarky comment deleted.

[molly]

2. Do you know? Can you give us little hints?

[joeybee12]

3. I can wait...

...everybody in the friggin' world endorsed Mondale in 1984, and we know how that happened.

As for me, the more "insider" endorsements Kerry gets from fellow politicians and organized groups that make their livings off politics, the more I'm drawn towards Dean--there is something very very wrong with Washington, and most of the candidates running don't get it.

[blm]

4. You're drawn to the ultimate insider.

There was a reason Dean was chosen to head the Dem Governors in 2002 and it wasn't because he was an outsider. He was the DLC poster child for governors. A compromisinig centrist.

YOU can buy his populist rhetoric now, but I don't buy anything that is only 8 months old.

[virtualobserver]

5. yeah, that must be why the DLC was attacking him.....

because you always hurt the one you love.

[blm]

6. Maybe you should examine that dog and pony show a bit closer.

A couple of them were pissed at Dean for attacking them to gain ground with the left and not being straight about his DLC connection.

Kinda like Giuliani telling the press he was getting a divorce before he told his wife.

[Nicholas_J]

12. Yup

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack today is expected to follow in the footsteps of Bill Clinton, Michael Dukakis and Howard Dean.

They have all served as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. Vilsack is expected to be elected vice chairman of the group during its meeting in Washington, D.C. The vice chairman typically becomes the group's next chairman.

http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/19938647.html

In 2002, Dean was serving as the chairman of the Democratic Govenrors Association, who recruits and assists democrats running to unseat Republican Governors, or to keep Demcratic governors in office. Dean flubbed the job badly, and he NEVER reminds anyone that part of the fiaso in Novemeber of 2002, in which Democrats lost seats all over the nation was in fact, partly Dean's failure::::::


Still, Dean's lack of gubernatorial support is notable, if only because he is one of two candidates who brings a state perspective to the issues and because of his involvement in the governors' organizations. Sen. Bob Graham (Fla.) is the only other Democratic candidate with experience running a state, but because his gubernatorial service came during the 1980s, he has few ties to the current generation of Democratic governors. Dean, on the other hand, served as Vermont's chief executive throughout the 1990s, was chairman of the NGA from 1994 to 1995 and later served as chairman of the Democratic Governors' Association (DGA) and as the DGA's chief of candidate recruitment.

Despite those connections, not one incumbent governor has announced his support for Dean. The only ones who have backed a candidate have endorsed home-state candidates. Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) has the support of North Carolina's Mike Easley and former governor Jim Hunt, while Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.) has been endorsed by Missouri Gov. Bob Holden.

A Dean supporter who was here for some of the meetings this weekend said the governors are reluctant to take Dean seriously, despite the strides he has made. "They don't want to get too far ahead of their constituents, and they don't know if it's for real," this Democrat said. "A lot of them are still waiting for it to implode."

Many governors want to see the Democratic race develop further before making endorsements and they want to hear more from the candidates, particularly on issues such as the economy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A16859-2003Aug19¬Found=true

[blm]

14. Dean sure didn't help the Dem candidate in Vermont win.

Pretty odd since THAT was his job and in his own state.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. The whole 'Washington Insider' meme

is one of those right-wing campaigns to sour people's view of government in general.

The biggest thing wrong with Washington is that it is run by Republicans.

[disgruntella]

8. i tend to agree

Just my experience (therefore not all-encompassing by any means), but I have heard the "not a Washington insider" song and dance almost exclusively from Republican/conservative candidates. Usually as a euphemism for "don't look too closely at my experience or you'll be in for a rude surprise..."

Not that I'm saying this applies to Dean; however, it certainly doesn't attract me to him when I hear that argument.

[DrFunkenstein]

9. Kerry Is Very Committed To Trimming Government Pork

Not only is he committed to creating an SEC with the same fire as he had as an investigator in the Senate, he also proposes a brilliant commission for eliminating the immense corporate welfare that bogs down our system.

"The special interests will stop at nothing to keep their special deals. That’s why I’ve joined John McCain in calling for a Corporate Subsidy Reform Commission modeled after the military base-closing commission.

A bipartisan group would recommend corporate subsidies to be eliminated and Congress would have to vote up or down on the entire package."

Kerry is famous for taking on the infamous "wool and mohair" subsidy that still gave away millions even though our soldiers haven't been using these materials since WWI. He also has a fantastic record of voting to trim the fat off the bloated Defense and Pentagon budgets.

See what the GOP thinks of that one:

http://www.gop.com/newsroom/rncresearch/research071803.htm

I don't mind paying my taxes if they go to things that really matter - education, healthcare, etc. I am proud to support someone that is truly committed to championing those programs and throwing the trash out where it belongs.

[virtualobserver]

10. but when they speak washingtonese......

the nation snores.

[PAMod]

11. Right on.

Any member of congress endorsing Kerry is dog bites man. Big news will be any member of congress endorsing Dean or Clark.

[Fabio]

13. slight logic flaw

Kerry is a member of Congress, so he may have some insider track to endorsements with various people. However, he does have to deal with competition from other members of congress - Gephardt (a former party leader), Lieberman, Edwards, Graham, Kucinich, etc.

Meanwhile, (former) Governor Dean has received how many endorsements from other Governors? How much competition does he have from other Governors?