Kerry radio interview from Colorado this morning, 2/24

[paulk]

on Jay Marvin's show, Boulder AAR-760.

Nothing special, but I thought some of you folks might like to hear it.

Kerry - lucid as always!

http://www.am760.net/pages/jaymarvin.html

[Mass]

1. Excellent interview.

A lot of things I would want to hear Kerry talk about more often, on Iraq, on energy and job creation, ...

He needs to be more vocal.

[JI7]

2. i read an article on his trip

one thing i didn't like was the way he talked about the anti choice Dem candidate by saying our party has to accept or support "the culture of life". i don't like using that term to refer to the anti choice position. other than that he did great by bringing most of the focus back to the issues like jobs, health care, education.

but i am glad he is going around the country to trying to help us win Congress back.

will listen to the radio interview later.

[paulk]

4. it's going to get interesting and probably pretty nasty here

over Bill Ritter (the pro life candidate). He's getting the endorsement of the party establishment, but a lot of the pro choice people are quite upset. Ritter has said that he wouldn't sign anti-abortion legislation (and if the Dems keep control of the Statehouse there won't be any anyway). But, there's a real split shaping up, and just when we have a real chance at gaining the governor's seat.

I wonder if the party leadership hasn't decided to write off the more extreme elements of the party - the Mike Miles/ Dennis Kucinich wing (the one's who voted for DK at the convention) and the single issue abortion voters ...and Kerry used those words specifically to reach out to more conservative independents? (registered Independents outnumber either party here in CO).....

It's a message that could play well out here in the heartland.


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I'm not sure how I feel about it. I don't feel comfortable with Ritter's abortion stance, and I have some other issues with him dating back to when he was Denver's DA. Still, if that's what it takes to turn this state blue... And the governorship is so important - they get to choose the election commissioner!

[ginnyinWI]

21. I haven't thought this issue all the way through, but

I do think it would be really helpful if the image of the party were such that people didn't think that they had to be pro-choice to be a Democrat. So it's good that JK is trying to frame it this way.

If the party is inclusive of both views and lets people know, this won't be so much of a wedge issue. And it still is faithful to basic Dem principles because it allows for differences of opinion.

Ultimately, I think abortion rights needs to get put into the Constitution, settling the matter for once and for all.

[paulk]

22. I've been trying to figure out what's going on

it seems that the party leadership, in some ways, is trying to take these "wedge" issues off the table. I can live with the frame, I guess, as long as it doesn't involve efforts to actually get rid of Roe v. Wade. I think Kerry's position is good on the issue - personally opposed, but doesn't think he should use the law to force his beliefs on others

Should the Democrats adopt maybe more of a states rights approach? That would allow for differences of opinion... for instance, take S. Dakota (please).

They can go ahead and make abortion illegal, even in cases of rape or incest, or even rape AND incest, and eventually they'll become a state full of inbred dumbfucks where nobody wants to live. Oh, wait, they already are, apparently...

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There does seem to be a conscious effort to re-define the Democratic Party - to disconnect it in the public perception from being the party of abortion.

[jenndar]

3. That was excellent!

Thanks so much for posting. He said a lot of great stuff.

[_dynamicdems]

5. Thank you for posting! We love radio Kerry! n/t

[ProSense]

6. Thanks. That was excellent.

A Kerry interview to kick off the weekend :loveya:

[TayTay]

7. Jay Marvin is the one who substitute hosts for Ed Schultz, right?

He was the one who told us to 'forget Kerry' when he was on Schultz. Has he changed his mind? Was the interview cordial?

[karynnj]

9. He seemed very cordial

In his intro said he voted for Kerry and wished he was President. Kerry as he finished a topic, went to a semi related latter - that was "Jay's next question". He seemed very impressed with Kerry's answers and all the questions were soft balls. He really really liked it when Kerry spoke about KAP.

[Island Blue]

8. Thanks for posting. That was excellent.

He sounded great. Got a few really nice plugs for KAP in there too which was good.

On edit: I think in light of the UAE deal, JK should be reminding people of how much emphasis he placed on port security during the '04 campaign. I wish he had done that in this interview - I think the opportunity was there.

[rockymountaindem]

10. I like what he said about Colorado

We really are a state in transition. The Republicans here, at least on the state level, aren't doing very well at all. Quality candidates seem to be hiding from their recruiters and they're just grasping at straws.

It's going to be a good year for us in the Centennial State, methinks.

[TayTay]

11. This is great news!

I'm thrilled to see Sen. Kerry going out into the west and meeting voters. This is awesome. It sounds like it went off well.

[paulk]

17. he didn't really meet any voters...

though I guess he got quite a crowd when he showed up at Writer's Square. Mostly he was here to give a talk (invitation
only) to fundraisers and raise money for Ed Perlmutter in CO 7th district. Which is kind of interesting - that he's that involved in going around the country and raising money. Points very strongly to a run in 2008, you think?

[TayTay]

18. That and other things do strongly imply a run in '08.

I agree. But, first things first, get '06 and what the LATimes called an 'impending Democratic landslide' this fall. Then, reassess, then plan some real kick-ass committee hearings for next year that will be real truth-telling sessions. That would also point very, very strongly to an '08 run with a vastly different situation from '04. (The Dems just might control a majority of the Governships. And the offices that determine how elections are supervised and run. Hmmmm, wonder if that might make a difference in '08?)

[karynnj]

19. In addition to all those things,

the organisational parts of KAP could well become the grassroots (or lower level) of the state -level Kerry primary effort. I hesitate almost to write this as it suggests that he is fostering a parallel organization to the official organization - though it is NOW working in conjuction with the party organization.

It almost seems with the money he already has, his own ability to raise money, communicate directly with supporters and at least the bare bones of a local organization, he is less vulnerable to the fall 2003 situation where weak press and not being a party favorite dried up money going to him. In a short time, it was clear that he was head and shoulders the other candidates. Some in the press in retrospect have since called all of them weak - which they weren't. The new candidates for 2008, Warner, Bayh and Vilsack, all really seem pale and boring. Hillary is Hillary - the big question is whether she will self-destruct.

It really is way to early, but it may be that if Hillary faulters, Kerry will pick up those pieces. The intensity of the 2004 campaign was beyond that of 2000 - only Kerry experienced it and came out whole. One advantage is that, RW lies to the contrary, Kerry has a core set of beliefs which quides his behavior and choices, that is an advantage when you have to defend everything you ever said or did.

[TayTay]

20. And there are all those 'Kerry was right' moments to recount too!

Kerry was right on everything, Tora Bora, Iraq, the economy, health care and on port security. He fought the 'good fight' against Bush in '04 and missed by a narrow margin (fraud notwithstanding.) He deserves another shot, based on the right reasons, being right about foreign and domestic policy much more than the sitting Prez.

[Hawkeye-X]

12. No wonder why I was such in a good mood today..

Beautiful day, everything chirping, not even on ounce of smog was to be seen.. Kerry was in town.

And of course, on my mother's birthday too!

Compared to the toxic smog and ugly weather we had on the other day when Chimp was in town sniffing ethanol.

[Vektor]

13. Hello, HawkeyeX!

I've never seen you in the Kerry Forum before. Nice to have you! :hi:

[TayTay]

16. Welcome ot the JK Group

Come on in and stay a while.

:patriot:

[Vektor]

14. Thanks PaulK! Great interview, and this is the closest I've ever heard

Kerry come to saying he'd run in '08. He didn't confirm, but he definitely expressed an interest.

He sounded awesome.

[politicasista]

15. Nice interview.

Like how he is focused on the present (2006). :)