Mr. "Reporting For Duty" embraces the candidate of change (AP, Politico). This is certainly viewed as a slap at Kerry's one-time running mate John Edwards, who won the South Carolina primary in 2004. The AP adds a bit on Kerry-Clinton:
Kerry's endorsement also was a jab at Clinton, the New York Democrat who won the New Hampshire primary after a loss to Obama in the Iowa caucuses.
Kerry had withheld his endorsement, hoping to have an impact on the race and avoid the fate of fellow Democrat Al Gore, the 2000 nominee who endorsed Howard Dean in 2004 shortly before the former Vermont governor's campaign imploded. Gore has made no endorsement so far this year.
While Kerry has been close to Clinton's husband, the former president, he was incensed in 2006 when she chided him after Kerry suggested that people who don't go to school "get stuck in Iraq." Aides said Kerry meant to jab at Bush and say "get us stuck in Iraq," and that he didn't appreciate Clinton piling onto the criticism he was already getting for the remark.
The Captain questions the timing:
And why announce this in South Carolina, of all places? Wouldn't this have helped more three days ago in Manchester, New Hampshire? If Kerry had done it there and then, it would have had much more influence on his neighboring state than a Yankee coming to Charleston. This seems like vintage Kerry -- a day late and a dollar short.
Yes, but... the Obama camp may have wondered whether the candidate of the future wanted to sacrifice a day's headlines, or even one news cycle, to reminiscences and ruminations about the man of the past. Jeff Zeleney of the Times adds this:
In the final days before the Iowa caucuses, Mr. Kerry was on the verge of endorsing Mr. Obama, several senior Democratic officials said, but a final decision wasn’t made because it wasn’t clear how it would affect the campaign. So Mr. Kerry decided to hold off on the endorsement until after the New Hampshire primary.
I can grasp that folks on the Obama payroll were unsure whether Kerry's endorsement promotes or dilutes Obama's message and illuminates or distracts from the candidate; consequently, I can understand a desire to keep him away late in Iowa or during the New Hampshire frenzy. With time on their side in South Carolina, and with Edwards having encouraging history here, this seems like a good time for Kerry to bring it on. Go, John, candidate of the future.
MORE: The WaPo's Chris Cillizza notes that Kerry has a huge mailing list and useful organizations in many states, including upcoming primary states.
COMEDY GOLD: While poking through the Times archives for info on Kerry in South Carolina back in 2004 I came across this Eerily Non-Prescient piece:
February 3, 2004
THE 2004 CAMPAIGN: VETERANS; Veterans Move to Kerry, Even From Afar
By ELISABETH ROSENTHALDavid Mitchell, a disabled Persian Gulf war veteran from Boston, came here to volunteer for John Kerry's South Carolina primary campaign, as he had done in Iowa and New Hampshire. He is a registered independent who voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and had never been politically active.
Norman White, 81, who fought in World War II and lives in Virginia, arrived here on Friday, a new recruit in the Kerry campaign. Wayne Smith, a combat medic in Vietnam, felt so strongly about the Kerry bid that he took a week of vacation from his job in Rhode Island to take part in a phone bank directed towards veterans here.
''I've never done anything like this before but I'm so proud of his message, his personal courage and integrity,'' said Mr. Smith, finishing one of hundreds of calls for the day. ''And believe me, as an African-American I hate being here and seeing these Confederate flags flying. But I think veterans can make a difference this year and it's so important.''
Veterans are emerging as a new and potentially powerful constituency in this year's presidential race, having helped propel Mr. Kerry to victories in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.
Wow - she did get "new and powerful constituency" right; she just had them backing the wrong pony. Reality was allowed a cameo appearance a bit down in the story:
In New Hampshire, 36 percent of veterans and 39 percent of voters from military households voted for Mr. Kerry, according to exit polls from last week's primary -- about the same level of support for Kerry shown by most every other group.
Howard Dean placed second with both groups, with just over 20 percent of their vote. Gen. Wesley K. Clark, another veteran, was third with about 15 percent.
Well, she wanted to believe.
Kerry is the white elephant in the room.
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Posted by: kim | January 10, 2008 at 01:47 PM
John Kerry, the American servicemember, who by his own admission, met with the enemy in Paris, while same enemy was doing their best to kill us in Vietnam, adopted the enemy positions, and promoted them in the US. His endorsement should insure that our enemies in Afghanistan and Iraq know for sure who will be supporting them in America during the next election.
Posted by: pagar | January 10, 2008 at 01:51 PM
Much as I hate to bring gender up, I find myself thinking about the last Sunday-Times-style post-election look at Kerry. It was also written by a woman who seemed like something of a blank slate, and I wonder if it's the same one. I rather hope so, because I'd hate to think that's who's is getting hired these days -- call it the Elspeth Reeve model. Do you remember the article I'm talking about, TM? I think you may have commented on it at the time.
Posted by: JM Hanes | January 10, 2008 at 02:00 PM
Did anyone even ask Kerry who would get his endorsement?
He comes across as a dork who doesn't comprehend that the cool kids don't want him in the same ZIP code as themselves.
Posted by: Paul | January 10, 2008 at 02:04 PM
Anecdotal only, but my experience with the people of Charleston, SC suggests that they hold Kerry in very minimal high regard.
Posted by: Other Tom | January 10, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Ah yes, here we go; it was, alas, Kate Zernike, an entirely different reporter. TM took notice at the time, in Bring It On Redux, '06 version, and noted Thomas Lipscomb taking notice too.
Posted by: JM Hanes | January 10, 2008 at 02:28 PM
Well, you know how it is in the South for Democrats.
Clinton teared up over segregation there.
Gore planted tobacco in the sweltering sun there.
Edwards learned arthmetic by firelight there.
Kerry cruised up the Mississippi River into North Vietnam there.
Posted by: Cecelia | January 10, 2008 at 04:16 PM
Cecelia: LOL!
Posted by: JM Hanes | January 10, 2008 at 04:42 PM
Lest AP's Glen Johnson (one of Kerry's "chosen 3") go un-noted, he was, perhaps, first out of the AP gate with this contribution...
In your referenced AP offering, Johnson's agitprop has been relegated to "contributor" status, but you just can't keep a good Kerry-toady down I guess.
Posted by: Bingo | January 11, 2008 at 09:40 AM
So if you don't go to school you get 'us' stuck in Iraq? Wait, Bush went to school. But whatever the foozle, I'll settle for the fizzle.
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Posted by: kim | January 11, 2008 at 09:58 AM
One other item, if I might...
The shrieks of righteous indignation inre Kerry's "mailing list" emanating from the left are in the high decible range. Witness Ms. March...
Posted by: Bingo | January 11, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Money, too. Remember what he didn't spend in Ohio?
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Posted by: kim | January 11, 2008 at 10:03 AM
He's hoping to be the salvage candidate after the Clintons savage Obama, and they get indicted after the convention.
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Posted by: kim | January 11, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Hah, and Taylor Marsh is a true American patriot. Also, don't you remember how vigourously Hillary campaigned for Kerry? And how Bill's heart was really into the task?
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Posted by: kim | January 11, 2008 at 10:10 AM
"We are electing judgement and character". John Kerry in South Carolina, endorsing Obama. Hoo Haw!
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Posted by: kim | January 13, 2008 at 03:39 PM