Posted on 04/09/2006 11:37:16 AM PDT by SkyPilot
Was it his campaign's slow response to the swift boat advertisements or the remark that he voted for Iraq war money before he voted against it that John Kerry regrets most from his failed bid for the White House?
Neither, according to Kerry's reflection Sunday on what he considered his biggest mistake when trying to wrest the presidency from George W. Bush in 2004.
"I think the biggest mistake was probably not going outside the federal financing so we could have controlled our own message," the Massachusetts senator said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
The Kerry campaign opted to accept federal money _ and federal spending limits and other rules _ after he won the Democratic nomination. The nominating convention in Boston occurred more than a month before the GOP renominated Bush, forcing Kerry to begin spending under federal rules much earlier than Bush.
"We had a 13-week general election, they had an eight-week general election. We had the same pot of money. We had to harbor our resources in a different way and we didn't have the same freedom," Kerry said.
"I think the most important thing would have been to spend more money, if we could have, on the advertising and responding to some of the attacks," he said.
As for other missteps, Kerry said: "I made some mistakes. I know what they are, and I take responsibility for them."
Some political observers believe the Kerry campaign should have acted more quickly in countering an anti-Kerry group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, that attacked his Vietnam War record.
The Bush campaign criticized Kerry relentlessly for his remark about voting for and then against an $87 billion bill for the military and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. The GOP used Kerry's own words to support the contention that he flip-flopped on issues.
As for a run in 2008, Kerry said Sunday he would make a decision by the end of the year.
___
Robwin to Kerry: Electing you to any public office is the real mistake, you dweeb.
The question we should be asking Democrats is, that if Kerry was good enough for the Democratic Party in 2004 and garnered 252 electoral college votes why is he not good enough
in 2008?
Party questions Kerry's war chest
By Ron Fournier, Associated Press | November 18, 2004WASHINGTON -- Democratic Party leaders said yesterday they want to know why Senator John F. Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than $15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country.
"Democrats are questioning why he sat on so much money that could have helped him defeat George Bush or helped down-ballot races, many of which could have gone our way with a few more million dollars," said Donna Brazile, campaign manager for Al Gore's 2000 presidential race.
Thanks for the link to refresh my memory.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
The Bahamas, I think.
No body running for President of the US would be that stupid !
Don't forget the Kerry yacht "The SCARAMOUCHE!"
I thought it was 16+... but that's neither here... nor there.
Kerry used up all of his political capital getting into the Senate back in 1984.
The man should retire, and my prediction is that he agrees and that he will do just that in 2008.
Kerry Running for President in 2008 assures the state of Massachusetts that we'll have a new jr. Senator. He cannot run for both offices at the same time here.
The Boston Globe reported that he did release them some months after the 2004 election. As if that made any sense.
He didn't, but that will be reported as gospel in 2008. You'll see.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.