Posted on 06/03/2008 3:09:36 PM PDT by Shermy
U.S. Sen. John Kerry - wary of a potential political embarrassment - has been calling in favors to top Bay State Democrats in a bid to block a Gloucester lawyer from getting on the ballot to challenge him, the Herald has learned.
Several high-ranking Democrats said the senator has reached out in recent days seeking support and asking for help in preventing attorney Ed O’Reilly from getting the convention votes he needs to force a September primary race against Kerry.
O’Reilly, a former firefighter, needs 15 percent support from the Democratic State Committee at the party’s convention Saturday in Lowell to get on the ballot. He did not return calls yesterday.
Kerry campaign spokesman Roger Lau said: “The senator has been in Massachusetts politics for a long time and he believes what Tip O’Neill said, that all politics is local. You have to ask everyone. You can’t take (support) for granted.”
Insiders say Kerry has drawn the ire of some party officials for backing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary race and that some may use Saturday’s convention to exact political payback.
Clinton backers recently showed their clout in intra-party elections, ousting longtime state delegate Margaret Xiafaras, reportedly because she backed Obama.
“In a (presidential) primary race as close as this one has been, it would not surprise me to see people take sides and for there to be hard feelings,” said state Sen. Jack Hart. “I know the Kerry campaign is calling around to all the delegates, which they haven’t done in the past, asking for their support.”
If O’Reilly gets on the ballot, he would be Kerry’s first primary opponent since 1984.
“They want to put him on the ballot,” said one longtime party operative. “They figure it ruins Kerry’s summer by making him have to campaign in the state.”
But state Auditor Joseph DeNucci, a Clinton backer, said Kerry deserves the party’s full support.
“I’m with him,” DeNucci said. “He’s an incumbent. He’s been a good senator. It wouldn’t look too good for the Democratic party to come out against one of its own.”
Former state Democratic Party chairman Chester Atkins added: “John is an important senator, an important partner to Ted Kennedy and an important national voice. To have John distracted by someone who is just a nuisance candidate would be unfortunate.”
Interesting. Kerry has to demean his pompous self and “reach out” to the mid-level people.
Telling that he is not calling in his friends to help him win the primary from what is probably a long-shot challenge, but legally working to deny voters a choice.
The irony probably is missed by the Stalinist Party of Massachusetts-- Kerry doesn't even want a challenger on the ballot! Seig! Heil!
What Kerry is really afraid of is winning the Democrat primary by less than incumbents usually do. He’s begun to wear out his welcome.
O’Reilly..Kerry..Massasses..Didn’t Kerry change his name to appear Irish? Or was that bs.
Insiders say Kerry has drawn the ire of some party officials for backing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary race and that some may use Saturday’s convention to exact political payback.
LURCH rides again! Hopefully 15% are really ticked at LURCH and will force the pompous antiameican gigolo to ruin his summer campaigning with the common folk, you know, those outa work bitter scum who cling to their guns, religion, and pickup trucks for solace. Does Lurch wear rubber gloves and bathe himself in disinfectant when he is forced to greet the commoners trying to con them out of their votes.
Say nothing of Ted Kennedy. Why should Kerry worry? Massachusetts Senators have insured tenure. Manslaughter can't keep one if them out of office.
Ping
There is just so much chaosssssssssssssss these days. lol
Poor John Kerry and those inconvenient nuisances.
Just wait until national U.S. politics truly becomes just like the ongoing socialistic Massachusetts politics! After mid-January ‘09, the rest of the country will probably get to see for themselves just how bad socialistic politics really is. If both the Fairness Doctrine eventually becomes fully implemented and illegal immigrants are eventually legally allowed to vote in all future U.S. elections along with being allowed amnesty “to the max”, then both the Republican Party and U.S. conservatism will eventually die forever throughout the U.S. and be replaced by long-term third world socialism.
Kerry must really be scared he’ll be unceremoniously tossed into retirement, otherwise why try to prevent a newcomer from even getting on the ballot. What a dirtbag. Massachusetts voters have been denied choices for way too long. Maybe this is one of the reasons why.
With apologies for messing with your words.
If conservatives sit by and let that happen, then we deserve what we get. Conservatives by nature just bitch and moan, but rarely get into an activism mode. If there is ever a time to do so, it’s this election. McCain is a problem and none of us want him as our choice, but there has to be some conservative leadership out there that can get conservatives excited about taking back congress and preventing the nightmare that will take place if we don’t.
So much for democracy, eh, John boy?
DINO - Democrat In Name Only. That is, Democracy is a nuisance that must be avoided at all cost.
A member of the citizenry seeking political office is now...
“A nuisance candidate”
But, the liberal dems in the northeast are NOT elitists.. they are not they are not they are not...
It would be funny if it weren’t so darned sad.
John F. Kerry (D- Hanoi) should still be in jail for treason. Yet, he is a United States Senator. What’s wrong with this picture?
Who keeps electing him?
The exact same ones who kept electing a homicidal drunk.
Who should still be in prison for HIS crimes.
A “nuisance” candidate? This is what it comes to? I would stay in the race jsut because of that.
Plus, we need whoever would truly represent “today’s Ronald Reagan” in ‘08 and beyond, and nobody truly comes to mind that COMPLETELY fits that mode, at least not right now. All of us can guess who truly fits the mold the best of “closest to truly being just like Ronald Reagan” for the future, but if both full implementation of the Fairness Doctrine and illegal immigrants legally being allowed to vote in all future U.S. elections do happen with the next Congress and with the next President, then conservatism is truly an endangered species. McCain truly has NO POLITICAL COATTAILS, and conservatives truly don’t have anything to really get either very excited about or very happy about.
Ah, john kerry, he’s a vietnam vet isn’t he? Didn’t I hear somewhere or at some time that he served in Viet Nam? sarcasm off
booo...
POOR BABY!
Oh yeah, them.
And Teddy the K has proclaimed his wife to be his successor when he retires. Talk about no choices! He knows his time is measured and must be assured the Kennedy name stays in Mass. politics.
And Teddy the K has proclaimed his wife to be his successor when he retires. Talk about no choices! He knows his time is measured and must be assured the Kennedy name stays in Mass. politics.
“Don’t you know who I am?!?” ping.
Ciresi leaves door open to Senate race (MN, DFL, Franken on the outs)
KSTP.com | 6/3/08 | KSTP.com/AP
Posted on 06/03/2008 5:44:05 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2025588/posts
John Kerry, step down for the sake of the people in your state. With Teddy Kennedy in the hospital and your lousy attendance record, Massachusetts is not represented in the Senate.
I guess he was probably planning on spending his summer in Switzerland.
Yes! While we were opening presents under ye olde tannenbaum, this courageous Irish Catholic lad, who shares the same initials, BTW, as that other hero from MA, John F. Kennedy, was breaking up nests of NAZI spies, VietCong terrorists, and groups of Cambodian masseuses whose health inspection certificates had clearly expired. All of it on the unwritten orders of Richard Nixon, who although not yet in office, issued them to the redoubtable Lt. Kerry on his shoephone.
I would tell you more, but then Teresa would have to kill you.
This turn of events mans the Republic is safer than it would be with both in DC!
Kerry is a lazy SOB. But your other SOB has done this country some very serious damage. Ted's staff of left wing wonks are a menace, and Ted is often so blotto he doesn't even realize it... or even care.
When the hell are you massholes going to shape up and go to a two-party system?
So you have to have a 'stamp of approval' to even get on the ballot?
That's almost as undemocratic as having unelected super-delegates decide your party's presidential nominee......
You’re on a roll!
Yes! While we were opening presents under ye olde tannenbaum, this courageous Irish Catholic lad, who shares the same initials, BTW, as that other hero from MA, John F. Kennedy, was breaking up nests of NAZI spies, Viet Cong terrorists, and groups of Cambodian masseuses whose health inspection certificates had clearly expired. All of it on the unwritten orders of Richard Nixon, who although not yet in office, issued them to the redoubtable Lt. Kerry on his shoe phone.
I would tell you more, but then Teresa would have to kill you.
That is too good.
Firstly, despite endorsements by both Kerry and Kennedy, Obama lost the primary to Hillary in the BayState(Marry a fag, don’t smoke one).
Kerry is well and truly irritaited that he may have to spend his summer away from the fishing shacks of Nantucket enjoying the nonwindfarm obstructed view, which he and his neighbors did so much to keep unobstructed by not allowing those ugly fans to be built.
There’s a limit to this renewable energy and whatnot, you know.
But, doubt not, faint heart, the Republicans, will not be able to take any advantage. I haven’t followed it, but like the local numbnuts they are, even managed to not get on the ballot, IIRC.
>>a two-party system?
You mean you forgot our string of Republican governors who showed us what it’s like for men and a woman of vision, principle and drive can accomplish?
Weld, Cellucci, Swift, Romney.
élas, je suis bien touché.
John Kerry swimmin’ nekkid ? Oh, great. There’s an image I’m never going to get out of my head...
You owe me a new keyboard.
Well, he warn't quite nekkid. He had this Rambo head scarf on, and frogman flippers. At least that's the way it's seared into my memry.
I hope that helps you sleep better.
BTW, what the heck is the purpose of them scarfs these heroic type movie guys wear on their hair .. you know the one with the thing hangin' offn to one side? Cute as a bug and I guess you could wipe your gun off with it, mebbe?.
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