BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

BOSTON (AP) --

John Kerry's campaign for president is in turmoil following news that Kerry would quit the campaign. Citing differences of opinion on how the campaign should be run, Kerry formally stepped down as candidate today. This is the third tumultuous departure from the Kerry campaign in as many months. Previously, campaign spokesman Chris Lehane stepped down and campaign manager Robert Jordan was fired.

Former Kerry spokesman Chris Lehane said the campaign was looking into replacing Kerry with another candidate, "preferably Clark." Lehane said that Clark's military record would resonate with former Kerry supporters. "Failing that," Lehane said, "maybe we could find an obscure governor from a small state to run."

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  Do you think he's leaving to work with another campaign, as is sometimes the case?  I hear Lieberman's campaign may have a "candidate" position open soon.

  by Finrod on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:12:10 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    It would be an easy move for candidate Kerry -- from New England senator running for president to New England senator running for president.

    New Patriot - It's time for a new patriotism || DFLers.org

    by LFinMN on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:36:11 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  Drop-dead funny.

  But seriously, this seems like the first time yet that Kerry would seem more likely to drop out before Edwards or Lieberman. I always have assumed JFK 2.0 would make it at least until March.

  How about this for another thread topic:

  If Kerry drops out, who is the natural inheritor of his supporters? He's polling from 5-15% in most states. They have to go somewhere.

  by Maxwell on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:12:36 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    Split based on Region.   Dean in NE, Lieb in Mid Atlantic, Gep in Midwest, Clark in South.

    by Adam in Mass on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:20:15 PM PDT

    •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

      Do you really think it would be that clearcut? Assumably there are reasons that people are supporting Kerry at this point over other senators like Lieberman and Edwards...probably his status as a senator AND a veteran. And it strikes me that Kerry's support won't drift solely to Dean, given the vitriol between the two.

      I'm speculating that Kerry's support splits threeways: 50% to Clark, 25% to Gep, 25% to Dean.

      I can't see Lieberman inheriting too much from Kerry. He's too conservative and hasn't critiqued postwar Iraq to the degree that Kerry has.

      by Maxwell on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:26:35 PM PDT

      •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

        Assumably.  I really didn't think that was a word.  But I looked it up and it is.  I'll be damned.  Assumably.

        by few on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:32:39 PM PDT

        •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

          I actually write dictionaries for a living, among other things. Doesn't make me an impeccable typist, but I usually get my adverbs right.

          by Maxwell on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:37:21 PM PDT

      •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

        The most recent Franklin Pierce College poll asked about second choices.  The #1 second choice for Kerry supporters in NH is Dean.  #2 second choice is Gephardt.

        by CA Pol Junkie on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:34:33 PM PDT

        •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

          Right. I'm assuming Dean's 25% of Kerry supporters would come largely from the Northeast. Given that Clark hasn't campaigned much there yet, Dean and Gep will take the lion's share there.

          I imagine more Kerry supporters will go Clark in the West and South.

          by Maxwell on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:40:18 PM PDT

      •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

        "And it strikes me that Kerry's support won't drift solely to Dean, given the vitriol between the two."

        Ahh...but such vitriol exists precisely because they're fighting for the same voters.

        by Brian Ulrich on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:53:10 PM PDT

        •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

          Same voters, naturally. But not perhaps the same profiles, or the same sympathies.

          by Maxwell on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:59:56 PM PDT

      •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

        Maxwell: And it strikes me that Kerry's support won't drift solely to Dean, given the vitriol between the two.

        I suspect the vitriol is real between the candidates and many staffers, a good story for the media, and less important to folks like us who prefer one them but can support the other.

        Candidate =not= Supporters

        by RonZ on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 10:10:37 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    Actually, if he's JFK 2.0, the you have to take into account the various manager terminations for the full software release name. Ergo;

    JFK 2.0, Release Candidate 3

    Hopefully he'll manage to make the "Gold Master" before the convention.

    by ElitistJohn on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:25:51 PM PDT

    •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

      I think he's going to turn out to be vaporware.

      New Patriot - It's time for a new patriotism || DFLers.org

      by LFinMN on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 08:02:03 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  Well, whoever they get to replace him better be a veteran with a war record or he has no hope.

  by joojooluv on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:12:54 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  Holy Crap!

  Does this strike anyone else as arrogant?

  Former Kerry spokesman Chris Lehane said the campaign was looking into replacing Kerry with another candidate, "preferably Clark." Lehane said that Clark's military record would resonate with former Kerry supporters. "Failing that," Lehane said, "maybe we could find an obscure governor from a small state to run."

  I thought the candidates did the replacing, not the other way around.

  by Rp on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:13:09 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    It's a joke.

    by Outlandish Josh on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:18:11 PM PDT

    •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

      Then the jokes on me.

      by Rp on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 08:21:47 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    I guess if you have to explain it, it's not a very good joke. ;-)

    I was trying to make a play on the idea that Kerry's campaign staffers are decamping en masse for the Clark campaign, i.e., they are replacing Kerry with Clark.

    New Patriot - It's time for a new patriotism || DFLers.org

    by LFinMN on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:18:43 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  LFinMN, This is Tom Burka funny!  And I think Tom Burka is the funniest person in the blogosphere.  Excellent Job!

  by manyoso on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:17:40 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    Thank you. I'll be here all week ;)

    New Patriot - It's time for a new patriotism || DFLers.org

    by LFinMN on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:20:21 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  You guys will not be laughing so hard when Kerry beats you in NH.

  by BillM on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:20:51 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

      At that point, I'd have to wonder if Kerry owns stock in a voting machine company. :)

      Kerry has to make up a 15 point gap in NH if he wants to win it. Firing your campaign manager, then having two more top staffers quit over it, doesn't exactly inspire people to vote for you.
    

    by Morat on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 08:18:34 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  BillM is replacing Kerry.  

  by joojooluv on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:29:10 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    Hey, don't be letting the "Kos Court Jester" go that easy.

    by ElitistJohn on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:37:57 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    Even Kerry isn't negative enough for Kerry.  Good move.

    by hookstrapped on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:54:43 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  Hillarious. If I were a Kerry supporter (and I do like the guy as a statesman, er, politician) I would worry my guy was the next participant to follow Graham off survivor island. Surely he can outlast Lieberman?

  by easong on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:44:20 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    It probably depends on who has the bigger ego.

    However, Kerry still has a plausible course to the nomination, assuming Dean does something totally stupid. Lieberman does not.

    New Patriot - It's time for a new patriotism || DFLers.org

    by LFinMN on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:59:05 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  Brilliant!

  by ohwilleke on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 07:53:56 PM PDT

•  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

  Yep.  Outstanding!

  by Tom Burka on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 08:39:26 PM PDT

  •  Re: BREAKING NEWS: Kerry quits Kerry campaign

    Wow, thanks. I like your site.

    New Patriot - It's time for a new patriotism || DFLers.org

    by LFinMN on Tue Nov 11, 2003 at 08:42:03 PM PDT