After Losing Momentum, Kerry Is Shifting Tactics to Gain 'Bounce' in Iowa

Interesting article that suggests (at least to those who want him to make a good showing) Kerry may not be completely out of it. He's made smart decisions the past few weeks to right his campaign and there may be enough time left for them to pay off.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/16/politics/campaigns/16KERR.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5062&en=81313a2250bbc0b2&ex=1072155600&partner=GOOGLE

By DAVID M. HALBFINGER
Published: December 16, 2003

DES MOINES, Dec. 15 — It has come to this, for Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts: to win the Jan. 27 Democratic primary in New Hampshire, where he was once seen as the heavy favorite, his aides now believe he will first have to win or come close in Iowa, defying expectations and gaining the kind of favorable publicity his campaign has sorely wanted for months.

After weeks of tough headlines and even worse poll numbers, Mr. Kerry, to the relief of some aides, is finally acting and sounding like an underdog, and less like someone who felt he was being robbed of what was rightfully his.

Indeed, Mr. Kerry has been fighting "for every vote" — as he often puts it — during a four-day swing through southeastern and central Iowa. On Saturday night in Davenport, he talked briefly before taking questions for an hour and 45 minutes, quite possibly a personal record. Several times he apologized to his audience for "fouling up" their dinner or movie dates and thanked them for braving the ice and snow.

It was a rare performance for Mr. Kerry, who usually bows to the handlers who try to hustle him off after 30 minutes or an hour of questions at most. And he appeared to have won at least a few new votes. "I just like his straightforwardness," said Tom Kelly, 61, a steelworker who said he had never been to a political event before. Mr. Kelly said he would buck his union, which is backing Representative Richard A. Gephardt, by caucusing for Mr. Kerry. "He's got the right answers as far as I'm concerned."

Before Mr. Kerry was done, Pat Schilling, 48, declared herself a Republican no more. "I decided that to stand on the sidelines, do nothing, and allow Bush to have another four years was unacceptable," she said, after telling Mr. Kerry she would be caucusing for him, too. "I think he has integrity, and experience. And I think he cares about the average American."

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(love that picture of him!!!)

"Mr. Whouley said he and other longtime Kerry advisers from Boston who had returned to the senator's side recently had done so because "every one of us feels he can still do it."

"Who's in the hunt in Iowa?" he said. "Dean, Gephardt, and Kerry. Who's in the hunt in New Hampshire? Dean and Kerry. In both places Kerry is very well thought of. He still has to close the deal, but there's plenty of time for him to do that.""