Kerry positions self as Kennedy's political heir

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090903/ap_on_re_us/us_kerry_health_care

Sen. John Kerry is positioning himself as the political heir to Edward Kennedy, pledging to thousands of people attending his town hall meeting in Massachusetts that he would fight for the health care overhaul championed by his colleague.

More than 2,000 people turned up Wednesday night for Kerry's first public meeting since Kennedy's Aug. 25 death from brain cancer.

A line of supporters and opponents of health care reforms snaked out of the Somerville high school and down two blocks.

Kerry invoked the memory of Kennedy, saying he would follow his example of fighting hard for his principles and seeking political compromises that serve national interest.




video from NECN
http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/09/02/Sen-Kerry-takes-lead-on/1251941624.html


Kerry hosts town hall meeting in Somerville
Compared to some of the other town hall meetings which have taken place nationwide in recent weeks, it was a veritable love-fest for Sen. John Kerry
http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/09/03/04/0843-72/index.xml


Mostly friendly crowd greets Kerry at Somerville town hall
(snip)
"Obviously we're going to have a difficult time on the public option debate," he said. "But that doesn't mean we won't fight the fight."

(snip)
An Arlington woman asked why Kerry and other Democrats weren't pushing for a single-payer system, in light of rising health care costs, prompting the senator to invoke the memory of his late colleague.

"Even our good pal Ted Kennedy after 46 years of trying to close this deal was not arguing for single payer," he said, later adding, "The simple reality is the we do not have 60 votes."

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/somerville/2009/09/mostly_friendly_crowd_greets_k.html

He is the right guy. He's got the credentials, and the hair.

but even his ass voted to repeal Glass-Stegal. I fully support his efforts if he is going to do the right thing, he needs to get out of bed with the bankers first.

attitude that Ted had.

He lost me when he said Manny Ortiz was his favorite Sox player. Kind of like, "All those Hispanics are the same to me.".

Clearly, you are a superior specimen and should run for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat. :eyes:

matter to the voter.

And yes,I am definitely a superior specimen who has never made a mistake. Ever !!! :-)

over the past year and Teddy did offer a http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1917460,00.html">lot of counsel to his colleague of many years:

a spine and some much bigger balls before it'd even begin to work.

:hi:

Surely somewhere there is a Democrat more suited for the job than Kerry.

I live in CT... I would trade Lieberman in a second for the Senator in the next state over.

They seem to chirp when the real questions are asked.

position now by default: Senior Senator from Massachusetts, and yes, we decided last November that John Kerry is eminently suited for the job. We reelected him. The person we will elect to be Junior Senator from Massachusetts will be extremely qualified but will have not have the seniority or clout Kerry has in the Senate. That is something the new Senator will have to earn over time.

... and Kerry remains a milquetoast. He is incapable of replacing Ted.

that Kerry is a fighter

but when the time comes to fight, they can't say that to the senator's face so, they run and hide behind the anonymity of their keyboard spewing insults.

I think Uncle Ted would SHH at this thread.

And Teddy had his moments when he was not in the thick of a fight he could have been in. (Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing, Teddy's mistakes on No Child Left Behind and other things.)

Teddy wasn't perfect. No one is. But he was damned good a lot of the time. So is John Kerry.

http://media.npr.org/images/ap//AP_News_Wire:_US_News/1_APTOPIX_Kerry_Health_Care.sff_300.jpg

Health care reform supporter Billie Jo Joy, of Cambridge, Mass., arrives for a town meeting discussion on Health Care wearing a dress made of boxing gloves at Somerville High School in Somerville, Mass., Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009.



http://media.npr.org/images/ap//AP_News_Wire:_US_News/2_Kerry_Health_Care.sff_300.jpg
Somerville residents Gladys Maged, left, and Liane Curtis hold signs in support of Health Care reform as members of the LaRouche Political Action Committee sing with a sign depicting President Obama as Hitler before a town meeting on Health Care at Somerville High School in Somerville, Mass., Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009.


http://media.npr.org/images/ap//AP_News_Wire:_US_News/4_Kerry_Health_Care.sff_300.jpg
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., speaks during a town meeting on Health Care at Somerville High School in Somerville, Mass., Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009.


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112498370

about Kerry

I'm sure Kennedy's words carry more weight on Kerry's character than yours.

And Kerry did not fight back. I will never go down that road again for Kerry.

Despite the people who continue to make pronouncements like yours, Kerry was Obama's best surrogate and did a tremendous job campaigning to get him elected.

or what he thought about or who he liked or disliked.

What has prevented my Senator from taking a leading role in the healthcare debate before now? Isn't he on Max Baucus' Senate Finance Committee. Where is his voice?

I wrote him a letter a couple of weeks ago about health care. His answer was very mealy-mouthed and seemed to favor a Massachusetts-type plan. Lord help us! Employee mandates. A huge cost gap between health care for poor and children (free or nearly free and comprehensive) and the middle class working stiff and small business person (expensive for comprehensive and affordable for high deductibles and co-pays). Penalties for young workers who aren't insured. A report in the Boston Globe three weeks ago documented the fact that co-pays for many of the "affordable" policies are so high for middle class families that many are now avoiding doctors and tests to save money.



What state do you live in, Sen. Kerry? You did not even mention a strong public option in your response.

At one point, there were reports that Kerry had stated, in a closed session, that he would support a long delay (10 years) in implementation and/or a "trigger" before offering a public option. Shoot me now!!! I easily believed the report because of Kerry's public silence about the issue and his omission of any mention of a public option in his letter. The non-specific denial issued by his office the next day was not very comforting.

I hope he does speak out. And I hope it isn't too little, too late.

the ever-changing proposals that have come to light. I repeat that Kerry, who is my representative, has not been out front on this issue. What he does behind closed doors - I haven't a clue. Sure, his tax proposal is an interesting way to bring costs down. But unless the Senate bill includes a strong public option for everyone (especially small business owners, the self-employed, young workers, and others in the middle-class who are falling through the cracks), there will be no mechanism in place to keep the spiraling costs of private insurance premiums under control - at least, not without tough regulations that would be even harder to pass and more unwieldy to enforce.

Kennedy's bill is essentially a single-payer expansion of Medicare and Kerry is a long way from there.



Heir to Ted Kennedy? So far, Kerry has not supported Kennedy's plan, no matter what he says now. I guess he's beginning to talk the talk. I will believe him when he starts walking the walk. Does he even have the ability to play hardball with his colleagues? Does anyone owe him any favors? Does he have any campaign money left in his PAC to spread around? Is he willing to expose his Democratic friends who are in the pockets of the insurance companies? Hey, I hope so. But I kind of doubt it.

Do you work for Kerry? If you do, please tell him that expanding Medicare is what Kennedy wanted and his constituents would truly appreciate it if our other senator would pick up the torch that Ted could no longer carry.

Kerry dumping.

Kerry shilling

in some way. Looks like people have a problem with Kerry following behind Kennedy.

Their problem, not ours.

Again, their problem. Not mine.

by default.

introducing yourself to a stranger and announcing that you are now their best friend.

maybe someday you would be their best friend, but after that proclamation, you might also be at the top of their list of potential stalkers to watch out for..


No one knows who will carry the torch..possibly no one person will..

Kerry never struck me as a populist.. Kennedy always seemed to be one..

I'm not sure one can re-create and remold their senate history.

In an odd way, Al Franken..the new guy, might be the one who ends up carrying the populist torch..

time will tell:)

Personally, I don't think anyone could carry Ted's "torch" in the way he did, and knowing Kerry's roots I'd be hard pressed to call him a populist.

Would that he had Ted's charisma though, because armed with that I'm sure he could get elected to the Presidency.

have a real problem with Kennedy talking to Kerry and vice versa. That must really frighten some people.

If it was Al Franken (he will do some good too), Feingold, Kucinich or any other favorite liberal touted on the liberal blogs, you would not see half the snark and insults that are in this thread. JMO.


I think Uncle Ted knew Kerry than a lot of people here at DU do. More power to him.

worthy 'torch bearers'.

Sometimes you've got to go with "the best available"....as Rummy so adroitly surmised :eyes:

The point is that if this thread was titled "Franken/Feingold, Kucinich, or another favorite liberal positions self as Kennedy's heir", this thread would have a lot more praise and not half the snark and hatred like it is with Kerry.

Since people in this thread are screaming at Kerry for not being a fighter, it would be nice if people would list have the battles they have fought in their entire lifetime more than Kerry, who has stared death and evil in the face, fought/exposed more government corruption, and face down Nixon, Reagan, BFEE, etc.

But they can't, so they hide behind their keyboard slinging recycled Bush/Cheney 04 talking points instead of going after Senators who are on the fence regarding public option.

Yes, Ted Kennedy would be so proud of that and this thread. Really.

moneyed people.

But we, PROLES, suffer the result of their struggle/outcome.

especially now that he has no presidential ambitions