KERRY CRASHES
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John
Kerry was briefed by his campaign staff before Saturday’s
World War II memorial event last week, and they recommended that he
not play up his presence at what was supposed to be a nonpartisan
event.
But Kerry ignored the suggestions and insisted that his people
be in full campaign mode for his appearance, which was the first
time he shared the limelight with the President George Bush in such
a public setting.
Kerry showed up with a larger retinue of staffers and hangers on
than the president did, including several World War II veterans,
one of whom served in the famous Easy Company of the 101st
Airborne, who parachuted behind enemy lines on D-Day and who were
immortalized in historian Stephen Ambrose’s book, Band of
Brothers. Kerry has since appropriated the nickname for his
own small group of comrades from the Vietnam war.
“It was unseemly,” says a major fundraiser for the memorial who
was present on the dais with the president, his father, and other
dignitaries. “The president and the White House went out of their
way to make sure that the people this day was intended for didn’t
lose the spotlight. Then Kerry shows up with his film cameras and
veterans groups and puts people out. It just didn’t play well, as
far as I’m concerned.”
Kerry’s behavior of late has been at the very least annoying
some of his more vocal supporters. Two weeks ago, Sen.
Edward Kennedy was overheard openly mocking Kerry
for his highhanded manner in dealing with the senior senator from
Massachusetts. Kennedy was said to be angered by Kerry’s
micromanaging of his scheduled appearances on behalf of the
candidate. He was also embarrassed by Kerry’s very public
consideration of delaying the acceptance of the party
nomination.
BOOKED
Former president Bill Clinton apparently plans on
running up quite a tab on his upcoming junket in Chicago to promote
his memoir due out later this month. Clinton will make the keynote
address at the Book Expo convention there, speaking before
thousands of independent booksellers, librarians, and publishing
industry executives.
Clinton is using the release of his book to crisscross the
country on publisher Alfred Knopf’s dime to promote Democratic
issues and the tout the candidacy of Sen. John Kerry. “We know
there is a political aspect to his promotion schedule,” says a
Knopf public relations specialist. “But this is our biggest book of
the year. He is going to sell a ton of books for us, and if he can
help his party, then I guess everybody wins.”
The American taxpayer is footing part of the tab for Secret
Service security on the book tour, as well as advance work to
secure various sites. Knopf is covering most of the other costs
associated with what will be a six to eight week PR blitz.
ONE BRIGHT SPOT
Republicans remain hopeful and upbeat about former Rep.
John Thune’s Senate campaign against current
Democratic leader Sen. Tom Daschle. Thune
outraised Daschle in the latest reporting period, and the incumbent
has failed to gain any appreciable distance between himself and
Thune in the polls.
Thune’s performance is one of the few bright spots for
Republicans right now, where they continue to see ongoing soft
numbers in such states as Florida (where there is a hotly contested
Republican Senate primary), Illinois, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and
Colorado, all states that are critical to GOP hopes to retaining
the White House, as well as the Senate.
