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Kerry Refuses To Comment On Past With Edwards
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ShareJanuary 13, 2008 1:32 PM
ABC News' Mary Bruce Reports: Sen John Kerry, D-Mass., refused to comment this morning on a story surrounding his relationship with former running mate, 2008 democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. In an exclusive "This Week" interview, Kerry said that reports of bad blood between the 2004 nominees were "a waste of time."
Former Kerry strategist, Robert Shrum recounts in his book, No Excuses, that Kerry found his first meeting with Edwards to be "chilling." Shrum explains, "Edwards had told Kerry he was going to share a story with him that he'd never told anyone else that after his son Wade had been killed, he climbed onto the slab at the funeral home, laid there and hugged his body, and promised that he'd do all he could to make life better for people, to live up to Wade's ideals of service. Kerry was stunned, not moved, because, as he told me later, Edwards had recounted the same exact story to him, almost in the exact same words, a year or two before —and with the same preface, that he'd never shared the memory with anyone else."
When asked by Stephanopoulos whether the story was true, Kerry said he had not read the book, saying "those kinds of Washington books and Washington stories are part of the problem of what's going on here...It's a Washington deal. Let's deal with much more important things than the gossip of a book."
Instead Kerry opted to discuss his endorsement this week of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., "I'm here supporting Barack Obama, not against Hillary, not against John Edwards, either of whom would take this country and fight to take this country in the right direction. It's my belief that Barack Obama has the best chance of being transformative, of confronting the issues, of building the movement, of reaching out to the world to change America's perception in the world, and that he has the best opportunity to try to change our reputation and restore our moral authority on a global basis, faster than anyone."
January 13, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (16)
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well it was still uncouth for him to announce the endorsement without telling edwards beforehand, and it still grinds me that kerry gave up '04 with no recount in ohio or anything, he just gave in. look at the damage that has been done with bush for 4 more yrs. i am fine with kerry endorsing obama, but the way he did it was tacky--
Posted by: lori | Jan 13, 2008 2:28:55 PM
Why didn't Kerry contest the vote fraud in '04? Why didn't he spend the money and try to WIN, saving us from a second BUSH term? Why did he try to be Bush-light, instead of taking the ball from Dean, and Nader and challenging Bush's horrible record? Could it be beacuse the're both "cousins" in "Skull 'n Bones." Google video "American Dictators" it will tell you all you need to know about the staged election of 2004 and John Kerry.
Posted by: rw3 | Jan 13, 2008 3:05:35 PM
Kerry owes the country and explanation. I'm not even an Edwards supporter. However Kerry, had he been elected President, was willing to have Edwards be 2nd in line. He can take 2 minutes to explain what the specific differnce(s) between candidates are that led him to endorse Obama over Edwards, otherwise, what is the point of weighing in at all.
Posted by: emmr2 | Jan 13, 2008 3:09:49 PM
I am glad Kerry refused to comment on gossip. I do wish he had said "George you are a freakn twit to be spending your time researching gossip and wasting my tme here today. Kerry is no more obligated to endorse Edwards than Gore was to endorse Liebermann. He did say -- mentioning Obama, Clinton and Edwards by name that they would all make great presidents.
Posted by: jpecci | Jan 13, 2008 3:20:57 PM
That wwas a low blow, I'm very disappointed with Kerry but not surprised
Posted by: Kardasia_Prime | Jan 13, 2008 3:23:01 PM
Kerry obviously has an ax to grind with Edwards and the Clintons. What is the advantage to his endorsement? From my perspective....nothing.
Posted by: linda in cincinnati | Jan 13, 2008 3:37:56 PM
Bush received the most votes in the history of the United States. Clinton never even won a majority and was only in office due to Perot. "Lurch" didn't stand a chance! Better stick to windsurfing.
Posted by: Kevin | Jan 13, 2008 3:40:36 PM
This is still the United States of America. People have the right to decide who they will endorse, and who they will vote for. No one need give any explanation to anyone ever for their decision.
Posted by: angie | Jan 13, 2008 5:04:05 PM
Kerry is a calculated politician that plays the cards that works for him. How can you trust this consummated flip flopper without character? Shame on Kerry
Posted by: ritch | Jan 13, 2008 5:50:51 PM
How is it possible for Edwards to relay a story to Kerry during their FIRST meeting that Kerry heard from Edwards previously?
Posted by: Earl | Jan 13, 2008 6:46:40 PM
Good point!
"How is it possible for Edwards to relay a story to Kerry during their FIRST meeting that Kerry heard from Edwards previously?"
Edwards is the best candidate the Democrats have ... and far better than Kerry ... and shame on McCaskill too ... she should be supporting Edwards.
Posted by: Elinda | Jan 13, 2008 7:39:05 PM
john kerry is a washed up stale bottle of heinz catchup.. he is also a miserable loser.....-----
Posted by: captaindollar | Jan 13, 2008 8:05:26 PM
really unimportant endorsement by the guy who I like but feel let us DEMOCRATS down big time in early November 04. He should have saved face and not endorsed anyone than NOT endorse his running mate - how pathetic.
EDWARDS 08 - because John Kerry told me how great a president he'd make in 04, and once I met Edwards, I couldn't agree more! Shame on Kerry playing politics.
WE NEED A LEADER - JOHN EDWARDS WILL RECTIFY THE ERRORS OF THE BUSH DISASTER!
Posted by: dal | Jan 13, 2008 9:06:11 PM
I'm frankly not sure that an endorsement by someone who was so lacking in charm and political skill that he managed to lose an election to a ticket consisting of an idiot and a lunatic (after three years of idiocy and lunacy) is something to crow over. John Kerry is no Al Gore, who moved on from the 2000 election disaster to become a serious environmental activist and has made both a difference and a name for himself. Kerry's done nothing; his endorsement means about as much as one from Walter Mondale.
Posted by: Theo | Jan 13, 2008 9:15:59 PM
kerry showed no class. he was a pitiful failure in '04. the nomiation was wasted on him. he showed no fight or skill in attempting to win the presidency. displaying no loyalty to edwards is disgusting.
Posted by: d. dotson | Jan 14, 2008 1:19:47 AM
That's right you can vote for any candidate of your choice but be sure you make that right choice. Look what happened to us after Bush was elected twice. And electing Obama would be another disaster and it might be worse. Kerry did a good backstabbing to Edwards there is no doubt about it and endorsements does not mean wins. It means that the person endorsing the candidate is voting for them and trying to sway the public to vote for them also. I would never vote for a former drug addict boozer to be president of this country but this generation apparently don't care because many college students of today are doing the same thing he did when he went to college. So Obama is in their league. Hillary Clinton has a clean background and talks more intelligent than Obama. And to be president you have to have capabilities and knowled of foreign policy. I believe he lacks both and needs extensive training. Who needs that in the white house. We need to bring America back but not with Obama as president. I am not republican but Bush is ten times smarter than Obama ever will be.
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | Jan 14, 2008 7:38:06 AM
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