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1/10 14:19
Senator Kerry Says He Is Preparing to Run for President in 2004
By Alex Canizares
Boston, Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Senator John Kerry said he is preparing to run for U.S. president in 2004, becoming the first Democrat to start campaigning while others in his party fight over how to rebuild after losing in Tuesday's elections.
Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, said on ABC's ``This Week'' that his staff is preparing for an announcement stating his candidacy. He didn't deny a report in the Boston Globe saying that he will file a statement with the Federal Election Commission allowing him to begin raising campaign money.
``The staff is preparing,'' Kerry said. ``They're doing what a good staff ought to do, which is being ready. I want to talk with many people. And I need to do that. I want to sit with my family. And I will try to accelerate that.''
The comments by Kerry, less than a week after Tuesday's elections, underscore the competing agendas of Democrats as they try to rebuild their party after losing control of the Senate and failing to win back the House.
Democrats are trying to figure out how to confront a Republican Congress and White House. Their tasks include picking a new House Democratic leader after Representative Dick Gephardt of Missouri stepped down. Gephardt is among other Democrats weighing presidential bids in 2004, including Senators Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Tom Daschle of South Dakota.
Kerry, who won a fourth term with 81 percent of the vote in the recent midterm elections, said any filing won't happen this week and that he needs to speak with colleagues, including senior Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, before committing to the race.
Effect of Elections
Asked whether last week's election convinced him to run, Kerry said: ``I think the circumstances demand leadership right now, and I think most Americans feel that.
``We need to speak to people in this country about their real concerns,'' he said. ``We've got an enormous economic problem in the nation. It was almost absent from this race, at least on a national level. People are losing jobs, the economy has slowed down, business investment is at the lowest rate. The average worker is hurting in America and is scared, scared about their economic future, scared about the prospects for their children.''
Kerry has $3.1 million in his Senate re-election account that could be applied to a presidential bid, the Boston Globe report said, citing an adviser. Robert Farmer, who led fund raising for Michael Dukakis's 1988 presidential bid, will organize Kerry's fundraising, the newspaper said.
Source
Senator Kerry Says He Is Preparing to Run for President in 2004
By Alex Canizares
Boston, Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Senator John Kerry said he is preparing to run for U.S. president in 2004, becoming the first Democrat to start campaigning while others in his party fight over how to rebuild after losing in Tuesday's elections.
Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, said on ABC's ``This Week'' that his staff is preparing for an announcement stating his candidacy. He didn't deny a report in the Boston Globe saying that he will file a statement with the Federal Election Commission allowing him to begin raising campaign money.
``The staff is preparing,'' Kerry said. ``They're doing what a good staff ought to do, which is being ready. I want to talk with many people. And I need to do that. I want to sit with my family. And I will try to accelerate that.''
The comments by Kerry, less than a week after Tuesday's elections, underscore the competing agendas of Democrats as they try to rebuild their party after losing control of the Senate and failing to win back the House.
Democrats are trying to figure out how to confront a Republican Congress and White House. Their tasks include picking a new House Democratic leader after Representative Dick Gephardt of Missouri stepped down. Gephardt is among other Democrats weighing presidential bids in 2004, including Senators Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Tom Daschle of South Dakota.
Kerry, who won a fourth term with 81 percent of the vote in the recent midterm elections, said any filing won't happen this week and that he needs to speak with colleagues, including senior Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, before committing to the race.
Effect of Elections
Asked whether last week's election convinced him to run, Kerry said: ``I think the circumstances demand leadership right now, and I think most Americans feel that.
``We need to speak to people in this country about their real concerns,'' he said. ``We've got an enormous economic problem in the nation. It was almost absent from this race, at least on a national level. People are losing jobs, the economy has slowed down, business investment is at the lowest rate. The average worker is hurting in America and is scared, scared about their economic future, scared about the prospects for their children.''
Kerry has $3.1 million in his Senate re-election account that could be applied to a presidential bid, the Boston Globe report said, citing an adviser. Robert Farmer, who led fund raising for Michael Dukakis's 1988 presidential bid, will organize Kerry's fundraising, the newspaper said.
Source
