Post New Hampshire
Democratic Reality/Perception Check

John Kerry’s endorsement of Barack Obama. As the change/insurgent candidate, Obama can really use some street cred with the establishment of the Democratic Party. Prior to Tuesday’s surprise victory by the Clinton’s, there was buzz everywhere about members of Congress preparing to sign on to Obama’s bandwagon. New Hampshire put the brakes on that–for now. John Kerry is to be credited for making this endorsement now, in the wake of the NH defeat. It sends a signal to others that they’d do well to look to the future of the party and not the past.

What does the Kerry endorsement mean–in reality?
Not as much as it should. The Democratic Party has a habit of turning their past nominees into jokes which denies them the statesman stature they’ve earned. The real benefit of the endorsement is establishment credibility. The other real benefit is that Kerry has a donor list of 3 million people. You may think Obama already has tons of money and donors. Yes, but Kerry’s mailing list consists of establishment money. It’s a boost for Obama. Not huge, but measurable.

Why did Kerry endorse Obama?
1. Kerry introduced Obama to people outside of Illinois by making him the keynoter at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He likes him and knew him to be a comer. He timed the endorsement now on the heels of the Clinton’s slim but media-made-huge victory to make a statement that the smart money is still going with Obama.

2. Kerry can’t stand the Clinton’s. They through one of their lap dogs, Wesley Clark into the 2004 race, funded it and provided the campaign advisors, for the purpose of gumming up the works. They faintly supported Kerry in the general election all the while hoping he would lose and they would do exactly what they are doing now–trying to manipulate their way back into the White House.

3. What about Edwards? Some seem surprised that he wouldn’t support his running mate of 2004, John Edwards. Don’t be. Kerry and Edwards was a short lived marriage of convenience, never consummated. They never really liked each other. Kerry didn’t want Edwards as a running mate but chose him at the urging of party leaders. As much as Kerry has a reputation as a flip-flopper, fairly and unfairly, he found Edwards to be shifty and untrustworthy. Edwards announced his intention to run in 2008 without considering whether Kerry would run in 2008, let along waiting for Kerry to decide. That was poor form. Kerry’s selection of Edwards in 2004 and the money of the Kerry organization (and the Heinz ketchup you buy) helped put Edwards on the map. Edwards should have had more respect for Kerry. You’ll remember that Joe Lieberman would not announce for 2004 until Al Gore made his intentions known.

Kerry’s personal dissing of Edwards and Clinton were added dividends to his endorsement of Obama, not the reason for it. Beyond any ill will he has for Edwards, he wants to send a message to Edwards, other influential Democrats and Democratic voters: Edwards is dividing the anti-Clinton’s vote and needs to GET OUT. Edwards claims he is in until the end. He will have a hard time going on following his certain third-place loss in South Carolina. If he stays in beyond South Carolina, he’ll be toast on February 5 Super Tuesday.

Bill Richardson’s withdrawal. Bill had to drop out. His only reason for being in the race was to campaign to be Hillary’s running mate and with that now no longer a certain thing, its too confusing for him to suck up to Obama and the Clinton’s. He was widely touted as having a most impressive resume. The ProConPundit found his performance pitiful in the primary. All he did was self-promote. He seldom had actual plans or solutions and, when he did, they were frightening. His proposal to force Musharraf out, effectively leaving the nuclear arsenal in the most dangerous and, arguable, unstable country in the world up for grabs. The timing of Richardson's departure may help the Clinton's in Nevada. Richardson is popular with Latinos there and the Clinton's have been wooing Latino's more than Obama. Good that he’s gone. Now its Edwards turn.

Will Al Gore show some guts and endorse Obama over Clinton, who he despises?