Kerry's interview on OTR/Channel 5

[Mass]

I assume it will air Sunday morning.

I did not post the part concerning Edward. This makes me sick to read about it all the time.

I wonder if they ever came to everything substantial. It seems that, except JP Morgan, everything was just the latest topic of the day (Cherockee heritage, gay marriage, Edwards, Sos,...) When will the media focus on the real issues that impact people.

I also expect that the "would likely endorse her after the primary" is there to give the impression that the primary is not already finished, not that he could endorse Brown.

http://www.wcvb.com/news/politics/Kerry-Disappointed-sad-by-Edwards-revelations/-/9848766/13480696/-/fudchlz/-/

...
The senior senator from Massachusetts also predicted the losses at JP Morgan Chase will reach $5 billion and that average voters will be convinced of the need to strengthen the Volcker rule to stop investment houses from trading their personal assets.

When asked about the Massachusetts Senate race between Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Democrat Elizabeth Warren, Kerry refrained from criticizing his colleague, but he would likely endorse her after the primary.

The senator did label the ongoing controversy about her claims of Cherokee heritage to be a "fictitious" issue and "that's not what this race is about."

He also said he does not believe gay marriage will be important in the presidential race, but that jobs and the economy will be the defining issues.
...

[YvonneCa]

1. Thanks for posting this. I am...

...following the Cherokee issue (from way out here in CA) because it hits home with me. My paternal grandmother was supposedly half Cherokee. That's what I was always told by my dad. He was taken to foster care when he was 8, so the details are rather fuzzy.

I am not sure what that makes me...

[Mass]

2. Mt Ida commencement speech

And an excerpt of a commencement speech that Kerry gave today.

http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/05/sen_john_kerry_to_speak_at_mou.html

In the plainest terms I say to you that our democracy is at risk unless we reclaim legitimate debate and accountability. In the 1960’s teenage kids risked and some even lost their lives to ride down south on buses to march and protest so other Americans could finally win the right to vote. Here we are fifty years later and in the last election 60% of our citizens decided it wasn’t even worth exercising that right – if they thought about it at all.
...
But politicians won’t find the willpower to make those tough choices until and unless more Americans are holding them accountable.
It may sound corny, but that’s why we need you to be public citizens who make the public sector make better decisions. I know a lot of you want to someday invest in a company of your own, or a house, or stocks and retirement funds– but we need you to invest in being a citizen too, because the privilege of an education comes with the responsibility of building a community.
And you know something: It’s really not that hard compared to what other people from Massachusetts once had to do. This is the place that the Revolution for Independence began—and the Industrial revolution—and the technology revolution. Just think back to Quincy’s own John Adams who had to get on a horse in the dead of winter, wrapped in wool blankets to stay warm, risk getting small pox, and ride to Philadelphia to help write the Constitution. 225 years later, we don’t need you to make that kind of trek for a political idea.
But we do need you to help us. We need you to go to a PTA meeting if you care about education. We need you to ask questions at a town hall meeting if you care about the air you breathe. We need you to call into radio and TV shows if you care about fiscal sanity.
And instead of just assuming that politics doesn’t interest you, we need you to start demanding politicians say and do some things that are interesting.
...
Class of 2012: It’s time we got back in touch with a little of the guts and grit that gave birth to our nation.

[MBS]

3. Thanks for posting interview and Mt. Ida transcript

As always, thoughtful, substantive , serious remarks (with humor in Mt. Ida talk!)
Sen. Kerry is such a fine and honorable politician, and man.
I'm amazed and grateful that he's been able to hang in there, nudging us forward, somehow surviving in the cesspool that American politics has become.
Thanks, Senator Kerry.

[karynnj]

6. " "

Now that we see that Romney, like Bush, thrived in the prep school world as a bully, who would likely have fit in with the worst kids in Lord of the Flies, I wonder about our country's value judgements. There was one poll that looked after the election at Ohio that suggested that many thought that Kerry might be too principled or moral to do things he thought wrong that could benefit the US in terms of power or money. I hope the Democrats retain the Senate and that many of these new farther right Republicans fail - if not, I really do wonder if Kerry will fight to stay in 2014.

[Luftmensch067]

4. OTR video online!

Video here: http://www.wcvb.com/page/search/htv-bos/search/-/9850842/-/view/asSearch/-/2rkoo2/-/index.html?provider=site&q=on+the+record+kerry&sortBy=score

JK is only in segments 1 (http://www.wcvb.com/news/politics/On-The-Record-John-Kerry-Segment-1/-/9848766/13481380/-/6okfu4z/-/index.html) and 2 (http://www.wcvb.com/news/politics/On-The-Record-John-Kerry-Segment-2/-/9848766/13481400/-/eh0obvz/-/index.html)

Segment 3 contains some on the street questioning of voters about their opinion of JK as SoS material. It's kind of hilarious that the people who say good things about him look pretty normal and the couple who don't like him look like they've just crawled out from under a rock! I also enjoyed noticing that the newscasters were on their best behavior with JK but totally deteriorated into sensationalism and stupidity once he was gone.

Nice little discussion of JK and the PMC at the end of segment 2!

[karynnj]

5. Thanks for the links - it was a nice, long interview - that could have used better questions

The JP Morgan comments were very good and went to spelling out the big difference in the parties. I also think that, given the circumstances that it would have been unusual if JK were not asked about Edwards. His answer reflected the complex man he is. He had the honesty to say that he had been disappointed by Edwards in the 2004 campaign. It was clear that was the case - as ALL the Kerry people could not stand Edwards by 2006. Just the fact that Kerry pointedly said nothing about Edwards - as he praised the rest of the Democratic field always suggested that he still followed what his parents likely told him of saying nothing if you can't say anything positive. His respect for law and his genuine compassion for the Edwards kids was obvious.

I think the newscasters were on their better behavior when he was there - except for the repeated SoS comments. I concur with your impression that the people who seemed normal and informed were positive about Kerry.

[Mass]

7. Thanks for the links

I watched the two first segments on Sunday and it was so much better than the short blurb that I posted above makes it look.

Kerry said clearly that he was supporting Warren (I guess he is still technically not endorsing her as there is still a primary candidate, but he said she was wonderful or something to that effect). He also said he would be probably campaigning for her in the fall. And he was critical of Brown. I am not sure what they were expecting: that he says on the air Brown is a moron?

I like how he pointed that the economy was the issue, and that things like the cheekbone scandal (as I call it) was just a distraction, as well as gay marriage (not that it is not important, but are people really going to vote against Obama for that who were previously voting for him? Really?).

And, while I may not be in agreement with him concerning Bain nowadays, he was much better able to thread the needle than Booker.

It was funny to see how Harding was in awe concerning Kerry's cycling prowess. At least something he admires something in our senior senator.

[karynnj]

9. Kerry's answer on Brown was what I would have expected -

that it is the votes that matter. I can't imagine that it would have been helpful to engage in an argument over whether Brown has Teflon. Any "Teflon" is a result of the Massachusetts media's fluffy coverage of Brown. I did notice that he avoided even the smallest amount of praise - instead speaking of how HE works with Brown on MA issues. I think Kerry telegraphed exactly how he will fight for Warren - on the votes, not personalities or attacks. (It was interesting that he mentioned Kerry/Weld in this context.)

On Bain, I think Kerry likely has many supporters among the current Bain people - or at least in other similar companies. I agree that, unlike Booker, he did contradict the message Obama's team is working.

[politicasista]

8. No swipes at the Senator here

Thanks for posting.

Saw the interview. Not bad, but hope the Senator is right about the average voter's mindset. Though the President should be re-elected, one can never underestimate the power of ignorance. Was hoping he followed pop-culture cause you gotta have some balance, but can understand why not. It's out there!

That being said, will end on a positive note by saying that hopefully, he can be seen in more positive light by Dems in MA (and maybe beyond) and will leave it at that. Peace.