First thoughts: Comeback country
Today, November 09, 2007, 2 hours ago | Domenico Montanaro
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** Four years ago… : As the Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder has smartly noted, John Kerry’s speech at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner -- which took place almost four years ago to this day -- marked the beginning of his comeback. (In fact, Saturday happens to be the four-year anniversary of when he overhauled his campaign team.) In his J-J speech, Kerry said that what Iowans needed was a president (i.e., Kerry), not a message (i.e., Howard Dean). "We need to offer answers, not just anger,” Kerry said. “So Iowa, don't just send them a message next January; send them a president." That speech and another one in New Hampshire were “the two critical message points for us,” says Stephanie Cutter, who served as Kerry’s communications director. Laura Capps, who was the campaign’s Iowa spokeswoman, adds that while Dean had more supporters attend the dinner, the pro-Kerry troops were out in full force. “We definitely felt like we won,” she tells First Read. “J-J solidified it was possible” that Kerry could pull off a win in Iowa, which he did on his way to the Democratic nomination.
