Begala and maybe Carville to join Kerry team

[59millionmorons]

http://cbsnewyork.com/topstories/topstories_story_245160554.html

So who might be hired? Could a clue be found in the Wall Street Journal Web site column of Al Hunt, who compares Kerry's situation now with that faced by Clinton in 1992 before he turned the ship over to James Carville?

Signs are that Carville - the recent co-author of a memo pointing out Kerry polling losses since the Democratic convention - is unlikely to join the campaign full time. But there is also some talk of Carville associate and former Clinton communications honcho Paul Begala potentially playing some role. Either way, word is that we'll know the extent of any current shake-up by Thursday - in time for the wrap-up of this convention and the start of the post-Labor Day sprint to Nov. 2.

[Mojambo]

1. That's some serious punch

It sure can't hurt.

[topanga]

2. What we need is their voices of reason.

Both are excellent speakers for our cause.

[livetohike]

5. Welcome to DU topanga!

:hi:

I agree - they will add some punch to the campaign.

[Cha]

3. WAtch out for Begala...I read he was the one

behind the scenes telling Gore to sigh, heavily..and to roll his eyes during the debates..and we all know how that turned out.

I thought Kerry had a winning team..he won the primary didn't,he? What's happening?

[Mojambo]

7. It's a different type of game now

and we need different types of players.
I think that's the thinking here.

[Cha]

30. Yeah, you're right..I see..

That's the way with Dean and his team that got everything started on the internet. It was great but then things changed and I've read that they weren't prepared for that change.

[Awsi Dooger]

27. Begala was definitely a debate advisor to Gore

He played the role of GW in the debate preps, if I remember correctly. But it's hard for me to believe those masochistic sighs from debate number one were anything other than self inflicted spontaniety.

[Cha]

32. I definetly read that Awsie and the reason Begala was

Gore's "debate advisor" was because it was Tom Downey(remember him?) but he had to drop out because a "video" of the gop debate practice was sent to him ..so he had to disqualify himself.

So I attribute that little rove(?) manuever to a downslide in the debates ergo the election. My theory.

[Awsi Dooger]

46. I remember that, a young woman with GOP ties took the blame

For sending the tape

[Southsideirish]

44. That's no great recommendation. Did he tell him to go stand

next to him that time? That was god awful.

[Awsi Dooger]

48. That was in the 3rd debate, and I still cringe at the image

Gore was having his best debate with no theatrics or sleeping pill until he practically bumped Bush off stage. Bush turned with an appropriate and semi-disbelieving "how ya doin" nod.

[RummyTheDummy]

36. A winning team that advised him to sit back and absorb

The swift boat crap when supposedly he wanted to fight back and fight back hard immediately. Running a presidential campaign against repugs is a vastly different animal than running against fellow Dems. The past two weeks has been a prison rape. His staff is responsible for that.

[cheshire]

4. I've been praying and they say we're not christians.

[KittyWampus]

6. Kerry Already Announced New Hires. IMO, This Is Pure Gossip

but who knows.

Personally, I think Carville would take phone calls from Kerry any time.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. If that happens, we know one thing certainly:

The razor fight is on.

[quinnox]

9. Begala would make a great spokesman for Kerry

He could take over for Devine, or keep Devine and put Begala as the main point man and Devine as another back up for lesser news shows.

I would prefer Carville in the background if he does help, he is too strident for a spokesman's job.

[Sporadicus]

10. It Couldn't Hurt to Have Carville Onboard - Even as a Consultant

[sage1]

11. Carville......?

fights like a junk-yard dog. At this point Kerry needs to take off the gloves, shed his genteel manners, and sic the wolves on the slimy pigs. I wanna see blood...

[unblock]

12. personally, i think carville makes a better pitbullunassociated with it.

[dogtag]

13. Aren't they both

under contract with CNN and MSNBC? Any lawyers here? Would they have to be released prior to joining a campaign?

[renotyme]

14. carville, carville, CARVILLE!!!

<>

[Southsideirish]

45. Carville yes. Begala no. Just don't like him or trust him, plus

I don't think he's 1/1000th as effective as Carville. Save the money - keep him off the payroll.

[mumon]

15. it's in the bag, folks. it's always been in the bag...

don't worry 'bout the media, bout the swifties, etc.

we have the truth, we have "my pet goat," we have the facts & figures, and all we gotta do is brand bush with 'em.

and we will.

here's to the new guys at kerry's team: read us: go down and dirty.

[nofanofbush]

18. Agreed...

we couldn't have more ammo. Without some major cheating, they have no chance.

[greenbriar]

16. Carville ROCKS>>>I WISH he were on board

he would torture shurb just by looking at him

[cthrumatrix]

17. I like it.... expose the repug assholes night and day

[AmerDem]

19. Bring in both James and Paul....

With possibly 4 Supreme Court Justices on the line , there is NO more time for fucking around!

[DinahMoeHum]

20. They're reinforcements, NOT replacements. . .

but all the same, it'd be great to have them aboard.

:kick::kick::kick:

[Democat]

21. Let's hope this is true!

We'll find out if Carville still has his old fight in him!

[John_H]

22. "gather round people, come hear the call"

Great move by JFK.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

24. I am a big fan of Carville

The Ragin' Cajun has passion and doesn't hesitate a second to use it. He was the author of, "It's the economy, Stupid." Has there ever been four more truer words?

He says what he thinks, he won't let any of the neocon talking heads out yell him, out maneuver him or out plan him. He is smart, wily, resourceful and just the person to go toe to toe with Rove. He's more of a "hell with you, get in your face, if I need to get dirty" campaigner. Just what Kerry needs after the NY convention from hell. Carville is a one man protest march.

At this late date I can't see him taking over the entire campaign but, Lordy, he sure can add some fun to it.

[diplomats]

23. I've been wondering where Carville has been....

We need an attack dog like him on this campaign. He is the only Democrat that is mean like the Repugs. When he was Clinton's campaign manager, he said you ALWAYS answer an attack right away.

Why don't the Democras have a Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter or Scarborough? We don't have any MEAN media talking heads. Are we just too nice?O8)

[KamaAina]

26. I heard he took himself out of the game when the Mrs. went to work

for *.

Carrying that whole PC thing a bit too far, if you ask me.

[Raiden]

25. Carville for head of the DNC n/t

[Tatiana]

28. This campaign NEEDS Carville.

His take-no-prisoners approach is exactly what the Kerry campaign needs. I hope they at least bring him on board as a consultant or in some sort of advisory role. I don't think the current ones are doing what needs to be done.

[2bfree]

31. Amen!

I hope is true! Love Carville!

[Jim__]

29. Carville and his Mrs were on Meet the Press back around December

and sweet Mary said to James, "You're not getting involved in that mess." And James looked down and away, as he often does in Mary's presence, and mumbled, "I'm not getting involved in that mess." Or, words to that effect.

I don't think Mr Carville can get involved.

[Cha]

35. Well there ya go! Isn't she involved in her own

MESS?!!

[Demoiselle]

40. I love Carville, but if I were the Kerry team I'd be a bit worried...

..about keeping campaign secrets(and every good campaign needs its secrets). As you point out, he's married to Matalin, and she is neck-deep in the Bush administration.

[mbali]

41. I agree - I love him, but don't completely trust him . . .

I just don't believe that he feels as strongly about things as he claims since I cannot imagine how it would be possible for anyone with the views he espouses could POSSIBLY tolerate being married to someone with the views that Matalin has.

My sense is that he and Matalin are both much closer to the middle than they let on, but hit on a surefire joint career based upon pretending to be polar opposites.

Otherwise, their relationship makes no sense.

[Cha]

33. How about hiring Clinton or is that

too crass for a former Prez Of The United States(albeit a very political savvy one)?

[mbali]

38. WAYY beneath him. But he can - and does - provide advice privately

eom

[RummyTheDummy]

34. Finally!

I hope this is accurate, though I don't know that it is. One thing I do know is the Kerry team needs some bulldogs who know how to get dirty and play rough. Carville and Begala fit that bill to a T. The current crew isn't getting it done.

[mbali]

37. This may or may not be a good idea . . .

Carville and Begala are the best out there, but the success of a campaign depends heavily upon the chemistry and relationship between the candidate and the strategists.

Bill Clinton and Begala and Carville were a match made in heaven and worked beautifully together. But Begala and Carville are not ideally-suited to everyone. They may not be a good match for Kerry.

We shouldn't assume that just because someone is successful on one campaign, that they can automatically work magic on any and every other campaign.

[Chomskyite]

39. It's time to bring in Deion Sanders

Anybody remember the San Francisco 49ers team of 1994? They were already pretty good, but they needed a guy who could just tear the throat out of the other team. So they got Deion Sanders mid-way through the season. They were then unbeatable.

Kerry needs a Carville or a Begala to come in and do that. He needs a guy (or woman) who can turn a defense into instant and inevitable offense.

[name not needed]

42. kick

:kick:

[JanMichael]

43. Didn't Carville's last "clients" just lose to Hugo Chavez?

Not so sure about him anymore:-)

[Southsideirish]

47. Ya, they did but he's very effective when he's on the scent.