Reply #61: From the op the comment was after the election [View All]

Also, these are comments out of context, that may not have been said. Given Edwards put down of Shrum's description of the meeting at Edwards' house before the IWR vote, it may well be that he puts his (Shrum's) thoughts in the mouths of others. (The Shrum Edwards' story makes no sense as Edwards was a co-sponsor as of the date it was read in the Senate (10/03/02) and an advocate of the bill and was STILL 100% behind having invaded in the pre-primaries in 2003.)

Kerry never said he thought Edwards should decline to run in 2008 if Kerry did. Some media people suggested the Leiberman parallel - which didn't fit. Kerry has mentioned several things that hurt in 2004 - many such as the climate of terror everyone would have faced, he has said that they needed to get past the media in getting their message out (the media was very hostile towards Democrats in 2004, it may be less so in 2008), the country had not sufficiently turned against the war and the disadvantage of having to spread general election money over 13 weeks to the Republicans' 8 weeks. He has not blamed others - not Shrum, Cahill, Edwards etc. He did very nearly win - and might have in a clean election. He did say that he knew things that he would do differently now, which takes responsibility himself.

Both Edwards have said negatives things about the Kerrys. Neither Kerry has said anything negative about either of the Edwards - if they did we would have had it in the JK group. That is Kerry's style. The comment that the Edwards stopped calling could well have been the response to Shrum asking if he was still in touch with the Edwards. (A reasonable question and response between 2 people about a mutual aquaintance.) I have not read when Kerry supposedly said he regretted picking Edwards - in a private conversation, if it was after Elizabeth Edwards made negative comments about Teresa, it's pretty mild. Also, remember, Kerry saying that would be admitting a mistake he made.