I want to laugh. Hilary would be such a lightning rod as to take all focus off of Kerry, and there is just no way to coax fence-sitters with her on the ticket. So what could it all be about, this report from a "top Washington insider?"
Read the language closely. . .
"There are three issues that this campaign will be decided on-- national security, health care, and the economy, not necessarily in that order."
"Kerry believes that no one is better on national security than he is, he served in Vietnam after all, so he has that covered and the suggestion that he needs to strengthen the ticket with someone who has national security credentials is dismissed as foolish."
The insider continues: "The Democrats feel like health care is the domestic issue. But how to make it the dominant topic of conversation-- break through war and terrorism? Hillary Clinton. She catapults it out front with her commission. She tried to provide health care before and the Republicans in congress attacked her and her husband and used a bunch of scandals dirty tricks to stop it, we know they are scandals dirty tricks because the former president book says so. So now you have the number two person on the ticket who is a 'health care expert' and what will Republicans do? Attack on health care pointing to her commission saying that it was government medicine. Her response-- it wasn't, and the Republicans are a bunch of dirty tricksters, "Liars and Crooks," as Kerry calls them, and its been too long and Democrats wont let the Republicans do it to them again. By the way, it puts prescription drugs on the back burner, the republicans health care ace. You will have a fully engaged national debate on health care from now until the election."
Drudge's supposed "scoop"
Look at the way the supposed insider couches how Kerry thinks, what the issues are, etcetera. Can there be any doubt when reading here that the supposed insider is antagonistic to Kerry?
This story is a plant, and Drudge, who may as well have the intelligence of a plant, has eaten it up as if it were Miracle Gro. I can't even give him credit for knowing his base and having the foresight to serve them up the kinds of lies and rumors they'll love. He's been spun by some Republican operative who has no clue as to Kerry's VP selection process is my read.
There's just no story here, or about as much as when Drudge scooped the world on Kerry's fictional mistress.
What does this really say? The Republicans are nervous enough to be planting such rumors. Yes, they are very nervous.
