Kerry managed to choose John Edwards Tuesday without getting the traditional money shot of the both of them holding their hands aloft. NBC's Tim Russert told Brian Williams this was "very deliberate"--a carefully planned "rollout" designed to dominate the news for most of the week. They'll hold hands tomorrow! ... Aren't Kerry's strategists severely overestimating the excitement surrounding this ticket? They're also failing to take into account the public's increased ability to swiftly process a less-than-shocking story which will be yesterday's news--an hour and a half ago, actually. Today, the Kerry-Edwards money shot would surely have led all the networks. Tomorrow it might well air after the commercial break in a quotidian campaign story covering both sides. ... When do they kiss? This isn't Friends, where the suspense can be dragged out as the nation wonders when Joey and Rachel will hook up!I, for one, am overwhelmed by the suspense!
Over at the American Spectator, the Prowler has a different take on the odd rollout of Opie:
Surprisingly, Kerry was adamant about making the announcement without Edwards being present, an oddity in modern politics, even for a man such as Kerry obsessed with public image. The Kerry campaign spun Edwards' absence from the Tuesday morning announcement by first claiming that it was no big deal (Edwards did a phoner with reporters immediately after the announcement), and then, when that didn't fly, by claiming that the announcement was supposed to be on Wednesday, but fear of leaks pushed the announcement up.Ruh Oh! And things weren't helped by Teresa's dislike for the pretty boy based on some his comments about the Lurchster during the primaries.
In the end, though, say Kerry insiders, they believe it had everything to do with keeping Edwards in his place.
"This selection was not entirely the senator's to make," says a former Kerry adviser. "Despite everything that has been said about a one-man decision, he was getting lots of pressure from outsiders to get Edwards on the ticket. And let's be honest, everyone has known from day one that Edwards was campaigning for this slot throughout the primary season. Kerry knows this is a good pick, but there is unease there that he has picked a man who will overshadow him as a personality and as a speaker. I am not surprised that he left Edwards in Washington and kept the spotlight on himself. That is so John Kerry."
Developing!
