BRAUN ENDORSES LINCOLN
Presidential campaigns send out dozens of e-mail messages every day to supporters and reporters alike, touting their positions and promoting their policies.
But on Presidents Day, which was celebrated Monday, the stream of e-mail included this dispatch: “Carol Moseley Braun for President–Post Campaign News.”
Yes, a month and a day after the former senator from Illinois abandoned her White House bid, she issued a statement praising George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and criticizing President Bush. She also outlined why she had sought the office.
“I ran to build bridges to all communities, to help bring this great country of ours together,” Braun said.
On the day she withdrew, Braun endorsed Howard Dean and pledged to campaign for him. But with Dean’s candidacy flagging, the Chicago politician has not visited Wisconsin to stump for him before Tuesday’s primary.
–Jeff Zeleny
THANKS, BARB
The first rule in politics is to always say thank you.
Before a candidate for office begins a speech, he or she usually thanks all the other elected officials in the room, as well as the host or hostess and any other very important people present.
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Monday at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wis., where Sen. John Kerry was holding a town hall meeting on the economy, he added someone new to the list of thank yous.
“I want to thank, what is your name, for signing for us,” he said.
The surprised sign-language interpreter stopped signing for a moment to look at Kerry and then quietly said her name is Barb.
“Well, Barb, I want to thank you for signing for us,” Kerry said. “They always work so hard signing for us. We never say thank you, so everyone say thank you.”
The crowd applauded for Barb.
–Jill Zuckman