Claiming that they are adding, not firing, aides as it restructures for the fall campaign, the Kerry campaign presented two new members of its team to reporters and top Democrats today. Former Clinton spokesman Joe Lockhart and former Clinton political strategist Doug Sosnick joined several Kerry aides making media rounds today. Their addition suggested that the campaign plans to turn up the heat on Bush with a much more forceful strategy.
In one session attended by the Bulletin and U.S. News, the two didn't back off. Lockhart rapped the president's handling of the war, the economy and jobs and even took a swipe at the Tuesday night convention appearance by President Bush's twin daughters. Sosnick added definition to the campaign, laying out how many volunteers are lining up to help get out the vote.
Kerry aides said that several other top Democratic strategists would be added as Election Day nears. But they insisted the additions came not because of criticism that the campaign has been flat for too long. The top aides reminded reporters that they said they would essentially go dark in August to save up money for the final push. –Paul Bedard, U.S. News
