John Kerry was Running for President, Before he Decided Against It

Democrats seem to be coming out of the woodwork to announce their plans to be contenders in the 2008 presidential election. Senator John Kerry made a different step today and announced that he'll be seeking re-election to his senate seat rather than a shot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It was a positive, politically crafted message. He's running for re-election, it wasn't an announcement that he would not be running for President. In his missive to his supporters posted on johnkerry.com he said:

The people of Massachusetts have given me an incredible privilege to serve in the Senate, to represent the birthplace of freedom, the cradle of liberty, and a state where in Faneuil Hall patriotic dissenters stood on principle. I want to continue representing Massachusetts, and that's why I am running for reelection so I can use my voice all day every day to end this war and galvanize grassroots action to force Washington and our Democratic Party to live up to its responsibility.

…and to not tell botch jokes, bore the pants off of some middle of Montana voter who wonders who that French guy is, or make statements like "I voted for the war, before I voted against it," ok, we're done now. That's about all of the Kerry jokes we had to purge in preparation for a localized senate campaign to be muffled by the Presidential election hubbub. Senator Kerry we've enjoyed the visibility you've afforded the people and politics of Massachusetts. All we ask of you in 2008 – help preserve the electoral votes we've got, this whole losing population thing is really a downer.

Image from the "Still Fighting for Massachusetts" message Kerry posted on his website to disseminate his decision to run for re-election, not election.