Some are all ayes for a Kerry delay on an acceptancePage 2 of 2 -- "Generally, we know what's on the table," the aide said. "We just have to decide if we want to do it or not."
If Kerry does decide to do it, he will not face widespread rebellion. For many delegates, the Democratic National Convention will be about beating Bush, said Gordon Fischer, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party. "Iowa Democrats are so concerned and angry about the direction of the country, and we just want a change," Fischer said. "The only thing Iowa Democrats want is for John Kerry to win, and set a new course that will help create jobs, lift the economy, and bring us out of chaos in Iraq. And if Senator Kerry and his campaign team determine the best way to do that is to not officially accept nomination at the convention and accept it down the road, that's fine." Not every delegation will be thrilled, however. Ron Oliver, chairman of the Democratic party of Arkansas, said Kerry would be making a mistake if he were to delay his official nomination so that he can continue to raise money. Accepting the nomination before the delegates is a "decades-old tradition," Oliver said. Bucking that tradition will take the wind out of the convention, he said. Whatever advantage Kerry gains in fund-raising will be offset by "bad feelings and bad publicity," he said. "I think that dampens the whole feeling. I just think it's a mistake," Oliver said. Accepting the nomination on the convention's final night "is one of the most exhilarating moments. If you love politics, that is the holy grail of American politics, that speech and the balloons coming down is the most magnificent part of the whole political process. It will feel empty if he doesn't accept." The general mood in the Democratic leadership contrasts sharply with the view of political pundits, who question Kerry's strategy. One of them, Garrison Nelson, professor of political science at the University of Vermont, called the proposed maneuver "the tail wagging the dog." The moment when the candidate accepts the nomination is "the whole point" of the convention, he said. "The point is to be there at the moment when you have turned your party's nomination over to the great man and he has accepted it," Nelson said. "That's what you're paying for, what you busted your buns years and years for, to get through county committees and state committees and you're finally there at the national stage. It's one of the great dramatic moments of American politics. And just to take it away because you want to have more money to spend. . . I hope this is just some silly trial balloon."
Glen Johnson of the Globe Staff contributed. Yvonne Abraham can be reached at abraham@globe.com. © Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.
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