August 7, 2008 — Is U.S. Senator John Kerry really feeling that threatened by a first-time, relatively unknown, challenger?
First it was an allegedly torrid Senate summer schedule that Kerry said made it impossible for him even to think about debating his Democratic primary opponent, Edward O'Reilly, before the Sept. 16 election.
O'Reilly, a Gloucester attorney, had asked Kerry for a series of 23 debates in public forums and television appearances. That's obviously excessive, but wouldn't one or two be a good compromise?
Apparently not. Roger Lau, Kerry's campaign manager, said on July 28 that Kerry couldn't even discuss debates until he knew when the Senate would recess.
