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Beau,


I'm around all day for a call.


Given how this story in Massachusetts has developed over the last few days, I would recommend waiting until after Tuesday. Announcing your decision -- or leaking it -- before Tuesday will not stop some people from saying your decision was a political calculation. That is part of every story written about every Democrat who has decided not to run for the Senate this year. That is going to be true before or after Tuesday -- although less of a story if by some chance Coakley pulls it out.


But, saying something at this point, I think it will hurt you. You will immediately become inserted in the stories on Mass -- "More bad news for the Democrats just hours before the polls open in Massachusetts". People will ask "Why couldn't he have waited a day or two?". I know this may not seem fair to you -- to somehow be caught up in the mess in Massachusetts -- but I think it's a real consideration -- and one that says you should wait not because it's in Coakley's or the party's interests to do so -- but because it's in your best interests.


In my opinion the best push-back against this storyline is (a) the belief in the Delaware press corps that the Bradley case has made it very difficult for you to run for the Senate and (b) what you say and how you look saying it when you get asked the question.


Again, around all afternoon to talk.


Thanks.


Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: Beau <[email protected]>
To: Alexander Snyder-Mackler <[email protected]>
Cc: Kaufman Ted <[email protected]>; Donilon Mike <[email protected]>; Biden Hunter <[email protected]>
Sent: Sun, Jan 17, 2010 9:16 am
Subject: Re: News journal


A --
Would you please prepare draft of q and a's as well as the home base talking points for purposes of press conf. Would you all be avail to discuss on conf call sometime today.


also, does the Coakley dynamic not speak to doing this tomorrow and/or even by statement or posting of video on AG website. As A points out, are we being too respectful of party, Mass, etc to out detriment, especially when Mass has absolutley nothing to do with it.


Or, might we simply begin calls tonight to Schumer etc so it is on record as a decsion pre-dating Mass outcome and if it leaks, it leaks.


On Jan 17, 2010, at 8:49 AM, Alexander Snyder-Mackler wrote:


It is a difficult storyline to avoid, but assuming you take questions, one will be "when/how did you decide?" "Hallie and I decided last week, and I began telling a few people over the weekend" if you say a name or two, they will either take your word for it or call to confirm. It's not going to kill the storyline but could help.
Still, this is my biggest concern with doing it later in the week -- the combination of "backing away from castle" and a coakley loss in the pundits' reading into your decision.


On Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 8:39 AM, Beau <[email protected]> wrote:

other than making announcement b/f tues, which i think would be bad form in eyes of party, I'm not sure what we can do about that story line other than what our statement says and the facts are...?


On Jan 17, 2010, at 7:25 AM, [email protected] wrote:


In story A3 story today primarily about MA race "The public's mood could scare off establishment democrats considering entering races, such as Beau Biden for Delaware's open senate seat..."
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Alexander Snyder-Mackler
(302) 598-8678


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