what has he been smoking?

As reported in the Washington Post:

"Democrat John F. Kerry plans to use his Senate seat and long lists of supporters to remain a major voice in American politics despite losing the presidential race last Tuesday, and he is assessing the feasibility of trying again in 2008, friends and aides said yesterday.
Kerry will attend a post-election lame-duck Senate session that begins next week and has said he is 'fired up' to play a highly visible role, the friends and aides said. "

Perhaps the results of the election have not quite sunk in to Mr. Kerry. In addition to losing the race to George Bush (despite an unprescedented effort in his favor by the mainstream media, the Hollywood kooks, and the likes of George Soros), Mr. Kerry's party also lost four senate seats. This will likely translate into fewer choice committee assignments for the remaining democrats. Are they really going to be happy to see Kerry showing up after missing the first two years of his term?

"Bob Shrum, Kerry's chief campaign consultant, told reporters during a Democratic panel yesterday that Kerry "will not do what Al Gore did after the last election -- he will not disappear."

"He will be active and vocal," Shrum said. "He has one of the most powerful lists in the Democratic Party and one of the most powerful fundraising bases in the Democratic Party, and I think he intends to use it to speak out." "

Of course, more of Shrum's record in presidential contests (0 for 8 if I recall correctly) is just what the republicans are looking for.

But I guess some democrats are a bit more realistic:

"Another Democrat involved in Kerry's campaign strategy -- who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, in order to be more candid -- said: "I can't imagine people are going to say, 'It worked pretty well last time. This is what we need next time.' " "