Shakeup: Kerry spokesman plays down staff changes, but admits they may be factor in 2008
John Byrne
Published:
Wednesday January 17, 2007
 Kerry hires two more at DC office, promotes communications chief
The Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee has added two new members to his Washington Senate staff and promoted his Communications Director to Deputy Chief of Staff -- announcing the changes in a press release to reporters, RAW STORY can reveal.
Kerry's new communications director played down the staff changes, saying he didn't consider the changes significant, but said they "may" be among myriad factors considered as the senator makes up his mind about whether to run for president in 2008.
“It’s not really a shakeup," Kerry spokesman Vince Morris told RAW STORY Wednesday. "He had openings and he filled them. Like all the senators, he has to focus on staff who help him with... foreign policy issues and so forth. He was bringing in someone to do healthcare.”
“The senator has said many times that he is going to make a decision very soon, sooner rather than later, and certainly a whole lot of things will factor into it," Morris continued. "Maybe this will be one of them, but in general he is talking to his supporters and deciding what he will do personally. I think that’s the main driver [in that decision].”
“I don’t want you to read to much into it,” he added.
News reports have suggested that Kerry is seriously considering running again. Asked when Kerry would make up his mind, Morris said, "before spring training."
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Kerry Announces Staff Additions
Communications Director, Health Care Policy Expert, and Deputy Chief of Staff Bolster Kerry D.C. Office
Senator John Kerry has promoted long time aide David Wade to Deputy Chief of Staff. He has also hired two new aides and Massachusetts natives in his Senate office, Vince Morris, who will serve as Kerry’s Senate Communications Director, and Chris Dawe, who will serve as Kerry’s Legislative Aide on health issues.
Kerry praised Wade, who has worked for him for nine years, as hard-working and dedicated. Wade started in Kerry’s office as a speechwriter, served as National Traveling Press Secretary for Kerry’s 2004 campaign and later as Senate Communications Director, and now serves as Deputy Chief of Staff. Kerry also welcomed two new staff to his Washington office, Vince Morris, and Chris Dawe. “I’m proud to have such committed, hard-working staff serving Massachusetts. I expect great things from both Vince and Chris,” Kerry said.
Morris comes to Kerry’s office after working for the last two years as Communications Director for Washington DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams, whose eight-year administration ended earlier this month. As Communications Director, Morris coordinated press for the more than 25 separate District government agencies. Before his experience in government, Morris was a newspaper reporter for 15 years. He spent the last six at the New York Post, where he covered the White House, Congress, and the Iraq War, including two-and-a-half month assignment he spent embedded in Iraq with the Third Marine Aircraft Wing.
Morris was raised in Amherst, Mass. and attended public school at Amherst Regional High School. He graduated from Boston University in 1990.
Before joining Senator Kerry’s office, Dawe served as the Legislative Analyst at Jennings Policy Strategies, Inc. a health care policy consulting firm led by Chris Jennings, President Clinton’s former senior health policy advisor in the White House. In his capacity, he worked with clients and Congress on health policy issues including Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drug coverage, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and public and private insurance coverage expansions. During his time with the firm, he also served as the Deputy Director for Global Health at the Clinton Global Initiative.
During the 2004 election cycle, Dawe worked for the South Carolina Democratic Party with a specific focus on the Kerry-Edwards campaign for President.
Dawe is a native of Dighton, MA. He graduated from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in 1996 before graduating magna cum laude from Bowdoin College in May 2000.
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