The Hiller Instinct: Kerry's Ride

Before John Kerry gets off his plane in Atlanta, campaign staffer Connie Larossa has already been there three days...

Connie LaRossa, Kerry Staffer
"Travelling press, we're going to go on the bus..."

Comfortable and confident, she looks like a long time aide, but before she signed on with Kerry, she was with presidential candidate Bob Graham and then Wesley Clark, until the general surrendered…

Connie LaRossa, Kerry Staffer
"He actually told the entire campaign staff to continue with whoever the nominee would be and I chose Senator Kerry."

Andy Hiller
"If Kerry lost, would you work for Edwards?"

Connie LaRossa, Kerry Staffer
"i would not."

Kerry, who's been called the "lanky yankee" is in Georgia because it's a super Tuesday battleground. He goes to a well-known Atlanta church to convince parishioners he's not just northern... with some success…

"Well, you can see it in the rhythm... he's southern enough (laughs)."

There's a full house for his major event of the day, and Kerry hugs congressman John Lewis, a legendary civil rights leader who's endorsed him…

Andy Hiller
"He's got some southern in him?"

Lewis
"Oh very much so. He went to church with us today. I think if he didn't have any, he got some now."

Former Georgia Senator Max Cleland has been in politics long enough to know what Kerry could be up against…

Andy Hiller
"You knew Mike Dukakis?

Max Cleland, Former Georgia Senator
"Yeah."

Andy Hiller
"And you know John Kerry?"

Max Cleland, Former Georgia Senator
"Yeah."

Andy Hiller
"What happens if the republicans try to turn John Kerry into Mike Dukakis?"

Max Cleland, Former Georgia Senator
"It's impossible... John Kerry's not Mike Dukakis."

Jill Zuckman of the Chicago Tribune is one of the reporters, who travels with Kerry, and she knows him better than most because she used to work in Boston…

Andy Hiller
"Were you surprised when he turned it around?"

Jill Zuckman, Chicago Tribune
"I was amazed. I mean I, it was such a huge hill to climb."

Andy Hiller
"Is there anybody, who wasn't surprised?"

Jill Zuckman, Chicago Tribune
"I'm not sure. Maybe John Kerry wasn't surprised. I don't know."

Andy Hiller
"There was a time not so long ago when some people thought you were finished."

Sen. John Kerry (D) Presidential Candidate
"Sure."

Andy Hiller
"And I look at you and I think frankly, Senator Lazarus, (Kerry laugh) was there a time when you thought, I've turned it around?"

Sen. John Kerry (D) Presidential Candidate
"Yeah… and I'd say to people, ‘hey, watch Iowa, we're doing well there’, and people looked at me with a great big question mark and thought I was crazy."

But no one is calling Kerry crazy now, in fact, here's what someone calls out as he leaves the Atlanta church…

"Goodbye, Mr. President."

With the Kerry campaign, I'm Andy Hiller, 7News.