IIRC Blackwell told Kerry that the number of outstanding votes was less then the margin bewtween Bush & Kerry. Something like there are 90k outstanding porvisionals, and the margin is 125k.

As was discussed on Democratic Underground, the real number of uncounted votes was closer to 400k. RFK Jr's math is very close to that number. Anyway, Kerry thinks that he doesnt have enough of the provisionals to make up the difference.

Blackwell lied to Kerry. No one knew the real provisional ballot numbers until much later. SO.. leave the 250k number out of the story, it just complicates the jist of the story.

This is how the story should read: Kerry said he is headed for Ohio. Jim tells Mary, Mary tells the boyz in the WH. The WH tells Blackwell that Kerry is on the way to Ohio. Blackwell lies to Kerry. Kerry quits.

We at DU suspected this by the end of 2004. We knew that Blackwell lied. By the end of the Ohio recount, enough Kerry votes showed up to make the Margin between Bush & Kerry about 112k.

By August of 2004, Kerry had raised around 3.5 million for his legal contingency fund. He was ready to fight.

Roger Fox

Posted at October 7, 2006 8:33 PM in response to Did Carville Tip Bush Off to Kerry Strategy (Woodward)