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ATTLEBORO - Democrats across the country are taking sides in the presidential primary fight, but Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., has so far stayed on the sidelines.

That is about to change as Kerry said Wednesday he plans to pick a candidate "very soon."

The Massachusetts primary is Feb. 5, when almost two dozen states vote in what is being called "Super Duper Tuesday" and "Tsunami Tuesday" because there are so many convention delegates at stake.

Kerry, the Democratic nominee four years ago, refused to indicate at an event in Attleboro which way he was leaning, or exactly when he will make his announcement.

He said he anticipates a long hard fight between the candidates now that New Hampshire has voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton after Iowa went for Sen. Barack Obama. It is critical, he said, for the party to come together after the nominating fight, and for the contenders not to get nasty against each other.

"We don't want Democrats swift-boating Democrats. We have to stay on the high ground," he said.

The swift boat comment was a reference to his presidential campaign, during which critics questioned the legitimacy of the medals he won during the Vietnam War as a swift boat captain.

The senator was in Attleboro to speak to the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, which was meeting at Coelho Middle School.

The committee also held workshops for Democrats interested in running for the state Legislature.

Long-shot presidential candidate Mike Gravel was scheduled to appear, but the former senator from Alaska had to cancel because he has a respiratory infection, according to his campaign.

While most of the electoral attention is focused on the presidential race, Kerry made a case to the committee that the upcoming congressional elections are also important.

Kerry is up for re-election.

He said some Democrats are disappointed that Congress has been unable to end the war in Iraq and make progress on other issues since the party took control.

The problem, he said, is that it takes 60 votes to pass anything in the Senate over the threat of a filibuster. Then it takes 67 votes in the Senate to override a veto from President Bush. If more Democrats are elected to Congress, legislation to improve health care for children, cleaning up the environment and protecting homeowners against predatory lending practices will pass, he said.

The audience gasped when he said the mayor of Brockton told him 400 homes in that city have been foreclosed on, and 800 more will be soon.

"I've never seen such unfairness as I see today," he said.

JIM HAND covers politics for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0399 or at jhand@thesunchronicle.com.