Winifred Skinner - Do you remember her?

Des Moines Register ^ | 12/01/2003 | KEN FUSON

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

Winifred Skinner doesn't wear her Tommy Hilfiger jacket anymore.

She bought the jacket on sale years ago, before she retired. She wore it as she walked on the east side of Des Moines, picking up discarded soda pop and beer cans, which she redeemed for a nickel apiece, using the proceeds to help pay for her prescription drugs.

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

Do you remember Winifred?

[BreitbartSentMe]

Where in the World is Winifred??

[isthisnickcool]

Ah, another story about people that love being in the "900 club". They will do just about anything to get in the club and just about anything to stay there.

[Howie66]

I remember her, alright. From her comments in the article it sounds like having President Bush in office hasn't hurt her at all. As a matter of fact, it sounds like she's doing better than what she was when clinton was taking up space at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

[NotQuiteCricket]

"I'm not a liar, I'm not a thief, I'm not a cheat and I don't misrepresent things that I don't believe in," she says.

but the woman who stood and explained her prescription-drug problems was so independent, she refused most of the financial assistance offered by her son, Earl "Bud" King of Van Meter. "I just don't want anybody giving me anything," she says.

What else can I say? I mean really?

[Redcoat LI]

"I'm getting a little older each year, you know," she says."

Yes,I know.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Skinner married Leland Skinner in 1942, then they were divorced when he went off to serve in World War II. ("There was some interference from others," is all Winifred says about it.) Skinner then was married for 21 years to Earl King, who died in 1967. In 1987, she and Leland Skinner rediscovered each other and were married a second time, in 1990. He died four years ago.

She's still a spitfire, though. She says her financial situation has improved because she works part time for the Iowa Workforce Development Center, a job she landed through Experience Works Inc. After joining a different medical program, she now pays less for prescription drugs than she did in 2000. Even so, she still shells out at least $250 a month for her five medications.

Well bless her heart. Politics aside, she sure is a spitfire. 82 years old and still working :-)

[newgeezer]

All politicians seek real-life symbols to illustrate the wisdom of their campaign positions, or to point out all the horrible things that might occur should their opponents prevail. It's why presidents plant guests in the gallery during State of the Union speeches.

Forgive the Des Moines Register writer if it wasn't immediately obvious to him that such SOTU "plants" are different because there's no attempt to pass them off as anything but plants.

[ambrose]

She's the old goat who wouldn't take charity from her own son, but will happily take my money?

[newgeezer]

I just don't want anybody giving me anything," she says.

... unless, of course, it's gov't assistance to combat the "high price" of prescription drugs, or regulation of those evil pharmaceutical companies that take advantage of the tired, the poor, the huddled masses. Soak the "rich," Winnie!

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

Bump

[SpinyNorman]

Why do I get the feeling ole Winnie (or is it Whiney?) will "magically" appear at a Kerry townhall meeting when he is talking about pillaging the US economy to give free drugs to women like Winny, who "just don't want anybody giving me anything."

Well, anyone except her son. I guess that means you and me.