Posted on 03/16/2004 3:23:08 AM PST by Jim Noble
It looks like John Kerry might not have the ``matzo balls'' to take Southie's St. Patrick's Day heat after all.
The newly minted Democratic presidential nominee plans to skip the annual breakfast lampooning Sunday to take a weeklong vacation, aides told the Herald.
And this time, the aides say not to expect a reprisal of last year's cancellation and surprise appearance amid reports of his newfound Jewish ancestry - where Kerry boomed, ``Who said I don't have the matzo balls to be here?'' Kerry fully expects the haranguing to be worse if he's a no-show.
``We know for sure he's going to get lampooned,'' said Kerry senior adviser Michael Meehan. ``We expect the best and hardest and brightest to fire away with all their Irish glitter and charm.''
But one former host of the annual event, U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, said Kerry deserves a break after primaries in three dozen states over the past two months.
``I think people realize he's got a pretty tense schedule now and he's running all over the place,'' Lynch said. ``So I think people would give him a pass - I know I will.''
But others aren't likely to be so forgiving, including Republicans who were yesterday trying to make sure President Bush [related, bio] calls in to the annual fete at the Ironworkers' hall to show up the hometown senator.
``I guess he'd rather spend his time dreaming up conspiracies with unnamed foreign leaders than attend the St. Patrick's breakfast in his back yard,'' said Dominick Ianno, executive director of the state GOP.
Kerry announced last March 11 he intended to skip the party in the wake of his prostate cancer surgery and hectic campaign schedule. His decision came amid reports that some had just learned Kerry's roots are Jewish, not Irish.
The Bay State senator joined the fray in a last-minute surprise.
The Kerry aides said the senator will have no official events for a week starting this Thursday. They said Kerry is likely to vacation out of town, but couldn't absolutely rule out a last-minute change of heart on appearing by phone or in person.
``He and his wife are talking about where they want to go on vacation and they haven't settled on it yet,'' Meehan said. After a campaign speech Wednesday, Meehan said the senator ``will be down until next Thursday. He's not scheduled to do anything.''
State Sen. Jack Hart didn't return calls, but last year, advised Kerry to ``face the music.''
Turn it up.
Kerry may want to rethink his plans to skip this event, especially if his role model made it. More than likely, Kerry doesn't want to take the bashing he'd get after pretending to be an Irishman all these years. This guy's a real chicken-$hit in my estimation.
The next thing you know they'll be asking for reparations.
Chicken$#&$
Apparently they decided that it would be better if Kerry couldn't respond to the jabs.
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