Posted on 02/08/2004 1:49:25 AM PST by kcvl
Feb. 8, 2004. 01:00 AM
Ketchup heiress adds spice to primaries
JENNIFER WELLS
The suddenly submersible Howard Dean campaign presents the prospect of two possible outcomes.
One, that Dr. Judith Steinberg, a.k.a. Judy Dean, may soon be able to retreat restfully to her medical practice in Shelburne, Vt.
And two, that voters down there and interested observers up here will be treated to more of an earful from Teresa Heinz Kerry.
About Dr. Steinberg we have heard and read much. Specifically, we have been informed that Steinberg wasn't wholly into her husband's big bid to rule the U.S. Democratic party. Or at least that was the suspicion fuelled by Steinberg's breakout decision not to play "wife of" through the caucus and primary rigmarole.
A month ago, Dean told the New York Times that he had no intention of dragging Steinberg around as a "prop on the campaign trail." In fact, voters had little chance of sizing her up, he said, "unless you get sick in Shelburne."
It was a great line. Sadly, we now know that it held true only as long as Dean was front-runner. With the campaign faltering — all right, collapsing — Judith Steinberg fell victim to her husband's campaign handlers.
Transformed into Judy Dean, she was offered up to the media, most notably to Diane Sawyer on the ABC network. The woman the Times described as "wearing sensible flats and no makeup or earrings" lived up to her prior billing. "I'm not," she told Sawyer, "that interested in things."
Steinberg's refreshing character revelations were cheering. What wasn't: the clear conclusion that a presidential hopeful campaigning sans mate is an idea that's not yet ready for prime time. There's been much clacking about this is in the American press.
"The Deans threatened people's notions about the role of the wife in politics," wrote Sally Quinn in the Washington Post last week.
Let's give the electorate a break. Let's say to the likes of Eddie Kasperowicz — a retired 74-year-old auto worker who asked of Dean, "When will America have a chance to meet your bride?" — that America has the right to demand an introduction to the spouse. Then let's say, how about giving them a doozy?
Come on down, Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Senator John Kerry, whom she refers to as her husband, and widow of Jack Heinz — of the ketchup Heinzes — whom she also refers to as her husband.
There is, the media would have you believe, something odd about that. As if she can't keep her husbands straight. Why couldn't she remember to say late husband, for Pete's sake?
In pondering this, Heinz Kerry revealed herself to be not addled at all. In an interview with Elle magazine, she eloquently said this: "There is a suspicion that you can't love more than one person. I mean, mothers love many children at once. If you grow up with somebody and love them, of course you miss them. He taught me about life. He gave me three sons. What the hell, I will always love him."
In the same feature, the senator's wife is asked about her predilection for calling herself Teresa Heinz. To which she replied, "Now, politically, it's going to be Teresa Heinz Kerry, but I don't give a shit, you know?"
Such proclamations have caught the political press off guard, chiefly because the candidate's wife appears so, there's no other word for it, unguarded.
Heavens, she says what she thinks.
A stark contrast to the all-but-invisible Judith Steinberg, Heinz Kerry is full-blown, in your face, in Technicolor. To some — and I will cite Michelle Malkin at the Kansas City Star here — this image does not appeal. "It's only a matter of time before we witness another Howard Dean Moment in the Democratic presidential race — but not, I predict, from any of the Democratic presidential candidates," wrote Malkin.
"Skulking in the campaign background is a ticking time bombette with a volatile temper and acid tongue who makes Dean look like Mr. Rogers on Prozac."
Why the animus?
Heinz Kerry is the most textured political partner to come along in a good long while. Born and raised in Mozambique, daughter of a Portuguese doctor, Heinz Kerry speaks five languages and, according to various news reports, has engaged in jolly exchanges in Portuguese and French on the hustings. She extols the virtues of green tea. What is so odd about that?
She's 65 and brought to the Kerry marriage three sons, while Kerry brought two daughters, raising the prospect of a blended First Family and one that, at least from what we know so far, isn't nuts, like the Reagans.
What's not to love, or at least admire? For someone almost unfathomably rich — her Heinz inheritance has been estimated at $550 million (U.S.) — Heinz Kerry appears to be without pretence. She is frank — imagine this, she admits to Botox injections. And to the point, eviscerating the Bush crew as "the most cynical, the most venal, the most Machiavellian administration in my 32 years in Washington."
It has been a dozen years since senator Jack Heinz died in a plane crash. Teresa Heinz married John Kerry nine years ago. The presidential hopeful is clearly the richer for the alliance. American voters, not yet ready to accept a married candidate campaigning solo, should realize that this, too, is their good fortune.
And I'm not talking about money.
Call us old fashioned, but we really prefer first ladies who don't say "shit" to journalists in formal interviews.
Yes he does seserve it.
He's a rat who tries to brow beat her constantly, when out of sight of the cameras.
Teresa was a relatively close acquaintance of mine when she was in Pittsburgh with John. She's not what she seems. And her connection with Kyoto was a youthful indiscretion.
Let her swear and pull away from him, he's a bum.
"From your statement, you are more the fool.
Teresa Simoes-Ferreira was born and raised in Mozambique in east Africa. Fluent in five languages, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in romance languages and literature from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. After graduating from the Interpreters School of the University of Geneva, she worked for the United Nations in New York. In 1966 she married John Heinz, who subsequently became a congressman and U.S. senator from Pennsylvania; he died in a plane crash in 1991. In 1995, she married Senator John Kerry. She has three sons, two stepdaughters, and one grand child, of whom she is inordinately (but understandably) proud."
"After the tragic death of Senator Heinz, she was urged to run for his Senate seat but chose instead to assume direction of the family's extensive philanthropic activities. She immediately undertook a major reorganization designed to sharpen the foundations' strategic focus. Only two years later The Chronicle of Philanthropy noted that under her leadership The Heinz Endowments were already “poised to become a much more influential force in the philanthropic world”."
******
You speak of Teresa, of whom you know very little. Who is the fool?
Laura is a fine lady, but you on the other hand, seem to be the only "whackjob" here.
By the way, fE, if life were fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead.
If their inheritance was set up within a trust, which I suspect is the case with so much money involved, then they are most certainly set for life. Kerry wouldn't be able to get his fingers on assets with a trust. In addition, I'm more the certain Hienz would have taken all precautions known before marrying again. Kerry may very well have been forced to sign an agreement gun point. ; )
She is tired, and I don't think she IS happy. (She is 64 afterall.) She is conflicted, I don't really think she likes Kerry too very much. (If you have no memory of John Heinz, he was a beautiful, unassuming, intelligent Republican man, and Kerry can not hold a candle to John Heinz, and I think she becomes more aware of this every day.
Anyhow, are you going to watch G.W. this morning on 'Meet The Depressed'?
Kerry was made to sign a document. He has to beg for funds from Teresa, and that is a good thing. Kerry on his boney knees, begging! ;)
Throw her "F-ing" husband into the mix, and we have two spoiled, vain, juvenile garbage-mouths masquerading as normal human beings.
I wonder how much that makes it up for her?? Otherwise she might have divorced him years ago...??
No criticism here from me, I just am confused by that sentence.
If you are wondering why she never split from Lurch, I dontt know. I would guess..........inertia....you know how that can get when you get older ....... and stuck,and too tired to move on! ;)
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