Supporters and protesters braved heavy rain and wind while they lined Market Street in Wheeling Sunday night waiting for Sen. John F. Kerry, who brought his campaign to the Ohio Valley.
Kerry was scheduled to speak to an audience of about 800 people today at Wheeling Park's White Palace, as well as to tour the McElroy Mine in Marshall County. The Wheeling stop is part of a three-day trip by Kerry to discuss with voters and local community leaders his plan to create new and better jobs in America. On the tour, Kerry will unveil new proposals designed to create and keep jobs in America and make the country more competitive in the world.
Kerry also plans to stop in southwestern Pennsylvania as part of the day's schedule, and he will spend Tuesday traveling in Ohio, visiting both Youngstown and Cleveland. Wednesday will take Kerry from Toledo to Michigan. All four states - West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan - are viewed by most political analysts as key states in deciding the outcome of the November presidential election.
In Wheeling, while pro-Kerry demonstrators holding signs printed with "Jobs First" and "Steelworkers for Kerry" heavily outnumbered protesters, a group of about 25 supporters of President George W. Bush made their voices heard, chanting "four more years" and holding their own signs while they waited.
One Bush supporter dressed in a dolphin costume and held a homemade sign printed with, "John Kerry, I'm a flipper too," a reference to an accusation made by opponents of Kerry who have said he "flip-flops" on issues. While the two groups waited for Kerry to arrive, they exchanged taunts from opposite sides of the street.
Even as rain began to fall, soaking many of those who attended the outdoor event, both sides managed to keep their spirits, and political convictions up, by taunting each other.
For the Kerry supporters, a "jobs first" chant and "out source Bush" were favorite chants, while the Bush supports yelled "flip-flop," as well as "four more years." rest of story