This Houston Chronicle cartoon will change tomorrow
Posted on 06/23/2004 1:47:28 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Teresa Heinz Kerry, the millionaire philanthropist who aspires to be First Lady, campaigned for her husband in Miami on Tuesday, her penchant for candor drawing as many television cameras as a potential presidential candidate.
It was the solo Miami debut of the woman strategists suggest is John Kerry's best weapon in the fight to woo working women, and the unscripted Heinz Kerry didn't disappoint, lauding her husband's commitment to healthcare for all while musing about the right approach to cracking down on Fidel Castro.
''This is just off the top of my head,'' she said at one point as she drew comparisons between sanctions against South Africa -- where she went to school and marched against apartheid -- to restrictions against Cuba.
Asked about her husband's recently released Cuba policy, in which he advocates for more travel to the island, Heinz Kerry sought to portray the political strife as a personal one, suggesting her experience makes her sympathetic to the plight of Cuban American exiles.
Heinz Kerry, who was born in Mozambique, the daughter of a Portuguese doctor, said her family's home was seized by the Marxist regime that took over the country. Her parents were forced to flee, she said.
''I understand the wound and hurt that doesn't go away,'' she said, her voice trailing off. ``It hasn't for me. It's a longing, it's a hurt, it's a loss of roots.''
Campaign strategists believe Heinz Kerry, who heads the charitable foundation established by her first husband, the late Sen. John Heinz, can appeal to an array of constituencies, chief among them the working women whom both campaigns are courting. Though polls give Kerry an edge among women, the Bush campaign has sought to narrow the gender gap, last month kicking off a ''W for Women'' national campaign in Orlando, featuring Florida Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings and state First Lady Columba Bush.
But it was Heinz this week who proved the draw, headlining Monday night what was said to be the most successful fundraiser ever organized by women. The event at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables raised close to $300,000, and drew only a smattering of men.
SHE'S OUTSPOKEN
There, Heinz Kerry poked fun at her outspokenness -- something Republicans hope to exploit, contrasting Heinz Kerry, who often has her own campaign staff cringing as she speaks her mind, with the more traditional First Lady, Laura Bush.
''I am opinionated, so they say,'' Heinz Kerry said to laughter. ``My hope is that at the end of this campaign, women who have earned their right to their opinion will never be called opinionated, just inspired and well-informed.''
Addressing a group of professional women at Miami-Dade College's north campus Tuesday, Heinz Kerry touted her husband's policies as family-friendly and saluted the women she called ``chaos managers.''
''They manage chaos everyday -- that's a woman's job,'' she said, noting, to laughter, 'at the end of the day no one asks, `Do you want a neck rub, honey? Do you need a drink?' ''
Former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek, whose son, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, is chairing Kerry's campaign in Florida, complimented Heinz Kerry on marrying well.
`BOTH TIMES'
''Both times,'' Heinz Kerry responded, as the audience laughed.
``Both times. It's because I am a smart woman.''
Heinz Kerry is heir to the $500 million Heinz ketchup fortune, but Meek, who introduced Heinz Kerry as a ''phenomenal woman,'' said she didn't expect her wealth to be a hindrance, noting Heinz Kerry's philanthropy and stance against apartheid in college.
''I think she's much closer to folks than he is,'' Meek said, referring to Kerry's often aloof persona.
''We've seen a lot of presidential candidates, but we haven't seen many Teresa Heinz Kerrys,'' Meek said.
This Houston Chronicle cartoon will change tomorrow
(CBS) She is both rich and reachable.
"I'd like to be a dog," she says to a group of pre-schoolers. "Do you know why? Wouldn't you like to be a dog? I would. Dogs are friendly."
"Seven dollars an hour today is equivalent to the minimum wage a while back - quite a while back," Heinz Kerry said, referring to her husband's plan to phase in the $1.85 increase by 2007. "People earning minimum wage don't suffer from excess money."
The wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry courted women professionals at Miami Dade College amid a three-day campaign trip through Florida. After appearing at a Boca Raton fund-raiser Tuesday, she was traveling to Orlando to address economic issues today.
Heinz Kerry said her husband would help create a climate where women would receive "equal pay for equal work" and propose small-business tax credits of up to 50 percent to help them provide health-care coverage for employees.
She also told an audience that included former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek, D-Miami, and several state lawmakers of Kerry's proposal to have the federal government help small businesses cover the costs of catastrophic medical care, which the campaign has said could save a family as much as $1,000 each year.
During a panel discussion of women professionals, Heinz Kerry nodded her head and took detailed notes while hearing suggestions ranging from health-care proposals to civic awareness for immigrant children and the United States' policy on Haiti. She promised to pass along their comments to her husband.
Marliene Bastien, executive director of the Haitian Women of Miami, told Heinz Kerry that 3,000 Haitians with American-born children are facing deportation to a country struggling with a political crisis and the aftermath of deadly flooding. She asked Kerry's campaign to support a temporary protected status for those Haitians in danger of being deported.
Sheila-Rea York of Miami described her life of juggling three jobs with pre-med classes at Miami Dade College, where she returned more than two decades after completing high school. A licensed massage therapist, York said she cares for millionaires but struggles to afford health care.
"It shouldn't be an issue living in this country that you don't have health care," York said.
Kerry's wife, ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz Kerry, has weighed in: "Another thing that drives me crazy is Wal-Mart. They destroy communities."
If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. - Harry S. Truman.
"I'd like to be a dog," she says to a group of pre-schoolers.
Now boys and girls, what kind of dog rhymes with "rich"?
Hardly a ringing endorsement of the *candidate*, is it?
Ha! That sounds realistic.
A lot of suckers in FL.
No kidding. Who's the candidate???
You must admit she's right on this.
She was very nice (and beautiful) back in the 60's when married to John Heinz (a real gentleman). She sure has changed some of her colors since then. Bummer.
Woof-woof. Rich *itch and hypocrite.
HEINZ BLASTS WAL-MART; OWNS $1 MILLION IN STOCK, PURCHASED BULK IN '02
Teresa Heinz Kerry blasted WAL-MART -- but an investigation reveals she has over $1,000,000 in WAL-MART stock, and purchased a ton of it throughout 2002
Teresa Heinz Reality:
H.J. Heinz III Marital Trust
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Assets: Over $1,000,000
Dividends, Income: $2,501 - $5,000
Transactions:
04/04/02: Purchase: $500,001 - $1,000,000
04/05/02: Purchase: $500,001 - $1,000,000
06/04/02: Purchase: $15,001 - $50,000
06/06/02: Purchase: $50,001 - $100,000
11/13/02: Purchase: $50,001 - $100,000
11/14/02: Purchase: $15,001 - $50,000
11/14/02: Purchase: $15,001 - $50,000
She certainly is opinionated.
Why doesn't TeRAYsa put her money where her mouth is and donate a few hundred million to help feed, clothe, and give health care to everyone? She suffers from excess money.
This is a new low even for Dumbocrats.....a $500M "victim."
Former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek, whose son, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, is chairing Kerry's campaign in Florida, complimented Heinz Kerry on marrying well.
`BOTH TIMES'
''Both times,'' Heinz Kerry responded, as the audience laughed.
``Both times. It's because I am a smart woman.''
So much for love.
So much for feminism.
She shounds like a Gabor sister.
We native Floridians don't consider S.E. Florida to be part of the United States.
The Kerry's will helped to create equality...The commoners are all equally loathsome and they shall make them all equally poor....
Thurston and Lovey Kerry....
imo
(Left) Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie. (Right) Tootsie and friend.
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