Posted on 07/25/2004 3:27:56 PM PDT by martin_fierro
Kerry heckled on his own front porch
COLUMBUS, United States (AFP) - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites)'s presidential campaign took the pulse of the ordinary American homeowner, and came face to face with the polarized nature of the country's electorate.
Four days before he makes a crucial speech at the national Democratic convention in Boston, the Kerry bandwagon rolled into a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, for a "front porch" rally at the home of Jessie and Janet Aitkins.
The carefully choreographed event was gatecrashed by a vocal group of local Republican residents brandishing placards in support of President George W. Bush (news - web sites) and chanting "flip-flop" Kerry -- echoing Republican criticisms of Kerry's Senate voting record.
"Kerry doesn't have anything like Bush's integrity," said David Timms, 32. "Actually, because of his liberal policies, I'm happy he doesn't even vote that often in the Senate."
Some Bush supporters handed out flyers advertising a "Kerry Waffle Raffle."
Earlier in the day, when Kerry visited a local church for a service, one man had to be removed from the congregation when he called the senator from Massachusetts "a big phoney."
Addressing supporters in front of the Aitkins' home, Kerry said he welcomed the voices of opposition.
"Sometimes, they're a little loud," he said over audible Republican voters' chants of "four more years" for Bush. "But that's the nature of democracy."
"Four more years of what?" he added. "Four more years of jobs being lost? Four more years of the deficit growing bigger and bigger?"
Unemployment is a key issue in Columbus and Ohio as a whole, where the slump in US manfacturing industry has seen major layoffs in recent years.
"These lost jobs are not abstract numbers," Kerry said. "They are our neighbours. They are our families."
The Columbus stop was the latest on a symbol-laden pre-convention tour for Kerry, aimed at building some momentum ahead of the Boston gathering, where he will formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday.
Later Sunday he was due to fly to Florida's Cape Canaveral to argue that the same commitment and imagination that took man to the moon should be used to provide affordable health care.
He will also travel to Norfolk, Virginia, home of a naval base and one of the country's largest concentrations of military veterans, while the final stop on the run-in to Boston will be Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were written.
All states included in the tour are expected to be closely fought in the November 2 presidential election, with Florida carrying particular resonance as the scene of Bush's contested victory in 2000 that helped decide the election.
Latest polls give Kerry and his running mate John Edwards (news - web sites) the slimmest of leads over Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites). But a Time Magazine survey released Sunday found that only 29 percent of voters said they knew a "great deal" about Kerry while 67 percent said they knew "a great deal" about Bush.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (R) [sic!] speaks at a 'Front Porch' event at the home of Jessie and Janet Aikens in Columbus, Ohio. The event was crashed by a vocal group of local Republican residents brandishing placards in support of President George W. Bush (news - web sites).(AFP/Luke Frazza)
They probably just didn't like the pink tie.
I'll lay 5 to 4 that at least one of those 'Republican residents' is a FReeper. ;^)
OK, which ones of you was it. <|:)~
Did horse face spend a night at the vinyl siding home?
If he did, I bet he didn't get a wink of sleep.....Could you imagine being forced to sleep on polyester blend sheets!!!!!!
"Own front porch"?
What on Earth?
AFP, which competes with Al Jazeerah and Reuters for the mantle of Goebbels and Streicher, is apparently trying to fool the brain-dead masses of the Euro-audience into thinking that Kerry actually lives in a modest suburban home.
Forget the propaganda about European "sophistication" and "nuance."
The Euro audience is 30 years behind us on the saturation media learning curve, meaning that they haven't learned to exercise the slightest skepticism about what the media lords tell them.
Any of you remember when Walter Cronkite was the "most trusted man in America?" That's about the stage where the Europeans are now.
This was excellent on the part of the locals. Making him feel isolated is likely to make him do something irrational or damaging. I'm surprised the snob handled it so well. I must say i'm impressed... although I still despise Mr. Band-aid purple heart.
It ollks like Comrad Kerry is sayng "DON'T SHOOT"
It looks like Comrad Kerry is sayng "DON'T SHOOT"
Just how many times has Kerry even visited Ohio in his lifetime? He doesn't give a rat's behind about us, except to pander for votes.
As far as unemployment in Columbus, anyone can check out the classified in the local paper. Jobs are plentiful, and I mean good jobs. If I'm rambling, sorry, but I am just sick that I wasn't there to FReep him. I thought his only appearance was at a church, and didn't think that would be appropriate.
"Tell the French I surrender!"
He's emulating his French cousins.
"Four more years of what?"
Hummmm..... Let's see..... Four more years of continuing to take the fight TO the terrorists that would kill demoncrats and Republicans alike HERE on our oun soil if givin a chance.
Four more years to be able to KEEP more of OUR MONEY in the form of tax cuts that YOU want to repeal Mr. Kerry.
Four more years to be able to look upon the White House with pride and know that it is occupied by a man of Honor.
Four more years of knowing that the man that lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. actually has MY best interests at heart.
Please feel free to add more.......
Good point! Ever seen Bush in a pink tie?
I wish someone would ask Kerry what exactly he proposes to do to bring back the manufacturing jobs.
This little Kerry porch visit is on C-Span's Road To The White House" right now...after Kerry is President Bush for those that are interested. Think it is the President's Dinner in Washington D.C. - I'm going to watch for sure!
See what we missed?!!!!!
Those signs are sweet!
Pray for W and Our Troops
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