Kerry Edwards Nixed Wendy's, Feasted Instead on 5 Star Fare

NewsMax.com, MidHudsonNews.com ^ | Aug. 1, 2004 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

When John Kerry, John Edwards and their wives descended on a Newburgh, New York, Wendys on Friday for a 'lite" lunch with the common people, it was all just a photo op.

Team Kerry Edwards had already ordered their real lunches - consisting of five star gourmet food from a tony local restaurant - with instructions to have the haute cuisine ready for pick-up after the top Democrats ditched Wendy's.

"A member of the Kerry advance team called Nikola’s Restaurant at the Newburgh Yacht Club the night before and ordered 19 five-star lunches to go that would be picked up at noon Friday," MidHudsonNews.com reported on Sunday.

"Management at the restaurant, which is operated by CIA graduate chef Michael Dederick, was told the meals would be for the Kerry and Edwards families and actor Ben Affleck who was with them on the tour."

After tossing out their cheeseburgers and chili, Kerry and Edwards feasted on shrimp vindallo, grilled diver sea scallops, prosciutto, wrapped stuffed chicken, and steak salad.

The meals came to about $200, MidHudson News said.

[lysie]

More comments here!

[SoCal Pubbie]

You're right, every politician does things just for a photo op. President Bush would not normally host a championship team, for instance, if his address was not on Pennsylvania Avenue. But in this case the politician is really practicing deciet. If they had actually ate at Wendy's, even if they hated the grub and never set foot in a fast food restaurant again, it would be okay. In this case it's all to make them look like common folk, which they are not.

If Bush went around in a cowboy hat and boots on his ranch and then went inside to pour French wine and have a little Brie that would be fair game too.

[EggsAckley]

I just love how they are dragging Affleck along with them. Kind of like a hood ornament.

[DeFault User]

Here's more of the story from Mid-Hudson News:

The gourmet meals to go included shrimp vindallo, grilled diver sea scallops, prosciutto, wrapped stuffed chicken, and steak salad. The meals came to about $200.

The entourage had also expected to stop at the Alexis Diner at Route 9W and North Plank Road in the Town of Newburgh. In fact, the Kerry advance team had ordered 125 lunches for the team and supporters. Their buses drove right by the diner on I-84 and proceeded straight to Wendy’s.

Seems that the "little people" eat at diners or Wendy's. I wonder how much Alexis was out for the lunches?

[TomGuy]

It could be one of the 'inadvertant' dropping of a zero by the reporter. More likely, the 5-star tab would have been closer to $2000 for 19 than $200 for 19.

12 years ago, a boss took the office out to a 5-star dinner. The dinners alone, 12 years, were $19 to $30 each. Salad, dessert, drinks were all extras.

[F.J. Mitchell]

I see, just a little instigating, huh?

[b4its2late]

Typical Limp Liberals......

[b4its2late]

Whhoooops...... s/b

Typical Limp Limo Liberals......

Though I guess the first post was fine too.... LOL!

[F.J. Mitchell]

Limp Limo Liberals, is even better.

[Bob]

After tossing out their cheeseburgers and chili, Kerry and Edwards feasted on shrimp vindallo, grilled diver sea scallops, prosciutto, wrapped stuffed chicken, and steak salad.

While the menu for the 5-star meal was reported in the original source and is accurate, the claim that they tossed out the Wendy's meals just wasn't there.

FR thread - Original article

There have been published photos showing the four of them sitting down at a table at Wendy's. The food was on the table and the burger wrappers were open.

I don't know -- maybe they actually did toss the meals but that claim sure isn't supported by the original report and the photos.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Counting down for someone to ask how many of the meals were for Ms. Edwards...

Liz and John look like Kermit and Miss Piggy

[Physicist]

After tossing out their cheeseburgers and chili,

He didn't toss the meals. He only tossed the ribbons.

[Physicist]

$200 was probably just for the tip.

That's the last thing I'll believe.

[lugsoul]

Nah, just wondering aloud...

[independentmind]

$200 for even a five-star takeout lunch would be an astronomical price. If you google Nikola's, you will find that their entrees in 2002 were running between $16 and $20 for dinner.

And according to the review I found, Nikola's is not a five-star restaurant. Someone is guilty of hyperbole.

[mikrofon]

Somehow, I don't think they chucked the Wendys' fare...

[Mrs. E: "You guys gonna finish those??"]

[Jank]

Kerry probably didn't tip, "Don't you know who I am"....

[Libertina]

Weight comments re: Mrs. Edwards are uncalled for and mean.

[ChadGore]

He gets chased out of a Wendys by a few proud Marines to eat food from the Yacht Club ?

LOLOL

[ChadGore]

He gets chased out of a Wendys by a few proud Marines to eat food from the Yacht Club ?

Kerry heard to say: "give that 5 buck chuck to the baby killers at Wendys, I'll have the french wine"