Posted on 08/14/2004 7:28:23 PM PDT by Roscoe Karns
It was like a rock concert, complete with bright lights and loud music.
But it was not Jon Bon Jovi, who will wow the crowd in Portland during a campaign stop today. It was Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry who wowed them at the Isola Arena at the Jackson County Expo Center late Thursday afternoon.
Not even the heat could keep an overflow crowd of nearly 7,000 from rising as one and raising the roof of the rodeo and livestock arena when Kerry and wife Teresa arrived nearly an hour late.
Kerry, smiling from ear to ear, recognized the enthusiasm coming from the audience.
"You are absolutely spectacular," he shouted from the stage while the crowd noise nearly overwhelmed the microphone. "Each and every one of you."
Kerry then launched into a speech that highlighted the themes he has been putting forth since his nomination two weeks ago. And one that was meant to reach conservatives in Southern Oregon.
Kerry noted that the last Democratic presidential candidate to come to Medford was elected.
"John Kennedy said in 1960 that America must be better and we must move forward," he said. "I am here to repeat that message. I am ready to put common sense back into government."
He said among the changes he would face as president, he would put Americans back to work in better-paying jobs and that he would not allow the government to take our tax money, while rewarding those companies that take their jobs overseas.
Kerry, while never mentioning President Bush by name, aimed his remarks directly at the current administration.
"I am tired of politicians who talk about family values when what we need to do is start valuing families."
He also lambasted the right for saying that if you question the direction the country is going, you are a pessimist.
"There is nothing more pessimistic than suggesting America can't do better than it is today," he said.
And he had a few pointed words for the so-called conservative right.
"I want conservatives to listen to me," Kerry said. "I want to talk to you. We need leadership that doesn't look for issues that divide but that looks for issues that can bring America together."
Kerry, recognizing the older Rogue Valley demographic, also told those at the rally and watching on television that help for them was on the way.
"Unlike the current administration, I support the right of Americans to buy less expensive drugs from Canada," he said. "Medicare is your program. You pay for it. As president, I am going to make sure people have a real Medicare drug prescription plan."
Before Kerry spoke, Jim Rassman, the Florence native who was rescued at sea in Vietnam by Kerry, talked about why he had come to Medford to continue his support Kerry after not seeing him - and being a Republican - for more than 30 years.
"Other than the fact that I am from Oregon, I told John in January that I would go anywhere and do anything I can to help his candidacy."
Rassman was particularly upset at how the recent smear campaign on Kerry from the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" has hurt both Kerry and him.
"Those attacks have been very personally hurtful to me and to John," he said. "Sunday night John told me how much those attacks have hurt him. All those attacks are directly attributable to George Bush, Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. It is very apparent that that organization is a ruse."
Teresa Heinz-Kerry preceded her husband onstage and made note of the heat, saying it was wonderfully warm to be in Medford. She spoke of her husband and of the affection she and Kerry have for Rassman.
Veterans made up a large portion of the audience and they did not mince words when it came to Bush.
"I want a change in this country," said Jim Hamilton, a U.S. Army veteran of Vietnam. "I do not want to see our men dying in a war that is so ridiculous."
Both Hamilton and Navy veteran Karen Denman noted that Kerry also had the money and wherewithal to avoid military service or action in Vietnam. But unlike Bush and Cheney, he chose to serve.
"He went to Vietnam and fought for his country like I did," Hamilton said. "Then he came home and told everyone how wrong the war was."
"We put our time in the military to make sure we as Americans have the right to say what John Kerry said when he came home," Denman added.
Denman wanted to say one more thing before she returned to her seat to listen to Kerry.
"I am ashamed to be an American," she said. "The rest of the world thinks we are terrorists and bullies. That is how they look upon us."
After Kerry finished speaking, he was off to a late-night rally in Eugene. This morning, he stopped in Springfield to hold another "Front Porch" visit with Jeff and Claire Konser at their home. Then it was off to Portland for the final stop in his 15-day, 22-state, cross-country tour.
During the Portland stop, actor Leonardo DiCaprio will join Kerry onstage and Bon Jovi will perform a mini-concert prior to Kerry's speech.
Saturday, Kerry said, he was planning to relax by windsurfing on the Columbia River Gorge before returning home to Massachusetts.
LOL
How appropriate !!
Now we know just how big of a liar these people are. The swiftboat vets have their number and with help from thousands of voluntary donations the ad will continue to run. The hudreds of thousands of "Unfit For Command" books will also get the word out about Kerry's history of lies.
Im ashamed she is an American too
Im ashamed she is an American too
What a jerk. If we reply we already know he'll call us goons.
He'd better be careful. Once TerAYza wanders too closely to the rest of the herd: he'd have a devil of a time picking her out again. :)
"I want conservatives to listen to me," Kerry said. "I want to talk to you."
Kerry is either delusional or talking to no one for fun.
uhhh, ok then. and i'll always appreciate the original misconceptions i had about these two.
"I am ashamed to be an American," she said.
The feeling's mutual, Mz. Denman.
Oh? But you're opposed to outsourcing, right?
John O'Neill has opposed Kerry since 1971. And Kerry wants to unite people - please.
Well. I guess that cinches it. Rassman has shown himself without doubt to be a liar.
Oh boo-hoo. I'd cry you a river but you'd probably fall in it.
The story changes every day. One day the rescue takes place on a river in Vietnam, next day it's at sea. The Sea of Cambodia apparently.
How do we know the guys interviewed are real veterans? Sounds like a reunion of the Winter Soldier investigations.
Let me clear up the common misconception that kerry went to serve his country. He actually went to serve himself first. Whether or not he actually performed any real service to the country is the subject of on going debate.
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