Posted on 09/25/2004 5:29:40 AM PDT by itsnevertoolate
Even to the party faithful, an hourlong speech dense with terms like "costing the differential" is a tough sell.
But Teresa Heinz Kerry came to Pueblo and sold it Friday.
The wife of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry was nearly an hour late when she finally showed for a town hall meeting at the Colorado State Fair Grounds, in the 4-H Pavilion just down the row from the sheep, swine and goat barn.
By the time she got there, the crowd of more than 500 had gone through a God Bless America singalong and round-robin cheers of "John! Kerry! Edwards!" and a couple had started the rhythmic clap used to summon recalcitrant bands back for encores at rock concerts.
But Heinz Kerry did not disappoint, delivering her trademark blend of wonkishness and wandering speechifying, salted with self-deprecating humor and sly digs at the administration of President George W. Bush.
"They speak in short little sentences that mean nothing," she said dismissively of the Bush crew.
It's not a charge likely ever to be leveled at Heinz Kerry. As her listeners sat, for the most part, in a deep silence that seemed to alternate between rapt fascination and puzzlement, she led them through detailed, numbers-heavy explanations of her husband's plans for health care, education and the economy.
And, oh yes, she added, going off on one of many tangents that would mark her talk, John Kerry - always, she referred to him by both names - had a few thoughts on Iraq and the war on terror, too.
On Sept. 11, 2001, she said, the country was grievously wounded. "On Sept. 12, the world newspapers all said we are all Americans," she said.
"Today, they're mad at us, our friends. We wasted that," she said, faulting the Bush administration for failing to garner wider support when it went to war against Iraq, a conflict she called a "tragedy and a big lie."
But didn't her husband, asked an accusatory young man in the question-and-answer period following her speech, vote to approve the war, then turn right around and vote against funding it?
As Heinz Kerry tried to reply that the Massachusetts senator voted for $67 billion for the soldiers, but against $20 billion for reconstruction because he felt plans for rebuilding Iraq were inadequate, her questioner persisted.
Heinz Kerry's temper flashed.
"If you want to say he flip-flopped, say so," she snapped, referring to a frequent Republican charge against her husband. "Don't pretend."
Then, as a jeering crowd shooed the man from the room, she led them in chants of "Six more weeks!"
That was a rare moment of directness. But Heinz Kerry's listeners got the gist of what she was saying regarding her husband's policies, applauding each: Import cheaper drugs from Canada. A minimum wage of $7 by 2007. Health care for all children and a range of affordable health insurance plans for adults. And no privatizing of Social Security - "neverrrr," she said in speech still tinged with her childhood Portuguese.
Afterward, they kept her in Pueblo nearly an entire hour longer as hundreds pushed to the front of the room, eager to shake her hand and chat a bit longer; to have her sign a T-shirt, her own glamorous Richard Avedon portrait in this week's issue of The New Yorker or even an old Clinton-Gore poster.
"Hillary Clinton signed this poster," said David Barber, 57, a retired teacher from Rye.
"I told (Heinz Kerry) that if she would sign it, too, then her husband is guaranteed to win."
Then Barber smiled and pointed to the bottom of the poster.
In bold black marker, far larger than Hillary Clinton's decorous blue ballpoint lettering, was Heinz Kerry's signature.
The wife of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry was nearly an hour late when she finally showed for a town hall meeting at the Colorado State Fair Grounds, in the 4-H Pavilion just down the row from the sheep, swine and goat barn.
Seems highly appropriate choice of venue for her.....was it the sheep chanting "Six more weeks"?
That's OK. The little people have nothing better to do than to wait for the appearance of royalty.
As her listeners sat, for the most part, in a deep silence
Just the reaction you are looking for when you want to energize your core supporters at a rally.
I continue to be amazed at how well run the Kerry campaign is. A couple of racial slurs and they'll really be cooking.
sKerry voted against funding our Troops food, equipment, ammo and humvee armor.
LOL!
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