Posted on 09/29/2004 6:17:42 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
Need more evidence that the Kerry campaign is a little nervous about New Jersey? John Edwards made an appearance in the Garden State yesterday. And according to Steve Kornacki of PoliticsNJ.com — I checked that site daily back when I was writing for the Bergen Record — Edwards' appearance had some major glitches.
The 1,000 or so Kerry-Edwards loyalists who had overstuffed a ballroom at the Robert Treat hotel in downtown Newark had been advised to arrive at 3:00, with Edwards's slated to appear at 4:00. It’s customary for politicians to be late, and when Bonnie Watson Coleman, the Democratic state chairman, grabbed the microphone to quiet the crowd at 4:30, the faithful were simply revved up for some old-fashioned rally-the-base rhetoric. Watson Coleman had no trouble delivering the red meat, and had Edwards taken the stage immediately after her warm-up act, his visit today likely would have been a rousing success.
But he was nowhere near. Event organizers frantically worked their phones seeking updates on his travel progress as rumors spread that he might not show up until 5:30 or 6:00.
And so, to mollify the crowd, the microphone was passed around. From Watson Coleman to AFL-CIO President Charlie Wowkanech. Then to Assembly Speaker Albio Sires. And to Senate President Richard Codey. And Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo. And Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer. And Congressman Donald Payne.
When all of the bodies on the stage had apparently been exhausted, Watson Coleman handed the microphone off to Secretary of State Regena Thomas, who, from somewhere in the sea of Democrats on the floor, proceeded to spend fifteen minutes exhorting the audience to join her in increasingly bizarre chants.
By 5:30, Watson Coleman, who had gamely played the emcee role, seemed out of tricks.
“The man is on the way,” she assured the audibly restless crowd. Then Watson Coleman urged attendees to hang around, promising that program would resume shortly.
Some listened. But dozens flooded the exits, some apparently to catch a breath of fresh air outside, others for good. Bottled water was distributed to the Democratic leaders on the stage, many of whom, with nothing else to do, yakked on their cell phones and fashioned fans out of their event programs. In a wise move, James actually tossed a few water bottles to parched audience members.
At about 5:50, a woman named Kristen Breitweiser was introduced. A 9/11 widow who has been traveling with Edwards, Breitweiser, in a measured but nonetheless emotional voice, charged the GOP with politicizing the terrorist attacks at their convention and chided the Bush administration for fighting the creation of the 9/11 commission. Antsy and irritated moments before, the crowd was transfixed...
But when Breitweiser finished, there was still no vice-presidential candidate, and the exodus resumed.
It wasn’t until 6:15, when members of the national press corps assigned to Edwards's campaign trooped into the press area and the candidate’s Secret Service detail took its position, that it was clear Edwards had arrived.
By that time at least twenty percent of the original crowd was no longer present, and, after standing for so long, much of the enthusiasm had been drained from those who remained. A number of state Democratic dignitaries, including Codey, had to leave because of other commitments.
Edwards uttered his first word to the audience at 6:22 — nearly two-and-a-half hours after he was originally supposed to start — and then spent twenty minutes warmly reciting his stump speech.
It didn’t go off without a hitch, though.
Spotting Breitweiser behind him on the stage, he called the 9/11 widow forward and began to tell her story to the audience.
“I’m going to let you hear from her in a few minutes,” the North Carolina senator said in his syrupy southern drawl.
“We have!” the crowd shouted back in unison...
In the back of the ballroom was a platform for members of the media. Plenty of New Jersey newspaper reporters were present, as were NJN and News 12. They were joined by the big boys of the broadcast media — crews from all of the New York network television affiliates, who, together, represent the dominant source of information for two-thirds of the state’s residents.
The New York television reporters were set-up to do live-shots on the early evening newscasts — 5:00, 5:30, and 6:00 — which, under the original event schedule, would have included clips from Edwards's speech, along with the image of hundreds of cheering, flag-waving Democrats urging him on.
Edwards's visit still received coverage on the late-night newscasts and it will feature prominently in the newspapers on Wednesday, but staged media events are all about maximizing exposure. In that department, the event seemed like a blown opportunity.
“Tell me about it,” grumbled one frustrated Democratic operative shortly before Edwards arrived. “His only visit to New Jersey and this is what they do.”
There’s also the matter of all of the grass-roots Kerry-Edwards supporters who walked away in frustration; Democrats may have a tough time convincing them to pitch in for the last month of the race.
Weather, traffic and unforeseen problems can certainly be used as excuses for Edward’s tardiness. But several state Democrats said it took what amounted to begging to convince the nationals to add the rally to Edwards's schedule, which had originally included on a fund-raiser in East Brunswick tonight. If true, that’s a pretty clear indication that New Jersey is still only an ATM state to the national Kerry-folk.
They do need money, of course. But what the Kerry campaign shows no signs of understanding is that they also need votes in New Jersey.
I still think New Jersey will remain in the Democratic column this year. But it sounds like the Kerry campaign isn't trying that hard to keep it there.
[Posted 09/29 10:48 AM]
Excuse me while I head to the nearest bar for a cold one - I need to lecture others on the evils of drinking.
I plan on making my vote against them count.
That would be great. 2 Bush votes here in North Jersey!
For the benefit of those who don't know, the train station in Newark is also called Penn Station.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Nothing is more annoying than the not punctual.
It's selfish and arrogant. The late seem to think the people that are waiting on them don't have anything better to do.
Bill Clinton was not very punctual, from what I understand.
actually, I saw a recent photo of her someplace - she didn't look too good.
This is priceless!
A well timed visit by the President sometime in Late October is all it will take to shore up NJ for him... He could even do Philly and Tenton in the same afternoon...
I wish ..The jerks in my home state of nj are steeped in generations of DEMS..Most vote dem to stay in their jobs ( teachers, cops , city , county , city workers etc etc) They have these people scared . If a monkey was running the NJ public would blindly vote him in .60 years of gangsters running the state is proof..You would think with some many from NJ having died on 9/11 and so many are in NYC so often , they would support Bush ..It's a lost cause here ..
The first time I came up for an interview they told me to go to Penn Station... little did I know there were two of them (actually I think the one in Phila is also Penn station).
Kristen Breitweiser
And you can read the simplistic ravings of the New Jersey widows here:
http://www.thinkingpeace.com/pages/Articles/Archive1/arts024.html
3 o'clock start. Had to be Gov't employees.
Edwards is like a retired school teacher.
No Class.
Kerry/Edwards were both late by several hours at their first post-convention campaign stop in Scranton, PA, and the crowd was pissed. The reason for the delay was so that they could have a photo op in Newburgh NY to stop for lunch at Wendy's. In their eyes, the peasants can wait for either of them to grace the peasants with their presence.
Filler material?
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