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]
Thanks. I was googling at the same time you were.
I understand that these four women underwent a horrificly traumatic experience on 9-11. But so did hundreds of other widows.
I believe the Democrats are ruthlessly exploiting these four grieving women. At least one of them admits to being on heavy-duty tranquilizers. I can't say that I blame her.
They are trying to work through a terrible, life-altering event. However, IMHO, they are going about it in the wrong way, and are being manipulated by treacherous people.
GailSheehy is already making megabucks off of their misery, flacking her book.
The media vultures and the Dem Rats are heartlessly trottng these poor girls out and forcing them to extend their misery, instead of allowing them to quietly heal with friends and family, as hundreds of other 9-11 widows are doing.
As Teresa says, "Who cayuhs about New Juhsee? It's only one state!"
I would love to see someone in the MSM confront Ms. Breitweeiser with her own quotes about politicizing 9-11.
The Gail Sheehy Article:
http://www.thinkingpeace.com/pages/Articles/Archive1/arts024.html
As a rule, I always show up at least an hour before a meeting. I consider the Power Point media computer sytems, and other considerations from servers to client systems. Then there are the white boards, chairs/seating for the audience. I NEVER ASSUME that the location will be set up as I expect the locale to be. Of course, I'm just a lowely business man... paying the government $64k a year in TAXES. So what do I know?
And two more here in South Jersey, where Kerry signs are as scarce as heterosexual governors.
she did a makeover of herself when she started appearing as a regular on Hardball.
Bush came to Columbia MO and arrived within 2 minutes of the stated time, following two other events across the state. Impressive, especially since all the media "know it alls" had been saying that political events are never on time..... liberals.
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.
George Bush, requires his people to be on time, and considers, it rude to be late, and keep people waiting.
Kerry/Edwards are rude quit often...
If the media says 20% left it was more than likely 40%.
LOL! And that's Kerry's base.
Breitweiser has been politicizing the September 11 attacks for a long time now. Her being on the campaign trail with the Kerry Edwards ticket is no surprise.
Why she is still given credibility on her views for "reform" of the intelligence system now that her partisanship has reached the pinnacle with her joining the Dem ticket is amazing.
I remember reading about the Bush twins being at some college and everyone was thrilled with them...mainly because they were on time! When The Kerry sisters were there, they were very late and left immediately. The Bush twins stayed and talked with the students.
What is it with dems? Clinton was always late! It must some type of brain dysfunction.
Will the Real Kristen Breitweiser Please Stand Up?
Source:http://www.thenationaldebate.com/blog/
A REPLY TO OLIVER WILLIS ON THE POLITICAL METAMORPHOSIS OF KRISTEN BREITWEISER
Here is the latest phony story the Democrats and their pals in the media want you to believe: Kristen Breitweiser is a dyed-in-the-wool-Bush-supporting-stay-at-home-mom Republican who after the murder of her husband on 9/11 single-handedly took on the Washington establishment as the duly-elected represenative of all the 9/11 families to force the creation of an independent investigation of 9/11 and though this process became increasingly disenchanted with her candidate, George W. Bush, and finally, after watching the Republicans talk about 9/11 during their convention, had an epiphany just weeks before the election that she could not feel safe unless John Kerry was elected president. Got all that?
You will be hard pressed to learn that Breitweiser is a millionire lawyer from an affluent New York suburb, that she has received extensive media training from Democrat PR experts, that she has ready access to senior Democrats in Washington, that her comments to the press routinely mimic DNC talking points, that many 9/11 families have a great deal of resentment towards her for the way she has conducted herself and made claims to represent them or that most 9/11 families do not agree with her on the issues she has raised or her politicization of 9/11.
Now Oliver Willis is taking exception to my criticism of Breitweiser and the media's willingness to play along with her charade by accusing me of that old chestnut - "questioning her patriotism" - as well as "smearing" her. Oliver, lost in a fog of emotionalism and Bush-is-the-devil rhetoric, misses the point: the media continued to take Kristen Breitweiser's claims of being a non-partisan New Jersey mom at face-value long after it became clear that she was a partisan political operative using her 9/11 widowhood to further a Democrat agenda of attacking President Bush's high standing in the war on terror. Her "coming out for Kerry" press conference last week only served to highlight media hypocrisy in permitting Breitweiser to perpetrate the fraud that she was a political innocent who wanted nothing more than an independent examination of the events leading up to 9/11.
It is a strong contrast.
Is Edwards a Pumpko-American too?
I've had her number for awhile. When you attack President Bush personally, and also when you attack the "House Republicans" for when legislation moves slowly, you know you've got a partisan political operative.
Politicizing the death of a loved one. Beyond words.
Are these voters followed or spied upon in the voting booth? How does anyone know how a person votes...they can claim to be DEM loyalists, but isn't it just them and them alone in the voting booth, at which time they can vote for whomever they choose?
Mistakes happen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.