Kerry's blog touts the Whiz factor, but the facts tell a different story

Washington Post, JohnKerry.com ^ | 8/13/2003

[Political Numbers Guy]

We've all heard of Senateur John Le Kerry's little faux pas in Philly the other day:

If Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential aspirations melt like a dollop of Cheez Whiz in the sun, the trouble may well be traced to an incident in South Philadelphia on Monday.

There, the Massachusetts Democrat went to Pat's Steaks and ordered a cheesesteak -- with Swiss cheese. If that weren't bad enough, the candidate asked photographers not to take his picture while he ate the sandwich; shutters clicked anyway, and Kerry was caught nibbling daintily at his sandwich -- another serious faux pas.

"It will doom his candidacy in Philadelphia," predicted Craig LaBan, food critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, which broke the Sandwich Scandal. After all, Philly cheesesteaks come with Cheez Whiz, or occasionally American or provolone. But Swiss cheese? "In Philadelphia, that's an alternative lifestyle," LaBan explained.

Yet, Kerry's official blog left a much, much different impression yesterday, before Kerry was outed:

There's no way you can pass through Philly without sampling one of their famously cheez-whizzed cheesesteaks, and so the Senator dropped in on Pat's King of Steaks with some hungry workers on his way to the forum yesterday to do just that.

A commenter on the blog immediately noted this transparent hypocrisy:

And yet, the Senator found a way to do so. He asked for SWISS cheese! *gag* Were they all out of brie? Did he ask for some grey poupon? Or did his wife remind him to use Heinz ketchup? ;)

A pity Mrs. Heinz-Kerry, who votes in Pennsylvania but lives in Boston, couldn't correct her husband's erroneous ways.

[.cnI redruM]

Kerry's new campaign theme song...

"Desperate, But Not Serious."

[Diddle E. Squat]

Philly Cheesesteaks are made with Cheese Whiz?

Just more proof that Philly truly is the armpit of America.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Cheese Whiz, or perhaps known by its scientific name, Cheese of Ipecac...

[Eva]

I'm sorry but I have never had a cheese steak with cheez whiz and cheese steaks were a staple of our diet when I lived in the Phila. area. I have to admit that swiss was never even on the menu, either. Kerry is just not a man's man and that is what is going to do him in.

[Benrand]

I'd take a Pittsburgh's finest Primanti's cheesesteak over a Philly cheese anyday.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I'm guessing Kerry endorsed Mark Green in the last NYC mayor's race, since he obviously wasn't pro-Vallone...

[Dane]

I'd take a Pittsburgh's finest Primanti's cheesesteak over a Philly cheese anyday.

You got that right. The cole slaw on top of one of those sandwiches is the ticket.

[Eva]

Bush is a man's man and that is the reason that he has high approval ratings from women since 9/11. Women no longer want a whimp in the Whitehouse.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Another example of Kerry "Whizzing in the wind"?

[Dane]

I'm sorry but I have never had a cheese steak with cheez whiz and cheese steaks were a staple of our diet when I lived in the Phila. area. I have to admit that swiss was never even on the menu, either. Kerry is just not a man's man and that is what is going to do him in

Neither have I. I have never seen a cheesesteak with cheez-whiz. Provolone is the only cheese for cheeseteaks, not swiss, but you know ketchup boy, has certain tastes.

And I hate to admit it, but I can't give up Heinz ketchup. Heinz ketchup is the only ketchup for a Primanti's Cheesesteak.

[Freedom4US]

I'm not even from the Philly area remotely, and *I* knew there has been a controversy on what belongs on a hoagie, my education was imparted by an ex-PA steelworker when I was in the Army. It's amazing to me that his staff wouldn't have at least researched this - while Cheez-Whiz might be controversial - asking for "Swiss" is just insane and his people should have known better.

[pogo101]

Y'know, he served in Vietnam, by the way. /sarcasm

[Eva]

You're making me hungry. I have been on the Atkins diet for a couple of months and haven't minded it at all, but when we go back to Phila in the fall, we're going to have a cheese steak and scrapple. We haven't had scrapple for years because of the fat, but we're going to have it this time.

[EllaMinnow]

What do you call an empty can of Cheese Whiz?

Cheese Was!

[Dane]

We haven't had scrapple for years because of the fat, but we're going to have it this time

I grew up in Western PA, and never heard of scrapple until I heard of Philadelphia area Freepers talking about it.

Using John F. Kerry vernacular, enjoy your visit back to Philadelphia and the culinary delights of the area. :^)

[Diddle E. Squat]

The results of creating Cheese Was:

[Diddle E. Squat]

Some artist did an entire house with that stuff.

No doubt paid for by an NEA grant...

[Bob]

I'm sorry but I have never had a cheese steak with cheez whiz and cheese steaks were a staple of our diet when I lived in the Phila. area.

And what's with the lettuce and tomatoes?

Philly cheesesteaks as I remember them had beef, onions, green bell peppers and provalone (or sometimes Mozzarella). While I know it's been quite some time ago, that certainly doesn't look like any cheesesteak I've ever seen.

[Eva]

Oh, we had the cheesesteak hoagies when I was a kid. They were the best.