Well done Marine, thanks for the report(salutes smartly) carry on.
I read this about Kerry's Grand Rapids appearance at http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-17/109148034046390.xml
"Aug. 2, 2004: In two Grand Rapids appearances, Kerry spoke in the morning to several dozen firefighters outside a fire station, then took part in a downtown rally in the afternoon that drew what police estimated to be between 20,000 to 25,000 supporters to Calder Plaza outside City Hall."
20,000 to 25,000 sounds like a pretty big crowd. Is that an accurate crowd estimate, do you think? Is that a big crowd for Grand Rapids?
Was also wondering -- WHY on earth would FIREFIGHTERS let Kerry come and address them? I mean, he can't just come and plop himself down in front of a fire station and benefit from the photo op of being seen with firefighters, can he? Somebody had to authorize it. WHO? AND WHY???? Does he have supporters among those firefighters?
Have other people picked up on this? I saw Mrs. Heinz on the Pennsylvania Cable Network giving a speech out in Harrisburg and I swear she looked and sounded drunk. The only innocent explanation I could come up with is that it's some foreign thing that makes her act that way and not booze and/or pills.
Grand Rapids has, historically, been a GOP area. Who had the largest crowd? The Prez or JFK?
*PING*
In 2000, Gore beat Bush 50.4%-46.5% in Grand Rapids and 51.3%-46.1% statewide, making the city of Grand Rapids as much of a bellwether as any other part of the state (the county that came closest to the actual results was Monroe County; long-vaulted Macomb County was less Democrat and more Republican than the state as a whole). If Bush can carry Grand Rapids, it could be a harbinger of better performance throughout the state, and if Bush carries Michigan, he will win reelection with over 350 electoral votes.
Hey Tomas. I was going to be downtown with a protest sign and stand with like-minded persons but opted against it. Somehow I was not motivated to go out in 90 degree heat to watch the Kerry's make fools of themselves.
Did you happen to catch Teraaaazzzza when she went off about all the little children in the world and needing our help - but, she said, "it's not about money" it's about giving smiles to them or something like that? Talk about being uncomfortable - I was so embarrassed for her I started squirming in my seat. She's nuts. And she dresses like a slob... and that goofy hat down over her eyes - OMG!
ping
And last time they raised taxes on the 'rich', I didn't know I was rich....anyone that drives a car was 'rich'.
Did you hear about this?
A reader points to this item from our friends at the American Spectator, who notice that Kerry told a joke about how he loves Ohio football... in Michigan. Whoops.
"I just came here from Bowling Green," Kerry told the crowd to subdued applause. "I was smart enough not to pick a choice between the Falcons and the, well, you know, all those other teams out there. I just go for Buckeye football, that's where I'm coming from."
At that point, before all the boos began raining down upon him, Kerry seemed to realize his error. In an attempt to silent the angry crowd of University of Michigan supporters, Kerry said, "But that was while I was in Ohio. I know I'm in the state of Michigan and you got a great big M and a powerhouse of a team." Then his face, presumably, the Botox permitting, turned Big Blue.
If the Bush campaign were smart, they would figure out how to get audio or videotape of this gaffe to every University of Michigan student, alumni, and fan in the state. Probably fans of Michigan state and even the Detroit Lions, too.
http://www.nationalreview.com/kerry/kerryspot.asp