Heinz Kerry rebukes heckler; crowd cheer

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Heinz Kerry rebukes heckler; crowd cheer
147
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 2:10pm
Here's the orginial link: http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=36f146a1-0abe-421a-018e-f62f7c8edb48&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) - A group of 600 Democrats crowded the 4H Auditorium at the State Fairgrounds Friday hoping to see for themselves whether presidential candidate John Kerry's wife was as outspoken and sharp-tongued as some have described her.

Teresa Heinz Kerry delivered for her supporters when she talked back to a heckler who implied her husband's a flip-flopper.

During a question and answer session, a young man demanded to know why Kerry voted to give Bush authority to attack Iraq but voted against an $87 billion appropriation bill to support the war effort there.

"Is that the kind of thing he would do as president?," the man asked.

Heinz Kerry sharply asked the man whether he had read the legislation that was voted on.

When he said no, she told him that Kerry had supported $60 billion in military appropriations for Iraq, but would not vote for the full $87 billion because he considered it a "blank check." Kerry was one of 11 Democrats to vote against the bill.

"And we knew they'd already given Haliburton millions in no-bid contracts," she snapped, referring to the company formerly led by Vice President Dick Cheney.

"If you want to say (Kerry) flip-flopped, just say so, don't try to hide," Heinz Kerry scolded.

The young man responsed with chanting "Four more years!" as he walked out of the auditorium. The partisan crowd's cheer of "Six more weeks!" quickly drowned him out.

Roberto Costales of Canon City liked the way she dealt with her heckler.

"Did you notice how she handled that one guy? I bet she doesn't back down from anybody," he laughed.

In appearances here and before a crowd of 1,700 in Fort Collins, Heinz Kerry echoed her husband's views about terrorism, national security, crime, health care and education.

She said the United States needs a different approach in the world.

"The way we live in peace in a family, in a marriage, in the world, is not by threatening people, is not by showing off your muscles. It's by listening, by giving a hand sometimes, by being intelligent, by being open and by setting high standards," she said at the CSU rally.

In Pueblo, Heinz Kerry sounded a similar theme, criticizing the Bush administration for sending warning signals to Iran about developing nuclear weapons.

"There are about 50 countries in the world that have the capability to build nuclear weapons. Are we going to attack them all?" she said.

Gina Maggrett, of Pueblo, liked what she heard.

"(She's portrayed) as this caustic person but I thought she was really warm and intelligent. A lovely person," she said.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 2:15pm
Very NICE PR ploy.

Can you say "shill"?

I knew you could.

Avatar for momeebear
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 2:21pm
I read this story over the weekend! Thought it was a nice illustration of how ANYONE, even dissenters, are allowed to come to Kerry events----no loyalty oath need be signed! And he was allowed to leave, wasn't arrested like the lady at the Laura Bush speech.....
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 2:39pm


Perhaps that was because he left willingly, rather than refusing to leave and continuing to scream and yell and disrupt Mrs. Kerry's speech the way the protester did at the first lady's?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 2:40pm
Right. She even took his question and gave him his answer. She didn't brush or shrug it off, and like you said, didn't have him arrested for being there. He did his thing and chanted "4 more years" and got a reply of "six more weeks." :) XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 2:52pm
<< I read this story over the weekend! Thought it was a nice illustration of how ANYONE, even dissenters, are allowed to come to Kerry events>>

WOW! This touching story makes me forget all about how John Kerry's African-American wife told that nasty reporter to shove it after asking what she meant after she said the word "un-American". In fact, I don't even think she said the word anymore, that story was so powerful.

What a GREAT story. That's enough to make ME vote for Kerry.

Avatar for momeebear
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 3:45pm
Aw, thanks, it's so good to hear from you!!! Where've you been???? I've missed ya terribly, ya big lug! C'mon and gimme a BIG HUG!!!!! {{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2001
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 7:33pm
Dear IVillagers,

This post is reminds me why I shall be so very happy

once we have her as America's First Lady

(Only a few more weeks to wait!)

ForeverHugs,

--Genie

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-23-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 10:12pm
(offtopic: Genietowner, I love your icon thing because my mom is going through a recurrence right now. where do you get one of those to go next to your name?)

I think Teresa rocks. When I think about her, which isn't much because spouses are not candidates. I don't know why people can't separate that. But it gets me thinking about what's behind this...

There is a movement in our country that seems to be, for lack of a better term, "anti-intellectualism" (that guy went to challenging schools? that boy plays chess? that gal is articulate? those folks are thinkers and not ashamed of it? that's snobby and unlikeable! how stuck up! who wants to sit down and have a beer with fancy folks like that!) and I wonder if that's what is at the heart of people's dislike of T.H.K., if they are honest with themselves. "Likeable" is a presidential criteria for many people (often more than competant) and their definition of likeable is often kind of a lowest-common denominator vibe... "I like them because they seem like they could be my next door neighbors... they seem like me & my family... etc." But serioulsy, do you want your relatives or your next door neighbor running the country?? I love my relatives and my neighbors are good people but John Kerry is clearly more qualified! I respect intelligent people who have the focus and expertise and experience in the world to lead our country, and who respect the American people, and are secure enough to hear what we have to say, not shut us out.

What is it people don't like about T.H.K.? Her accent? That would be pretty xenophobic for a melting-pot society like ours (but these are xenophobic times). Clearly many people spout reasons that were spoonfed to them by Bush & Co. Or maybe it's because they miss bashing Hillary! -- another high profile woman of accomplishment who is not vapid or subservient. T.H.K. is a lively, well-traveled, educated woman who sees through B.S. Ironically, her critics are frequently the people who have been suckered by the biggest B.S.-smoke-and-mirrors show we've seen in years: The Bush & Cheney Barnum & Bailey Yee Haw Circus! The Dubya Spinhard Follies! The Howdy Doody Chuckles & Grins Ignore-Reality Revue! Gullibility is funny. However, when you see it on a wide scale (those audiences of pre-screened people swallowing every by-gum hokey-joke that Bush & Co. rehearse & toss out at campaign events) it's quite scary. It reminds me of the opening scene of "1984" because if they can chuckle in unison when Bush says, "John Kerry's so indecisive might have to debate himself! Uh huh huh huh..." then you better believe the next step is nodding and saluting in unison to a fascist leader who tricks the masses into believing we need him for food, shelter, and protection while we lose more & more of our rights and personal assets.

*****


"You don't need a totalitarian dictatorship like Hitler's to get by with murder ... you can do it in a democracy as long as the Congress, and the people Congress is supposed to represent, don't give a damn."

-William Shirer, 1973

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 10:30pm


Agree.



I can honestly say that thought NEVER occurred to me. But then I don't usually equate intellectualism with those who say things like "shove it", "idiots" or "scumbags" in addressing a public audience. I equate comments like that with a lack of understanding of the impression one in such a public capacity makes on others, or with a lack of self-control.



I'm sure a lot of people would like to think that THK makes a negative impression because she's a foreigner, but considering a lot of the folks who don't like her have no problem with an Arnold Schwarzennegger, I don't think that's it. Personally I think there are some who are just looking for a reason not to like her because she's the opposing candidate's wife, but most of the people I know (including myself) who have a negative impression of her feel that she doesn't have the grace and dignity they'd like to see in a first lady, who will be representing the country in international situations. No "hidden motives" behind it. But she certainly wouldn't have any effect on my vote either way.



Most of us don't dislike Hilary becasue she's not vapid and subservient, we dislike her because she's a tax and spend, big government loving liberal with a proven track record of dishonesty in both her business and personal dealings.

The rest of your post is rather insulting-why do you assume anyone who supports George Bush is a chuckling gullible idiot? Perhaps we just don't see the world the same way you do? Personally I don't assume that everyone who disagrees with me is dumb and gullible. But if it makes you feel any better, I know plenty of people who are supporting Bush for the sole reason that he's the lesser of two evils. Not really gullible, goose-stepping Bush-worshipping suckers, just people who like John Kerry even less than they like Bush.

Avatar for momeebear
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 10:34pm
Hi cmfenno, excuse my butting in to your post to genietowner, but to get your personal icon (like genie's pink ribbon or my cat): log in, then click on "your profile", then click on "board settings". About 1/2 way down there is an option to add an icon, and they have many to choose from. Then click submit, at the very bottom when done......

And best wishes and good vibes to your mom! My maternal aunt just finished radiation and chemo, following a mastectomy. She's having reconstruction done now......

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