So, How was your weekend? Mine was good! BTW, JK & THK say Hi!

[TayTay]

Before the 'what went on, and in detail please,' may I once again relay thank yous from a very grateful Senator and his gracious, warm and funny wife for all that you have done here. The fact that people supported Kerry, through thick and thin, across the blogosphere since the '04 election is known and much appreciated. We had a great time this weekend, but we also talked about the people who could not be there. Ahm, we talked about you, we talked about posting to this group when we got back and sharing what we could of all the things that were said and done. Once again, we tried to tell people about you too and that just because you were not physically there in Boston, didn't mean you 'weren't there in spirit. And the thank yous we got, we extend to you. Your efforts out there in the big bad blogosphere are known, welcomed and much appreciated.

We had a fantastic time in Boston. Dribs and drabs of the whole weekend will be coming out for a while now. If I might, I would like to cover 'the big story,' and fill in some of the other stories as we can. (Hey, we're spreading out the experience here.)

First off, my apologies for not being able to post this past weekend. I did not have internet access. (blush, blush) I ended up lending out my aircard and, well, ahm, cat-herding people around town. I was busier than I thought and simply didn't have accessor spare time. I'm sorry for this. I hope the threads in the next few days make up for it. :blush:

Okay, now, we need some stories. Next post, so these don't get too long and people can jump in who were there and tell their stories from their point of view as well.

[TayTay]

1. Hey, I went to this nice Birthday Party yesterday!

Yesterday, at 4:00, we went to the Sen. Kerry's PAC office in Boston for a private reception with the good Senator and the charming Teresa Heinz Kerry. It was just for the Senator's bloggers, most of whom post on this group. (And a few friends we have acquired along the way. A most hearty welcome to all.)

We were told that we could have about a half hour of this very busy couples' time. After all, it was the Senator's birthday, he had a reception for long-time friends and former staffers to go to and then another event after that for other supporters. (Busy day, even for a busy couple.) JK and THK wound up spending a little over an hour with us and it would have been even longer, but, ahm, there were these other events to go to. :blush: They quite literally didn't want to leave us, but wanted to talk some more and ask and answer questions. Ahm, yeah, it really was like that.

We were arranged in a circle in a conference room with a really large table in it. (Ah, it was crowded in there.) Sen. Kerry and Mrs. Heinz Kerry came in to a nice round of applause. They then went around the room, each taking a separate side, to talk to each one of us. (Okay gang, this is where you jump in and say what you said to each!) I saw the lovely and talented THK first and shoook her hand and said that I had been at the speech in Manchester, NH in Oct and had promised her that there would be more 'woohoo' sounds (ahm, loud calls of approval) at any upcoming speeches. She remembered.

Ahm, in the 'I can't believe I'm writing this' category, I shook hands with Sen. Kerry when he came by and he said that he remembered me and asked how things were going, how much fun it was to assist in organizing this and so forth. (:blush:) I thanked him for going to my hometown of Danvers, Mass after the recent disaster and that I was grateful for that. (As was my brother, who was a first-responder to the incident.)

[mloutre]

12. Oh. Sorry. Almost missed the homework assignment.

"(Okay gang, this is where you jump in and say what you said to each!)"

Ahm, I wished the Senator a happy birthday and I thanked him very much because I was there in the company of 42 other good friends who I would never have had the chance to get to know if it hadn't been for him. Oh, and I also thanked the Senator's wife for all her extensive personal work on behalf of western Pennslobovians and then invited her to bring the family and to come up north of town where the *big* lake is and go swimming at our nice sandy beaches once the weather gets warm again.

:0)

[StoryTeller]

49. On Meeting The Senator and the Illustrious Mrs. Heinz-Kerry

This is one story that StoryTeller has been dreaming about being able to tell...

I was um...a little nervous. But I was flanked by Lou (I *think* that's her screen name) and TayTay and Mark from the Premise, who all three helped buck up my flagging nerves. (Thanks, guys!)

And when They walked into the room, I was just rather overcome by how much They have come to mean to me and how very deeply I needed to meet them in person. I almost started crying, but really didn't want to have raccoon eyes by the time they got around to me, so I sternly ordered myself to get a grip. :)

Teresa went one direction around the circle, and JK went the opposite way. Mark very helpfully pointed out to me that there was no need to be nervous, considering that because we were standing on the opposite end of the room from the door that the Senator and his wife would probably converge...on me. Thanks so much, Mark. You really know how to calm a gal's jitters. :eyes:

Actually Teresa got around my direction first. Lou introduced me and told her that I'm from Nebraska. Her eyes widened. "You came all the way from Nebraska for us?" she asked. I sort of choked out that I'd have come twice as far. She smiled this really sweet "aw shucks" kind of smile and pulled her scarf across her face and said, "Oh dear, we really need to stay humble." I thought that was so sweet. She really is a gracious, sweet, lovely, kind woman--her illustrious husband's equal in every way.

As The Senator approached, I was thinking about that article awhile back about the blogger who gave him a sweaty handshake...anyone remember reading that? And I was having nightmares about a similar thing happening to me. But it turned out not to be a problem. I had made a little bookmark out of some scrapbook handmade paper and vellum that had a couple of Welsh prayers and a prayer from St. Patrick (who was Welsh, actually...obviously, I have Welsh ancestry and am rather proud of that) printed on it. I gave it to him and told him that I'd heard he was traveling to the Middle East soon, and that I wanted him to know my prayers were with him...literally and physically.

He was so gracious, and seemed to genuinely appreciate it. He put it in his suit coat pocket--so it didn't even get handed to a staff person! That...felt very good.

And, thanks to my Midwest reluctance to impose on anyone or take up too much of their time, I didn't ask anyone to take my picture with him or Teresa. :( But I'm hoping that this won't be my last opportunity to meet this wonderful, incredible couple.

Just to reiterate what Tay said...they had to be practically dragged away by their staff people. They did NOT want to leave. I don't know how or why, exactly, but I think we've won their hearts as much as they've won ours. And that includes ALL of us, whether you were physically there or not. That is something that I can't quite wrap my brain around, but it's an incredible honor and joy.

[MBS]

53. what a wonderful gift!

Oh, I was so glad to read about your gift, Storyteller. I was on the other side of the room, so I had no idea what was happening over there : I only noticed that they spent a VERY long time with the three of you!!!! :) Any chance you could share with us the prayers on your bookmark? Or at least could you send them to me separately?
This was such a wonderful thing for you to do. My prayers are with him, too.

[StoryTeller]

58. I didn't even notice the time...

Of course, I was standing in between people that the Senator already knew, so I was able to just bask in his presence while he was chatting with them. :)

The prayers I put on the bookmark were St. Patrick's Breastplate (slightly abridged, but I managed to fit all my favorite parts of it on there) --which is really pretty long, so you can Google it yourself. That one isn't technically Welsh, but I explained that it still "counts" because Patrick was actually Welsh--born in Wales to Romano-Brythonic parents. I'm such a geek--I get a chance to meet Senator Kerry, and what do I talk about? Welsh heritage trivia. *shaking head* :eyes:

Here's the other two prayers:

The first one is in Welsh with an English translation:

O DDUW,
ARWAIN NI O FARWOLAETH I FYWYD,
O ANWIREDDIWIRIONEDD.
ARWAIN NI O ANOBAITH I OBAITH,
O OFN I HYDER.
ARWAIN NI O GASINEBI GARIAD,
O RYFEL I HEDDWCH.
PAR I HEDDWCH LENWI EIN CALONNAU,
EIN BYD A'RBYDYSAWD.
GOFYNNWN HYN ER MWYN DY ENW.
AMEN

O God,
Lead us from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love,
from war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts,
our world,
our universe.
We ask it for your own name's sake.
AMEN

And here's the second one:

Grant us, O God, your protection;
and in your protection, strength;
and in strength, understanding;
and in understanding, knowledge;
and in knowledge, the knowledge of justice;
and in the knowledge of justice, the love of justice;
and in that love, the love of existence;
and in the love of existence, the love of God, God and all goodness.


I thought the content of all three prayers were really applicable to the situation and how the Senator conducts his life in general, so they seemed fitting. I didn't sign it from me. My name isn't even on it. I basically signed it from his sisters and brothers in the faith because these weren't just MY prayers, and I wanted him to know that they speak for not just me but many of you and others around the world who care about him.

[karynnj]

61. What beautiful prayers

that was such a perfect, thoughtful thing to do. They do really seem perfect choices. I bet he took it with him. It was so wonderful to meet you - you are fantastic.

[StoryTeller]

81. No, YOU are fantastic! :-)

You and your sweet hubby were such a joy to get acquainted with. We'll hear more from him...right? You're going to drag him online soon, yes? :)

[karynnj]

91. I think he will - though he has way less time

He really really enjoyed the meeting and was thrilled to meet everyone and to get a view that what we are doing is real.

He did one comment on the JK blog.

[ProSense]

93. No, you're fantastic!

How is the little town crier?

SENATOR-JOHN-KERRY!

That was one of the best experiences of the weekend!

[StoryTeller]

103. LOL! She's doing great.

What ProSense is referring to is a fun moment with my daughter on the phone. ProSense and I shared a hotel room, and we were sitting on opposite ends on Sunday night, and I was talking to my nine year old and telling her all our doings that day.

Part of what we'd done was go on TayTay's "Wicked Good Tour of Boston." It really was wicked awesome good. I was explaining to my daughter that we got to walk past Senator Kerry's house.

She had her own "squeeeee" moment: "SENATOR JOHN KERRY?????"

She was so loud that ProSense was able to hear her through my phone from across the hotel room!

It was so cute, if I do say so myself. Can my daughter be an honorary, pint-sized Kerrycrat? :)

[karynnj]

117. She would be a great Kerrycrat!

[TayTay]

62. This is what happens when people are themselves.

They do perfectly wonderful things that come from their own hearts and being. I am so proud of you for doing this. It was an incredibly moving thing to see.

Once again, the act of being yourself and expressing your concerns and hopes and fears was exactly the right thing to do. I am so glad you gave Sen. Kerry this wonderful gift. He was deeply touched by it. I saw it in his eyes and in the questions he asked you. He took it as a personal expression of concern and of affection. He was only sorry you didn't personally sign it for him.

That card went right into his suit coat pocket. You know, the one right over his heart.

[StoryTeller]

77. The idea came from...

...a phone conversation between TayTay and me before I left for Boston. She called to make sure I was clear on the hotel arrangement for Saturday night and on transportation from the airport to the hotel. And we got to chatting, and she mentioned that the Senator could really use any prayers I had because he would soon be traveling to the Middle East. And I asked "Like written-out prayers?" and she thought that would be great. I would have loved to have written them myself, but this was Friday, and I didn't have the time or emotional energy at that point to come up with something fitting myself. So since my Welsh ancestors have a long history of beautiful poetry and spirituality, I turned to them for assistance. (And Google, of course.) :)

And Tay, as I explained, I didn't sign it myself because I didn't want it to be about me. And as much as it meant to me personally to see him put it right into his coat pocket, let's be practical...where else was he going to stash it? :D

But I do agree that he seemed touched by the gesture, and I hope the words and sentiments behind them will be a comfort and encouragement to him.

[TayTay]

80. He could have given it to an aide ST

Instead, before he moved on to the next person, he put it in his inside coat pocket, which just so happens to be over his heart.

We had a conversation, you had an inspiration. Nice move. Glad you went with it. It was a wonderful moment.

[StoryTeller]

90. I suppose so.

Thanks, Tay, for encouraging me and not letting me back out. Honestly, everyone, I was really nervous about meeting them. But Tay was great. She was such an encouragement to all us "newbies" and showed the same attitude of service and humility that her beloved Senator and his wife demonstrate.

TayTay is my hero! :)

[MBS]

65. these are wonderful prayers

Thanks so much for sharing them with us, and especially for giving them to Sen. Kerry. They are PERFECT for him. I'm also sure those will go with him to the Middle East this week, and will be kept close by his side. They're so HIM.
The first prayer, "Lead us from death to life", brought me to tears. Thank you thank you thank you for doing this.

[StoryTeller]

85. Thank you

And you're welcome. I agree--that first one is especially touching. And to have it in the original language...I wish I could have had a chance to read that one to him in Welsh. It's very beautiful. My Welsh is rather embryonic, but I know enough of the pronunciation to have given a good approximation.

[beachmom]

67. Oh, Storyteller, those prayers are just PERFECT

Wonderful choices. I am so happy you decided to come, especially to show that someone from a deep red state could learn to love the senator from Massachusetts with the power of the internet.

It was a real pleasure to meet you, and get a chance to talk to you, my fellow SAHM.

[StoryTeller]

87. Thanks!

You and I represented our SAHM sisters rather well, I think.

And speaking of deep red states...the curiosity that several of you expressed about how I got from "there to here" kind of surprised me. I guess I just don't really think about how unusual my background must seem. But it really meant a lot to me that you all expressed such interest and regard and respect for me and my little story of how I ended up being a Kerry supporter. I felt very welcomed and valued, and I can't express how much that means to me.

Thank you all.

[ray of light]

70. Thank you for sharing these prayers.

They're what I (try to) carry in my heart.

[StoryTeller]

89. I'm so glad

that it was meaningful to you. I'm also glad that MBS asked me to post them because now I got to encourage not just Senator Kerry but all of you as well. And that makes this StoryTeller very happy. :)

[ProSense]

94. Oh, these are beautiful!

The birthday occasion, the Senator and his upcoming trip, these prayers are perfect!

[StoryTeller]

105. Thanks, ProSense. :-) (nt)

[mloutre]

73. um, er (or, as TayTay would say, ahm)...

StoryTeller, that was such a sweet thing to do and I am so glad that the Senator and his amazing compatriot from the esteemed city of Pixboig took you to heart even more than the rest of us did this weekend. Of all the gifts that were there for us those past few days -- and there were very many of those indeed -- having the opportunity to spend time with you is way up there on my personal Otter list. Thank you.

[StoryTeller]

78. Awww...

I need a THK scarf to cover my blushing face with. Thanks you. It was an honor to meet you, too. All of you. I knew you were really great people just from posting on the forum with you, but meeting so many of you in person blew me away because of how truly incredible you all are.

How did I get so lucky as to land in the middle of such a great bunch? :)

[Blaukraut]

95. That was a very thoughful thing to do, ST

I'm sure he appreciated the prayer card and will make use of it on his trip :-)

[StoryTeller]

104. Thanks!

I hope so. :)

[TayTay]

2. A brief interlude, explaining how we explain

I was just asked by Sen. Kerry's office to give a very brief interview to a reporter for the Boston Herald about this blogger's meeting that he had heard about in Boston. I did. I was very careful to try to explain who blogs and who doesn't and why people traveled to Boston and 'what it all means.'

It occurred to me, during the course of this novel experience, that I wanted to make sure that I didn't say anything that could be twisted to mean something else, that didn't happen. (Ah, cuz, we know that never happens with Sen. Kerry, right? :sarcasm: ) It occurs to me now in writing this post.

This meeting is known to the Boston press (well, the Herald anyway, LOL!) There will be a little article about it in the paper someday soon. We can talk about it and the reception after it.

What is hard to do is recreate what was said, why we said it at that time and why, for instance, something was funny. Sometimes something is funny because the wrong person said just the wrong word at the right time. Ah, that means we have to spend 8 paragraphs setting up the punch line. (And some of us are a bit brain dead after this weekend, we don't have 8 paragraphs of setup in us right now, sorry.)

I beg your patience. There is nothing that happened that we can't share. Ahm, the Boston Herald knew about this and is doing a story about it. If they can talk about it and express curiosity, then we can talk about it. However, context is important and, to me at least, also is the difference between truth and taking something and twisting it because we never explained all the circumstances.

So, again, a bit of patience. We want to tell all the stories. We just want to tell them and give you a sense of the fun and not too terribly serious spirit in which they occurred. It may take awhile, especially those of us who are a bit brain-dead still. (Okay, maybe it's just me, but still, bear with me.)

[whometense]

5. It's hit at least one blog, too.

Seth Gitell's: http://gitell.wordpress.com/2006/12/11/a-good-day-for-kerry/

A Good Day for Kerry

Today is John Kerry’s 63rd birthday. Prior to heading over to Ned Devine’s for a meeting with supporters, Kerry met with a high-profile delegation of bloggers. The community of Netroots has never been particularly warm to Kerry. They liked Dean early in the ‘04 cycle and got behind Kerry only in animus of George W. Bush in the general election. I have noticed they haven’t picked up stories by me and others who have written optimistically about his chances (pre-botched joke).

The bloggers, I suppose, are like everybody else in politics. They need attention and access. Given the time and special access Kerry has given them, perhaps they will look more warmly upon the idea of an ‘08 Kerry run. Right now, I see most of them going to Obama.

I had earlier reported incorrectly that the influential DailyKos.Com had representation at the meeting. I am still attempting to determine a semi-complete list.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 11th, 2006 at 10:54 pm and is filed under National Politics, Massachusetts Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

I found this highly amusing.

[wisteria]

9. Well the meeting was the "in place to be", to bad Kos was clueless once again. n/t

[StoryTeller]

50. Uh...can we leave comments on that post?

I'd like to set him straight on a few salient points. Grrr...

[whometense]

69. I think we should.

I was trying to decide if it was better to email him privately or leave comments publicly, so I haven't done anything yet.

He was seriously misinformed.

[TayTay]

71. This website was contacted and extremely gracious

about the mistakes made. Watch that space.

And please, please, please, feel free to add some comments.

It was, I think, an honest error.

[whometense]

82. It's up

http://gitell.wordpress.com/2006/12/13/more-on-kerry-blogger-meeting/

“I think there was information shared at that reception at Ned Devine’s on Monday that was wildly inaccurate. The people who met with Sen. Kerry and with Teresa Heinz Kerry were not, in any way, ‘the big bloggers.’ I doubt very much you would know the names of anyone there. We were really just grassroots people...

And he's linked to us here as well: http://gitell.wordpress.com/2006/12/13/grassroots-in-action/

so we all need to mind our manners today. ;-)

[TayTay]

86. My thanks to Mr. Gitell

We all make errors and listen to the rumor mill sometimes without checking the sources.

He listened to me and obviously wanted the truth about what happened. It is no small thing to admit an error in public. No small thing indeed.

[StoryTeller]

96. That's very cool.

I left my comments under the post giving TayTay's overview of it, but I don't think the comment has been approved yet.

That was very good of him to go back and provide a more accurate picture of what we were about this weekend. Much appreciated.

[Democrafty]

52. LOL!

That is too much.

[karynnj]

54. That is so amusing

and indicates that he absolutely doesn't get the democratic nature of blogging. They want "names", but that is exactly what blogging isn't. Strange that they can look at dynamic conversation and see only the "officially leaders".

I think he misses it because he can't imagine the Senator and his incredible wife taking time out of their busy day on his birthday to see and talk to people. Who is the elitist here?

[TayTay]

55. This is so true.

Some people look at the grassroots and see only the lowest rung on the ladder.

I believe Sen. Kerry looked at us and saw the First Step Up on a journey.

There is a big difference.

[mloutre]

100. my reply comment to seth gitell post (also awaiting moderation there)

"One point I’d like to add to what Ms. Buchman said… those online communities and others like them she mentioned are not so very small at all. It’s probably safe to say that every so-called ’small blogger’ at that particular event represented a dozen who would have been there too had logistics only allowed for that. And every so-called ’small blogger’ probably influences several dozen more who read and respond to what he or she posts online. And, most significantly of all, every ’small blogger’ I know of gets his or her feet out from under the desk and out there on the ground and influences dozens or even hundreds of other people every single day. The blogosphere does not exist in a vacuum, any more than the mainstream media does. There is no hard-and-fast seam there. People will *always* communicate with other people using any means necessary — newspapers, cable tv, blogs, emails, tin cans tied to a string, furtive tap-tap-taps on jailhouse walls, whatever it takes — and people like the ’small bloggers’ are just one small subset of people who really do reach out and really do care and really do make a point of having their voices heard no matter what. What you write, they read. What they write, you read. What they say, people hear. What people say, they hear. And keeping all those many channels of communication open at all times — in *both* directions, thank you — is what makes the crucial difference between one-to-many dictating and many-to-many democracy. It has always been so, but in these times of decentralized e-ubiquity, that freedom to communicate on the citizen-to-citizen level is the most precious commodity that we can ever hope to ask for or ever seek to defend."

[ProSense]

111. I never understood that!

Why do people talk as if bloggers are virtual humans? It's like we work with bloggers, are married to them, date them, live with them; our neighbors, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, siblings, friends and acquaintances are THEM: "bloogers!"

[kerrygoddess]

19. How exciting is that! An interview with the Herald.

I can't wait to read it and will be sure to blog about it on the Dem Daily. :)

You must be very proud and excited.

[TayTay]

22. I did so at a request

from Sen. Kerry's office. I have dealt with the Sen.'s press secretary before when we arranged for blogging the Faneuil Hall speeches. She had my phone number from these prior occasions. When the request from the Herald came in, she called me, ahm, not because of any inate brilliance that I possess, but because, ahm, she had my phone number.

As Woody Allen once said, 90% of life is showing up. Ahm, it was sort of a fluke, probably not to be repeated. On the other hand, better they talk to someone who was actually there and print something true or even near true, than go with something false.

It was an honor to do this for Brigid. She is a wonderful person to deal with and I was happy to do so. Should the need arise, I will forward the names of others for their comments, but it was just a quick thing. (I really believe the Herald heard about this because Cam Kerry talked about 'the bloggers' at the second and more public reception. Things can get distorted, as Seth Gittel's post shows.)

Thank you for this. It would be an honor to have any humble thing I said posted at Dem Daily. I appreciate it.

[kerrygoddess]

48. Well it will be my pleasure

to post about the interview and of course anything else anyone wants to share about the weekend. I did see the Gittel post - it seems someone emailed him about the meeting. Sounds like a grand time was had by all - most importantly the guest of honor. Sorry I missed it - I had no idea that so much was planned.

[mloutre]

75. well, the best part of it was that...

...it wasn't really planned at all. It just sort of happened. Call it cosmic confluence, luck of the draw, saints-of-choice smiling upon the humble blogosphere, whatever -- it just all sort of came together organically this time, without plans or schedules or agendae, and that's what made it it all really worthwhile and really meaningful for everyone on both sides of the table. You can't buy or hire or order or command that sort of thing, sometimes it just happens to bubble up from the bottom and get met by other bubbles from the top side -- and that, my friends, is what this whole "netroots" business is *really* all about.

[TayTay]

76. That is the truth

A week ago, I had no idea what was going to happen on Dec 11th.

It was, in many ways, a leap of faith to have all these people come to Boston. They had faith that some good thing would happen.

It did.

[mloutre]

79. Dang it, TayTay, get those pesky tpyos fixed!

You said "...some good thing would happen."

I believe you meant to say "...so many good things would happen."

Because, of course, so many good things did.

And, ahm, blush all you want, my long-lost twin sistah from Bahstuhn you, this whole strange and wonderful thing could never have come to pass the way it did without all the many, many things you did to make happen the way it did.

Okay. So now you've got your back all patted already. Good for you.

Now, what are you gonna do for us *next* year, hah?

Get on the stick, sweethaht, we ain't got all day heah. Jeez.

[TayTay]

83. Oh dear Lord, man

Holee-muthah-a-gawd, ahm, I gotta go home and put up a Christmas tree and decorate my house and get ready for the Holidays.

Ahm, next year. Ah, I'll think about it tomorrow. (Or start thinking about it in June. One of those two.)

Thanks. I have indeed been thanked enough. It was an honah already. And besides I had more fun than anyone, my good PA brothah.

[mloutre]

3. Please be kind to TayTay. She's just being catty.

Or, rather, just being post-catty. As in post-cat-herding. As in herding 43 of them pesky dang ABL&MU Local 2008 cats through a fun-filled, work-filled, tour-filled, squee-filled weekend. It was wicked hahd work, but it was wicked good times too. We're all grateful for her. And she is flat-slap worn out. So please be gentle. She should recover soon.

:0)

[babylonsister]

4. Thank you for getting this ball rolling, TayTay! There are a few

of us here that have been checking this JK group frantically, looking for updates. Sounds like a heckuva time was had by all and I can't wait to read more about it.
You all rock for making the effort to get there and show your/our support! Thanks, everyone! :loveya:

[Island Blue]

7. Babylonsister, The Senator LOVED his cards again this year!

Thank you so much for making them. They were beautiful and much appreciated by both Sen. Kerry and Teresa.

[babylonsister]

13. Thanks for sharing that, Island Blue. He must have felt the

love from each and every one of us!

[Island Blue]

14. He did!

He was blown away by the number of signatures, and asked how long the cards had been circulating around the country. Trust us all when we say those cards mean the world to him!

[whometense]

15. Not only that, but I heard him say

he couldn't wait to take them home and read every single word people had written.

IB is right - he absolutely loved those cards. They really get to him. You should be really proud, babylonsister!!!!

[babylonsister]

27. It's not the making of the cards but the sentiments you all contributed

that got to them, and I'm so happy that worked out! Planning does pay off!

[TayTay]

29. The wonderful comments in those card expressed hope

and a desire to thank Sen. Kerry for all he has done. It was taken as such. He loved them and he loved the idear behind them.

You guys rock, you know that.

[whometense]

33. It surely does!!

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but my favorite moment of the private party was when he said to us that he and Teresa consider all of us (and it goes without saying that that includes all of you too!) part of their extended family.

If that doesn't make you squeeeeee, I don't know what will. :loveya: :loveya:

[wisteria]

16. He was humbled at seeing the cards that had traveled all over the country.

He said both of them would be reading everyone of the signatures and comments. He was emotional and very moved by the card presentation.

[karynnj]

56. He actually read parts of each

and asked when we started them to get them to so many places. He was visibly impressed with the cards and the effort to coordinate it.

[demdiva]

113. I loved the card idea (and the east coast card itself)

I don't suppose anyone made a photocopy? It seems like so long ago that I had the cards ....I completely forgot what I wrote :)
I mean I know it was nice ....but ....

[fedupinBushcountry]

6. A wicked awesome 3 days

The mind is a bit fizzled but the feet are dead. When are you wicked Mass people going to invent shoes to go with the cobblestones?

TayTay you are IMO the hostess with the mostess, thanks for everything, you my dear did one wicked heck of a job. :loveya:

[Island Blue]

8. Tay Tay is the best damn cat herder ever.

I only had three hours of sleep last night so I'm not quite sure how I'm still functioning. I was too wired to fall asleep. I'm sure the poor folks in the hotel room next to party central are also a little groggy this evening.

[wisteria]

10. I will second that. Woohoos for Tay Tay!!!! n/t

[karynnj]

60. Tay Tay did an incredible job - we were hard to herd

and the hotel was packed on the weekend making "meet in the Lobby" interesting. Hearing the recreation of the events leading up to the Boston tea party with the group was cool. Boston sure has a history for outspoken debate!

It is likely true that the neighbors on the floor next to party party central were likely not too happy with us especially Monday night. It was completely awesome meeting everyone and being able to put faces to screen names that have become more familiar than some of the neighbor's names.

The Senator and Teresa were very nice are the incredibly genuine people we have thought and written that they are - which is pretty amazing. I really can't wait until their book comes out - it will be great hearing about their ideas on the environment. I hope they do at least some talk shows together.

[ProSense]

11. Where to begin?

Well, the Senator is tall, charming and handsome, his wife, Teresa, is beautiful, gracious and down to earth, and Kerry bloggers are a terrific group and an absolute joy to be around.

Tay gave us a wicked awesome tour of Boston, which is a wonderful city rich with history and a lot of rocks in the streets. Lesson: If Tay offers to take you on a tour of Boston, wear comfortable shoes! Boston is a lively city with a lot of charm, a lot of statutes, and a couple of interesting graveyards in town!

All-in-all, I had an awesome time!

Thanks Tay!

Love you all!

[fedupinBushcountry]

25. delete/ responded to wrong post n/t

[TayTay]

17. Hey, it was my pleasure

It is funny to read that Seth Gittel post. Ahm, which of you good people have been holding out on us? Who are these 'big-named bloggers'? LOL!

We had a great time. I wanted to give people a chance to say what they talked about with JK and THK. It was a personal thing. (People tell as much as they want to tell.)

The reception was personal, in a way, and not political. (Oddly enough, but true.) We talked to two very nice people who asked us about our lives and how we came to be there. We did not discuss how to solve the problems of the world or this country. We most certainly never discussed what isn't our business to discuss. (Ahm, I am a bit flummoxed by this one. We did not decide the PResidential race in 08 here or solve Iraq or any of that stuff. It wasn't like that.)

It was a person-to-person event. Those are the stories, not that other stuff that can only get distorted. Sigh!

Hey, I thanked Sen. Kerry for going to my hometown when we had a situation arise. Ahm, that was my personal story.

[babylonsister]

18. Did he give any indication that he was going to run, Tay?

There's been all kinds of wild speculation recently, that Kennedy might withdraw his support if Kerry doesn't do something soon, that he's really disheartened and might not even run for Senate again, all very disconcerting. Did you get any 'feel' for where he/they're at?

[TayTay]

20. We did not ask him

I am not trying to be coy, it just wasn't that kind of event. This was truly a social occasion, not a serious meeting. It was lighthearted and fun. That is all. (Oh, and we were thanked for efforts in '04 and so forth. That is all.)

And if that what we saw yesterday the Senator being 'disheartened' then, ahm, I would hate to see him ahm, happy. Cuz, ahm, that was one smiling, funny, at ease, confident and gracious man. THK was also smiling and happy and fun to be with. Ahm, We had a fun time. I detected none of that dishertened stuff.

[ProSense]

23. You forgot

"beaming!"

[wisteria]

26. Yeah, that is a good word to discribe his mood. Beaming. n/t

[wisteria]

24. Nope, not at all. This was a man joking and speaking enthusiastically.

I loved his comment about our singing abilities. LOL

[karynnj]

66. Well you could have taken it as great praise for our blogging efforts

After all he said we were better bloggers than singers - which did show honesty.

[babylonsister]

28. Great to read, thanks. I can't imagine anyone making a monumental

decision like this lightly, but am happy to know he's doing okay.

[TayTay]

30. Better than okay

We laughed. We stood in that conference room and laughed and shared some stories and talked about what we had done out there in the big bad world after being inspired by comments, speeches, e-mails and so forth that the good Senator had done. That's what it was about.

It wasn't about expecting things from him. It was about sharing a moment, thanks going all around for actions taken and just having a good time. That's what happened.

And we sing badly. And Sen. Kerry got the biggest laugh out of that.

[mloutre]

32. Speak for yourself.

My voice was as that of an angel. Ahem.

[ProSense]

43. LOL! n/t

[Blaukraut]

47. Yes, you crooned like Frank Sinatra ;-) n/t

[Island Blue]

34. We also have no clue what to call him

at the end of the song. It will be much easier in '09 when we all get on the same page and sing "Happy Birthday Mr. President, Happy Birthday to you."

[whometense]

36. That was hilarious -

the song fell completely apart when we got to the name part - as some said "John" and some tried to squeeze in "Senator Kerry" and some of us just stopped dead in our tracks and started laughing (guilty).

[fedupinBushcountry]

37. We weren't the only ones who messed up

the song at the party was no better. I just couldn't do the "dear John" route at the end. It was funny. I like the '09 rendition the best, can't mess that one up.

[Blaukraut]

39. That's right!

I think there were at least 3 different versions of the song ending; 'Dear John', Dear Senator', 'Senator Kerry', and most of the enthusiastic vocalists couldn't hold a tune if their life depended on it. Yes, it was a birthday song for the ages. lol

[ProSense]

44. Wasn't it more like

"dear JohnSenatorJohnSenatorKerry..." Happy Birthday to you!

He also made a funny at the end!

[wisteria]

46. I know, I was laughing. I sang happy birthday, Senator Kerry, but

it sounded as though some were singing something else. LOL.

[whometense]

35. He (and Teresa)

also talked a lot about the book they're writing. They are very excited about it, though Teresa was extremely modest about her contribution (her two chapters to his 15, and she said she was worried she'd ruin his beautiful work.)

Of course, no one believes that - but she is genuinely modest. God, the press gets her SO wrong.

[Island Blue]

38. That was so sweet.

You are so right about Teresa. So modest and humble.

[wisteria]

45. Yes, yes, we were awful birthday singers. n/t

[wisteria]

21. I got no indication one way or another. I did get the impression that

he remains very concerned about Iraq and does not intend to back down on this issue. Strong and right is the way I see him.
I also remain positive on 08, but this is just my hunch or hope if you will.

I hope you don't mind if I put in my two cents!

[fedupinBushcountry]

31. I gave him a message from my husband

which he knew is retired Navy, and my husband wanted me to tell him to please run again in '08. He thanked my husband and said he really appreciated that coming from him.

[karynnj]

63. Our conversation with the Senator

My husband, who may become EricNJ, came with me. He was told by various people he needed to make at least one comment - so he wrote one on the Kerry blog. He mentioned to Kerry that he was the "new" blogger, having written something the day before. The Senator laughed and welcomed him as a new blogger. He also said that we had had the pleasure to see two of the Faneuil Hall speeches and that we saw him in Morristown.

I mentioned that the woman he had gone to see in the ambulance had shown the photos to people all over town. He asked if she were ok - and asked if I could get a photo to his aide, who gave me a card. With the woman's permission, I sent the jpeg file with the 2 photos I had - that I posted a few years ago. I was surprised I could speak at all.

I can't even remember what we actually said to Teresa, mostly remembering just that she was so pretty with a really sweet smile and she was very quick to laugh or smile.

[beachmom]

68. That was such a great story about the lady in Morristown

I'm glad you could get that photo to him which was really one of "those stories" which add up to the conclusion that we'd been lied to by the media. It's best to keep a record of "the truth". Glad that you could add to it.

[karynnj]

119. In retrospect, I should have added that the

newspapers wrote that the 6 or so protestors ran away to the back of the parking lot when they saw him walking purposefully in their direction. He may never have heard that and it is super funny. But I could hardly speak.

[LittleClarkie]

40. I get the feeling you guys get to see a side of him he doesn't give out lightly

he has to be really comfortable with someone before he isn't on guard. That's my impression, anyway. You guys get the side of him that his fellow veterans get, if that makes sense.

I remember the first time he started to get to me, when I saw him with his fellow veterans. He was so warm and affectionate with them. That was one of my first steps from half-hearted Clarkie/sheeple to full out Kerrycrat.

I get the feeling the first time I'd meet him, I'd burst into tears. Now how would THAT look.

[whometense]

41. I never thought of it that way,

but you have a point - he is very unguarded - and very funny, may I add, though it's preaching to the converted here.

If you did burst into tears, it probably wouldn't be the first time it happened to him! ;-)

[TayTay]

42. You are right

We're not asking anything of him. We just went to say hi, say thanks for what you already did, have some fun and enjoy the company. Oh, and show him that people who were active in '04, are still there. And that some folks who were not active in 04 took the message about getting involved in their local and state races to heart and got involved. That was a really nice message to convey, as it would be to anyone. It is always nice to hear that what you say moved someone. Always.

[BlueIris]

51. I am insane with envy.

That is all.

[mloutre]

84. Not to worry, BI...

...there is no guest list, no velvet ropes, nobody checking printed invites at the door, all you gotta do is show up and tell the folks watching the door "Psst! JK sent me!"

see ya next year (if not before),
Otter

[beachmom]

57. Meeting and greeting this wonderful couple

I'm sorry I didn't go online yesterday, but the event was so exciting that I developed a bit of insomnia so I needed to just relax and get a good night sleep last night(which I did).

When I first saw Senator Kerry approaching the room, it was all too surreal, because I had only known him on television. It actually took me a few minutes to adjust to him being a "real person", and not somebody he played on TV (what can I say, I haven't met many TV celebrities in my life). He and Teresa started shaking hands and speaking with each person. What I really got a kick out of was that although he wanted to know our real names, he was just as interested in our "blog names". So when I told him I was beachmom, he said "BEACHMOM!!". In general, I'm better when I have a chance to think of something to say in advance, and decidedly not particularly witty or clever when faced with meeting someone I have admired for so long, so all I could get out was, "Yes, I'm a Mom, and I live near the beach." (okay, lame) Now with time having passed, I should have added, "what can I say, what you see is what you get." Oh well, looks like a career on the cable talking head shows is just not in the cards for me!

Luckily, Fedup was near me, and helped me out. Senator Kerry, of course, had to bring up the one thing I kinda wished he had forgotten about -- the fact that he was in Chesapeake a couple of weeks ago. So he asked us, "hey were you there?". Um, ahem, er, sorry we didn't find out about it in time. As Fedup said later, "hey, we were honest". Well the good senator didn't hold it against us, and reiterated what a great guy Delegate Spruill is. (Here's a link to refresh your memory: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=273&topic_id=114061) For some reason, I was very touched by that as it was just a teeny tiny example of how genuine he is. Del. Spruill helped out a lot in '04, so in cold terms you could say Senator Kerry went there out of duty that he "owed" him one. But that wasn't the case at all -- you could tell he REALLY liked the guy, and that nothing is an act for him. That really, really impressed me.

I met Teresa in the other receiving line, and she asked me if I was a military wife, which I'm not, but I thought that was thoughtful and considerate to ask, considering the military area I live in. Later she spoke, and it hit me fast and furious: hey, I could have a cup of coffee with this lady, and have a great time!! She seemed very easy to talk to, and also a very genuine person. As Whometense alluded to upthread, she also was humble and showed in no uncertain terms her admiration for her husband. This was big, because the media never let this on during the campaign, and in fact, pushed the opposite. In this private setting, they were who they were, a wonderful couple perfect for each other.

I just wanted to get out my first impressions, but have one more story to tell.

[beachmom]

64. Part Two: Giving back to the Senator

After we all greeted JK and THK, presented the cards, and Sen. Kerry and Teresa said a few words, I was given the opportunity to share "my story". As you all know, I was not part of the 2004 campaign, but I did participate in the 2006 campaign in my state. This was largely due to Kerry's message, especially his talk of "citizen" as being the most important word in the America language, other than love (thank you so much MH1 for providing me with the exact quote that I could share with him). I told him what a big impact his words had had on me, and mentioned a few things I'd been doing on the blogs (hey -- why did everybody laugh when I mentioned Sully?) like the dailykos diaries. Then I told him that I turned my computer off and volunteered for the Webb campaign, and mentioned that I had gone to a precinct at 5 AM to inspect the Diebold Machines. I said that none of this would have been possible had it not been for his message that was conveyed through the blogs. I think he liked the story because he thanked me for sharing it, and then gave me a hug!! That was nice. He has given nearly all of himself for The Cause, and I hope that my feedback to him, that yes, his words and actions actually do affect people out in the country, was good for him to hear.

I'm still floating on cloud nine by this experience, it was just so wonderful.

Later at the party, Fedup and I got our picture taken with the good Senator as the "Virginia Beach contingent", a subset of the "Southern contingent" which includes Island Blue and BLM. My one error in my speech above was failing to point out that Fedup was also up at 5 AM at another precinct to inspect Diebold Machines -- somehow a tall senator giving you their undivided attention made me unable to improvise a little and mention that. Still, I think he knows how Fedup has been there SINCE THE BEGINNING in '03. Suffice it to say, Virginia Beach has most certainly got JK's back!

[fedupinBushcountry]

72. Now to be fair

I could have mentioned how you called our paper and complained about the negativity and how "we";-) think that it helped in that great report on his appearance in Chesapeake.

You know when you come down off of the great experience of meeting this remarkable man and his equally remarkable wife and on top of that the equally remarkable people that I had the pleasure meeting, you always think of something else you could have mentioned.

I was at lost for words as soon as the Senator stood back and looked at me and said "so you're Fedup", he didn't need to say anything else, I just knew then, that he knew me personally and that meant a lot to me coming from this a man who should be our President.

[mloutre]

88. Jeez, more tpyos already.

"...coming from this a man who should be our President."

Sorry to correct you, dahlin', but I believe you meant to say "...WILL be our President."

At least if any of us have anything to say about it.

(Which, at least from reading this thread, I kinda sorta suspect we will... cause it looks like there probably ain't nobody on the planet who could *stop* any of us from saying anything about it, ahem...)

[StoryTeller]

97. You did a beautiful job, Beachmom.

TayTay has helped me realize that our leaders need our encouragement, and they need to know how they have made a difference in the lives of individuals--"normal" people like us. (Normal is in quotes because...well, I think it all depends on one's definition!) :) I'm sure that it gets pretty lonely in their goldfish bowl, and I like to think that voices like yours are what fuels them to keep on doing what they do.

You can be proud of your presentation to him, Beachmom. I know we all are! :)

[wisteria]

98. You did a very nice job, I had an opportunity to mention to Teresa how you have supported

and defended the Senator. She was standing next to me when you spoke and she seemed very pleased.

[beachmom]

116. Teresa is very kind. She actually gave me an applause when I

mentioned the volunteer work I did locally. That made me feel good, too.

It was great meeting you, Wisteria. You were one of the strongest fighters during that tough week before the election, and you raised my spirits a lot during that time. I only regret not getting more time to talk to you more, but I'm sure there will be a next time!!

[Island Blue]

122. You left out the part about how helpful blm and I were

while you were writing your speech. :rofl: (We kid because we love, Beachmom.) Seriously though, you did a beautiful job of relaying your story to the Senator. You could tell by looking at his face while he was listening to you that he was truly touched by your words.

[beachmom]

124. OMG, I temporarily forgot about that. You guys got me giggling

pretty good especially when I at first didn't have index cards and was going to hold up that notebook like I was a teacher or something. All I can say is thank God for that Dale Carnegie class I took years ago!

Oh, and glad that BLM didn't have to give me the "signal" to shut up if I ran too long!

[demdiva]

108. LOL

I think I said this yesterday (to someone else), but you're too cute. I literally laughed outloud when I read your "Yes, I'm a Mom, and I live near the beach." Not because it was lame, as you say, but because I think it's completely charming. I'm sure the Senator thought so as well.

[Luftmensch067]

59. Thanks for starting this thread, Tay!

I love the stories everyone's been sharing. I couldn't hear most of what was going on in the private meeting in other parts of the room so I'm thrilled to be able to hear about the different conversations.

I wasn't "ready" for THK because I was one of the first to talk to her, so I just thanked her for being there and said something mindless. I think I told her she looked gorgeous, which she did!
JK was coming in the other direction, so I had a little more time to prepare my brain and vocal cords! I wished him a happy birthday and showed him my John Kerry for President button (it doesn't say 2004 on it, so I'm ready!) and then I spoke to him very seriously about my recent experience trying to help my mom who is recovering from a stroke and what I've learned in the last month or so about the horrible state of resources for the elderly in this country. He was totally "there", connecting with me and listening and concerned. I asked if I could write his office a letter about the issue and he volunteered the name of someone specific to address it to so he'd be sure to see it. In the midst of a birthday celebration and in a crowded room in which he was trying to connect with each person, it was humbling to see the absolutely genuine concern he feels for every single person who is in need in this country.

I did get a hug later, which I confess I initated. He is a very good hugger. :-) But I was too overwhelmed to ask for a picture with him!!

I wish I could describe how absolutely ebullient and joyful he was -- you could tell how moved he was by everyone's support and how much all the cards meant to him. Just being in the room with us and knowing that we represent so many more who couldn't be there, he seemed to take strength and comfort from our energy and to become even more vital than ever. By the time he got to the larger party, he was "beaming", exactly. His aura is that of someone much younger -- anywhere between 25 and 40, I've never seen anyone else who has his absolute joy in being alive. It is a very special side of him that I hope more people get to see as the months go by. Also, it's true -- he's hilariously funny and wry and self-deprecating. He had us in stitches!

I'm SO excited about the book now, I can barely stand to wait for it. I just wish it was going to be out in time for the holidays so I could give it to everyone I know -- heck, I'll do that anyway!!! :-)

It was so amazing to get to meet the DU and JK Blog people I hadn't met before. I wish I could have spent more time with everyone and look forward to doing so in the future (I had just gotten back from five weeks with my mom and I was wiped out, so I missed a lot of the socializing!) I love being able to put faces to the names of so many here now.

Tay Tay and everyone who did so much to make the weekend fun and memorable for everyone do deserve our deep gratitude. So much of what they do is selfless and I know they don't ask for thanks, but everyone who was there for this knows how much work was put in to make things run so smoothly.

Spending time with JK and THK was a dream come true, but I'm not lying when I say that spending time with their supporters was just as meaningful and special. I hope we can expand it even further as time goes on!

[rox63]

74. This gathering was so cool

I have no idea what I said to Senator Kerry. Probably something mindless, and I hope not too embarrasing. I was near the PA contingent, so I probably just joined in that conversation. I remember speaking to THK a lot more clearly. I mentioned that we keep hearing rumors about her son Chris Heinz possibly getting into politics. She said that the next thing on his schedule was getting married, and that's happening in February. There was further talk about the great results of the election, especially in PA, and the fact that her late husband's former Congressional and Senate seats (Won by Jason Altmire and Bob Casey Jr, respectively) both went blue this time. She seemed very pleased with that.

It was extremely cool meeting so many Kerrycrats over the last few days. I swear, that was as much fun as the events with JK and THK. :D

[wisteria]

99. It was nice meeting up with you again too! n/t

[Blaukraut]

92. what a great time we had!

These past three days were truly enjoyable! It was awesome seeing so many of you for the second, third, or even fourth time, and it was even more awesome meeting the rest of the wonderful people who are the Kerrycrats!
John Kerry and Teresa called us their extended family in the private reception, and that is exactly how it feels to be among such a fine and loyal bunch.
It was clear that JK and Teresa were enjoying themselves immensely at the private reception. They were relaxed, warm, and funny as you can only be when you are surrounded by people you can trust and appreciate. As they made their opposite ways through a quasi receiving circle, they took the time to speak to each of us individually. Both of them were familiar with some of the screen names that were given, so I assume they actually do lurk on occasion. (Heck, I would! It pays to be informed about both the enemy's plans and the friends' opinions)
Senator Kerry remembered me from the last fifty-thousand meetings (I exaggerate, of course. It was only forty thousand) and thanked me again when I mentioned that my plan for acquiring the citizenship was moving ahead.
When Teresa came up to me she said, 'so YOU are Kerstin', which made me extremely nervous. (sort of in the sense 'oh no, what did I do now?') We talked a minute or so about family, kids, etc.
After greeting us, both John and Teresa got presents and the birthday cards, all of which they really loved!
They both made small, off-the-cuff speeches, and they were both endearing and heart-felt.
Afterwards, we headed down to Faneuil Hall for the party. (lets say some of us limped in our high heels on the cobble stones. But we had been warned by Tay about this, so no excuses)
The party was much too short, unfortunately, but we treated the Senator to another off-key birthday song (the first one you've read about upthread). Cam Kerry gave a short speech, introducing his older brother, and then John Kerry spoke briefly, too, about keeping up the fight, winning congress, and looking forward.
There was lots of mingling and talking, and at about 7.30 the Kerry's headed home. That was pretty much the cue for all of us to change venues, so we cleared out, grabbed taxis, and went back to the hotel to change. We met up at MJ O'Connors - same pub as last year - but 'our' tables were reserved so we had to change seats only an hour into our bar hangout. That broke up the mood a little and most of the group ended up reconvening in the designated hang-out room at the hotel.
As much as the rest of us tried, we couldn't close down the pub, so we admitted defeat and joined the others at the hotel for another hour.
And that was it for this year.

[wisteria]

101. great recap. I haven't gotten past the reception yet.

The party was good, but very crowded. Of course it was easy to locate the good Senator in the crowd.

The Pub, well I am thinking of sending a note of complaint. Paying customers and he treated us crummy.

[ProSense]

106. Terrific recap! Thanks LK! n/t

[Democrafty]

107. Haha, I know how you feel about being recognized!

When the Senator asked me what name I used on line, I told him, and when I started to tell him where I blogged, he said, "Oh, I know who that is!" And I thought, "Oh goodness, I am In Trouble!" But he and Mrs. Heinz Kerry were both wonderfully kind and are very good sports and very easy to talk to - JK less so, in my case, because he is seriously about eight feet tall.

Also, because you're going to ask: Vineyard Vines, Fins, red.

[fedupinBushcountry]

125. So I meet all these people that actually have real names

and all of a sudden I see LevonsonK and I'm saying to myself, why can't I place this name, well duh because I was going by your JK blog name.

It was nice meeting you, and yes we were warned about the shoes, but who would of thought there were that many cobblestones , especially if you have never been to Boston before. Next time I will come prepared, I learned my lesson.

It was fun hobbling along with you, at least we could laugh through our pain.

[Vektor]

102. It couldn't have been more perfect!

I can't say enough great things about all of the wonderful people I met over the "weekend". (Ok - so it lapsed into the "week".)

It was great to see old friends and make many new ones.

The party was great, and John and Momma T were gracious and fantastic. I am going to post a more in depth account a little later, but I am still trying to recover from my whirlwind past couple of days, and two late night flights across the country.

I am still on my first cup of coffee!! :-)

More later.

Hugs for all.

[wildflowergardener]

109. weekend

Hi. It sounds like you guys all had a great time.

Is this something you do every year? I've never been to Boston (or anywhere in the east for that matter).

Meg

[TayTay]

110. Well, we were able to last year and this

but we don't know what will happen next year. We don't know what the circumstances will be. (It didn't really come up at the meeting. We were sort of 'in the moment' and didn't think that far ahead.)

There was some talk of people getting together at Take Back America, if they have a conference in DC in 2007 in June. Beyond that, nothing is planned at the moment. We don't know what to plan for, to tell you the truth, but if anything comes up, it will be heavily discussed here.

[wildflowergardener]

112. I understand

Well at least I know this group exists - which is a plus - I'd been wandering around in negative John Kerry territory ever since the John Kerry board closed until I found this place.

I'm glad I did.

Meg

[mloutre]

114. Meg -- the JK blog 2.0 is up and running again, please come back coz we miss you

http://blog.johnkerry.com/

[TayTay]

115. What otter said

I agree. That is another great place to go and discuss things.

[wildflowergardener]

123. blog

Actually it was the John Kerry message board that I used to post at - not the blog, back in 2004. That was shut down after the election - and changed to the common sense board - no longer a John Kerry board - and then they started to charge for access, so I came over to Democratic Underground since it was no longer a John Kerry board only anymore. I just found this board several months ago.

Meg

[wisteria]

118. I am glad you found us! n/t

[GRLMGC]

120. That is so cool

That sounds amazing. Im glad you all had a great time!

[whometense]

121. We missed you, though!! n/t

[TayTay]

126. We missed you!

Your name came up thrughout the weekend and we explained that circumstances did not permit you to come to Boston this year.

We were thinking of you kiddo!

[GRLMGC]

128. Aww

This trip sounded especially cool. I can't believe you got so much time w/ JK and THK! That rules

[jillan]

127. Thanks everyone for the GREAT stories

I thought about all of you over the weekend.

Glad it was another success :)

[emulatorloo]

129. Thanks, everybody, for the summaries -- Great Stories!

I'm so happy to hear what a great time you had and how moved Sen Kerry and Teresa were.

Wish I could have been there! Your stories are the next best thing.

[europegirl4jfk]

130. Joining in late to the After-Party

We just came home yesterday, Julie and I, and were exhausted after the 12-hour-trip and the lost night thanks to the different time zones. We had a great - but cold *g* - time in Boston and it was wonderful meeting you all there! My friend Ulrike says also hi! She and Julie visited Boston for the first time and really liked it very much. We also went to Salem and visited the Witches Museum. And the girls went shopping, of course! LOL

Now to the meeting with John and Teresa. Well, I don't know how to say it... On the one hand, as we had and have the opportunity to see a lot of JK's public appearances, speeches, interviews etc. online (thanks to JK.com and all you great people here who always dig the audio and video links) it's like meeting an old friend because you are so familiar with his voice, his expressions, his gestures, just everything (I already had that feeling when I saw him for the first time at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in October). On the other hand it's something totally different to talk to him, and hell yes, it's intimidating! LOL I introduced us at the "European Delegation" and he seemed to find it funny. He asked it we really had come all the way from Europe for his Birthday and was impressed and thanked us when we confirmed that. What surprised me and stunned my daughter to no end was that he knew my DU name. I'm not one of the people who really post here very often and during the whole weekend I felt a bit like an intruder because I'm just not in the position and don't have the knowledge to contribute as much as you others do to this site and the whole JK cause. I mean I first came here because I was totally impressed with John Kerry in 2004 and wanted to learn more about him and American politics in general. And it's still a big learning process for me.

About Teresa: You just have to love here! She is such a normal, warm, down-to-earth woman. (I guess I don't tell you something new here. *g*) She talked first in English and then in French to us and especially asked my daughter if she is interested in politics as well and if she wants to study Political Science. Julie said that she will do Law in the UK next year and Teresa meant that it's pretty close and a good choice. As the conversation was in French it was like talking to one of our neighbors. Just amazing!

What else can I say? Oh yes, just one observation. I have met celebrities and people who are in public life before (I once even was member of a fan group for an actor *blush*) and I often made the experience that people have a public persona and a private one. They rarely are the same person on screen/on stage and in a more intimate or even totally private setting. You are often surprised when you meet them in person, sometimes for the better, often for the worse. *g* But John Kerry is always John Kerry. He is totally authentic. Surely more relaxed, more funny and less guarding his words in this kind of meeting, but still the same guy you see on TV, at a speech or in the Senate. With most politicians you get the impression that they hide something from you, that they aren't really honest. Not so with John Kerry. You have the feeling that he lets you see right into his heart and that's very touching.

Something else. I would love to post our picture (Julie's and mine) with JK here but I don't know if I have the right to do that. Tay, can you tell me what's the "legal status" here. *g* Can we do that? There are no other people in this pic. Just JK, Julie and I. BTW, you took it. Thank's for that!

[TayTay]

131. I think we were just tired and haven't done the pics yet.

I should certainly think you can post a pic.

In fact, we talked in Boston about having one heck of a pic thread this Friday. Presumably, that would mean all sorts of pics. (They were published on the jk.com site. All our pics are good, after all and I see no reason not to publish them.)

[beachmom]

132. It was wonderful to meet you, Europegirl and your daughter, too

I think you hit it on the nail about how John Kerry is always John Kerry. Less guarded maybe, but completely the same guy you would see on C-SPAN giving a speech and talking to voters. It's rather scary when you meet a politician who is "the genuine article", because that upsets the whole equilibrium of our general impression of politicians.

[blm]

133. Yes! That is EXACTLY what it is that makes JK so different than most - he's consistently

the same person in many different settings - obviously serious-minded, but with a genuine warmth and concern for all that radiates to those who bother long enough to notice.

[StoryTeller]

134. That's basically the definition of "integrity."

Webster's Collegiate, 11th Ed:

integrity: n. 1) firm adherence to a code of esp. moral or artistic values: INCORRUPTIBILITY. 2) an unimpaired condition, SOUNDNESS. 3) the quality or state of being complete or undivided, COMPLETENESS. (syn. see "honesty")

Someone with integrity is the same all the way through, consistent. We all have layers to our personality and being, but a person like JK who has integrity has the same essence in deepening amounts in every single layer. Unfortunately, integrity is a rarer quality than it really ought to be. It's one of the things that I treasure in people when I find it, and the reason why I will go to great lengths to support Kerry.