Kerry catnip on HuffPost

[ginnyinWI]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-durang/some-last-minute-obama-th_b_97773.html

The article writer tells of canvassing in PA and meeting JK at a campaign headquarters for the first time--and is impressed with how charismatic he is. He's still got it. :)

[MBS]

1. Oh, this is very nice. Thanks! n/t

[louloulou]

3. I came to post this

So I'm glad it was here!

I just love to run across people who are shocked - shocked I tell you! - that John Kerry is warm and funny and a really good guy. Kind of like it dawning on them that Al Gore is super-smart and totally committed to saving our planet. Who knew!

When we got to the Quakertown headquarters, we were surprised to learn that Senator John Kerry was there to give all the volunteers a pep talk. (Also there were his two sisters; and his daughter who was also going door-to-door for Obama.)

I voted for Kerry, but I had never seen him in person before. I was amazed by how charismatic he was. He spoke really well, and effortlessly. Of course, he was among people he knew he was in sync with; and that makes a person more relaxed.

He thanked us all for being there, and said that we all had seen that Barack Obama was the best chance for a new politics, for moving the country forward, and for changing its direction. (When Alice and I did our canvassing in a little while, even those who were undecided seem desperate for change.)

Kerry said we were not running against anyone, we were not running against Hillary Clinton. He knows and likes her. Instead, we were running in favor of Barack Obama, in the belief he was the best choice, and chance, for our country. He has very special gifts, and his candidacy was a very singular opportunity to change course FOR REAL. Which most of us passionately want.

Kerry said he assumed all of us there were already convinced of Obama, but added, is there anyone here feeling undecided still? And we were all surprised when an older woman (in her early 70s, I think) raised her hand.

And Kerry said, what are you thinking about in terms of the election? And she said, "Well, I'm an older woman, and I would love to see a woman elected in my lifetime." Kerry nodded sympathetically, and she added. "And also a black person elected in my lifetime." And he nodded again and said, "Well I suggest you plan on not stopping living for a while then." I don't know that I got his quote quite right, but his comment was extremely charming and funny, and the whole room laughed, as did the woman.

Again I was struck by how loose he was. (And how we must start looking at how the media interviews politicians. It's hard to communicate easily if there's a constant "gotcha" mentality all the time, and not just in debates. What was missing in the first half of that Stephanopoulos-Gibson-moderated debate was an actual interest in getting information. We need information first; challenge and opinion can come later, and in proper formats, like all those Sunday pundit talk shows... Well there's lots of good analysis on the Huffington Post and elsewhere on this issue.)

Anyway, Kerry was terrific.

[sandnsea]

4. we must "start" looking at how the media interviews

Start? Makes me want to bang my head against the wall. This sounds like a smart guy, where has he been.

They're already starting the "elitist" stuff with Obama, he's not a regular guy, can't talk to regular guys. It's crazy because he's the one winning the male vote. But if we don't start a campaign on this right now, they'll destroy him with it in November. I don't know why people are so eager to believe this nonsense.

[wisteria]

2. How nice! thanks for posting. n/t