Kerry charges up Chatham Dems

[Mass]

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15217837&BRD=1918&PAG=461&dept_id=506415&rfi=6

This is a great description of an event in NJ, that complements the great description Karinnj gave us.

I liked the passages about the reception by the crowd. So much for an aloof, not connecting politician.

By MAX PIZARRO Editor 09/15/2005

There was no music on Saturday for Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. The Springsteen “No Surrender” chest-thumper that was his entrance song during the campaign last year never blared forth from stacked speakers.

...

The mane of silver hair was visible over the crowd when Kerry entered the hall with Corzine and made his way to the dais in this state he would later in the day call his second home. “New Jersey loves you, John!” a voice called over the roar of a reception, and the deep-set eyes looked out at that face, the words “thank you” visible but inaudible.

When he tried to speak, the senator’s name filled the hall to deafening.

“Kerry!”

“Kerry!”

Long criticized for his perceived aloofness and inability to connect with the common man, a political veteran of firehouse hotdog roasts where he sat at the edge of a roomful of firemen, suspended in a seeming melancholy disconnect, Kerry received a working class hero’s welcome.
...

“If we had seen this guy in the general election last year, he’d be president,” Payton said. “I don’t know if it was him last time or what the news media portrayed, but he gave a great and human speech. I think basically what he was saying was that the country needs a mammoth change in direction and let it begin here. In New Jersey, we have a chance to make a statement.”

Read the full article.

[WildEyedLiberal]

1. That last paragraph - LOL

Guess that guy hadn't gone to any of his rallies last year, because the same John showed up. At least some people are realizing that hey, the Mainstream Media-Created John Kerry (tm) bears little resemblance to the real man.

[Mass]

2. No, he said clearly that it may be the media.

He said : "if we had seen this man", and it is true that, if you were only watching the media, you did not see the true Kerry.

[WildEyedLiberal]

3. I saw that...

He also said something like "I don't know if it was him last year or the media..." anyway, I was saying that it was a good thing that people realize what the real Kerry is like as opposed to the media fabrication.

[Mass]

5. Yes, it is definitively good news.\nt

[beachmom]

10. Mass, thank you for this find! It has made my day.

What about the lady who collapsed and Kerry went into the ambulance and held her hand, making sure she was okay? This is catnip at its finest, and it just happened last week!! Karynnj, don't you wish now that you had become dehydrated and collapsed?? Okay, I can see it now. All of us will go to see him and "collapse" just so we can meet him. That guy really is a rock star, isn't he? thanks for the article, Mass.

[karynnj]

17. We knew she left to get water and heard that she had gone to

the EMS ambulance. We felt really sorry and had hoped that she was able to see the rally (but just not make it back to the front). I wasn't clever enough to think of fainting.

Thanks for the article - I am shocked they are on line. They are a small weekly paper. Thank you for finding it.

[karynnj]

16. The guy probably didn't see him

because he never came to NJ.

[Island Blue]

4. Loved that story within a story about him making sure

the lady who had to receive medical attention was OK. :loveya: My hero! That shows just what a decent, caring human being this man is. Why are people waking up and seeing this ten months too late?

I also loved the part about the anti-Kerry, anti-Corzine protesters scattering like rats when JK got close to them. Vermin.

[WildEyedLiberal]

7. They are cockroaches

Pests, nuisances, destructive even, but ultimately terrified of light.

[karynnj]

18. They may have realized Kerry could easily debate the

Corzine is corrupt smear and they saw what he did to Bush.

[WildEyedLiberal]

6. I KNEW I should've fainted at his rally!!!!

:evilgrin:

[whometense]

9. Really.

:evilgrin: It would have been a masterstroke.

[whometense]

8. What a FANTASTIC story!!

It put a huge grin on my face.

Dare to post it in GD? See what can happen when you don't throw away an excellent candidate??

[TayTay]

11. Wow! That is some great press.

ANd I love that story about the person fainting and finding Kerry coming over to see how they are doing. What a lovely story.

The NJ trip was a huge success. I hope the Senator gets back on the road and makes lots more speeches real soon. He needs that interaction with people. Good for him, good for the people.

[whometense]

12. Yeah.

My first thought was, maybe Kerry ought to hire this person. My second thought was, no, we can't afford to lose one of the few journalists in the country who tells it like it is.

:loveya: reading that article reactivated my crush. :loveya:

[TayTay]

13. Yeah, I got warm fuzzy feeling too!

Of varying intensities and locations. He really is a great guy. He done us proud. (You raise them as homegrown Senators and when it comes time to release them out into the wild, you hope for the best. He turned out real good and does us proud. I am slowly, ever so slowly, becoming less territorial about my Sens and more willing to share. It's a process.)

[karynnj]

19. Well the woman who introduced him did say he was one of

her Senator even if he was from Massachusetts. (or something to that effect)

[JI7]

14. that describes what i saw last year

"but he gave a great and human speech. I think basically what he was saying was that the country needs a mammoth change in direction "

whenever i watch KErry now and read his statements and other things i am reminded of last year. he is the same now as he was then. the media just didn't show it. i saw it because i watched cspan or i would look for what he was doing online and read about it or download something with him on it. and of course the pics.

[karynnj]

15. Better Pictures

Brenda, like my husband and I got there about an hour before the rally was suppose to start. She's from my town so we spent about 1 1/2 hours talking before she went to get water and sit down. We saw that she went with the paramedic. On Saturday when I wrote my summary ,I didn't realize that Kerry saw her. I knew her name and address, so I took computer copies of my pictures over and went to see if she was ok.

She had these 2 pictures which she scanned and has sent out - which I got yesterday, but wasn't sure if it was ok to post. Looking over her email, I see that she did send it to the county Democrats, so I think it is ok. She had told me that the one of the squad had gone over to take a few pictures of Kerry for her, but had told the others he was going to see if he could get Kerry -the reaction of the others in the squad was it will never happen - he won't wade through 500-600 (their estimate) people - They had never seen that happen in any previous event. They were very very surprised when he did.

Look at the expressions of both the paramedic and Brenda in the top one. I think Kerry has 2 fans for life.

She said that he was very nice and talked a lot, putting her at ease. This story will likely be in several little Morris county weeklies - like the Chatham one.

Kind of nice counter point when people are finding that Bush is not the protector some thought he was, that many may realize Kerry was different as well.

[Island Blue]

20. That does it! I'm even more in love with him this morning

than I was last night!! :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: I read the story, but that expression on Brenda's face says it better than any words possibly could! Thanks for posting these Karannj!

[karynnj]

21. Here's another local paper

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15208608&BRD=1918&PAG=461&dept_id=506567&rfi=6

There are about 5 weeklies in the area that all share office space. Morris News Bee was very right wing in the early 1970s. I subscribed to it for 1 yr in 1973 - after signing up and paying for it at a town meeting. It was bad enough it went from mail to recycling. This is nice that - and this story is more prominant than in the bigger paper. I'm canvassing in Morris Township on Sunday - so I will be able to see two things - did Kerry motivate volunteers and how are the assembley candidates doing. (The township is shaped like a donut with Morristown in the center. Morristown was very rich at the turn of the century and they didn't want the farms in their town. The lownship is where many corporations have there headquarters, Morristown has all the county buildings, most of the churches and a significant minority population. THe townsip is very Republican,)

[whometense]

22. Karyn,

those photos are priceless. I can completely identify with what she must be feeling!!

[karynnj]

23. She was so exited - telling me the pictures (taken other camera

by one of the ambulance squad people) were much better than the newspaper one. I hope it's ok to post it - especially embedded in a thread in this group.

I like the paramedic's expression almost as much - she was there to see Kerry. He was there because he was on duty and the admiration is obvious.

There should be one more paper - the Roxbury Reporter guy was right in front of us (and he got a picture of Kerry with his adorable 6 yr old daughter who had the largest Kerry button I ever saw.)

[whometense]

24. Can't wait.

I agree with you about the ambulance guy. That's Kerry. He doesn't need image consultants to make him look like he cares. He just cares. And people respond to that.

[TayTay]

26. I agree. That's why the Worcester Firefighters love the guy

Worcester Telegram story on NH Primary win: We know who our friends are (1/28/04)

Among those celebrating last night at Kerry headquarters here were a contingent of Worcester firefighters, including Chief Gerard Dio and Worcester Firefighters Union President Frank Raffa. They were among a dozen Worcester firefighters who spent months working for the Kerry campaign in New Hampshire and helped get out the vote yesterday.

They traced their allegiance to Mr. Kerry to his assistance after the Dec. 3, 1999, Worcester Cold Storage warehouse fire, and his commitment to the fight by firefighters across the country for better homeland security preparedness after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks.

Mr. Kerry's support from New Hampshire firefighters, who opened firehouses in more than 20 cities and towns for key Kerry campaign rallies and meetings with local voters, was visible at every turn of the campaign, just as they were in his surprise victory in the Iowa caucus last week.

(snip)

Mr. Raffa said he expects the bond Mr. Kerry has forged with firefighters will help him establish campaigns in cities across the country through the primary process.

``He's been a strong voice for firefighters across the nation, and that is something we don't forget,'' Mr. Raffa said. ``Remember also on Dec. 3, 1999, the senator was on his way overseas and turned around and came back to be with Worcester firefighters. He spent eight days with us, and we developed a friendship and we are going to do everything we can. We have organized across the country.

``We will be wherever he needs us. This will only get stronger. We have organizations in all 50 states, and we are going to work tirelessly,'' Mr. Raffa said. ``We are on a roll, and we are going to carry this momentum across the country.''

I always remember this story. It was a very big deal. And the firefighters know who their friends are and who showed up and stayed when needed.

[whometense]

27. Those yellow

"Firefighters for Kerry" t-shirts. Every time you saw a Kerry rally they were standing there behind him. The lefty freepers don't understand this about Kerry at all. I don't know anyone who has had personal contact with him and who has not become a major supporter and admirer. His humanity just comes through. You can't help but respond to it.

Unless you're Howie Carr or Patrick Healy or Joan Vennochi, of course...:eyes:

[Island Blue]

29. This story brought to mind a photo I remember seeing

of Vanessa (Dr. Kerry) on the Corbis Photo site so I went back and found it. This is from a rally in Scranton, PA last July. This gentleman apparently also became overheated so Vanessa was helping him out. Like father like daughter! I love these moments of genuine compassion - no need fake it like he who shall not be named * attempts to do (and fails miserably).

[blm]

25. Snagged the article for GD - used freeper protestors angle.

.

[Mass]

28. Thanks, you did a great job.

[karynnj]

30. That really did work nicely

I think (from some comments of neighbors further back in the crowd) that the protestors were young. I think it's hillareous that they hung out at the back of the parking lot.

[WildEyedLiberal]

31. Oh, God - College Republicans are the WORST

They are VILE. They all look the same - white, obviously affluent, short business-cut hair (or long flowing Coulter-esque hair, in the case of the girls :puke: ), and of course preppy/fratty dress. Not to mention the arrogant, smug sense of entitlement that surrounds each and every one of them.

I would KILL to see a motley group of College Republican "protestors" scatter like cockroaches at the sight of mighty John Kerry striding purposefully towards them. That is one of the most delicious images I've had of him yet. Striding determinedly with those long, athletic legs.... *ahem* ..... :evilgrin: