| Move Over, Rover, and Let Jimi Take Over |
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February 4, 2004 |
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John Kerry – who looked like a dead Shar-Pei last night – continued his theme of making this election about Vietnam in his boring speech. I rolled you two audio clips to put this in perspective. The first is of myself from January 27th, when I asked if people had noticed how in vogue the Vietnam war had become now that we have an anti-war Democrat who threw away medals (not his own) as a potential nominee. |
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 Knowing I'd said that, a major See, I Told You So jumped out at me from Kerry's morgue-like victory speech. Kerry said we deserve a president "who brings America together and remembers we are one America, one people, one spirit. Let's go out and win. Let's take back the White House and our democracy in the United States. Thank you, and God bless. Thank you very much!"
As soon as he finished, they cranked up Jimi Hendrix's "Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire" from the Vietnam era! It's his version of Fleetwood Mac's "Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" that the Clintons always played.
This is the John Kerry theme song of a campaign that's all about yesterday. The Kerry campaign is all about reviving the Vietnam era and engaging in a little revisionist history. I took on this issue today in three additional stories. You can hear my comments and read the transcripts in the links below. |
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Read the Article... |
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Headline: Front-Runner Fires Up Supporters in Seattle
Source: Everett Herald
Dateline: Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Byline: Lukas Velush
SEATTLE -- In the eyes of Becky Olson, Sen. John Kerry has already won the Democratic nomination for president.
"I'm ecstatic," said the Monroe resident as she watched the Democrats' front-runner speak here Tuesday evening after winning five of seven primaries and caucuses across the nation. "I think he's awesome."
Olson said she is confident that Kerry will win Washington state's Democratic caucus vote on Saturday. Equally is Edith Lawrence of Edmonds, another Kerry supporter who came to Seattle to listen to Kerry's speech.
"I think here in Snohomish County, I think they're just really coming on board and saying, 'Hey, this is a good guy. He could beat Bush,'" said Lawrence, who watched Kerry speak at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Towers.
Both Lawrence and Olson said Kerry's positive approach to campaigning resonated with them, especially when they heard him in person talk about leading the country.
While they waited for Kerry to appear, fans rocked to a string of Santana hits. Finally, after a series of speeches by members of the Washington congressional delegation, and with Jimmy Hendrix belting out "Let me stand next to your fire," the crowd roared as Kerry walked onto the stage. Gov. Gary Locke, who introduced the Massachusetts senator, shouted, "Who's going to be the next president of the United States of America?"
"For the second time in a few days, a New England patriot has won on the road," Kerry said to the cheering crowd of about 1,000 supporters, referring to the New England Patriots' Super Bowl win on Sunday. "In November, we will beat George W. Bush."
Olson clenched her hands in front of her face as Kerry spoke. She said it was a special feeling to be part of a night when Kerry separated himself from the pack of presidential hopefuls.
"This is next to birth and marriage," she said of the evening's momentousness.
Behind Olson, her daughter, 22-year-old Whitney Poole, listened in rapt attention.
"I think he truly wants to be president so he can make a difference," said Poole, who claims she has single-handily brought 23 of her friends to the Kerry cause. "The things he says, the way he speaks -- he seems sincere."
Poole was among a mix of young and old who waited nearly eight hours for Kerry to step up to the podium.
Protecting the environment, creating jobs, raising the minimum wage and making sure everyone has health care were issues Kerry and the members of the Washington delegation addressed.
What most struck Everett resident Pete McGuire was that Kerry volunteered to fight in Vietnam, became a decorated war hero and later joined protests to end the war.
"That's one thing you can really respect about him," said McGuire. He traveled to see Kerry along with his wife, Mee Yoke, who supports Kerry's politics and also thinks he looks like Hugh Grant.
U.S. Reps. Jay Inslee, Adam Smith and Norm Dicks spoke on Kerry's behalf, each making pleas for state voters to turn out for Saturday's Democratic caucuses.
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