Kerry Up Close and Personal
Readers of this site know that I have not been John Kerry’s biggest fan. I was originally for Dean, on the basis of his straight talk and executive experience, then for Edwards because of his engaging style. Kerry always struck me as dull and programmatic, lacking a convincing record of legislative achievement and the ability to express himself clearly on critical issues. I gave my support to the presumptive nominee only out of a sense of patriotic duty – that it’s the responsibility of every American who values our security, reputation in the world, freedom and prosperity to rid ourselves of the national disaster and disgrace that is Bush, regardless of whoever takes his place.
Toward that end, I’ve expressed myself politically in the only acceptable manner these days: through the donation of large sums of money. Last night, Kerry was in town and there was a function for contributors held at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle. I figured this would be a chance to view the candidate up close and hobnob with local party bigwigs, so my companion and I decided to pony up.
We were not the only ones. The ballroom was filled to capacity – over 1200 guests, plus volunteers, press and elected officials. According to the organizers, the event brought $2.2 million into Kerry’s coffers, nearly double what Bush raised when he was here over the summer (for his only visit to the Northwest in 3 years in office) and way, way beyond the expectations of the campaign. Looking around the crowd, it wasn’t all fatcats, either. A lot of ordinary folks like ourselves dug deep to give Kerry the ammunition he needs to go toe-to-toe with the Republicans.
Inside, the atmosphere was great. If you don’t live in Seattle or a place like it, it may be hard to understand exactly how eager folks here are to vote against Bush. There were lines around the block at the usually lightly-attended party caucuses in March, and almost everywhere in town you can find Kerry posters and yard signs. This is a young, tolerant, sophisticated and fairly diverse urban environment with an innovative economy, facing the Pacific and embracing global culture with open arms. Bush is simply not our kind of guy and never will be. His values are too narrow, his facility the reasoned discussion we prize around these parts hardly exists, and the priorities of his constituency are foreign to our experience here. As long as he’s President, many Seattlites feel as though we are living in occupied territory. Kerry, whatever his flaws, is our vehicle for liberation.
The first surprise of the night was the appearance of Teresa Heinz Kerry, the candidate’s flamboyant wife. The campaign has been touting her as an enormous asset for her personality and smarts, but, from her appearances in the media, I had had my doubts. No longer. She gave a long speech introducing her husband in which she very thoughtfully and sincerely expounded on her values, her love of America and our democracy, and her hopes that we could once again take our place as a beacon of hope and justice to the world. A description can’t do it justice, and it would be hard to feel the power other than in person because of the shambles the media makes of this woman’s depth and intelligence. All I can say is that anyone who has their doubts about Teresa should find a way to see her in person. She’s a formidable force whose passion complements her husband in a true partnership. I’m sure she will make one hell of a First Lady.
Then came Kerry himself. I was prepared for the usual stiff, handwaving rhetoric and familiar applause lines. But the candidate was relaxed, extemporaneous, warm and even funny. He started off with a canned joke about “American Idol,” probably from his standard stump speech, which met with almost no response. “Most of you have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?” Kerry said, bursting out in a grin. He obviously relieved that he didn’t need to connect with the audience on that level, and from then on, he put aside the campaign artifice he obviously finds uncomfortable and spoke from the heart about his vision and values – why he’s running, where he wants to lead the country, what his priorities would be, and how America under a Kerry presidency would be different from the Empire of Fear we live under today.
For most of us in the crowd who are painfully familiar with all the shortcomings of the Bush administration and didn’t need to hear the same criticisms repeated over and over again as Kerry is wont to do in his standard appearances, this was exactly what we wanted and needed to hear. Here was a real person – smart, sincere, serious – talking to us as peers about the complicated issues and problems we face as a nation. No slogans, no shrill rhetoric, just the words of someone guided by life experience, comfortable in his skin and happy in his relationships, with a genuine desire to make the country a place of hope and possibilities again. Does he have all the answers? Of course not – no one does. But he has the confidence to be humble in the face of complex challenges, and the discipline to apply himself to their resolution with an open mind.
He received a thunderous ovation then took a little time to work the crowd. Regrettably, I only got close enough to get the picture above (sorry, cheap camera) before he headed for the exit. For this he can be forgiven: it was his wedding anniversary, and Teresa does not look like someone you want to keep waiting.
We left feeling very good about the campaign and the candidate. Obviously, this is not the John Kerry most of America has seen – although from his performance in an intimate setting, it is clear now how he managed to overtake Dean in Iowa. And even if he could put himself across in this way, there are still plenty of people in the country who fear and distrust calm intelligence and who prefer a leader as incurious and impatient as themselves. Still, from a personal perspective, I have much greater confidence that Kerry is not simply the anti-Bush, but really has what it takes to be a great President.
10:23:35 AM 
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