Teresa Kerry On C-Span: IMHO She Out-Shines Mrss Dean, Clark, Edwards and

[Raya]

and Bachelorette #1! Not to mention the husbands.


Teresa Heinz Kerry Just on CNN. Fabulous, profound, mind-bendingly real! Mrs. Kerry held her own representing “My Husband’s” ideas on the environment, social policy, and health-care. She was chatting with various folk in at least 3 different languages (not sure whether foreign reporters or local immigrants. She casually talked about a wide range of issues from religious freedom to child cognitive development with the “formation of neurons” to pre-adolescence.

I and my friends have compared the Wives to see what other influences we could get into the White House with a DEM ticket. Our conclusion: We agree with Al Sharpton -- Mrs. Kerry is the PARTY!!

Teresa Heinz Kerry has become the biggest topic within my activist "cell" in arguments over which Candidate to support. Teresa is one of the big reasons to support Kerry over Clark.

I have myself lived in 4 different countries during my youth. Nothing compares to being raised and educated in the “Transnational” community for giving one a sense of the world which affects all ones ideas on global matters such as environmental policy, international law, war and peace?

Teresa’s life story, being born in Mozambique, studied in South Africa, worked in Europe, fluent in 5 language, immigrated into the American political establishment, MAKES HER THE PERFECT FIRST LADY in these times of global turmoil.

I challenge all Duers to think about this: Which White House do you think is better able to renew relations with Old Europe, Russia and China:


Howard Dean and Judith Steinberg?
Dennis Kucinich and Bachelorette No. 1?

or

John Kerry and Teresa Heinz?

Most of my friends are Kucinich supporters. But the answer was obvious:

John and Teresa could create the best “image” for the country.


For C. David Heymann, author of “A Woman Name Jackie,” there is only one first-lady-in-waiting who could bring Jackie Kennedyesque style and glamour back to the White House. And that would be Teresa Heinz.

”I think she would return to the White House some of the glamour, culture and stateliness lost over the past decades,'' Heymann told the Track. ``She possesses many of the same qualities as Jackie - sophistication, a stately appearance, a flair for fashion and charm if she wishes to use it. And then, of course, there's all that money.'' And she can speak French!

I pesonally wished the Party had stuck with Gore, because I think Gore deserves the Presidency. But it definitely could be a “mission accomplished” to have Teresa in the White House.

Near the end of the event a college student told Teresa that most of her school mates were apathetic because the felt Bush would win anyway. Teresa answered sharply: “You go tell them to get off their duffs and do something … You do don’t deserve to live in a free country if you aren’t willing to fight for it. There is no excuse to be depressed in America!”

[Fleshdancer]

1. All the Democratic wives are wonderful and a contest is pointless

Going down this road is taking ourselves down to an all new low. This country would be lucky to have any of these women as First Lady.

[Walt Starr]

2. I have never in my life considered potential first Ladies

into my voting decisions. Not once. Nor have I ever met anybody who gave a damn about it.

Just a point about the importance of such things.

[Raya]

7. And why not. Don't you think the Wife of the President make a difference?

[bitchkitty]

33. No.

[WiseMen]

28. Mrs. Kerry is Likely a more informed Policy Expert than Hillary.

She appears not only knowledgeable, but extremely knowledgeable on
a variety of domestic and global environmental policy matters.

[Raya]

44. Certainly seemed more informed than Dean

[Jerseycoa]

3. For goodness sake

I admire Teresa Heinz Kerry very much, but this is really silly.

[Cheswick2.0]

4. IMO she bored the hell out of those poor people

I know she is sincere, but she was horrible.

[WiseMen]

27. Horrible? I think not.

[blm]

5. All the wives are exceptional people in my book.

Teresa would be the first African-American first lady and I don't doubt that healthcare and poverty in Africa would be addressed MIGHTILY by a Kerry administration.

[Raya]

6. I Agree. I heard Teresa Tell Paula Zhan how she admired Mrs. Deans Medial

practice and commitment.

[sandnsea]

8. She is certainly inspiring

Typically I wouldn't say look to the wife either. But with Teresa, it's just different. She's more than nuts and bolts policy like Hillary, she's life-affirming. Arts and music is more than about developing the mind for educational purposes, it's about creating a sense of awe and joy. Service isn't about getting free college, its about generations coming together to create communities. Like she says, when you have functioning communities, you don't need federal programs.

She is as unique as John is. The two of them would set this country on fire, there's just no doubt in my mind. We've seen what an active First Lady can do for the country with Eleanor and Jackie. I do think it's fair to look at our future First Ladies and consider what they would bring to the picture since we are in such a unique situation of having so much need.

[QuidditchFan]

24. Exactly...

I actually forgot that I was watching one of the candidate's wives for a brief second. Her thoughts about social justice, fairness, the degredation of the family in America, etc., all really resonated. At times, I thought her poetic.

How awesome was it to see her shift from English to French to what I think was Portugese during conversations with three different people in a span of 5 minutes.

[blm]

25. I didn't see it all, but she seems she'd get along great with

Dennis Kucinich, doesn't she? I wonder if she has a younger sister to fix him up with, heh.

[WarNoMore]

9. I found her

intelligence & wellroundedness(?) extremely refreshing. It *would* be nice to have a first lady with the many causes that she espouses.

[Raya]

11. Thanks. I was really taken aback by the guy who said "boring"

I thought I must be loosing it. Her intelligence is sparkling!

[newyawker99]

37. Hi klutz!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. Teresa will be a great first lady and her committment to the environment

is a passion she shares with her husband. When the President and his wife are alone and talking about what is important for our country and planet, her's is the voice I want the President to hear.

[Egnever]

12. I think basing your vote on someones wife is stupidity at its highest

Bottom line the wife has little or no effect whatsoever on the office of president.

Basing your vote on someones wife or significant other is just lame.

[WarNoMore]

17. If i were voting

for the candidate's wife, I certainly wouldn't be voting for DK in the primary. However, that has nothing to do with my admiration for Teresa Kerry. It could have some bearing for undecideds, couldn't it?

[Raya]

43. I think this is not facing the reality of the role of First Lady in Americ

[JNelson6563]

13. I had to check which forum I was at!

You're kidding right? We're electing a president's wife??

BTW, it is very expected that someone growing up as heiress to a massive fortune would likely be very polished etc. Finishing school and a lifetime in high society does that for you.

I don't see anything wrong with any of the candidates wives. All are good American ladies that would make any of us proud of them as first lady. ANY SINGLE ONE OF THESE FINE LADIES!

Julie

[Raya]

14. Teresa Grew up a child of a physician is Portugesese East Africa in

relative poverty compared with most Americans.

I lived part of my childhood in those parts. I am very familiar with the life. It brings tears to my eyes to think that someone previleged to grow up in America would speak like you have about someone with Teresa life of struggle and blessing.

I would have been nice of you to have read my post a little before
putting Teresa down.

[tigereye]

15. what is interesting is that she was until very recently

a Republican... granted a "moderate, pro-choice" Republican... there are still a few of them around here (I live in Pittsburgh, where Heinz is based). She is impressive. These moderate, mostly female Republicans are an endangered species and many of them are leaving the Repub party and going Democratic due to the fact that their views no longer fit in the Republican "tent." Another well-known moderate Repub elected official here also recently went Democratic. They just had to accept that our views were the correct ones! I am glad they are Democrats now.

[Sensitivity]

16. Met a group of Republican Ladies who were looking at Kerry cus Teresa

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

21. Heiress to a massive fortune?

I'm confused. Her father was who exactly?

And if money made people, what the hell happened to the Bush's?

All the candidates wives are wonderful people. But First Ladies do alot in this country. They very often set social agendas, like Rosalyn Carter did with mental health. They often travel all over the world and are our goodwill ambassadors. There isn't anything wrong with looking at them and deciding that one adds a little extra something to a candidate's appeal.

[IndianaGreen]

19. Teresa Heinz has a lot of class

which comes from her lofty economic class. She is a Jackie Kennedy with brass knuckles!

[frustrated_lefty]

20. I'm sorry, but this seems incredibly superficial.

No doubt, Mrs. Kerry is a wonderful woman, and I don't have any criticism to cast her way. But, she is not running for the office of president. It is not her wit, her charm, her policies we are voting for.

In the lead up to the election, the potential first ladies are ornaments, pretty jingly things attached to their husbands. They aren't what most people base their vote on.

That said, some first ladies do amazing things during their times. Lyndon Johnson's wife, if I recall correctly, is responsible for creating the National Endowment for the Arts. For good or for bad, Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" thing had significant impact in this country.

The first lady can accomplish things. But we're not voting for a first lady, we're voting for a president.

2pence

[sandnsea]

22. They are not pretty jingly things

I'm going to assume that was a temporary lapse in judgment.

But they do have an impact on this country which is why it's perfectly reasonable and logical to take a look at them. When you have a woman like Teresa, who has so many ideas of her own and has done so much with them, you know you're going to get a vibrant First Lady who will add to that special tradition of our First Ladies. Not another Laura Bush who barely comes out of hiding.

[WiseMen]

23. Sorry, but "First Lady" has become a well established role in nation --

[Eurobabe]

32. yep. it is highly visible.

n/t

[Rose Siding]

26. "There is no excuse to be depressed in America!”

A compassionate aristocrat. More cake?

[Bread and Roses]

29. LOL

:yourock:

[sandnsea]

30. Depressed people don't act

Get up and do what you can, do what you care about, get involved to make things the way you want. That is what she was saying. Geez. God forbid somebody would have to do something besides write a check.

[blm]

35. She was indicting the government, not the people. Surely you understood

that.

[Rose Siding]

40. She made a careless remark,

along the same vein as "don't cry in your teacups" but I actually don't really hold it against her. Anyone that speaks for more than 5 minutes in this contentious atmosphere could be spun in a weird direction.

[sandnsea]

42. No it was not careless, it was accurate

She is talking about people being apathetic and depressed. She is using the term specifically to describe the state of America. How the lack of community harms people and causes an emotional depression.

At the same time, she says the solution is for people to look around and realize all we have, toss the depression and cynicism aside, get off their duffs and do something about it. There's no excuse to be depressed in a country as great as ours. That is what she's saying. The world is crying for ideas, spirit and hope. The world needs hugging.

That is what the service program is all about. Getting generations working together to create community again. I've lived in the kindof communities she's talking about, so maybe I get it differently than most. It's tough for a kid to rob the gas station when that's the same guy who supported his little league team. Kids today too often don't know it and adults today too often don't do it. That's what we've got to change. Get people involved with each other again, in every community in the country.

There's no reason for individuals not to do this, no excuse to be depressed in America. We've got everything going for us so we need to get off our duffs and start participating and giving to each other again.

[Eurobabe]

31. no need to put down the others, heinz kerry is good

i am watching this segment on C-SPAN, and I concur Teresa is calm and knowledgablem, this woman is WAY smarter than laura *stepford-wife* bu$h. i really respect her for her philanthropic efforts.

fyi, clark's wife has been very active in assisting military families at home and abroad, and she has been active in the youth clubs and homeless organizations in ark. she has come out in support of her husband recently and spoken to audiences across the us. clearly, it's a matter of different backgrounds and life paths. don't negate what gert has done, or elizabeth edwards either.

but let's face it, americans want an engaged first lady. that alone, blew it for howard. i think many people view JSD as a rather self-centered, self-focused woman. we don't really know her at all. just my .02

[sandnsea]

39. I don't think so

Mrs. Dean can do whatever she wants and I don't view her personality as reflective of her choices. I do think it a tiny bit odd that neither her or her children have chosen to campaign AT ALL. Not even this final weekend in Iowa which is so important.

And "Gert" would be a great first lady too, as would Elizabeth. They're all some great women. I think I like the idea of Teresa because she brings the perspective of someone who didn't grow up with the freedoms we take for granted and can maybe wake the people up a little more because of it.

[isbister]

34. Bachelorette #1

got engaged to someone else yesterday

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

36. Nothing against her, but I admire Dean's wife more.

Dean's wife is more than just a bobbing head who looks adoringly at her husband and lives in his shadow. She has a life that is her own and is unapologetic about it. It would be nice to have a truly liberated woman in the White House.

[Leilani]

38. People don't vote for 1st Lady

And I think this subject is silly.

[Cuban_Liberal]

41. Sure, she's charming, etc.

But we're not voting for First Lady. :)