Kerry tumbles, sweats through a vacation of extreme sports

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Plunging into a vacation filled with extreme sports, John Kerry is tumbling and sweating through mountain conditions that even ski experts say are challenging.

"The snow up there was the worst I've ever seen," Kerry said Friday after spending more than three hours on a backcountry mountain. "I've never seen the snow so soft." Kerry, his snowboard strapped to his back, hiked past 9,000 feet on Durrance Peak, then snowboarded down the mountain, taking repeated tumbles. Reporters counted six falls, although Kerry was out of sight for part of the descent. To be fair, other skiers tumbled as well.

"There are very marginal conditions," said Scott Douglas, a ski instructor from nearby Hailey. Unseasonably warm weather the night before left the snow soft and treacherous. "It's a potentially dangerous scenario this time of year."

<snip>

A normal 10-minute descent turned into 45 minutes. Nearly everyone tumbled repeatedly and often stopped to catch a breath. Even the agents struggled, and a couple gave up and donned snowshoes for the final stretch. After getting off the slope, Kerry put on snowshoes for a 200-yard trek across flat ground. Even with his snowshoes, he often sank up to his thighs. He was clearly fatigued as he reached the bottom of the mountain. "It's a great workout," Kerry said. "The view up there was spectacular."



http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/03/19/politics1554EST0703.DTL

[tridim]

1. Meanwhile * clears brush at the pig farm

and falls on his ass from his "idiot proof" Segway.

[xray s]

2. You know...while we are all fretting about Kerry's campaign....

...he is releasing some kick ass macho photos of his vacation.

That is the kind of thing people notice. He looks cool. Cool can get you a long, long way in this country...

[Zookeeper]

4. You're forgetting...

all the people that will find him suspect because he is snowshoeing instead of snowmobiling. 'Must be some kind of tree-hugging, commie, FRENCH guy!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. My beef with Kerry

is that he's snowboarding and snowshoeing instead of telemark sking, but that's just me... at least he's hiking up, though.

[tridim]

8. I sent the pic to my friends list

and got this back from my telemark friend. Don't worry, he's a Dem.

[Career Prole]

10. I think an interesting photo essay could be made...

...on the importance of a balanced ticket.
JK on snowboard
JK on hockey skates
JK windsurfing

and bush* managing to flip a Segway. :7

[blm]

7. Heh...you can't trust anyone who really enjoys nature.

But, boy does the press fall for the dictatortot on his horseless, fake ranch.

[sadiesworld]

3. I hope he is being careful!

[rockymountaindem]

5. Ok, now I don't trust Kerry.

That looks like Colorado to me. Everybody knows Colorado is the best state for outdoor mountain activities. Clearly Kerry is lying about being in Idaho.

:toast:

[Robb]

11. I trust him more!

Clearly the snow was crappy, clearly he was not in Colorado. :evilgrin:

[KoKo]

14. Your photo montage of Kerry makes me wonder if he knows why Bush

is bad for the country. Is it just because Bush is a "whimp" who doesn't ride a horse on his horeseless ranch and only is a "jogger" with a bad knee?

Is that what this election is about? The photos above? Give me a break. Maybe Gore should have taken up skiing, wind surfing, mountain biking, snow boarding and thrown in bowling, baseball, football and tennis.

Sheesh....grossing me out here.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

23. You comments make me wonder if you know

what the choices in front of the American voters really are.


Sheesh....grossing me out here.

[ModerateMiddle]

35. the election will be about

the "whole package", either Bush or Kerry. It includes what "interests" them and how they spend their leisure time. It includes how they relate to their families, too.

It's about the whole thing. Just because we like seeing Kerry being sporty doesn't mean that's why we want him to be President.

Chill.

[IronLionZion]

9. Doesn't look like there's much snow

It must be miserable to snowboard on that shit. It's cool that he's snowshoeing up. He's so badass! I bet Bush would have someone take him up in a snowcat...and he would manage to fall out.

Kerry snowboards, plays the guitar, rides a Harley, swears like a sailor, It would be nice to have a badass president.

[KoKo]

16. We Dems "trucked the snow in" so the photo op would be appealing. n/t

[KoKo]

17. OFGS! I forgot the Harley. Does he "Snowmobile" in the National Parks,

too? No wonder he's great on the Environment. He's been doing lots of "backroading" for years on the Harley, Snowmobile and whatever.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

21. What is the problem? Why are you making up false accusations?

[KoKo]

12. But what about the folks who can't afford "duded up vacations?" Isn't

this all a "little in your face?" What about those who are unemployed for over a year, who have lost their health insurance because they can't pay after Cobra, and those whose jobs are being shipped overseas.

Is this what they want to see? Is this the picture to impress the "Swing Voter? or the Bush voter? They can maybe afford this stuff. What about the folks who can't? :shrug:

And the last one with the "Snowboard," was interesting. How does he possible have time to do all this? Is he Superman? Or...are these "photo ops." He's 60 years old. Lot's of 60 somethings are fit, but fit enought to be a Sports Warrior when they've been on a campaign trail for a year? Was he sneaking off and keeping fit? Is his "home Gym" and Personal Trainer that great?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

19. They walk up the hill like Kerry did if they can't afford lift tickets.

Sorry you find snowboarding so offensive, lol.

[KoKo]

22. I think Snowboarding is Wonderful! But, I also think in these serious

times, he should have understood that it would come across as offensive to many Democrats who are his base who vote constantly and have many more worries than whether we want to spend the money for the "board" and can afford to go out an do this or even if we can have the time working two and three and four jobs.

I don't have to do that...so it's not me being resentful or trashing "snowboarding" it's just that most "working folks who are Dems" aren't going to be able to do that. If he's trying to appeal to those who can devote time to it to get them to vote...it sort of looks like "pandering."

Sorry if you thought I was dissing sports. I have cross country ski's and love it. But, I'm too old to snowboard...might break my leg on those jumps...:D

[Feanorcurufinwe]

24. I think your comments are ridiculous.

Yes, there may be some tiny number of people out there, whether Democrats or not, who are so self-righteous that they are offended at Kerry's choice of recreation. So what? They probably hate Kerry already anyway.

[JI7]

29. i know what you mean feanorcurufinwe

what's up with people thinking everything is about them. kerry has been snowboarding and other things for years. and what is up with people thinking they are the all important "base" and wanting to know what's in it for them. as if those of us who support kerry aren't part of the base or less important. i personally enjoy seeing the pics of kerry and hope people keep posting them.

this kind of reminds me of high school where there was this group of kids who would always dress in dark colors and the guys had long hair. and some other kids would be asking "what point are they trying to make" ? or "what are they trying to prove"?. and i'm thinking to myself that they aren't trying to prove anything to you, it has nothing to do with you. they are who they are and get over yourself for thinking it's all about you.

[SidDithers]

37. OMG, i heard he ate a hamburger...

isn't that a "little in your face" to all the folks who can only afford tuna and mac & cheese?

Will he always have to live at the level of the least fortunate of society to make you happy?

Sid

[Rowsdower]

13. Why isn't he in congress?

He's facing enough criticism over his absence from the senate over the past year, and now he is out on the ski slopes while congress is in session. This guy apparently does not want to win.

[July]

32. Please.

The guy takes a 5-day vacation after wrapping up a 9-candidate primary and it's a big deal?

Let's talk about how much time Bush has spent in Crawford, Kennebunkport, Camp David, on photo-ops, at events like the Daytona 500, ten-minute visits to factories followed by fundraisers for his campaign (on our dime). I'll be generous and leave out foreign trips and meetings with visiting dignitaries, which are supposedly "work," but seem like more photo-ops to me.

[KoKo]

15. Abe Lincoln takes up "Cross Country." Wow what a figure he

cuts...perfect form, balance, pecision and style..... :D

Sorry the folks saying Kerry is Lincoln sort of wormed in my brain and when I saw this I had a doubletake.

[KoKo]

18. I apologize for sounding "flippant or meanspirited" about Kerry on this

post. I know it comes off that way. But, just when I tried to warm up to him, I get the "snowboarder pix" now THIS?

You have to understand that there are those of us Democrats who see this and wonder who he is? He starts to remind us of the Chimp in Costume, here.

This is very bad for those of us who've been through Selection 2000 and before that Clinton Impeachment. And, suffered through "sock in the crotch, flyboy bailing hay on his faux Ranch/Pigfarm.

These "photo-ops" are like "whoa...a dude...wow, I gotta think man...he's way cool...this 60 year guy who can do all this stuff...wow.. wow..

Who is he trying to appeal to?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

20. An apology is meaningless if accompanied by a repeat of the behavior

that led to the apology in the first place.


Yes, your posts do sound mean-spirited.


Who is he trying to appeal to?

Did the possibility ever enter your mind that Kerry is on vacation, doing what he can to have fun? :eyes:

[KoKo]

25. You are correct. My apology is meaningless. I will leave off .

[xray s]

27. I hear you KoKo01

I am just a realist. And many Americans are suckers for the image.

No other way to explain Reagan and the Chimp.

So...why not use image to our advantage for a change?

peace!!

[July]

33. If you look into Kerry's biography,

you will find that he is a jock from way back. This is one of the ways he has fun. Going into red country to enjoy something he's done for a long time doesn't seem like "photo-op" to me. He's covered because he's the Democratic candidate -- even when he's on vacation. There's a big difference between The Turkey Has Landed and Kerry's participation in sports. Former: fake. Latter: real.

In case you are unaware, Kerry played sports in school as a young man. He skis, snowboards, and windsurfs now. Also rides a motorcycle. I may be forgetting some of his activities. As I said, he's a jock.

[bigtree]

36. This is how he has lived his life up to now

Why should he change? This isn't new activity for Kerry. He has done these types of activities for years, not as a campaign tactic, but as excercise and recreation. Look at some of his bios. This is not at all out of character for John.

A Windsurfer in the
WHITE HOUSE?

"It's a tough job! Somebody has gotta do it." - John Chao, editor/publisher of American Windsurfer, kept up with Senator John Kerry for a full year to bring you this extraordinary portrait in words and photographs of a man, navigating through the forces of life.

John Kerry waded upwind at the event Site in Hood River, Oregon. It was mid-afternoon and the Senator had been struggling with unfamiliar equipment in an unfamiliar territory since 9:00 AM. As far as the windsurfers on the Columbia River Gorge were concerned, Kerry was just another ordinary windsurfer trying to find balance in the shifting winds of the day. With him were Olympic champion Mike Gebhardt and Sam Grossman, a windsurfing friend who flew in with the Senator that morning. It takes an average windsurfer a day or two to acclimate themselves to the Gorge's extreme conditions. John Kerry did not have that luxury. Gebhardt, a three time Olympic Champion, sailed with the Senator all morning, barking instructions at him. Later in the afternoon, Gebhardt and I rested on the bank watching Kerry drag his equipment up wind for the umpteenth time- we marveled at the man's endurance. "You know, not many people from his position of power and wealth would put up with this kind of humiliation," said Gebhardt to me. "You really feel stupid having someone like me yelling instructions at you. It's degrading, you feel like a school kid . . .This sport is incredibly humbling and it's great to see a guy like that out there trying! Really impressive!" When we bade farewell that afternoon, Kerry's exuberance was unmistakable. With a youthful dragon-slayer's delight written all over his face, John Kerry made me feel like I'd just witnessed the best day of his life. However humbling or frustrating it may be, this man clearly thrives on challenges, has the capacity to endure, and can elevate his skills to match the foe.






http://www.americanwindsurfer.com/mag/back/issue5.5a.html

[elperromagico]

26. Wonder if this will build his reputation as a "man's man"?

[KoKo]

30. kick

:kick:

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

28. HE DESERVED THIS BREAK

If he didn't take a break now, he'd be useless come November. The smartest thing his campaign has done this week is to give him some R&R so that he's rejuvenated for when it counts.

Besides... everyone deserves a little break to snowboard once in awhile. I think he knew what he was doing releasing that really cool picture of him snowboarding in the sunglasses.

MEDIA + SNOWBOARDING = GETTING LOTS OF YOUNGER VOTES

Just a thought.

[slinkerwink]

31. it's funny you cheer Kerry on for skiing while you attacked Dean for

skiing 20 years ago. :eyes:

[ModerateMiddle]

34. oh, yeah, those are comparable

situations.

:eyes: is right

[suegeo]

38. Smart move by team Kerry.

It seems to me that the Bush junta is trying to paint the chimp as a strong father figure. The chimp is tough, the chimp is gonna protect you, blah blah blah bullshit, Bush knows best.

By showing Kerry being a tough guy, it eats into the myth that Bush (and Bush alone) is a strong father figure for the country.

George Bush is gonna be my daddy? Bush is more like a wife-beating, child-abusing father figure. But that's just my view.

If I did need a father figure, he would be a "cool dad" like Kerry, who does cool stuff like snow boarding, and so on.

I personally don't look to the president to be my daddy. I would settle for someone competent, someone who (after being repeatly warned about an impending attack) could have stopped a tragedy such as 9.11.01.

The Bush junta already proved that they weren't up to this basic requirement, in my opinion. And they keep getting worse. They cannot find their asses with both hands!