Heinz Kerry says she joined Democratic Party out of anger

[Kadie]

Posted 6/14/2004 8:12 PM

Heinz Kerry says she joined Democratic Party out of anger

WASHINGTON (AP) — Teresa Heinz Kerry says anger, not ideology, prompted her to become a Democrat.

The wife of Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, says her emotion stemmed from the way the Republican Party, to which she had pledged allegiance, treated Democratic Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia in 2002.

Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm as an Army captain during the Vietnam War, lost his re-election bid in a bitter campaign against then-Rep. Saxby Chambliss. The GOP had raised questions about Cleland's patriotism because of his position on legislation to create the Department of Homeland Security. Cleland supported the concept behind the department, but insisted that a workers' rights provision be part of the bill.

snip...
"Three limbs and all I could think was, 'What does the Republican party need, a fourth limb to make a person a hero?' And this coming from people who have not served. I was really offended by that. Unscrupulous and disgusting," she said, her reference being an indirect one to President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

more... http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-06-14-heinz-kerry-party_x.htm

[truthisfreedom]

1. excellent.

could i have some ketchup please? heinz? my favorite.

[rumguy]

2. When did John and Teresa marry?

[JI7]

9. in 1995 i think

they were together for a while before though. also it was teresa's first husband john heinz who introduced his wife to kerry when they all attended an earth day event not that long before john heinz died.

can you imagine that ? a republican who attended earth day events. how many of those do that today ?

[whistle]

11. Ronald Reagan just celebrated his own earth day event....

...he was planted in the earth.

[Kadie]

13. Actually,

see this thread in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1789700&mesg_id=1789700

[Yupster]

3. My guess is

it had a little more to do with the fact that her husband was running for president as a Democrat.

[Bandit]

26. So are you suggesting she is a LIAR?

Why is it so impossible to just accept people at their word? I believe everything she has said but I also expect people to have a more balanced approach to such matters. Is it too hard to imagine that both reasons could be a reality for her?

[Dover]

4. What attracted her to the GOP in the first place?

Was it Reaganomics? Was it Bush 41's charisma? What?

[JerseygirlCT]

6. Perhaps her first husband?

Wasn't John Heinz a moderate Republican? I thought, in the good old mold of Northeastern moderate/liberal Republicans? (Remember when they were allowed?)

She seems to have been terribly in love with him. I suspect his positions informed a lot of hers -- or maybe it was vice versa? I don't know.

[JI7]

10. John Heinz was a moderate republican and into environmental issues

and that's an issue that kerry is close to perfect on. i know someone who is from pennsylvania and a republican. she doesn't really like most of the republicans today but she considered herself a moderate and was a big fan of senator heinz.

kerry's stepson said his dad was more like kerry than he is like bush. this is not really unusual though if you look at jim jeffords and lincoln chafee. and especially when you look at pennsylvania and their support for moderate republicans like arlen specter and tom ridge. i don't know how they could have ever elected rick santorum but somenoe else said he campaigned as more of a moderate than he actually is which is why he won.

[Leilani]

14. Sounds familiar to me

The Republicans used to have many moderates; today they would be closer to Dems.

Even Richard Nixon would not fit into his former party.

[SharonAnn]

25. Yes, I used to be one but now I'm a Democrat. The Republicans

don't allow "moderates" or "liberals" any longer and haven't for long, long time.

I stopped voting Republican in 1982 and thought of myself as an Independent until 1998. Then "I realized I was powerless over my ethics and beliefs" and formally joined the Democratic Party.

When I was growing up, the only Democrats I knew of were the racist Dixiecrats and I wouldn't have joined them.

[RamboLiberal]

20. As a Western PA Voter

John Heinz was a moderate Republican. I wonder if today he could've stayed in the party. Well-loved in this area of Pennsylvania.

Always frosts me that Sen Sanctimoneous occupies his seat.

Ricky boy always paints himself in commercials as a moderate family man. Last election he trotted out these cutesy ads with his wife and little rugrats with the fad at the time of pop-up balloon dialogs.

I'm already looking forward to First Lady Teresa Heinz Kerry returning to my area to campaign for against Santorum who she despises.

[lumpy]

24. Many spouses not altogether

familiar with politics will go along with the mate who is interested in politics. Minds can be changed with education. My ex was a 'follower' Republican. Over the years he became educated about the workings of politics through many a spirited discussion with me. I was raised with politics as a prime table discussion/activity. Today ex is a stanch believer in the Democratic party ideals and votes accordingly. I and his older family connections am working with a son, who is a graduate of the Rush Limbaugh College of misinformation. Friendly debate and discussion works. He is growing into reality, thank goodness. Nice to see that my son no longer retreats the red-faced rants he learned from his political teacher, Rush Limbaugh.

[newyawker99]

30. Hi JerseygirlCT!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Penndems]

5. What a great piece on Mrs. Kerry

She certainly is quite a lady. :)

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

7. I live in Western PA.. and

Rick Santorum and his side-kick Melissa Hart appeared to have some influence on her decision as well...

Two right-wing demagogues...a far cry from her former husband, the late Senator John Heinz, a moderate Republican.

[Dr Fate]

8. I read the the article, she never says that...

...the media is spreading that "Democrats are JUST angry" talking point again...

She never says that- she does refer to Republican dirty tricks, and says they are "offensive"...

Good article, biased headline...

[cally]

17. I heard Teresa HK say that's why she

changed parties when I attended a speech. She had thought about changing parties for years but she said, "I'm too stubborn." She said that she joined the Republican party when they stood for small national debt, environmental conservatism, and fiscal accountability but that Repubican party is nothing like today's. Then the ads against Max Cleland made her angry and she changed parties.

[Dr Fate]

28. Then you would have made a better reporter than this guy, I guess...

...becuase I read the article, and she does not say that.

The reporter should have offered more evidence to support that misleading headline- but he did not, so I am suspicious of this.

[cally]

32. I didn't hear it at this event

but at a separate event. Sorry I wasn't clearer.

[GOPBasher]

12. Cool.

I wish the media would make a bigger deal out of the Max Cleland fiasco in 2002. But that would really irritate the corporate gods.

[crossroads]

15. A nice peek into the psyche of this lady...

I read the majority of the Heinz fortune goes into charities she supports/oversees... this lady has a heart! A rare thing to be found in Washington, and sorely lacking in the whole present WH... I just love her... a *real* compassionate Christian... the *real deal*!!!
:loveya:

[JNelson6563]

16. I joined out of disgust

I had never joined a political party but after watching the neo-cons on their 8 year smear campaign against Clinton, which set the level of our political dialogue back hugely, I joined the Dems and have been working my butt off agaisnt the GOP.

Good for Theresa for talking a stand.

Julie

[Tellurian]

18. I like Terry too. She and John will bring integrity and balance back

to the People's White House.

Terry's environmental passion is just what the doctor ordered.
Before our country's resources, namely our clean air and water,
are permanently poisoned by the recklessness of the imbeciles in charge.

[Pachamama]

19. She is no Stepford Wife...She is an intelligent, caring woman who has ..

...a lot of class...I don't mean class because of $$$, but a real genuine compassion for people and community. She is also a big "feminist" although you wouldn't necessarily know it at first glance...I forget the name of one of her causes, but a friend of mine knows her and mentioned that one of the "projects" of Heinz-Kerry is an organization that helps Women become "independent" and to know their legal rights etc.

I really hope that she becomes our first lady....and gets rid of the Stepford wife right now at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave...

[pacifictiger]

21. I heard her speak on cspan

talking about how she came to this country with no money and no family support system, just her education. I can see how she would want to help other women become independent. She has real knowledge of what it is like to start in a new country with next to nothing. She is truly an intelligent, amazing, compassionate woman.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

22. "Unscrupulous and disgusting"

I like this woman. A lot.

[colonel odis]

23. she's interesting, intelligent, and unafraid to speak her mind.

in short, everything about a woman that scares the piss out of republicans.

their idea of modern, sophisticated women are susan molinari, the screeching bitch from long island who can't say her "r's" or kaye bailey hutchinson, who looks like she just ate a persimmon.

or, perhaps, one of their rising stars, marsha blackburn, a particularly nasty part of a woman's anatomy from tennessee. story goes she broke line at an ollie north book signing in nashville, pissing off the very people she's pandered to in order ot get elected.

what a miserable bunch of sows.

[CWebster]

27. "too angry"?

heard that somewhere before, haven't we?

If that is all she objected to about the Republican party that "she had plead her allegiance" then I question her influence on Johnny boy.

[lojasmo]

29. Uh, Oh.

Another "angry democrat" I'm surprised she didn't support Dean in the primaries. :puke:

[David Zephyr]

31. Teresa Rocks!

Wow!

What a powerful message this woman has conveyed to all Americans.

I am grateful to her for never letting the Republican creeps get away with the disgraceful and unpatriotic way they treated Max Cleland.

High praise to Teresa.

:thumbsup:

[indepat]

33. Any Republican who was not angered is either brain-dead, brainwashed

or so hypocritical as to be sans a heart if not a soul.