New Mexico Event Reportage

Saw the Kerry/Edwards train tonight at the Abq Hispanic Cultural Center and these are my thoughts.

1. More people than they expected
2. I hate all the low level local politicans that try to get the crowd excited before the big guys came out.
3.  I hate that New Mexico means hispanic regardless of the actual hertiage of the people in attendence.  My wife did a non-scientific poll and 2 out of every 10 people were not white.  Yet every politican that spoke said something in Spanish.  And Edwards told a story about how hard his parents worked, and now half the population to his town is Hispanic.  And that these people wanted the same thing that his parents wanted.  It was comical how little of a reaction this ancedote got from the mainly white crowd.  It may be a good story for a mainly hispanic audience.

4. Theresa Heinz-Kerry reminded me of the Hungarian grandmother reading me bedtime stories that I never had, YET I heard several WOMEN after the show (including my wife) talking about how wonderful she was.  I thought this was very interesting because it was obvious that she was connecting specifically with women.  Is this some sort of secret weapon?
5.  Edwards is a rock star, pure and simple.  When it was his turn to speak, he walked forward with his arms out to his side with a big grin on his face.  He simply absorbed all the applause he was getting for several minutes.  I could see him jumping up and start singing 'Welcome to the Jungle' at any minute.
6. Edwards' personality seems to a shot in the arm to the entire campaign.  I would certainly run through a wall for him after hearing him speak.
7. Too many jokes about how good looking the two of them were, though Kerry did a good job of getting serious and sounding very presidential.
8. Kerry was interesting, half his speech was to show off his persoanlity and the other half was to show off his platform.  He was witty and funny, even making a crack about presidents needing to be smart.  When he was funny, it did not seem unnatural or pressured like it was with Gore.  From his speech, I think I would really enjoy sitting down and shooting the shit with him.
9. The local politicans made me miss Dean because they blathered on and on about political platitudes that meant nothing in the real world.  My favorite was Patrica 'Patsy' Madrid going on about freedom and civil rights when she ordered a local judge to stop issuing marriages licenses to homosexuals.  But I have to say that neither John pissed me off with what they said.  It seemed realistic and not a political lie.
10. Finally, the values thing is awesome.  There were some right-wing hecklers in the crowd, and in the middle of Kerry's speech the people around them started to boo them.  Kerry stopped his speech and said that they were welcome, that we include everyone, and that tonight he was going to teach them about real values.  It was a great line.  And everything he said about values was awesome.  Taking the plank right out from under the repugs.

All in all a good night, a good team.  I have to say that I can't imagine any of the other vp candidates bringing this much excitement.  (except Dean)... Edwards really seems to have taken this campaign to the next level.

-- and to all a good night

•  thanks

  now put your stinkin' tip jar out already.

  sniff  missing new mexico...

  by raincat100 on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 09:28:12 PM PDT

•  Edwards

  He does have the sparkle, doesn't he? And I agree that he's livened Kerry right up. It must be a relief to him to have an ally instead of going it alone.

  by hamletta on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 09:28:20 PM PDT

  •  yes n/t

    by raincat100 on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 09:38:18 PM PDT

  •  You bet

    Agree 100%. I love seeing those two together.

    by DavidNYC on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 10:59:46 PM PDT

•  Never gotten a tip before....

  by gehrigsranch on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 09:31:31 PM PDT

  •  Teleporting report

    Thanks.

    by dotpeople on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 09:49:12 PM PDT

  •  Excellent diary

    This is an excellent diary. I plugged it over on the Swing State Project. If Kerry and/or Edwards returns to your neck of the woods in the future, I hope you can provide a similar report once again.

    by DavidNYC on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 10:30:05 PM PDT

•  Answer to #4

  Definately.  I'd like to see a transcript of that.

  by banjon on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 09:34:03 PM PDT

•  might have been here

  but I don't remember where I heard it: Women do tend to think differently about politics. In re #4 Someone made the argument that women tend to be far more 'practical' in political terms. While men are more drawn to 'the vision thing,' women want to hear 'how' discussions.  One person told me that THK talks in terms of family (my father couldn't vote until he was 71) at the practical level, and that she was impressed by the Larry King segment in which THK said 'they talked things through.' Don't know for sure, but this might be part of the attraction??

  by greatbasin2 on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 09:35:11 PM PDT

  •  It's more than that - a lot more ...

    Consider who the first lady is now. She's literally "Suzzie Homemaker" and about as interesting and worldly as a wet sock. Laura would love nothing better than to set back women's struggles into the 18th century. She's completely out of touch with women's issues and struggles and it shows. It doesn't stop there either. Remember her poetry night at the WH when she learned she may have to include poets that were "anti-Bushite style family values" thinking? She cancelled the affair. What has this drip that tries to pass as a woman done for woman in America (or even men)?

    THK is Laura's exact opposite. Those women probably connected with THK because they recognize themselves in her and know she can connect with the modern woman and her dreams. Not that she ever had to struggle being born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but she's IN TOUCH. She reminds me of Jackie Onasis.

    by banjon on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 10:05:56 PM PDT

    •  That's a fine line you just crossed I think

      Dissing on homemakers.

      by jjayson on Sat Jul 10, 2004 at 01:12:28 AM PDT

      •  Housewives

        The concept of "housewives" is so abhorrent, I don't even know how to respond.  As if we need, in this day and age, millions of able-bodied workers sitting around pulling a Martha Stewart on th' drapes, making sure our pants our pressed, fixing wonderful, delicious meals . . . it's a holdover of the pre-industrial era, nothing more, just as silly as saying women are "more feminine" if they wear dresses instead of pants.  Or saying that "make-up" doesn't make women look like clowns in drag . . . all that's part of a culture that is, gladly, dying on the vine and withering away, and the sooner we get rid of its propoenents (such as Laura Bush), the better.

        "Home-makers" . . . sheesh.  I'm a bachelor, and my home is very well made, thanks.  What do I need someone else to come in and "make" it for?  Besides, women just have such bad taste in decor!  ;p

        by Tlacolotl on Sat Jul 10, 2004 at 11:59:49 AM PDT

        •  you forgot something

          Raising kids.

          by jjayson on Sat Jul 10, 2004 at 02:50:08 PM PDT

  •  Anecdotal though it is

    Let's take my mom:
    -70ish, former local rep to repbulican state convention
    -quit giving money to republicans when they were taken over by the right wing.
    -former mayor of a small texas town
    -doesn't like any of the candidates for pres or vp.

    My mom thinks THK "rocks," is "spunky" and would be a whole lot of fun. Who'd have thunk THK is the one to get the women's vote? More power to her.

    by DyspepTex on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 10:28:39 PM PDT

•  good perspective

  Thanks for putting the time into report! It gave me a good perspective of what the K & E show is doing right now, especially in New Mexico...which you can't get from the other media. Cheers!!

  by whataboutbob on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 10:39:43 PM PDT

•  I love Edwards

  I used to watch him on "Family Ties" all the time when I was a kid.

  He really needs to break out a guitar during these rallies.

  by AdmiralNaismith on Fri Jul 09, 2004 at 10:44:46 PM PDT

•  tempted

  I was tempted to go today with a Hassan Nemazee sign, a Kerry fundraiser suing an Iranian pro-democracy group. I would have been an attempt to shame him into doing the right thing.

  Also, Kerry's tribal stance isn't too good. Last summer I was on ABQ too and I went to the NCAI event that showcased the Dem candidates and their tribal stances. The only person that seemed to go over well was Clark. Many wanted to make the tribes subservient to the states.

  by jjayson on Sat Jul 10, 2004 at 01:10:59 AM PDT