Teresa Heinz Kerry
in Seattle
September 2004

Teresa Heinz Kerry was the star speaker at a "Women for Kerry" rally at Seattle Central Community College.

Earlier that day, she spoke to health professionals at a Bellevue hospital; here's the Seattle P-I article about that (but the SCCC rally got just one sentence).

She also did interviews with TV and newspaper reporters. One line that gave me a chuckle: "Q: What does your husband do to snap you out of a bad mood?" A:"He probably prays he didn't put me into it..."

I arrived at the rally shortly before the doors opened, and the line was a block long. Everyone had gotten (free) tickets in advance. Mostly women, but quite a few men too. I wore lots of GOTV and K-E buttons plus my old Dean delegate button.

I didn't get a seat in the few bleachers where I would've had a higher view, and was stuck in middle of the SRO central area. That sucks if you're short (5 feet in my case) which is why my photos aren't the best. I had to hold the camera high overhead to get a shot of the stage at all.

I used ambient light because my flash would've been useless at that range, so the pictures are a bit blurry because of the long shutter speed.

First a dance troupe from Uganda performed. Then several speakers: President of the college (said 50% of the students are people of color); then head of Women for Kerry (spoke about reproductive rights, health care, women's jobs, etc.)

Next speakers, several SCCC students, and a very poised 10-year-old girl (left): her ambition is to be President of the United States (huge applause, cheering); she's old enough to see what's going on in the USA, and doesn't like it; she's met John Kerry and he encouraged her in her ambition; this leads her to believe John Kerry cares about people.

Next speaker, the Poet Laureate of Washington, with a poem she'd written about women in the Pacific NW working to elect Kerry. Sounds dumb, but I loved the poem.

Sorry, I can't remember any of these people's names--but will find out.

Then THK is introduced, to huge applause & cheers. She gave a beautiful speech, although I think she sounded bit tired. (Who wouldn't be?)

Some well-received points were: that her husband would be a POTUS who not only understood complexity, but enjoyed it; that he had curiosity and respect for science; that he "actually liked people from other places". That he offered the USA leadership without arrogance (huge applause). That he understood you cannot promote democracy to other people by destroying who they are (huge applause).

Yet, it was modest; she doesn't speak of him as if she thinks he's God's gift to the USA.