Kerry Endorses Villaraigosa: A Day of Hopes, Dreams and Aspirations

[kerrygoddess]

Okay... Sorry this took so long...

Through out John Kerry’s 2004 campaign the resounding theme was hope for the future. Today I stood at Los Angeles Valley College and listened once more as John Kerry talked about hope for the future. That hope he said, for Los Angeles residents was in Antonio Villaraigosa.

"There are the issues on the ballot when you vote for mayor of this city, and that's why I'm here to endorse your next mayor," Kerry told the thousand or more Villaraigosa supporters at the rally.

"I'm not here against anybody," Kerry said, perhaps referring to the contingent of Hahn supporters off to the side who were there to show their dissent, "I'm here for somebody -- I'm here for a set of hopes, dreams and aspirations that we know can make a difference in the quality of our lives."

“We made a difference in 2004 and Antonio will make a difference in Los Angeles,” Kerry said. “Antonio will make Los Angeles safer.”

I spent a lot of time from August ’03 through to Election Day covering Kerry events here in Los Angeles and during that time, I witnessed the mutual respect and friendship between John Kerry and Antonio Villaraigosa. Today was one of those full circle moments, when John Kerry had the opportunity to do for Antonio Villaraigosa, what Villaraigosa had done for Kerry. It wasn’t a Kerry has the limelight day, though plenty of Kerry supporters where there and more than once the crowd chanted the familiar “Kerry, Kerry, Kerry” chant.

Kerry did take the opportunity to point out the issues that are central to Antonio’s campaign and he tied them into the issues that were central to his own campaign in 2004. For truly those are the issues that important to Americans all across our country. After all, who doesn’t want healthcare, public safety and a good education for their kids? In every city and every small town across this country, we all want the same things.

While Kerry did not directly mention the Kids First Act today, which he will be holding events on later this week, he did mention the need for healthcare for kids and the fact that it can make a huge difference in the lives of kids who do not have healthcare now. No doubt, many of the millions of kids with out healthcare in this country live right here in the city of Los Angeles.

LOT'S MORE - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=810

[sandnsea]

1. Awesome, and here's the pic

GEEZ!!! Everybody wants to see the picture!

[kerrygoddess]

2. I'm editing a few more...

Didn't get as many as I would have liked and was able to write a lot more than I thought I might after I finally cleared my head and came back to earth!

[kerrygoddess]

3. A few more photos...

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/kerry_villaraigosa_endorsement.htm








There's a couple more at the link... not my best photo taking day. I was trying to take notes, talking to JK's staff and take photos all at once.

[JI7]

4. i love the pics

Marvin seems like a really good guy. i would love to have his job.

that last one really shows JK's tallness. i love it.

thanks for posting , you and your daughter are so lucky.

[kerrygoddess]

7. I wish I had gotten more...

I was standing behind the stage with Marvin and staffers during the event and everytime I tried to get a good side view shot it was tough. The sun and tree overhead did not help.

Marvin is a great guy. A real asset to JK. Marvin by the way towers over JK.

[JI7]

10. yeah, Marvin is really tall

i love how they met and how they are still friends and Marvin is still working with him.

[fedupinBushcountry]

12. Really tall

I believe he is 6'8".

[fedupinBushcountry]

11. Marv is great

I got to meet him last Memorial day, and he is such a sweet guy. I told him to give me his autograph, so I could go back to the Kerryblog and tell them about it. He signed it "You're the best, Marv", it is right below Gov. Warner's autograph and on the front of the card is JK's autograph. It sits on my computer desk framed in a clear picture frame so you can see both sides.

I also lucked out that day and talked to JK twice, I was in heaven.

Oh by the way Kerrygoddess, thanks for the accurate report, every MSM I read is still hiding the numbers of the actual crowd, one actually said 450.

OT

I was reading an old article in the Rollingstone dated 10/28, the writer made it a point to show how the MSM did Kerry no favors, especially Candy Crowley :puke:, she actually lied during her reporting, and what does she get for her lies an award for her coverage of the 2004 campaign.:shrug:

My new saying about the election is "It's the media, stupid". :nuke:

P.S. The Rollingstone did a good job of covering the election. The best articles on JK were in the Rollingstone and The Windsurfer, figures.

[TayTay]

5. Thank you for this report

Sounds like it was a fun event. I'm so glad that you got to see Sen. Kerry again. I know that you and so many others here made such a huge commitment to his campaign last year and I'm glad that you got to see Kerry again. (And Marvelous Marvin, whom I like very much.)

Part of the niceness of the event I attended 3 weeks ago was just seeing Sen. Kerry, and seeing for myself that he is alright. This is irrational on my part, but I just wanted to know that he was 'okay' and not bitter or filled with resentment toward what had happened to him in that nasty campaign. I detected none one this. Your report (and the reports from Austin) confirm what I saw with my own eyes. John Kerry is a very resilient man. I believe that he has resolved to move forward and to do so with all deliberate speed. I find this to be a wonderful thing. Not only am I glad of it for the country's sake (and for Sen. Kerry's sake) but for my own sake. I felt so sad and lost at the end of last year. This willingness of Kerry's to move forward and push so strongly for his (and our) issues gives me hope. It really does. The only way out of the mess this country is in right now is to just keep fighting.

[JI7]

6. i would like to see him for myself also

but i want to be sure i can get to the event early enough to get to the front so i can see him as many here were able to.

even if i can't talk to him or touch him i want to be sure i can see him.

i see him on cspan a lot of times and of course the pics and he comes through really well but it would just be nice to see him in person and not through a camera.

[kerrygoddess]

9. If you can get up front...

You stand a good chance of getting a handshake and word in. JK is always gracious.

[kerrygoddess]

8. I hear you...

JK is a very resilient man and I don't believe his resolve is shaken easily.

There is a still a sense of sadness that I hold as well. Seeing JK yesterday and knowing that he had not forgotten who I was and what I did for his campaign was bittersweet in some ways.

He's moving along wonderful, thaking care of business and I'm grateful, so grateful to contintue being part of that in my own small way.

Seeing Marvin yesterday was awesome as well. Throughout my travels to the many events here in LA and also in NH, Marvin always made sure that I got a moment with JK. I was always in this sort of strange place of being staff but not staff, inside but not inside. If that makes any sense.

[ginnyinWI]

13. I like Villaraigosa's way with words

"the campaign was a contest between hope and fear"
and "too much derision and not enough vision"
How true.

[kerrygoddess]

17. Antonio is a great speaker

He reminds me a lot of JK.

[politicasista]

14. Nice pics. Thanks for the recap Kerrygoddess!

:hi: :yourock:

[Kerrytravelers]

15. I was there, too! And so excited!

Wow. It was great to see the hero in person. I was so thrilled. I was up front and center with Mr. kt. I was the one with his biography in hand. He actually signed it!

I was so moved and thrilled to be there. I'm still coming down off the high 24 hours later!

Ok, I don't have a scanner or digital cameras or anything. All I have is a picture of me and Mr. kt from our weeding on a friend's web page.

<http://frankandcynthia.net/picturegallery/armstrongwedding/armstrongwedding-Pages/Image2.html>

Did you see me there?

And, if anyone has eitherme or Mr. kt in any photos, we'd love to see them!

[kerrygoddess]

16. I was behind the stage most of the time

But you do look familiar. It was a great event. Just showed one of my neighbors the photo of my daughter and I with JK. It doesn't matter how many times I see him, I still get giddy.

[TayTay]

18. Ahm, you guys make me feel so humble.

And kind of small at the same time. (I am now at hobbit size. If this continues, I shall definitely fit in a matchbox soon.) I guess I should endeavor to see Sen. Kerry more at his public appearances around MA. I feel kind of weaselly now, like I wasn't trying hard enough. (Is this a reaction to the Kerry love in the air this weekend? Perhaps.)

If I come up with anything interesting at the MA Con, LUTD, I shall endeavor to send it to you. (That makes me feel a little better.) I have not heard that the Senator is definitely going, but it's hard to imagine him missing it, what with the whole Romney thing going on.

I really appreciate your nice stories on this board. They really touch me in a sort of personal way. (I'm not sure why that is. I have always found politics to be engaging, interesting and engrossing, but not personal. You guys kind of make it personal. It's so different. And sweet beyond the telling of it.)

[kerrygoddess]

20. I think the personal aspect are what's missing

in the MSM and part of why the Republican Noise machine was so effective. If people don't see this about JK or other Dems they have no clue. Republicans think Bush is so cute. We hear that in the news.

I fell into my little niche of being the "First Blogger" sort of by accident. I was just writing about JK because I believed in him and his early campaign and a friend of his noticed. They could have used a lot more of the personal touch. Making politicians real helps.

[TayTay]

19. Welcome to the JK Forum!

I have read your posts elsewhere on DU and appreciated them muchly. A warm welcome for you!

:hi:

[politicasista]

21. Hello Kerrytravelers

Thanks for the recap too. :hi: