Heinz Kerry: No regrets for 'shove it' remark

[Rose Siding]

BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Teresa Heinz Kerry said she does not regret telling an editorial writer from a conservative Pennsylvania newspaper to "shove it" and maintained that the writer "was trying to trap me."

"I respect reporters and I respect anyone who does their job well," Heinz Kerry said in a taped interview with CNN's Bill Hemmer Monday night that aired Tuesday.

snip>
Hemmer then read her the quote from her address to Pennsylvania delegates and she acknowledged saying it.

"That's absolutely correct. I would say that again."

But she said the reporter was using the term "un-American activities, which has a very different connotation."

"It's a political connotation of McCarthy implications, which I would not use unless it was very specific. I would use it if it was correct. But that's not what I was talking about."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/27/dems.heinz/index.html

[bluestateguy]

1. Stand your ground

If Baby Bush can get away with calling a reporter a "major league asshole" I think "shove it" is just fine. Most people don't like reporters, and the fact that she is standing her ground shows that she is a woman of convictions.

[Catfight]

2. Exactly!

[physioex]

7. Megadildos, Stand Your Ground....EOM

[mark11727]

3. At least she didn't tell him to "F*CK OFF".

[Cha]

5. Or go "Fuck yourself" like dickhead did to

Senator Pat Leahy on the Senate Floor.

The hypocricy of these mediawhores is only riveled by the reichwingers in the white house.

[w4rma]

50. Or "Who cares what you think." like the Chimp said. (nt)

[Aunt Anti-bush]

51. Isn't that the truth?

Here on the Pittsburgh local news they had some viewer feedback on the whole thing and some dipsh*t said that she just doesn't know how in the world to explain such vulgar language to her young daughter. Can you believe that? I suppose the person didn't hear Cheney's beautiful rendition of go f*ck yourself being spit at a congressman. People are just mind-numbing dumb lately.

[DemWitch]

4. I couldn't help but laugh

at poor Ed Gillespe yesterday and his heartfelt outrage at Teresa's comments. He piously sat there explaining why she should apologize... what a short memory this jackass has when it comes to the leaders of his OWN party...

Teresa said un-American tactics... and she was right... the right wingnuters think nothing of pointing and calling Dems un-American, questioning thier patriotism, questioning their willingness to defend the country by skewing the facts... And she called them on it... to quote Hillary who coined an old phrase... "you go, girl"

[JohnnyRingo]

8. Yep...It was fun seeing the repubs gasping in SHOCK

at the blue language. "My GOD...there were CHILDREN watching !!"

They didn't have much to run with, but they tried.
I'm surprised Fox News didn't bleep the phrase in an attempt to spice it up via the imagination.

[vickie]

40. Rock on Theresa you fantastic woman!!!

[joefree1]

6. You go girl

Faux News is trying to spend this but everyone keeps talking about the Cheney spew.

Shove it, Faux News.

[phantom power]

9. Her position on this mystifies me

She used the phrase "un-american". Why didn't she just explain what she meant when she was asked? Why doesn't she explain herself now? That would have been so much more effective.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. I disagree...if they twisted her words since she did NOT say "unAmerican

activities" ...they would have twisted her response.

[jobycom]

26. Agreed. This was NOT a journalist, it was a spin-doctor misrepresenting

what she said for the purpose of attacking whatever she said.

Robert Byrd was talking to genuine reporters, as I recall. Kerry was talking to a heckler with press credentials. You don't try to argue with hecklers, you try to shut them up. Arguing with them gives them credibility and gives them more chance to twist your words.

[indypaul]

52. Correct

this was not a reporter but an editorial page writer who
was NOT looking for an explanation but trying to trap
her into a controversial comment. You are also correct about
arguing with idiots, when one does that it is impossible
for onlookers to determine which one is the idiot.

[Melinda]

12. She did NOT use the phrase "un-american"

That's a word. It was her sentence and its meaning that was twisted out of context. Can you not see this?

Teresa: "un-american traits"

Reporter: "un-american activities"




The words traits and activities are NOT synonymous.

House Un-American Activities Committee

[PotatoBoy]

14. Close...

Not to nitpick, but she said "un-American traits," not "tactics." Which is even further from "un-American activities." Clueless RW reporters..

[Melinda]

15. Thanks, correcting now.

[phantom power]

17. OK, so my question still stands: why not just explain herself?

If the reporter had the goal of baiting her and twisting her words, I'd have to say she played right into his hands.

Contrast this with Sen. Byrd's recent interview. He got baited multiple times. By simply answering the questions, with no apologies, he completely dominated the exchange.

H.K. could have done this. It's too bad she didn't

[MODemocrat]

32. Why should she have to explain herself?

If you'd read the article in mediamatters.org about their history of saying the most despicable things about Democrats, maybe you would see why she did that. I would have probably said a lot worse things than that.

[phantom power]

45. she doesn't *have* to do anything

It's no mystery to me why her temper was short. But I still am of the opinion that her cause would have been furthered by turning his question back on him, by straight out answering it.

The "I don't have to explain myself" attitude doesn't do much to advance any cause. And it's doubly wasteful, considering that she *is* so intelligent, and capable of explaining herself when she chooses to.

[Pathwalker]

48. She did explain - you know that! Give. It. Up.

Quit beating the dead horse.

[aquart]

16. Because their GOAL was to put her on the defensive.

You agree with that goal? Force her to explain everything she says?

It was clear to the rest of us. They thought they had a hook to hang her on. She refused to dangle.

"Shove it" remains a legitimate response.

And a handy catchphrase for those of us who did not "get over it."

[phantom power]

18. She put herself on the defensive.

I have no doubt that the reporter wanted to put her on the defensive, but she's the one who let him do it.

If she had simply looked him in the eye, and explained to him what was un-american, then she would have not been on the defensive.

Denying what she said, and then telling him to "shove it", is extremely defensive.

[Pathwalker]

21. OR, she could have said: "Cheney off, Girlie Mon!"

Please stop calling that Scaife-paid REPEATER a reporter - he's not. He's paid to be a KKarlRove wannabe right-wing talking points REPEATER. Why are you giving that pice of human garbage ANY validity???? Read up on the Scaife funded paper he represents before you give him a pass and try to skewer the lovely, brilliant HONEST, magnificent Theresa!

[phantom power]

27. Disapproving of him won't make him go away

I'm not defending his intentions, and I'm not out to "skewer" T.H.K.

I'm just saying that she could have projected her strength much better by simply answering the question, and not letting herself get drawn into an argument about "activities" versus "tactics".

The active, hot-button word was "un-american". THK had very good reasons for using that word, and this guy's baiting actually presented her with an opportunity to elaborate on what she meant. Taking his question at face value would have been perfect ju-jitsu.

[Pathwalker]

30. No, it's just gotten her MORE air-time to explain

why this person baiting her has no credibility at all. It makes it very clear who was asking, why she took him to task, and; as the ladies on the view said: "At least she didn't use the final three words - like they would have done!" Sorry, this is playing FOR Theresa. The woman has a spine, something the right despises in its females - but we Democrats just love!

[Warpy]

19. The twerp didn't say unamerican tactics

he said "unamerican activities." She corrected him a total of 13 times that I counted, although with edited tape, it was hard to tell. He just kept misstating, acting like a Jack Russell terrier, jumping and yapping, jumping and yapping. This is a hard right hack journalist who was doing his best to goad her. Her remark was testy but not loud, not shrewish, and definitely provoked.

It's high time people stand up to these little twerps on the right, tell them where the line is, and eject them from the premises when they cross it. Let them get frozen out of "access" for a change.

I would strongly suggest she hire someone to take care of Jack Russell terriers on the right. I would think that three or four corrections would be all that would be necessary, then they'd be out on their bums.

[phantom power]

20. She lost an opportunity, by focusing on the wrong thing

She let herself get stuck on trying to make him change a word. She should have responded:

"By 'unamerican tactics', I mean this: <explaination here>".

[Pathwalker]

22. WATCH CABLE THEN!

She has been on CNN - with Bill Hemmer, CNBC & MSRNC - with Katie Couric explaining EXACTLY what she meant and WHY. This dog won't hunt - give it up!

[phantom power]

24. I'm glad to hear she's explaining herself.

[Pathwalker]

25. Oh yeah, they're playing it over and over and over

you can't miss it. Just wait 2 minutes - you'll see it.

[jdj]

43. You need to watch these cable shows.

I hate to say that, but if you are unfamiliar with their tactics, you need a seriuos lesson in puke spin 101. Hannity, Scarborough, Carlson, O'Reilly. Get acquainted with their tactics, and you won't be hangin around her waxing ignorant about why Heinz-Kerry told one of these dickheads to "shove it" (which is so soft it's almost polite when used to a member of the blowhard brigade.)

[phantom power]

46. I've seen this in action

Understanding the impulse doesn't mean I think it was good strategy.

[jdj]

42. Get a clue.

She wasn't asked an honest question, she was dealing with a reporter who was trying to put words in her mouth. Which is what they do, you know.

The question I want answered is why none of the articles quoted the reporter's full question. Therein lies the spin.

[phantom power]

47. Give me a clue: what are you calling the "full question"

[yardwork]

44. She saw through the reporter's attempted trap, and she let him know it.

In many ways, what Teresa did is exactly the same preemptive strike that W used against Iraq. The Republican argument was that it was necessary to strike first to send a message to Iraq and the world that the U.S. will not be messed with.

Teresa sent a message to reporters, and her message is that they aren't going to get away with twisting her words. In outrage, their retaliation is to spin her "shove it" comment as if it were an obscenity. It's not, and most of America is yawning through this non-story. In fact, it's turning some against the Republicans.

[phantom power]

49. explain for me this "trap". What was that?

[DoomFook]

10. Trapped

"was trying to trap me"

Exactly; that's how these freaks work. Entrapment, trickery and lies.

[Karenina]

13. All fed into the spin machine

then blared over the Mighty Wurlitzer's MEGASOUND SYSTEM!!!

[Anwen]

23. Good!

:)

[mountainvue]

28. There goes the argument

about Democrats not having a spine.

[dave29]

29. Did Bush ever apologize to Adam Clymer?

I think not

[MODemocrat]

31. McNickle has gone after the Kerrys numerous times

According to the article I was reading, there is a right-wing history with Tribune-Review, which is owned by Scaife. I got the link from americanpolitics.com

http://mediamatters.org

[Generator]

33. I knew I liked this woman

[Piperay]

34. Uncle Dickie had no regrets for

his obscenity spew and said he felt better for it, why should Heinz-Kerry have any regrets. :mad:

[TEXASYANKEE]

35. It's not going to work this time.

Regarding this story,I was pleasantly surprised to see my local ABC station making it a point to say that the reporter was from a "right wing" organization that had blasted Kerry in the past. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I'm happy to see that the media (at least what I've seen and heard) is being fairly even-handed about this story. It appears that Theresa is getting good press from it and this must be making Repubs furious.

[Tight_rope]

36. THAT'S RIGHT...MEAN WHAT YOU SAY AND SAY WHAT YOU MEAN!

Teresa Heinz is not like Bush (I'm a war time president: I'm a peace president).

I support Teresa 1000%=100%X10.

At least she doesn't go around on the Senate floor provoking people about laying off the pressure of finding the truth about stealing money from the American people. And then getting frustated and telling folks to " GO FUCK YOURSELF"! Oh, and let's not forget that you are corrupted Vice pResident of the USA.

[xchrom]

37. democrats, liberals, etc.

should take lessons from ms. heinz-kerry on how to treat attack dogs.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

38. Yes they should!!!

[jdj]

39. I knew it. So the truth comes out, and she comes off sounding

as intelligent as ever. I knew there was a reason they did not quote from the trancript of the tape that they supposedly had, because it was a set-up from the beginning. Good for her,

She's too smart for them. They really should not fuck with this woman. She's not a murikan, after all.

[Th1onein]

41. If she was a Repub wife, she'd already be scheduled for

Stepfordication!

[David Zephyr]

53. Richard Mellon Scaife's Newpaper Continues Scaife's Attack of Dems

Check out the new film, "The Hunting of the President", for those of you unfamiliar with who Richard Mellon Scaife is and the very ugly mark he has inflicted on our country.

[struggle4progress]

54. Heinz Kerry: Why I told a reporter to 'Shove it'

<snip>
Heinz Kerry: “No, I don't. And I think that I say what I believe. I'm plain-spoken. I really wanted him to back off, you know, back off. And he and reporters generally don't do this — they don't trap you and they don't misrepresent you when they talk to you. That's exactly what he did. I didn't know who he was and I heard him say two words that not what I had said. I saw the potential of a misrepresentation and so I defended myself. Wouldn't you if someone attacked you like that?”
Couric: “Apparently you said, ‘We have to turn back some of the creeping un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American tirades that are coming into some of our politics.’”
Heinz Kerry: “And that's very different from un-American activities.”
<snip>

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5526859/


The party goes on after labor strife is eased in Boston
Teresa Heinz Kerry has run-in with writer at Pennsylvania reception
Originally published July 26, 2004

<snip>
The quote in question came when Heinz Kerry told the crowd, "We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian - and sometimes un-American - traits that are coming into some of our politics."

As she was leaving, shaking hands and bopping to the strains of a jazz band, Colin McNickle, the editorial page editor of the conservative Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, confronted Heinz Kerry and asked what she had meant by "un-American activities."
<snip>

After taking steps toward the door, she returned to ask McNickle whom he worked for. (It happens to be the newspaper, a longtime Heinz Kerry antagonist, owned by Richard Mellon Scaife, a leading supporter of conservative causes and a Bush campaign donor).

"You said something I didn't say," she said. "Now, shove it."
<snip>

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.notebook26jul26,1,3174840.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines


The "reporter" in question was Colin McNickle, the editorial page editor of the Scaife-owned Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. If you want to know why Mrs. Kerry might have a beef with Mr. McNickle, you can read part of the answer here: the Tribune-Review editorial page has been on a disgusting and dishonest jihad against the Heinz Endowments for nearly a year. http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2004_07/004377.php
Right-Wing Empire Builders
Richard M. Scaife
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=10840
The Truth About Heinz and Tides
http://www.heinz.org/index.asp?loc=K,K2025&title=The%20Truth%20About%20Heinz%20and%20Tides

[Gingersnapsback]

55. Right wing radio

compared her to Ava Gabor on Green Acers. These people are too cruel and unusual.