My Problem with Theresa Heinz Kerry's "Shove It" Comment

[dolstein]

While it's true that the reporter worked for a Scaife right-wing publication, his question, about her use of the term "UnAmerican" is certainly legitimate. I don't consider it a "gotcha" type of question, and I don't see what harm there was in her simply elaborating on what she had said at the Pennsylvania delegation's meeting -- about how important civil discourse was to a functioning democracy, etc.

Instead, she went immediately into denial mode. This was a stupid idea, especially when there was video of the event, which made it perfectly clear to everyone that, contrary to her denials, she had in fact used the word un-American.

I'm sure this is all a tempest in a teapot and will be forgotten by tomorrow. But she really should have shown better judgment, since she will no doubt be asked questions during the course of the campaign that she'd rather not answer. You'd think by now she'd find a more clever way of brushing off these questions.

[Langis]

1. He distorted what she said

Not only did he take her out of context, but he added words. I feel she has every right to tell him to "Shove it."

[Seabiscuit]

16. Exactly.

The media keeps misrepresenting what happened.

This jerk reporter, whom Theresa knew as having written several phony smear pieces about her in the past, approaches her after her speech and asks her what she meant by "unAmerican activities". She had actually spoken of "un-Pennsylvanian and un-American traits". She immediately retorted "that's not what I said." He continued to repeat the question and she kept cutting him off after the word "un-American..." by saying "you're putting words in my mouth", etc. She ultimately told him off and then stated "Now shove it", and walked away.

She was rightly offended by this bastard's lies about her words, especially when it calls up memories of the old House UnAmerican Activities Committee which back in the fifties furthered Joe McCarthy's phony anti-commie witch-hunt.

I say to Theresa: "You go, girl!"

[lancdem]

2. I understand your point

Part of me is glad she said it, but I imagine she'll be a little more careful in the future, if only because of how the media blows everything out of proportion.

[bushwakker]

3. Flame away but I think Theresa could be a real liability

she should be kept out of the spotlight. Obviously she's very smart and she would be a dynamic First Lady - a real mold-breaker, but when it come to American politics she's just a little "off".

[Sugarbleus]

19. Today's convention was so fabulous...I feel hopeful. I was

energized and excited. Bill was on a roll wasn't he? I think our candidates are good decent people. I am voting for Kerry no matter what.

Having said that and ONLY for the purposes of discussion and expressing my own personal opinion: I too think Theresa is "off". I thought so the very first time I heard her speak. I never saw anyone else bring this up before now.

She is intelligent and passionate but I sense a certain fury there.. a certain spoiled "you aren't going to tell ME anything" attitude. Then there's the long winded, torch song type, I don't know where you're going with this, speeches she can give. Looking all bothered and impatient by her husband's side. Maybe that will all smooth itself out later on.

I could be projecting, but it also seems as though Kerry demurs to her almost too much. We can't have a co presidency; at least not now.

Theresa even said in an interview that she would have told her spouse 'not with me, you're not' if asked to become the first lady.

We may have had some kooky first ladies in our past: wasn't Eleanor Roosevelt kinda outspoken? I'd have to go do research. However, with things Soooooo delicate in this election, Theresa worries me. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that all turns out better than I suspect in that particular area. Peace

[saracat]

44. You sound like a republican from 1992!

Kooky First Lady? No "co president'? You probably didn't like Hillary either! What's wrong with a Co-President? Don't you think that most Presidential spouses have a lot of input anyway? Edith Wilson ran the country while they hid Wilson's illness.Eleanor Roosevelt played a large part in policy making. You sound as though you want women to pretend not to have an influence. You sound like you think political wife should be a Stepford wife.No wonder you don't like Theresa. I doubt she would like you. It is to these kind of remarks that she addressed her "opinionated" statement. And Kerry"demurs to her almost to much"? As in, he respects her opinion? You "worry"me. I'm glad you aren't running for office.
I interviewed Theresa, and you know what? She said that she would rather a woman was running for President but since one wasn't we'd have to support John. And I loved her for it, and so did everyone who watched her.She is going to be a feminist First Lady, and bless her for it.In the words of Hillary Clinton"you go girl!"

[formernaderite]

34. I love Theresa and disagree....

....I do think her reaction to the reporter was stupid in that he was just quoting her. Instead of denying what she said, she should have explained the nuance behind her answer. Does that disqualify her from speaking?{br}Hell no! She's so natural and personable, it can only help Kerry.

[wishlist]

4. She objected to his paraphrase of 'UnAmerican activities"

when he was questioning her. She never said "UnAmerican activities" but he tried to trap her by misconstruing her remarks that way. If you watch the entire coverage of what she said and her interactions with him, it was his interjection of the word 'activities' that she was objecting to and straightening out. He works for a paper with a history of distorting her positions. She realized right away that he had twisted what she said by asking her about saying "UnAmerican Activities" (which can be seen as a reference to the blacklisting Senate McCarthy witch hunt of the 50's) so she could not let that slide by unchallenged.

[flpoljunkie]

5. You might want to read an account of what really happened, cause you

won't get it from the feckless SCLM.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/3576476/detail.html

"We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics," Heinz Kerry said during a reception at the Massachusetts Statehouse.

Minutes later, in an exchange that was captured on camera by Channel 4 Action News anchor Scott Baker and his photographer, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter Colin McNickle asked Heinz Kerry what she meant by the term "un-American activity."

Heinz Kerry told McNickle, "I didn't say that," and asked him why he was putting words in her mouth. When he again asked the question, she responded, "I didn't say 'activity' or 'un-American, and turned away to speak with Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.

Shortly after their first exchange, Heinz Kerry went up to McNickle and asked if he worked for the Trib. He said he did, and she replied, "Of course." When he tried to question her again, she said, "You said something I didn't say. Now shove it."
______________________

I'm with Hillary, "You go, girl." It's alright for Dick Cheney to say "Go fuck yourself" to Senator Leahy on the Senate floor, but not alright for Teresa Kerry to go tell a Mellon Scaife funded right-wing rag reporter, who reportedly grabbed her arm and told here to "Come here" to "Go shove it."

It is indeed a "tempest in a teapot." The man heartily deserved this rebuke. Let's not make of this more than it is, and feed the Republican attack machine ourselves.

[dolstein]

7. I saw the actual video

I saw video of her speaking to the Pennsylvania delegation, and I saw the video of her speaking to the report.

She denied using the word un-American, when in fact she HAD used the word un-American. She COULD have said, "yes, I used the word unAmerican, but let me explain what I mean . . ." Or, she could simply have declined to comment.

But instead, she lied to the report, denying she had ever used the word "unAmerican" when clearly she had. And then to make matters worse, she went BACK to the reporter, apparently for the purpose of antagonizing him. She should have simply let the matter drop.

[sandnsea]

20. Then you didn't see it

He asked about "unAmerican activities", she said "unAmerican traits". Big difference. That wasn't enough for him, he kept going on and on. And apparently had written a number of hit pieces before. She lost her temper and it would be preferable that she hadn't. But she did and that's that. I don't think it's a big deal. She's human, that's all.

[saracat]

43. You are correct.

The other poster didn't watch it carefully. And Thberesa was justified,IMHO. She said "traits" not "activities"!

[flpoljunkie]

23. Even Don Imus said of Teresa's comments, "So what!"

Those who are trying to make a big deal of this are the Republicans and we do John Kerry no service by dwelling on any inconsequential, trumped up criticism of John Kerry, Teresa Kerry, or anything connected with his campaign.

[flpoljunkie]

25. A transcript of the entire exchange. Note where McNickel accosts THK.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-26-heinz-kerry-cover_x.htm


McNickle: (inaudible) Un-American activity? You mentioned un-American?


Heinz Kerry: No, I did not say that.


McNickle: What did you mean?


Heinz Kerry: I did not say that (pointing finger at reporter).


McNickle: Well, what did you say?


Heinz Kerry: I did not say that.


McNickle: I am just asking what did you say.


Heinz Kerry: Why are you putting those words in my mouth?


McNickle: I thought you said something about being un-American?


Heinz Kerry: No I did not say that.


Heinz Kerry turns away, then returns a few moments later.


Heinz Kerry: Are you from the Tribune-Review?


McNickle: Yes, I am.


Heinz Kerry: Of course (turns away quickly).


McNickle: Come here (tapping her on the elbow).


Heinz Kerry: (Turns back to reporter) Understandable. You said something I didn't say - now shove it!


Sources: The Associated Press, ABC News

[spooky3]

27. How dare he demand that a person of her stature "come here" and

touch her after she's told him repeatedly the answer to his question? If this had happened to a man in her position the Secret Service would have wrestled the "journalist" to the ground!

[Bunny]

30. He GRABBED her arm?

Where was her Secret Service detail?

[Eurobabe]

33. I thought Teresa had every right

this nutbag purposely misquoted her. He had it coming. Civility or not.

[progressivebydesign]

36. She meant, "shove off"!

This morning, as I watched the video of her appearance on the Early Show, she said a few times that she was telling him to "back off", I wanted him to "back off". I think she did a bit of a George, and said "shove it", when she was trying to articulate "shove off" and "back off". Shove it just didn't sound right in the context, and as she was explaining to day.. she did say I wanted him to "back off". It was sort of funny, because I honestly think it came out wrong... and she knows better than to apologize to those people. She did refrain from saying anything about Cheney or Bush's foul mouths... But I guess it's OKAY for MEN to be foul mouthed, but for a woman to use the word "shove" is unladylike. Sheesh.

[genius]

6. I'm proud of Theresa. Next time she should belt the reporter.

They elected a wrestler in Minnesota a while back. I think America is looking for fighters.

[dolstein]

8. Oh yeah, that'll generate TONS of positive coverage

NT

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. We Disagree On Some Thing But Not On This...

This board never ceases to amaze me....


I guess some posters here have never heard of the axiom that "revenge is a dish best served cold".


I tell you one thing John Kerry knows that....

[genius]

35. I come from a state where the Terminator was elected governor

Boring loses elections.

[zulchzulu]

9. I've met Teresa and she is very smart, quick and doesn't take any shit

She speaks seven languages. Next time, she should say it in Portuguese.

[blm]

10. The reporter said "UnAmerican activities" as in communistic....

she didn't use the word UnAmerican in that sense and she didn't use the phrase "UnAmerican activities" at all.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. The Reporter Is A Dick....

He wanted to provoke her and he did....

[Thrill]

13. shove it?

What does it mean. Its not she said said shove it up your ass? Its nothing like Cheney telling someone Fuk you. That was talked about for a few hours and thats it

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. It Doesn't Bother Me,......

It's just unneeded negative publicity......

[spooky3]

29. Ideally, she should have repeated the same phrase in which she used

"UnAmerican" earlier, rather than appear to be denying that she used the word. If the "journalist" then behaved as he did, she should have asked Secret Service to remove him. But even that would have been seen negatively by people who want to see her in a negative way.

[pippin]

15. What this reporter did was harrassment

I was appalled that this manner of questioning was even allowed. She is the wife of a senator and deserved far more respect than this ass hole accorded her. She should have asked security to show him the exit. No woman should have to put up with this sort of public harangue. This is not journalism by any stretch.

[spooky3]

28. I agree (see my post above).

[LabMonkey]

17. I told you all she was weird. And I get called a Freeper for it!

Im sorry, denying what she *just said* is a warning sign. Was she drinking?
I said this woman was weird and I got shouted down. Sorry, Im not wearing the party cloak of denial. Hopefully she learns from this. Sticks to teleprompters. The interview calling Democrats "putrid" in 1975 wont help this situation. Anything else we should know about?
DUI?

[Justice]

24. No Weird Is Being a Stepford Wife, and running over your boyfriend

if you want to talk about behavior in the 70s, let's talk about Laura's driving skills, or George's drinking and taking drugs.

Let's do that.

[July]

26. I hope you're not serious.

Warning sign? Drinking? Denial? DUI? "Anything else we should know about?"

Short post, tons of innuendo. Sorry, but you're building a pretty negative case against Teresa out of thin air.

It's so much easier to see the entire incident as a strong woman's reaction to being baited. She felt she was being misinterpreted, and wasn't surprised that it was a Scaife writer (not reporter, but editorialist) doing it. You assume she lied, and speculate she's a drunk. You're carrying water for the other side, which would be thrilled to do to Teresa what they did to Hillary.

Sorry, I'm not buying what you're selling.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bobbyboucher]

40. You were called a Freeper?

Well I'll be a monkeys uncle.

[Still_Loves_John]

18. I know what you're saying

because she said she didn't say unamerican when she obviously did, but I think what really happened there was that that particular writer had done several just total smear pieces on her, the campaign was right to call it a right wing rag, and she finally had enough and blew up. This particular incident was kind of the catalyst, but this was the result of a long period of this guy generally being an ass to her.

[hayu_lol]

21. Shove It was exactly the right phrase to use with this right-wing weasel..

for the few here who think it was terrible, do a google on Colin McNickle and read some of his garbage.

It was Colin who did the provoking in this case...and he got his just reward. She really should have told him to CHENEY OFF.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. He Got His Just Reward....

Right.... He made her lose her cool and gave the Pukes cannon fodder....

[Still_Loves_John]

39. I didn't say that she shouldn't have said "shove it"

I just said that she did say "unamerican" but that she wasn't just mad at the reporter for that specific incident. She had been dealing with him for a long time, like you mentioned, and this was the breaking point.

[chelsea0011]

31. Imagine some woman telling some guy to "shove it".

The media won't stand for this.

[pmbryant]

32. Given how the public dislikes the media so strongly...

I find it a waste of time to dwell on this matter. Probably more people will decide they like someone who would tell the media off like this than will decide the other way.

It didn't hurt Bush in 2000 when he was caught calling a NYT reporter a 'major-league asshole', and this isn't going to hurt Mrs. Kerry or her husband.

--Peter

[skygazer]

38. I thought it was badly handled

I wish she'd simply said something like "You're taking my remarks out of context. Next question." I've seen a lot of comments about it, mostly of the "you go, girl" variety and while I appreciate the fact that she's not afraid to speak her mind, we all know how the "liberal media" spins these things and it ain't pretty. The goal here is to win the election - after that, I have no problem with her getting feisty - we need some feistiness but we need to get in the White House first.

[sundancekid]

42. we needed a "smackdown" from Teresa, and there were better ones

that could have been said; so, I agree with you ... BUT the "you go girl" tributes are about Teresa delivering ANY smackdown and I agree with those tributes too because NO ABUSE is ever justified or "consented to by silence" ... the truth will set us free and, WE WILL GET TO THE WHITE HOUSE ...

welcome to DU, skygazer!
:hi:

[nonkultur]

41. "I didn't say 'activity' or 'un-American."

Well that is half right. :)

/I am a glass half full guy.

[0rganism]

45. Here's MY problem with Theresa Heinz Kerry's "Shove It" Comment

She didn't say, "Shove your head back up your crusty rectum, you truth-raping asshat." How can the American people properly understand the particulars if veiled in vagueries like the overly brief "Shove it"? She comes off as cryptic, secretive, or perhaps ill-informed.

"Shove it."

Shove it where, exactly? Over here? Over there? And what is it, praytell? Your uncle's credenza? The violin case? No, Teresa, you'll have to be more specific than that.

Next time, I recommend a hearty, "Eat penguin shit, you ass spelunker!" or perhaps the simpler -- yet always effective -- "Go fuck yourself." This new breed of neo-con journalistic hacks need to be told the details or they'll just make stuff up, and there's always the possibility they can be preoccupied for hours trying to figure out how to go about fucking themselves, if given half a chance.

[spooky3]

46. LOL! You go, Organism!