As foreman, Kerry wins praise from fellow jurors

[JI7]

caught this in the LBN forum. i wonder why none of the lawyers dismissed him from serving on the jury based on who he is.

<Cynthia Lovell, a registered Republican, voted for President Bush a year ago, but during 90 minutes behind closed doors with his rival, Senator John F. Kerry, yesterday, she had to admit he was a smart, down-to-earth guy.

Joe Wesolaski, who works for a brokerage firm, declined to say how he voted but emerged from the same closed-door session praising Kerry as a natural leader who was eager to hear everyone's point of view.

Kerry the presidential candidate may have been a loser. But Kerry the jury foreman appeared to be a winner.

Massachusetts' junior senator led a Suffolk Superior Court jury that rejected a claim by two friends who sued a city worker for personal injuries they said stemmed from a car collision in August 2000 on Park Drive. The case lasted only two days, but it didn't take long for Kerry to win over his fellow jurors.

''I just found him to be a knowledgeable, normal person," said Lovell, a Charlestown nurse. ''He kept us focused. He wanted us all to have our own say."

Wesolaski said Kerry went around the table making sure his 11 fellow jurors felt they had an opportunity to air their opinions.

During breaks, Wesolaski and the senator discussed their mutual passion for bicycling. Wesolaski said he gave Kerry his phone number so they can arrange a bike ride.

As the jurors left the courtroom after the verdict, Kerry could be overhead promising Wesolaski he would call him.

''It was great, really a positive experience," Wesolaski said. ''I hope to hear from him.">

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/11/23/as_foreman_kerry_wins_praise_from_fellow_jurors/

[rox63]

1. And here's the Herald's report on Kerry's jury duty

Kerry reports for jury duty: Courtroom service a first for the senator

By Dave Wedge
Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - Updated: 01:00 AM EST

Sen. John F. Kerry has testified in some of the nation’s most hallowed halls of justice and sat in many Bay State courtrooms as a prosecutor but he’d never been on a jury – until this week.

Judge Margaret Hinkle raised eyebrows when she picked the Massachusetts senator to be on a Suffolk Superior Court jury Monday in a lawsuit brought by two people against the city of Boston for a car wreck involving a school principal.

“I was a little surprised,” Kerry said yesterday of being selected. He said he has been to the Suffolk courthouse for jury duty “a couple of times through the years” but was excused each time.

“I get called like everybody else and I show up,” Kerry said. Of the experience, he said: “I enjoyed it. It was very, very interesting and very instructive. We had a great jury, some great discussion. Every citizen should want to have the opportunity to do it.”

Read the rest here: http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=113546

[zann725]

13. ...at last 'every man' begins discovering JK's strengths. Countdown SHOULD

cover this. Anyone have KO's attention?

[Island Blue]

2. A few things:

1) Are you SURE that Sen. Kerry's clone isn't up and in operation yet? The man is EVERYWHERE! I was looking at new photos on the Getty Image site and he was in NYC with Teresa on Saturday, at the race in Florida on Sunday, taking the VP* to task Monday morning, and now THIS? I really think he has a stunt double.

2) If I spent 90 minutes in a locked room with Sen. Kerry, I would leave the room as a puddle of goo. How was concentration even possible?

3) When he showed up did he say "I'm John Kerry and I'm reporting for jury duty"? (Please don't kill me for that one.)

[TayTay]

4. Clones, I'm sorry I can't discuss it, that's classified.

How would you like to be in the jury pool room and look up and see that distinctive face sitting next to ya, reading the paper, waiting for the lawyers to figure out which case was going to trial and which was going to be settled? That must have been fun. (And, it proves the words in my sig. line. No more important word than citizen, and he meant it.) That was nice that he got to be foreman as well. I bet that was kind of fun.

I love this story. It's just soooo, ahm, sweet. He finished up the case, made plans to go cycling with a fellow Bostonian and then went about his business being interviewed on national radio about the war and about nationa problems. (I love America. What a country!) There is also something very Boston about this story, where everyone is expected to show up and do their civic duty. (No big deal, just do it.)

[ginnyinWI]

12. I agree with you 100% on # 2, IB!! n/t

[_dynamicdems]

23. Betcha Leno steals that one from ya. ; ) n/t

[TayTay]

3. Note for Vektor

Sen. Kerry really is an accessible guy. Even the Herald notes that. See:

Fellow juror Joe Wesolaski, 30, of the Back Bay shared a cup of coffee with Kerry during a break in the two-day trial and described him as “very nice” and “inquisitive.” The pair discussed their mutual love of cycling and the Tour de France and made plans to go riding together, Wesolaski said.

BTW, is this a great story or what? I never get picked to be on a jury. It might be because 1) my brother is a cop and I look like a hard-ass or 2) I always manage to show up 3 days before Christmas and there are no trials. (I did once get to the jury box, but was excused.)

[Island Blue]

5. I've was on a jury once several years ago.

It was great. I loved it and I would love to get called again. I'm obviously not a normal human being.

[TayTay]

6. I wanted to serve too!

But they never let me. I fill out the Mass questionnaire and I get to the box, anyone related to you a cop, I check yes, and then get dismissed. Either that or I look unsympathetic. I don't know and they don't have to tell me.

A guy I work with has been on 4 juries in Mass. I was jealous. He's not a native, so, maybe the lawyers figured I would be too sympathetic to folks just like me. I don't know.

[Vektor]

35. That rules!

:loveya:

[ProSense]

7. This is ultra cool!

Looks like he won some converts. Imagine handing Kerry your phone number and getting a promise from him that he'll call you.

Is there a faint smilie?

[beachmom]

11. This is the coolest story of the week! So unexpected.

I love the * supporter who seemed so surprised how normal he was. I'm tempted to send this article to a Boston friend of mine who thinks Kerry is a "phony". SOOO not true.

Off topic, I was behind on watching The Daily Show and watched a bunch last night. I saw the one where * was quoting Kerry and Stewart said that even * sounded boring reading Kerry's speech. For some reason I was not offended at all, and was laughing. Why? Well, * is giving his speech, and then he pauses, and starts reading Kerry's quote REALLY SLOOOWWWLLLY. There was something about * quoting Kerry, like he's thinking "okay, now just read slowly, George, you can get through this. I know it's really hard with all those long sentences but only a few more. Oh, phew. Done. Now I can go back to the nice short sentences my speechwriters write for me". I mean, with George reading it so slow even I was losing him. I also got the impression, he was close to wanting to do an impression of Kerry. I think some of you are onto something about George's purpose in life was to be a comedian, not the president. I don't know -- I thought it was fairly mild on JK, and I wasn't going to worry about it. I'm just proud of myself for not being so thin skinned when it comes to the Senator for once.

[karynnj]

8. So if Kerry does run in '08

he'll have not only his crew, but his jury attesting to his being a nice, pleasant down to earth, guy. :)

It's funny he wasn't thrown off.

[TayTay]

9. The Globe article did say that he got bounced before.

Because, ahm, well, he was a prosecutor. But, when you think about it, there is no reason to excuse Sen. Kerry. He is an upstanding citizen of the Commonwealth, he is a fair-minded person and there is no real reason to think he would have his mind made up already in a jury case. So why not let him serve? I bet he got a kick out of it too. It must be nice to be John Q. Citizen every now and then and just do what everyone else does. It didn't sound like anything was held up on account of some 'celebrity' factor. It sounds like it was mostly business as usual.

[Luftmensch067]

10. I was on my first jury this year, in Cambridge!

I'd been called three times before, but never been empaneled (sp.?) On this one, we had a Twelve Angry Men situation where our foreperson had one opinion and the rest of us another. After three days, we were unanimous and found out afterward that the accused rapist we had found guilty on all counts had in fact served PRISON time for other rapes, so we were all *deeply* relieved that we had made the right decision.

It was an amazing experience. We really did begin as strangers, willing but not exactly delighted to be interrupting our lives to do our civic duty, but as soon as we were first given our instructions and filed out of the jury room to take our seats in court, we magically *became* an instrument of the American justice system. Fascinating. When we were not listening or deliberating, we did relax and think about the outside world, but when we were "on the job", this quite varied group was completely dedicated to our charge, determined to examine every piece of evidence and make sure we acted justly in this highly emotional case. It was actually really comforting to see how well it all worked. I've never seen any of those people again, but I felt very bonded with most of them and kind of hated to leave them at the end! Reading this lovely little story about Kerry as foreman is giving me flashbacks to that experience. What a privilege to be in a closed jury room with intelligence and heart (and other attributes!) like that; it's something you'd never forget!!!

[babylonsister]

14. Here's CNN's with a really sucky title:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/23/kerry.juryduty.ap/index.html

BOSTON (AP) -- Sen. John Kerry's public profile and prosecutorial past didn't spare him from performing that most mundane of civic responsibilities -- jury duty.

Kerry was not only chosen this week to sit on a jury in Suffolk Superior Court, but also was elected foreman.

The case involved two men who sued the city for injuries suffered in a 2000 car accident involving a school principal. The Kerry-led jury rejected their claim Tuesday, and his fellow jurors said the state's junior senator was a natural leader.

"I just found him to be a knowledgeable, normal person," said Cynthia Lovell, a nurse and registered Republican who says she now regrets voting for President Bush in last year's election. "He kept us focused. He wanted us all to have our own say."

[ProSense]

15. CNN is still smarting from being wrong about everything.

Like everyone else who propped up Bush and the war, CNN will try to justify its position by continuing to take swipes at Kerry, instead of admitting he was right about everything and they were wrong about everything.


Where is Carlos Watson who affirmed Rove to be a genius after the election?


After the way they reported the news, little wonder how they mistook a crook for a genius. Or was that intentional?

[beachmom]

16. Actually, in that article it said Kerry didn't even want to be foreman

The other jurors pretty much appointed him foreman, and then he agreed. So it was like he won as a write in!! :)

I did forward the article to some family members, and to my Boston swing-voters-who-voted-for-* friends. I feel nervous sending political articles to people who aren't that focussed on it, but it's just a really funny article!!! I'm sure even some right wingers would be amused. In fact, I encourage them to snark away at him, and provide the link. In the end, it's just pure and simple good press without even trying. I mean Kerry literally wasn't trying; he was trying to hunker down, and he came out of it with glowing reviews. I can't begin to communicate how tickled pink I am from this story. It doesn't get much better than this. There is no angle. Anyone who takes a shot at him, just looks mean spirited. It's like a Happy Thanksgiving present early!

[ProSense]

25. I agree with you about the story

It left me with a really good feeling. CNN, not so much.

[emulatorloo]

17. HOW DARE JOHN KERRY SERVE ON A JURY! HE SHOULD JUST GO AWAY!

What great stories -- Thanks for posting.

[beachmom]

18. Quick!! Recommend dailykos favorable diary about this

Here is the link:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/11/23/114424/02#19

Let's get this thing in the recommended diaries!! It's a great story.

[emulatorloo]

20. excellent idea n/t

[beachmom]

26. Sorry, guys, I need to pass on more good news!

The story is now in the recommended diary list on DailyKos. And get this one: nearly every single comment is positive. Even the ones that might seem negative are at second glance pure and simple sarcasm (my favorites include: he windsurfed to the courthouse, and during the break he read French poetry, as well as a Jurors for Truth commercial). Poor Kos, having his website hijacked by Kerry lovers! I am grinning ear to ear.

[ProSense]

27. Thanks for keeping us posted.

:-)

[ginnyinWI]

19. You can rate this story up at:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10174732/
It currently has only 45 people who rated it. ;)

[Klimmer]

21. It doesn't get much better than this . . .

You can't buy great civic duty PR like this: he does his civic duty without complaint and even enjoys it, he is likable, even those in the jury who voted against him reconsider, and some very lucky guy gets to go bike riding afterwords with him as a result. Man I'm jealous.

All I can say is wow! JK is really been busy, and in the news, and speaking truth to power, and some critics are turning the corner and looking at him anew.

That's my President.

[jenndar]

22. Aw!

That's just so cool. I heart him.

[beachmom]

24. Hey -- it's now been front paged on AOL! n/t

[Island Blue]

28. Remember the story about * getting out of jury duty

when he was governor because he lied on a questionnaire about the issue of drunk driving? (Had he ever been arrested for it or something like that.) He had to have Alberto Gonzales get him out of serving when he found out the jury he would be serving on would be a DWI case. (This is from memory so I may have some of the details wrong.)

The differences between these two men is simply stunning. One conducts his life like a dutiful citizen and the other conducts his life like the world revolves around him. Care to guess which is which?

[TheDonkey]

29. That's a great little story. Go JK! Wish everyone could experience him

in a group setting like that. He would have won in a landslide.

[politicasista]

30. Nice story.

Saw the short blurb on CNN. Go Kerry!! :patriot:

[globalvillage]

31. Two people sent me the CNN article at work

and I sent them the Globe story. It was much better.
What a great story. Another happy Kerry day.

:patriot:

[whometense]

32. Chimes at Midnight

posts:
http://www.chimesatmidnight.blogspot.com/http://chimesatmidnight.blogspot.com/2005/11/john-kerry-as-jury-foreman.html

John Kerry as Jury Foreman

Yahoo's News Summary gets all cutesy with the news that JK got yanked for Jury Duty down at Suffolk County Court House.
Of course, nowhere in the this article does it mention that our Junior Senator was once a District Attorney, and might on the face of that and other accomplishments make an unusually able Jury Foreman.

Maybe too able...can't figure out why he wasn't excused quite frankly, but it sets a good example for other potential jurors I guess.

And if you want some especially gruesome reading click "Discuss" at the bottom of said article, the scum of the nation are, as usual, in full cry.
- posted by John @ 10:32 AM

Some very ugly stuff there from the bottom feeders.

[karynnj]

34. ugh - Those people posting are insane - what hate

How emotionally stunted can they be? It also shows they will come out of the woodwork, no matter what Kerry does. Cockroaches.

[seito]

36. Makes you wonder

...is seems they hate JK more than *... hmmmmm :freak:

[seito]

37. Dupe

[FreedomAngel82]

33. That was so neat!

[seito]

38. I love this story

You can tell a lot about a person's character by what they do when no one is watching. There is no campaign, no big headlines, yet once again John Kerry chose to serve. I would have missed this story had it not been for DU.

John Kerry served because he feels that he has a civic duty just like any other American. Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, I am sure that I would find him to be warm, kind and down to Earth.

It still amazes me that so many American bought the "Kerry is aloof" story and believed that Bush is "just a regular guy."

What you have in John Kerry is indeed "The Real Deal." Even though he is not my Senator, I would adopt him in an instant. I still believe that he will make the best President that we have ever had.

[_dynamicdems]

39. I'd adopt him as my Senator too, but the MA people won't go along with it.

I offered them both of my Senators in exchange, but they said, "No deal."

[TayTay]

40. DD, can you blame us?

I don't want Judd Gregg and Sununu. (However, I will come to NH and help campaign against them.) There is something about Judd Gregg that is cold and creepy. And Sununu, never says anything at all. He's like the ghost of the Senate. He pops up once in awhile to endorse, "Feel good about cheese' week and then is gone again. This is not a fair trade. (What does Massachusetts get out of this trade?)

I once took pity on our good friends from PA and offered Sen. KErry for a week or so in pure relief and as an act of good-hearted charity. (Dear Lord, they have Santorum. They suffer greatly.) Whome did not appreciate this loaning out of Senators. (In fairness, I didn't check with her first, so I was waaaaaaay out of line on that one.) This is why we have started up a nice clone program. That way, we get to keep our homegrowns and share with others! (Good democratic solution, if you ask me.)

[_dynamicdems]

41. Judd Gregg is creepy. He is straight out of a H. P. Lovecraft story

about Arkham, MA (fictional old NE town). Sununu isn't much better, but he has voted with Dems recently (probably because the changing tide is making him nervous). Usually Sunny Boy votes along party lines. As for a trade, Mass would get to help NH remain blue. It is such an embarrassment to have a red state right next door, you know.

Cloning is a wonderful idea. Do you think the Senator will cooperate with the project? It could be rather disconcerting for him. Imagine having to meet oneself coming and going, especially in DC, since any Kerry clones would probably be predestined for politics.