Teresa Heinz Kerry

Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira Heinz Kerry (born October 5, 1938), is a philanthropist and the wife of U.S. Senator John Kerry.

Public relations

Heinz Kerry has a reputation in the media as a very direct personality, unwilling to spin her comments for public consumption. This perception has led to a good deal of attention being paid to Heinz Kerry; she has drawn opposition from those who disagree with her comments, while others applaud her willingness to display her own opinion (in contrast with the usual politician's wife, who is expected to master "The Adoring Gaze").

Related Topics:
Media - Spin

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A crew of Newsweek magazine reporters -- who were given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Kerry campaign -- portrayed her as "sullen" and a "distraction," a woman with "sometimes erratic behavior" that led to her not being allowed to travel and speak without chaperones, a policy the reporters called "Managing Teresa" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49993-2004Nov14.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6407226/site/newsweek http://www.cabalofdoom.com/archives/001326.html.

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The Tribune-Review incident

Right before the 2004 Democratic National Convention in late July, 2004, Heinz Kerry hit her first public relations snafu when being questioned by Colin McNickle, conservative editor of the opinion page of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Related Topics:
2004 Democratic National Convention - July - 2004 - Snafu - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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During her speech on declining civility during political campaigns, Heinz Kerry said, "We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics".

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After the speech she passed through a crowd of supporters and journalists and McKnickle asked her what she meant about "un-American activities."

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Here is a a transcript of the exchange with McNickle that was recorded by The Patriot-News of Harrisburg and WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, which aired the exchange on its 11 o'clock news:

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McNickle: "What did you mean?"

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Heinz Kerry: "I didn't say that. I didn't say that."

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McNickle: "I was just asking what you said."

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Heinz Kerry: "Why do you put those words in my mouth?"

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McNickle: "You said something about 'un-American activity.'"

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A Kerry campaign worker attempted to stop the questioning.

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Heinz Kerry: "No, I didn't say that, I did not say 'activity' or 'un-American.' Those were your words."

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She walked away, paused, consulted Gov. Ed Rendell, D-Pennsylvania, and returned to McNickle.

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Heinz Kerry: "Are you from the Tribune-Review?"

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McNickle: "Yes, I am."

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Heinz Kerry: "Understandable. You said something I didn't say -- now shove it."

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http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/C886999860/E522840014/.

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The televised incident can be viewed at http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/3576476/detail.html.

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After the incident, her spokeswoman also accused the newspaper he worked for of being a "right-wing rag," accusing him of media bias. The Tribune-Review is owned by a prominent conservative figure, Richard Mellon Scaife, had previously run an op-ed piece criticizing the Heinz Foundation contributions, and had also printed some salacious gossip about her and her husband, including accusations that he had had an affair and she was funding violent Islamist groups.

Related Topics:
Newspaper - Right-wing - Media bias - Conservative - Richard Mellon Scaife

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Heinz Kerry's choice of words spurred criticism but was publicly endorsed by her husband and some other Democrats. New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton gave her support for her comment and said, "A lot of Americans are going to say, 'Good for you, you go, girl,' and that's certainly how I feel about it." http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0%2C1282%2C-4352813%2C00.html

Related Topics:
New York - Hillary Rodham Clinton

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WTAE-TV news anchor Scott Baker captured Heinz Kerry's remarks on tape and insisted McNickle had asked "a pretty straightforward question."

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"He was not combative. I think he seemed to be polite. The question that he asked was one that had already occurred to me," Baker said. "Clearly, she was rankled by it." http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/news/s_205302.html

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The Laura Bush incident

In an interview published in the USA Today, Teresa Heinz Kerry was asked about the differences between the first lady and herself:

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"Well, you know, I don't know Laura Bush. But she seems to be calm, and she has a sparkle in her eye, which is good. But I don't know that she's ever had a real job—I mean, since she's been grown up. So her experience and her validation comes from important things, but different things." http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2004-10-19-teresa_x.htm

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Almost immediately news stations across the country picked up the story. Conservative talk shows and news stations heavily criticized Heinz Kerry, stating Bush has been employed as a teacher and librarian in the past, and the president's family was 'not a subject for politics'.

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Teresa said in a statement later saying she was "sincerely sorry" for the remark: "I had forgotten that Mrs. Bush had worked as a schoolteacher and librarian, and there couldn't be a more important job than teaching our children," Heinz Kerry said. "As someone who has been both a full time mom and full time in the workforce, I know we all have valuable experiences that shape who we are. I appreciate and honor Mrs. Bush's service to the country as first lady, and am sincerely sorry I had not remembered her important work in the past." http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/20/theresa.apologizes.laura

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Senior Bush campaign adviser Karen Hughes called Teresa's remarks "inappropriate" and claimed the apology made things worse: "I think it's very nice that she apologized, but in some ways the apology almost made the comment worse because she seems to have forgotten that being a mother is a real job. I think it's just unfortunate to try to disparage women who have made the choice of making their families a priority." http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/20/theresa.apologizes.laura/

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Laura Bush brushed the whole thing off saying,"It didn't matter to me. It didn't hurt my feelings. It was perfectly all right that she apologized. She didn't have to apologize. I know how tough it is. And actually I know those trick questions." http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/21/laura.teresa/

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