Mrs. Kerry To Reporter: 'Shove It'
BOSTON, July 26, 2004
When Teresa Heinz Kerry told a journalist to "shove it" on Sunday, the convention press corps swooped down on the first big unscripted moment of the week.
The "off message" snap was caught on tape, so the network news broadcasts did pieces and cable networks talked about it – a lot. It topped the Drudge Report for nearly a day and the newspapers covered it, too.
Convention delegates, more media savvy than ever, understood that the press craves entrees that aren’t on the official menu.
"I definitely think it is the press that is looking for something news worthy to write about," said Coby King, a delegate from California. "You are going to get these unscripted moments. I do know that most of us, all the delegates that are here are really focused on defeating President Bush," he continued. "Look, if a few people say things that aren’t on message, that’s the way these conventions go."
Here’s what happened: At the Massachusetts Statehouse in Boston, Mrs. Kerry, speaking to the Pennsylvania delegation, talked about growing incivility in politics, and 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."
After being asked repeatedly by Colin McNickle, editorial page editor of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, to clarify her interpretation of the word "un-American," Mrs. Kerry said, "I didn't say that," repeating herself, "I didn't say that." She went away but returned to the reporter moments later, asked what paper he wrote for and then said, "You said something I didn't say. Now shove it."
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is an avowed conservative newspaper and Mrs. Kerry seemed perturbed over past coverage.
Marla Romash, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Kerry later said, "This was sheer frustration aimed at a right-wing rag that has consistently and purposely misrepresented the facts in reporting on Mrs. Kerry and her family."
****
the reporter actually asked her about 'unAmerican activities'. Oh, the nonissues that are tried to be made into mountains. Such as the Bush daughter 'tongue' incident', Cheney and the F bomb, etc.
j+III
She did not say 'Shove it' litterly. She clearly said 'Fuck Off', but the carier of the above copied newsmessage probably found it more appropriate not to quote Mrs Kerry but merely describe her words ;-)
jeroen wrote: She did not say 'Shove it' litterly. She clearly said 'Fuck Off', but the carier of the above copied newsmessage probably found it more appropriate not to quote Mrs Kerry but merely describe her words ;-)
...wonders what you mean...
...or díd she? Have to admit I was kind of a bit under the influence of a tiny bitty alcohol when I saw the television snippets ;-) But both me and a friend have been talking about it all night, convinced we heard her say 'fuck off'. 'Fuck' is ten times worse then 'shove it' for Americans... anyway, that's why we had the lengthy discussion about it...