New Hampshire Democrats React to Kerry's nomination

By Doug MacPherson on Thursday, March 4, 2004.

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The de facto nomination of John Kerry as the Democratic presidential candidate leaves the voters who supported other candidates in a not uncommon position. Their first choice is out of the running. Now they must come to terms with the choice that remains.

New Hampshire Public Radio's Doug MacPherson has been talking with Democrats in the Seacoast area who backed other candidates, to see how - and if - they're getting ready to embrace John Kerry as their nominee.

RONNIE WERNER, A RESIDENT OF RYE, A LIFE-LONG DEMOCRAT, AND A TIRELESS WORKER ON BEHALF OF FORMER VERMONT GOVERNOR HOWARD DEAN ? IS NOT READY TO GO TO WORK FOR MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR JOHN KERRY.

TAPE 2, RONNIE WERNER 167 and that?s makes me very sad. I only can work, and I think I?m like most people, I only can work my heart and soul out in a campaign if I?m really moved by the candidate.

NOT ONLY IS SHE NOT MOVED BY JOHN KERRY, WERNER ADMITS SHE DOESN?T EVEN LIKE HIM.

TAPE 2, RONNIE WERNER 087 The reason I worked for howard dean so hard, is that I think he?s incredibly principled. I think he?s a man of principle. And I do not think that about kerry. And I lived in Massachusetts for a long time. I don?t like him. And I don?t trust him. and I don?t think that he does business as a senator much differently than ? no, I?ll take that back. I don?t respect his way of operating.
TAPE DOUG ? you were going to say -- much different than what?
TAPE WERNER 098 than the president. My husband calls them tweedle dee and tweedle dum.

BOTH MEN, SAYS WERNER, REPRESENT THE STATUS QUO. BUT SHE?S TOO MUCH OF A REALIST TO LET HER THINKING STOP THERE.

TAPE 2, RONNIE WERNER 113 on the other hand, I am a life long democrat, and I want the bush people gone.

THAT SENTIMENT IS SHARED BY ANN WALKER, WHO RECENTLY RETIRED FROM 30-YEARS OF TEACHING SCHOOL IN PORTSMOUTH.

TAPE 2, ANN WALKER 374 we are in trouble. we are in trouble with bush. He?s run us into the ground, the surplus is gone, the deficit is huge. And you listen to Cheney who say, oh, deficits are no problem. I think with the war, I think we were all lead down the primrose path with regard to weapons of mass destruction.

WALKER HAD SUPPORTED MISSOURI CONGRESSMEN DICK GEPHARDT. SHE SAYS SHE WAS HEART-BROKEN WHEN HE DROPPED OUT, BUT SHE QUICKLY SWITCHED HER ALLEGIANCE TO JOHN EDWARDS. SHE SAYS SHE NEVER SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED JOHN KERRY ? BUT SHE DOES THINK HE?S GROWN AS A CANDIDATE.

TAPE 2, ANN WALKER 352 you know he was kind of -- at a different level. And not really talking down to people, but you know, kind of like, you people over there. I?m going to try to do things for you people over there. /// 360 and as time went on, more and more, he seemed to be able to get right down on a level with people.

WALKER IS, AT THIS POINT, CAUTIOUS IN HER SUPPORT FOR JOHN KERRY. BUT FROM HER PERSPECTIVE AS A FORMER TEACHER, SHE SEES NO CONTEST BETWEEN KERRY AND PRESIDENT BUSH.

TAPE 2 ANN WALKER 527 the more educable one would be kerry. I think george bush is so full of himself, that he doesn?t think he needs to learn anything.

RYE RESIDENTS OTTO AND JACKIE GROTE HAD SUPPORTED JOHN EDWARDS FROM THE OUTSET. JACKIE GROTE IS READY TO EMBRACE JOHN KERRY, AND PLEDGES TO GO DOOR-TO-DOOR FOR HIM, JUST AS THE COUPLE DID FOR EDWARDS. OTTO GROTE IS NOT SO SURE. HE?S PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT AMERICAN JOBS GOING OVERSEES.

TAPE 1, OTTO GROTE (?GROW-tah?) 477 I think Edwards knows what he?s doing in protecting jobs. I don?t think kerry does. Kerry comes from a different kind of background. He?s a boston Brahmin. That isn?t to say that the kennedy?s didn?t know what they were doing. But I don?t know whether kerry is a kennedy.

IN ANY CASE, GROTE SAYS HE?S NOT READY TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT BUSH EITHER. HE SAYS BUSH?S FOREIGN POLICY HAS BEEN DISASTROUS IN TERMS OF U.S. STANDING IN THE WORLD.

TAPE 1, OTTO GROTE (?GROW-tah?) 539 the question is, would I vote for kerry. I really have not decided. I really have to study that more.

JEANNETTE HOPKINS LIVES IN PORTSMOUTH, WHERE, AT AGE 81, SHE STILL PURSUES HER CAREER AS A BOOK EDITOR. IN THE FRONT YARD OF HER ANTIQUE COLONIAL HOME ARE TWO RATHER FORLORN LOOKING SIGNS FOR FORMER GENERAL WESLEY CLARK.

TAPE 1 JEANNETTE HOPKINS 040 for one thing they?re frozen into the ground. They?re also frozen in my head [LAUGHS]

HOPKINS SAYS SHE IS STILL GRIEVING FOR HER CANDIDATE. KERRY, SHE SAYS, DOESN?T COMPARE TO CLARK.

TAPE 1 JEANNETTE HOPKINS 152 he is intelligent, but he isn?t as acute, in my opinion, not as penetrating. And he doesn?t have the nerve to go with it. The republican criticism of him for trimming his sails back and forth on issues has something in it. Of course, one needs to say that he?s a pure as the driven snow compared with george w. bush.

HOPKINS IS NOT SHY TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ? AND PRESIDENT BUSH, SHE SAYS, HAS BEEN LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM HIS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES TO HIS INTENTIONS IN IRAQ. HOPKINS HAS CALLED HERSELF A DEMOCRAT SINCE 1932 ? AND SHE WILL SUPPORT JOHN KERRY.

TAPE 1 JEANNETTE HOPKINS 166 I always vote democratic, no matter what. But this year, when george w. bush has been the worst president of my lifetime, is running, and when the supreme court can be ruined for 50 years or more to come, there?s a great deal at stake. And kerry , he?s a liberal, and I think liberal is great word. And he is a liberal in his instincts. /// and he will not be a bold president or a visionary president, but he?ll probably be a good president. It?s better than an evil one.

KERRY DID NOT SET THESE VOTERS HEARTS ON FIRE DURING THE PRIMARY, AND HE STILL DOESN?T. IN THIS, THE EARLIEST STAGE OF THE 2004 GENERAL ELECTION, THE TWO MOST POWERFUL WORDS DEMOCRATS CAN USE TO RALLY SUPPORT FOR JOHN KERRY MAY PROVE TO BE: ?PRESIDENT BUSH.? FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I?M DOUG MACPHERSON.