BOSTON — Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John
Kerry, drew tumultuous applause from a gathering of more than 200 gay delegates
and their supporters Wednesday when she addressed a meeting of the Democratic
National Convention’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender caucus.
“I know that I am welcomed and I am grateful to be welcomed,” she said, as
caucus members and several dozen guests chanted “Teresa!” “Teresa!”
“I’m grateful to you because you symbolize family,” she said. “You symbolize
strength and hope. You symbolize resistance. And you symbolize tolerance. For
that we are all thankful to you.”
Heinz Kerry’s appearance before the gay caucus meeting came one day after
she talked about her husband’s qualifications to be president before the full
convention.
Her appearance before the gay caucus also came three days after she raised
eyebrows for telling an aggressive journalist to “shove it” when he tried to
interview her about remarks she made to Pennsylvania delegates on July 25.
Republican critics of the Kerry campaign were expected to closely scrutinize
her remarks to the gay caucus.
Others who appeared before Wednesday’s gay caucus included Hollywood figures
Rob Reiner, actor Ben Affleck and “Sopranos” star Steve Buscemi, all of whom
expressed support for gay rights and pledged support for the Kerry for president
campaign.
But Teresa Heinz Kerry appeared to outshine all of them in the eyes of the
gay delegates.
“You are in a sense pushing the envelope,” she said. “We have to respond with
policies that reflect the capacity and the tolerance of all Americans.”
“But,” she continued, “because things are difficult doesn’t mean they won’t
happen.”
In her remarks before the gay caucus, held at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, Heinz
Kerry appeared to mix policy issues with motherly love, drawing repeated shouts
