Reply #110: We were lucky enough to be following everyone on the campaign trail

[symbolman]

during that period and filming a Lot of it. We got Michael Moore backing Wes Clark in a school Gym in New Hampshire (or some little burg near there, forget the lil town), afterwards I even got to part the crowd when he was signing posters and autographs literally with both hands..

It was a magical moment, everyone that was clamoring and mobbing him simply parted for me and I walked right up to him and said, "Michael, I was one of the 14 finalists in the MoveOn 'Bush in 30 Seconds' contest a few days ago, and you were the one on stage in NYC to call out the names of my site (Takebackthemedia.com) and our media team that put together an ad which is now running, thanks to our millionaire buddy 3000 times on Cable television during the primaries.. ours was ARMY OF ONE, and I'd like to have a meet with you, even a short phoner type if you'd give me a few minutes at some point so that I could tell you some of my ideas for these campaigns.."

The crowd was actually silent (and I'm talking a Major "Kodak" moment in my life here, magical..) and Mr Moore looked me in the eye and very passionately said, "YOU'RE THE GUY!" (I still don't know what he meant by that - there's a funny story about when we met up again at the Democratic Convention later and I asked him what he'd meant by that as he literally SHUFFLED out the door of the Convention center surrounded by Tribbles/Muppet fur microphones surrounding his head and cameras from ALL the major Networks - I cut right into the mess explained the Gym situation and asked him what he'd meant by that -- he looked at me and said, "I dunno.. I must have been on drugs.." I then realized that I may have just given ABC, MSNBC, FOX, CNN, etc the PERFECT SOUNDBITE to DESTROY HIM! "I dunno, I must have been on drugs.." trumpeted all over the major media like the Dean Scream.. I was laughing but worried at the same time, as I peeled off from the herd of roving minicams that wouldn't even let him take a full step -- but I digress) --

So at the GYM he said, "YOU'RE THE GUY!.. Got a card where I can reach you?" I proudly pushed my Takebackthemedia.com card into his hand, he looked at it, slid it in his pocket, and said, "SO this is how I can reach you?" - I said, "Sure, please give me a call, even if it's only for a few minutes.."

He winked and patted the card in his front pocket as I backed out of the crowd who moved back in, the moment sort of RESUMED from being sort of FROZEN.. felt really good.. but he never called..

Anyway, we also attended a Kerry Chili feed in a Gym later and Kerry was very inspirational, and in the end he REFUSED to LEAVE until every person's questions for him had been asked, and that included the Janitor - it got down to about 9 people in the room, and 4 of those were his staffers..

My wife had a camera thrust so far up his nose, getting every word and expression and it was so intrusive that he actually stopped and said, "Excuse me, WHO are you and WHY do you have that camera in my FACE?" Friendly but quizzical..

A bit earlier when a crowd of 20 or so were all asking him questions I noticed someone, a sweet lady right behind Kerry the whole time, and she had her hands all over him so being ignorant of who she was I asked her, on camera, if she was with his staff and what SHE did..

She said, "Well, I keep him happy and sometimes I like to play 'horsey' with his belt.." whereupon she gave his belt a tug, jerking him around in good fun. I started joking with her about how stupid Bush was and how he couldn't read, that his wife was a Prozac Queen, etc.. The nice lady said, "Oh, Laura's not such a bad person.."

I said, "Well, SOMEONE has to READ to Bush so she might as well be the one.." the answer was, "Well she IS a Librarian and all.."

We were having a great chat (while my wife caught all of Kerry's nose hairs to his consternation) and pretty soon I realised I was goofing around with Theresa Heinz.. OOPS! But she was such a REAL and Sincerely Nice person that I was refreshed by it, especially after seeing all the LYING even by OUR good guys trying to win the Primary...

So with about 6 people left Theresa and I moved over to the couch in the room where she invited my wife (and film crew) to go with THEM to the Carol King concert happening within hours.. and I mean WITH THEM, RIDING with them.. we'd really hit it off..

I hated to do it, but since we'd been travelling in one of the coldest winters on record and had come from Hawaii to do it we were ALL suffering from exhaustion and the beginnings of a Flu.. I didn't want to infect the Kerrys with any Flu bug, and we were exhausted so I took her hand and graciously asked for a 'rain check', maybe we could do something in the future when we ran into each other again..

When you're doing the primaries it's SO low key that you feel like you'll just run into these FAMOUS people any time, in a restaurant, another gig, whatever.. surrounded by hay bales anything seems possible..

Theresa was very down to earth and HONEST, and sincere, I loved her immediately - she understood that we were beat, and honestly I don't know how these people keep up that kind of energy for so long, it's amazing if you've seen the kind of schedules they run with..

I'd met their closest bodyguard "Marvelous Marvin" (it's how Kerry and Theresa introduced him with loving respect, and "MM" and I hit it right off, he's a VERY cool cat..

SO we begged off and left reluctantly.

Later when Kerry had won the Primary it was a madhouse, HUGE cameras lined one whole wall, we didn't have a chance to even get IN the room where the speech was made until afer.. Kerry was doing little quickie Speeches for the cameras to be used for television sound bites, and then Theresa came out to shake a lot of hands behind a gold rope (like in theatres) with some SCARY guys surrounding her.. I got close but one Scary probably SS guy was giving me the "I can rip your trachia OUT of your neck with one swift move" look as Theresa moved along the line towards me and I leaned over the golden rope so she might see me..

I didn't really expect to get close enough or to be recognized again, BUT SHE SAW ME, and immediately broke into a huge sunny smile and walked right past a whole bunch of people to grab my waiting hands and beam into my face..

Another Kodak moment, and "Marvelous Marvin" was right behind her, the exact opposite of the SS guy with the spagetti spiral behind one ear and soul less dark glasses..

I congratulated her and told her to please pass it along to Kerry, and then I pulled out one of my cards and handed it to her, quickly explaining the whole "we were one of 14 entries chosen out of 1500 for the MoveOn event in NYC" and then suggested to her that our ARMY OF ONE would be the PERFECT answer to any attacks by the right wing on Kerry's heroism in the military, and that we'd GIVE the ad to their campaign, that it was already vetted for Cable TV, running 3000 times in that area, and it was THEIRS if they wanted it, FREE..

She said, "Oh, that's a wonderful thought, I'll have to have a look at it.. Marvin? Will you save Micheal's card for me?" Marvelous Marvin winked and stuck my card into his interior suitcoat pocket and patted at it to let me know it was safe with him..

Later I caught him off to the side and he Promised he'd make sure that the Kerry campaign watchd the ad, and then they'd of course make the final choice..

It was never used, got no calls, but I am convinced to this day that it would have made a HUGE difference, as it HAMMERED Bush on the Veteran's issues, no combat pay, no benefits for the family, an actual reduction in pay, no medical benefits at all for the National Guard members, etc, etc.. really hard hitting..

Too bad, at least I TRIED to make a difference and who knows, even SHE and Kerry might have liked it, but their campaign managers in my opinion left something to be desired, very terse and dismissive, a bit arrogant to boot..too bad, we COULD have jumped the gun on the Swift Boat asses and beat them to the punch with the ARMY OF ONE ad we created..

So there's the story, a little long winded, but I'm proud to say it's all true, and I TRIED, Goddamit, I TRIED :)

Right now I've got the COMPLETE Chronology of the Plame Outing I created after a Year of research and it's a 2 DVD set of a film I've named "Rove's War" - you can see the 12 minute Preview at http://www.takebackthemedia.com if you are interested - it's ALL there, and I'm trying to get a copy to EVERY Congressman or woman that wants it - I believe it could be a GREAT asset to them as a TOOL to KNOW the WHO, WHAT, WHEN and WHERE of the Entire PlameGate affair..

Even offering it FREE to Congress folks, some here have even donated to have a copy sent to a specific Congressman/woman or Representative and they donated for me to send it to that Congress folk, so that helps a bit..

I'd love to see MoveOn grab this film and promote it for House Parties so that EVERYONE can know the REAL story behind this SPIN addled and convoluted tale which has already ensnared Libby and I'm POSITIVE WILL result in the Indictment of ROVE..

Have a look and tell me what you think, for those of you who have a copy already, post a review for me, love to hear from you - H20Man watched it THREE TIMES and said it's the perfect antidote for the SPIN that is continuing to this day, even with a New Grand Jury..

Okay, off the soapbox now, there's just ONE story where Takebackthemedia.com had a dog in the fight and was doing the Right THING..

Good thread, thanks for starting it!
Later when Kerry