Kerry holds rally in Philadelphia
by Byron Kho
The Summer Pennsylvanian
July 29, 2004
Striking a pose intentionally reminiscent of famed film character Rocky Balboa, Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry kicked off a rousing rally speech at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Tuesday afternoon.
"I may not have run up the steps, but I'm going to deliver the knockout punch. I'm going to win the championship," Kerry announced to a cheering crowd.
Philadelphia was Kerry's last stop on America's Freedom Trail, a tour of "historically significant cities that exemplify America's can-do spirit," according to his campaign. Afterward, Kerry was headed for Boston to accept his presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
Traditionally, Philadelphia has been a Democratic city, voting primarily for Democratic candidates in the last three presidential elections.
A key issue for many attendees of the event was the perceived loss of international respect for America due to its involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"America has lost its moral stance," said Carmen Sterba, a teacher at Penn's English Language Proficiency program who attended the event.
"How can we justify our treatment of the French and Germans, especially when we consider the last war they were part of?" she asked.
Bryan Pfender, a high school student, took a more critical stance, saying that, "Rushing to war in Afghanistan was a mistake. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack -- you don't burn down the haystack to find the needle."
In response to such concerns, Kerry said that he could mount a "more effective war on terrorism."
Kerry added that he would not hesitate to use force if attacked, but emphasized that diplomacy "is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength."
"Kerry might not be able to fix all our problems," said Ray Sandstrom, a former executive and attendee. "But I'm sure that he could enlist a broader international support than Bush could."
Kerry also stressed the need for increased communication.
"We need more of a conversation in America," Kerry said. "We need to unite America in order to win."
Like his previous visit to Philadelphia two weeks ago, Kerry reiterated his promise to address the labor situation in Pennsylvania.
"We need a president who fights as hard for your jobs as he fights for his job," he said.
Kerry promised to improve education, work toward American energy independence and increase the availability of health insurance. He promoted greater scientific research, though he did not mention stem cells, a potentially dividing issue for swing voters nationwide.
"It is important that we don't ignore AIDS on this planet ... the world is waiting for us to lead," Kerry said.
Some were skeptical of his assurances.
"I remember Clinton and all his election promises. He backpedaled then, so I'm not expecting too much now. If Kerry does what he promises, then that's great," said Wesley, a former computer programmer and attendee from Philadelphia.
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