Yesterday John Kerry and his ‘Real Deal’ campaign came to Boston University. Standing on a stage in the GSU’s Metcalf Hall in front of an American flag and flanked by about 50 college students, Kerry spoke to an annoyingly small number of students.
‘I don’t really like how he spoke about Iraq,’ said BU student Minhaj Rahman. ‘He’s criticizing the war, while he voted for authorization of it. Howard Dean was against it from the start so he has a right to [criticize it].’
Rahman said if he had to vote yesterday, he would have voted for Dean. Rahman is not a Bush fan, partly because he’s more scared living in America nowadays.
‘I felt safer after 9/11 than now,’ he said.
I asked Rahman why he was wearing a John Kerry sticker and was one in the group of students standing behind Kerry on stage. He said someone asked him to, adding he thought it was because he’s Indian and they wanted a diverse group behind Kerry: ‘They were trying to pick minorities or something.’
BU freshman Caroline Bergier likes Kerry’s ideas concerning Healthcare and college tuition. ‘He actually has a solid platform and sticks to what he says.’
Kerry was charismatic and spoke with conviction about the need for universal healthcare in America and early education programs, as well as his plans to reform the tax code and federally fund in state college education for all students willing to dedicate two years to public national service projects like park cleanups. For an almost $200,000 tuition bill stipend, I’d pick up some litter for two years. I just don’t see how the government can afford to provide such a deal to every college kid in America.
‘You are paying $38,000 bucks here,’ Kerry said. ‘So many of you are going to leave here with a stunning burden of debt.’ This debt will influence the possibilities open to us after college, but tell us something we don’t know, JFK.
‘Healthcare is not a privilege for the wealthy. Healthcare in America is a right.’ OK. Tell us something we don’t know.
‘Bush plays dress up in front of an aircraft and thinks you don’t notice.’ We notice, tell us something we don’t know.
‘BU does rock.’ Knew that.
‘Every minute, two jobs are lost.’ That I didn’t know.
‘$1 billion is added to the deficit every day.’ Didn’t know that either.
‘3.1 million Americans have lost their jobs.’ I know unemployment rates are high, but I didn’t know quite how high.
I was glad John had his facts straight but wondered how he personally planned to help.
‘We will offer national service as a principle.’
‘We are going to go through the [17,000 page tax code] and make sure [there] are no loopholes.’
‘[We will give] a $4,000 a year tuition tax credit for full-time working students.’
He has some plans. They sound good. But, as a man, why is he someone deserving of the highest office in the land? Politics is a discipline notorious for its ability to corrupt men and herald the acquisition of power many times above morality. What type of character has he developed in all his years in politics? Convince us.
‘I am ready to be president because I have lived a life of extraordinary adversity.’
That’s an interesting statement. He’s distinguishing himself from Bush. He wants us to know he’s not a product of privilege but a roughed up witness of war and murder.
Kerry paced the stage, accidentally kicking over a bottle of water, and spoke about creating a $20 million energy and conservation trust fund and eventually getting America to declare itself energy independent, meaning no longer reliant on foreign governments for fossil fuels.
‘Never should Americans in uniform be held hostage to America’s foreign dependence on fossil fuel.’ A Vietnam veteran, he knows what it’s like to fight for unjustifiable reasons. He knows what it’s like to be a soldier.
‘I have lost both parents in the last two years. I’ve seen the inside and outside of the healthcare system.’ He experienced how hard it was to get adequate care and financial coverage for his elderly parents. He knows what it’s like to be a son caring for aging loved ones.
‘[I was diagnosed with] prostate cancer. I was cured because I could afford it [medical expenses] and I’m a senator.’ He knows what it’s like to be a patient. He was the victim of a deadly disease. He knows how unfair the medical system can be in favoring powerful individuals. Despite his personal gain, he isn’t afraid to admit the truth.
He’s survived war, cancer and the woes of the healthcare system. Before he left, I got an up close look at Kerry. His sagging face carries so many wrinkles lines upon lines of experience. Yet, he looked so good-natured and transparently innocent. Almost like my grandpa.
Amy Horowitz, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a weekly columnist for The Daily Free Press.