The Heinz Kerry Imperious Impulse by Jan Ireland

The Heinz Kerry Imperious Impulse

By Jan Ireland

August 25, 2004

Teresa Heinz Kerry married astronomical wealth, and less than a decade ago John Kerry married her.

They are now trying to buy the presidency of the United States.

Teresa Heinz Kerry's first marriage gave her every possible luxury - private jet, yacht, several mansions, a fleet of SUVs, unlimited botox injections. The city of Boston relocated a fire hydrant to give her more generous parking.

Yet in her signature speech at the recent Democrat National Convention she demeaned America by suggesting that women here are limited.

"My only hope is that, one day soon, women - who have all earned the right to their opinions - instead of being labeled opinionated, will be called smart or well-informed, just as men are."

"This evening, I want to acknowledge and honor the women of this world, whose wise voices for much too long have been excluded and discounted. It is time for the world to hear women's voices, in full and at last."

Teresa apparently missed the irony - America was affording her a chance to speak to the universe, to complain that women aren't heard.

When thwarted at a campaign rally by the simple presence of Bush supporters who want the President reelected, Teresa incited the return chant of "Four more years of hell!" It was the same occasion at which Hubby John accused George Bush of sending the "Republican goon squad."

Teresa's body language toward John Kerry often suggests that she does not like him. She eschews kisses, contact, even publicly criticizes him. He did not criticize her, even after hearing of her "Shove it!" to a reporter pressing for a journalistic clarification.

Carefully worded releases euphemistically suggest that she is very private, and would far rather be working quietly for her causes than to be in the limelight.

Really?

First Lady Laura Bush was at a Citicorp building recently for an event. Teresa was to make a simultaneous appearance, until staffers realized she would have to interact with "real people" in an "unstaged event."

John Kerry has been caught in so many lies, so many flip flops, and so many gaffes - what harm could one public misstep by Teresa at Citicorp do?

The harm is that the American public might get a glimpse of the real Teresa - the one concerned only with gratification of her imperious impulses.

Though John Kerry is supposed to have wanted the presidency since childhood, I think it is Teresa who wants it far more. As foreign-born, she has no hope of running, though the mutterings recently of a constitutional amendment to allow that might have been for her (rather than Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jennifer Granholm.)

A case could be made that John Kerry was one of Teresa's imperious impulses that she thought would win the presidency for her. A similar case could suggest that Teresa Heinz was exactly that for John Kerry when he married her.

Only they know.

In America we expect that individual hard work will result in financial success, and that holders of great wealth will responsibly administer their largesse. When riches come through windfall or ploy, expectations can derail.