September 27, 2004 - Elizabeth Edwards visits Jackson, Mississippi
Mrs. Edwards was scheduled to speak at a Democratic campaign fundraiser at Schimmels Restaurant.
The press was invited to attend this Kerry/Edwards campaign fundraiser. But, when we got there, we were asked to leave as Mrs. Edwards was whisked in through the back entrance of the restaurant under tight security.
Members of the press included local, public and national television and the local paper.
All the major media outlets sent a reporter and photographer because it was a “big deal” for Elizabeth Edwards to come to Mississippi. It’s the poorest state of the nation. It’s a Republican state and democratic candidates were descending upon it to campaign for votes.
We stood out in Schimmels parking lot . We watched Mrs. Edwards and her staff deny us a photo-op… as we were being pushed back by security.
We were shocked by this. Now more than ever, the Kerry/Edwards campaign couldn’t afford any negative publicity. They were already lagging behind in the polls compared to the Bush/Cheney ticket. To be exact, it was one month and five days away from election night. For me personally, I knew this was the end of the Kerry/Edwards campaign.
As we, members of the press, entered Schimmels Restaurant, one by one we were all ordered to leave. We were told the function was closed to the media and to wait outside.
Unlucky me, I was the smallest reporter there in stature and the closest to the revolving door. Before I could even speak to security, all of a sudden, an elderly gentleman with white hair put his hands on my left shoulder and tried to shove me out of the door! In a very terse tone I asked him as politely possible not to touch me or shove me out the door. I could see myself out thank you very much. I told him as invitees and journalists, we have every right to be at this fundraiser.
Come to find out later, the elderly gentleman was a local attorney, Crymes Pittman. He was one of the major contributors to the Kerry/Edwards campaign.
Security approached us again asking that we stand outside. I called the station to tell them what was happening. My news director asked for a contact number for the public relations person, which I gave him. He asked that my photographer and I stay outside of Schimmels until Mrs. Edwards addressed the press. That’s because…he expected her to change her position.
I expected her to change her position because some of the reporters started badgering campaign representatives about rescinding their press invitation. One reporter threatened and began fronting a live shot claiming Elizabeth Edwards refused to meet with the press. Things started becoming chaotic.
Did this become personal or did this become a technique to ferret out some kind of response from Mrs. Edwards?
I began questioning some of my fellow reporters who were creating a scene. I even questioned the integrity of my own reaction to the situation. As human beings sometimes we take things a little too personally instead of really seeing the shade of gray or the somewhere in between. Instead we are quick to judge and make assumptions. After all, I wasn’t really upset the press was denied a photo-op. I was annoyed that I was curtly and physically shown the door after presenting our faxed invitation.
I was there to do a job – inform the public. That was lost for a moment when I confronted a security guard. I asked that he let us in, because we had every right to be in attendance. I furnished him with a press release that invited our station to this fundraiser. It was an invitation to be present, cover and report on what was happening.
After a lull in the chaos…within a half hour, Mrs. Edwards invited us back in. I don’t know what happened or what changed, but she pulled a 360 degree turn and granted the ‘media’ an interview. It was held in the bar room.
After responding to a flood of questions, she answered one of my questions, “Why should Mississippians vote for the Kerry/Edwards ticket instead of the Bush/Chaney ticket”? She replied with confidence, saying she felt very strongly the Kerry/Edwards campaign would prevail over the current administration of President George W. Bush and Vice President, Dick Chaney.
“We know they haven’t solved our problems. We know in fact that our problems have gotten worse. John Kerry has real ideas and because of that I’m convinced he’s going to be successful in this mission to change America. We’ll be able to say mission accomplished on November 2nd”.
Sadly, Elizabeth Edwards was mistaken. The Kerry/Edwards mission didn’t prevail on election night. President George W. Bush was re-elected for another 4 years. I was at the Republican Party Headquarters at the Sheraton Hotel, when Bush won the race. He was re-elected with 286 electoral votes. John Kerry only received 252 electoral votes. The “Help that was on the way” got lost along the way.
Sadly, several weeks following the circus at Schimmels Restaurant, Elizabeth Edwards was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Reflecting back, that, may have been one of the reasons she didn’t want to address the press during her visit.
The press was invited to attend this Kerry/Edwards campaign fundraiser. But, when we got there, we were asked to leave as Mrs. Edwards was whisked in through the back entrance of the restaurant under tight security.
Members of the press included local, public and national television and the local paper.
All the major media outlets sent a reporter and photographer because it was a “big deal” for Elizabeth Edwards to come to Mississippi. It’s the poorest state of the nation. It’s a Republican state and democratic candidates were descending upon it to campaign for votes.
We stood out in Schimmels parking lot . We watched Mrs. Edwards and her staff deny us a photo-op… as we were being pushed back by security.
We were shocked by this. Now more than ever, the Kerry/Edwards campaign couldn’t afford any negative publicity. They were already lagging behind in the polls compared to the Bush/Cheney ticket. To be exact, it was one month and five days away from election night. For me personally, I knew this was the end of the Kerry/Edwards campaign.
As we, members of the press, entered Schimmels Restaurant, one by one we were all ordered to leave. We were told the function was closed to the media and to wait outside.
Unlucky me, I was the smallest reporter there in stature and the closest to the revolving door. Before I could even speak to security, all of a sudden, an elderly gentleman with white hair put his hands on my left shoulder and tried to shove me out of the door! In a very terse tone I asked him as politely possible not to touch me or shove me out the door. I could see myself out thank you very much. I told him as invitees and journalists, we have every right to be at this fundraiser.
Come to find out later, the elderly gentleman was a local attorney, Crymes Pittman. He was one of the major contributors to the Kerry/Edwards campaign.
Security approached us again asking that we stand outside. I called the station to tell them what was happening. My news director asked for a contact number for the public relations person, which I gave him. He asked that my photographer and I stay outside of Schimmels until Mrs. Edwards addressed the press. That’s because…he expected her to change her position.
I expected her to change her position because some of the reporters started badgering campaign representatives about rescinding their press invitation. One reporter threatened and began fronting a live shot claiming Elizabeth Edwards refused to meet with the press. Things started becoming chaotic.
Did this become personal or did this become a technique to ferret out some kind of response from Mrs. Edwards?
I began questioning some of my fellow reporters who were creating a scene. I even questioned the integrity of my own reaction to the situation. As human beings sometimes we take things a little too personally instead of really seeing the shade of gray or the somewhere in between. Instead we are quick to judge and make assumptions. After all, I wasn’t really upset the press was denied a photo-op. I was annoyed that I was curtly and physically shown the door after presenting our faxed invitation.
I was there to do a job – inform the public. That was lost for a moment when I confronted a security guard. I asked that he let us in, because we had every right to be in attendance. I furnished him with a press release that invited our station to this fundraiser. It was an invitation to be present, cover and report on what was happening.
After a lull in the chaos…within a half hour, Mrs. Edwards invited us back in. I don’t know what happened or what changed, but she pulled a 360 degree turn and granted the ‘media’ an interview. It was held in the bar room.
After responding to a flood of questions, she answered one of my questions, “Why should Mississippians vote for the Kerry/Edwards ticket instead of the Bush/Chaney ticket”? She replied with confidence, saying she felt very strongly the Kerry/Edwards campaign would prevail over the current administration of President George W. Bush and Vice President, Dick Chaney.
“We know they haven’t solved our problems. We know in fact that our problems have gotten worse. John Kerry has real ideas and because of that I’m convinced he’s going to be successful in this mission to change America. We’ll be able to say mission accomplished on November 2nd”.
Sadly, Elizabeth Edwards was mistaken. The Kerry/Edwards mission didn’t prevail on election night. President George W. Bush was re-elected for another 4 years. I was at the Republican Party Headquarters at the Sheraton Hotel, when Bush won the race. He was re-elected with 286 electoral votes. John Kerry only received 252 electoral votes. The “Help that was on the way” got lost along the way.
Sadly, several weeks following the circus at Schimmels Restaurant, Elizabeth Edwards was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Reflecting back, that, may have been one of the reasons she didn’t want to address the press during her visit.
