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Foreigners united on the campaign trail
Date: Sunday, January 25, 2004
Location: Henniker, New Hampshire
Place:Outside a Wesley Clark rally
Men and women from around the world can be found on the campaign trail. Some foreigners volunteer for candidates. Others report for foreign news services. All despise George W. Bush.
Markus Guenther is a reporter who I met at a John Edwards rally. With a strong German accent, he explained his country's interest in the Democratic primaries. "Germans hope Bush will lose the election. They already want to know who is going to beat him."
According to Guenther, "Germans dislike Bush just the way he is, just the way he talks." It seems that our president is too "macho" for Germany, which I suppose is like being too sick for a hospital.
In a bingo hall in Davenport, Iowa, I came across a flutist from Japan who played "Blowing in the Wind" while we waited for Dennis Kucinich to arrive at an evening rally. She said she had crossed an ocean to play anti-war songs and campaign for the most anti-Bush candidate in the race. I especially enjoyed her version of "We Shall Overcome".
At a caucus in Iowa, I met a foreigner who made me glad the world hates Bush enough to campaign against him. Harriet is from England, and she is beautiful. For her "gap" year before college, Harriet decided the John Kerry campaign was the place to have some fun and help beat Bush at the same time.
In Manchester, I talked with Sebastian Hesse-Kastein. He is the fourth German reporter I've met. He reminds me of the millions of Europeans who protested against Bush, Blair and the Iraq War. Of Bush, Hesse-Kastein says, "People are afraid of him."
Finally, today in Henniker, I met a light-hearted volunteer from Australia at a rally for Wesley Clark.
"Bush is bad for the world," said Mike Bailey.
When I asked about enduring the freezing weather to campaign outside Thursday's debate, Bailey smiled.
"It was as cold as Bush's cold, cold heart."
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