Teresa Heinz (Kerry), I love you [View All]

"Teresa Heinz, I love you
By Rob Rogers, 8/21/2003

Until two months ago, when I asked her to speak at the annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists' convention in Pittsburgh. Imagine being invited to address 100 cartoonists, pens poised to draw your caricature as you are about to talk. Most sane people do not respond to our speaking invitations with an emphatic "yes."

I made the mistake of mentioning to Teresa that one of the VIPs who declined our invitation to speak was Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. She began her speech to the cartoonists by concocting a Rummy refusal letter.

"Dear Rob," she said. "We know what we know, which is that I would like to be there. But we know what we don't know, which is whether more pressing matters might arise. And we don't know what we don't know, which is whether I might leave you in the lurch. So given what we know and don't know, the answer is no. Sincerely, Rummy. P.S. Have you thought of inviting Teresa Heinz?"

She's self-deprecating and funny. I was liking her even more.

The rest of her speech was amazing (although I'm surprised I remember any of it since I was daydreaming of Teresa and I sipping lattes in a Paris cafe reminiscing about our recent work reducing greenhouse gas emissions).

Will all this have a negative impact on my cartooning? Of course. John Kerry is no longer just another presidential candidate; he is the one standing between me and true happiness."

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/08/21/teresa_heinz_i_love_you