Children, teenagers throng John Kerry rally

The Associated Press

Courtney Deymonaz can't vote — and won't be able to for another year.
That didn't stop her from braving the heat and joining more than 40,000 people, who lined up along Portland's riverfront to cheer Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry on Friday.

"I've asked all four of my grandparents to vote for Kerry for me," said Deymonaz, wearing combat boots, deep red lipstick and dyed hair. "Bush wants to go to Mars. That's so stupid."

"All of us are 17 — we're dying to vote. We obviously want to change things," piped in her twin sister, Aisley Deymonaz, flanked by two other teenagers.

"Every vote counts, even though I can't vote," said Sharat Ganupati, 17, who said it was important to show his support for Kerry in a contested race on a day when President Bush also was in town.

Nate Mader, 19, said he was drawn to the Kerry rally for substance not celebrities, who included Jon Bon Jovi and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Ride Don’t Drive * * It’s Global Cool

I remember the day I turned 18, the very first thing I did after school was register to vote. The Powers That Be should not underestimate the young, just because they aren't legally able to cast a vote.

"Bush wants to go to Mars. That's so stupid."
That is the only thing Bush* has ever said that I agreed with and this youngster says it's stupid. God I feel old....

meanwhile, 40,000 people at a candidate rally is out of this world.

with your dreams, I'm sure.

Holy Mackerel!

Glad to read a postive bit in the news for Kerry.

of people. Hmmmmm, wonder why squatter can't draw crowds like that? They would B days processing loyalty oaths.

maybe the media didn't notice :shrug:

peace

as estimated by the Portland fire department.

No way was it "just" a few thousand...easily 60,000. EASILY. I was there.
Jam PACKED!!

all these people?

loyalty oaths and tickets.

Bush just wants to steal as much money as possible from the American people before his time is up.

it's news like this that makes me feel we might actually be able to pull this off and WIN in November! :bounce:

... said Deymonaz, wearing combat boots, deep red lipstick and dyed hair.

Would they have described the teen if she was dressed in Abercrombie and Fitch? It seems somewhat obvious that the intention is to paint the young Kerry supporters as freakish.

I am a pretty normal looking kid, I dont dye my hair, why because well I like my naturally dark brown hair as is, I don't wear A&F but I do wear Eddie Bauer and A&E, though I do have long "hippie" hair, so yeah I am kind of preppish plus I think my occassional 5:00 shadow makes me look older. I think you're right, who cares really though what she looks like, the shallow people will think oh only the punks are for Kerry and the goths, lemme tell them something, I am a prep indy who supports Kerry over any republican.

the writer did describe a young supporter wearing an Armani Exchange t-shirt and several young mothers with their babies decked out in Kerry gear later in the article.

It is amazing to see the young people getting involved with politics right now. They are showing up at meetings and registering voters all over my city. As well they should, they are the ones who will be shipped off to the military if things keep up the way they are going.

I have noticed, too, that many of the posters here on DU are not of voting age, but they have a better knowledge of current affairs than most of my adult friends.

I am the news informant of my family actually.

after reading some of your posts here.

my folks vote, so we dont have to worry about that really but they havent really gotten involved, we didnt have a Clinton-Gore sticker when I was a kid nor did we have a Gore-Lieberman one, I got a Kucinich sticker in the primaries, and a Kerry one for GE, kept the DK one for a couple of reasons, we still admire him and two logical reasons, the stickers are different size. I got a whole bunch of Kerry buttons that I plan to put on my backpack for school so people can see em, and gonna put the bumper stickers in my locker, too bad they will be hard to peel heh in june when I graduate.

voter registration events. AND they have a Kerry sticker on their car now :)

Dad has the tough responsiblity of taking care of my 3 year old brother.