Red Sox leaders back Kerry in a triple-play appearance
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- He may have missed the Red Sox parade through the heart of his hometown, but Senator John F. Kerry savored a taste of that victory yesterday at a massive rally here with three team leaders, who each compared the last four years of the Bush White House to the last 86 -- until Wednesday night -- for Red Sox Nation.
"In January, New England won a Super Bowl; in October, New England won a World Series; and in November, New England's favorite son is going to win the presidency of the United States," said Red Sox co-owner John Henry, who was joined by partner Tom Werner and general manager Theo Epstein at the downtown event that drew an estimated 12,000 people.
If the Jan. 19 Iowa caucus victory put him on the road to the Democratic nomination, Kerry's win in the New Hampshire primary eight days later carried greater personal meaning: It confirmed that Kerry was not only a next-door native son but also a favorite son, who had risked being rejected for Vermont's Howard Dean or Arkansas' Wesley Clark.
The win here gave Kerry "a tremendous charge of morale," state campaign chairman Billy Shaheen recalled recently, and his warm reception here yesterday -- less than 48 hours from the election -- felt as much like a homecoming celebration as a political event.
But it was also Kerry's first real chance to mark the Red Sox win, and the team management provided a bit of a psychological boost after the brief furor Thursday morning when ace pitcher Curt Schilling endorsed President Bush during an interview on national television. (Schilling has recorded phone messages hailing Bush that will go out to voters.)
"When we were down three games in the playoffs against the New York Yankees, a lot of fair-weather fans were ready to throw in the towel -- but not John Kerry," Werner said. "Instead, on the day of the fourth game, he called us to say he was thinking of us, and he knew we were going to win."
Spirits were running high among Kerry and his campaign aides yesterday. Strategist John Sasso, for instance, said he was feeling much better after a brief furor Friday night and Saturday after a Fox News host suggested that Osama bin Laden was supporting Kerry's candidacy. Sasso responded at the time by suggesting that FOX News be banned from the plane, wanting to defend his boss from what Sasso saw as a cheap shot.
"I got overheated at FOX News pinning a Kerry-Edwards button on Osama bin Laden -- it has a rotten smell to it, but my temperature is back to normal," Sasso said.
During the rally, Kerry was clearly reveling in the enthusiasm of Sox fans, who erupted in cheers every time the speakers made a link between the team and the election.
"It's only been four years, but it sure feels like 86," Epstein said, as Kerry broke into a broad grin, standing at center stage.
Patrick Healy can be reached at phealy@globe.com. 