FW: John Kerry is a Bicyclist!

[Tancredi, Sue M.]

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From: Jeff Prant [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2004 1:27 AM
To: Aziz Rahman; Eugene Resnick; George Haikalis; Tancredi, Sue M.;
Nadette Stasa; Paul White; Ken Garson; Ken Coughlin; John Kaehny; Dave
Meyers; Mike Dowd; James Langergaard; Jeff Gold
Subject: FW: John Kerry is a Bicyclist!



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From: Daniel Convissor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: Daniel Convissor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 11:52:36 -0500
To: Ebikes List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Fwd: John Kerry is a Bicyclist!

Page URL: http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article_print.php?id=3655

Monday 9th February 2004

The next president of the United States is a...cyclist

Dubbed 'JFK the Second', Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has claimed
victory in the latest US state caucus to choose a Democratic challenger to
President George W Bush. Kerry is pro-Green and is now far ahead of the
other five candidates and could sweep Bush from office in November's
presidential election. The ultra-fit Kerry takes part in lots of sports but
has impressed many with his marathon bike rides in tough conditions.

Kerry isn't just a 12-mile RAGBRAI rider (fellow democratic contender
Howard Dean pedalled just a short distance in the famous US ride, the
Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) he's a long-distance
specialist.

The 60-year old senator from Boston rides many charity events. In August,
he finished the 110-mile Pan-Massachusetts Challenge as 37th of 3000 riders.

Senator Edward Kennedy was amazed when on one freezing winter day his
friend turned up at Chez Kennedy, blue from the cold.

"It was the end of the coldest ride I have ever had," Kerry told Sports
Illustrated magazine.

"It was a [charity] ride from Boston to the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport
-- about 80 miles or so. [Three-time Tour de France winner] Greg Lemond was
riding [with us] and he said it was the worst conditions he'd seen for
bicycling. But, you know, it was a challenge. I liked that. There was no
way I was going to quit."

Burley's international sales manager Val Hoyle witnessed Kerry's stamina
and doggedness at first hand:

"That day was the coldest for a charity bike ride I can remember. We were
all freezing and most people, even experienced riders, didn't finish the
ride. But John Kerry was adamant he would finish, and he did. I was really
impressed by that."

A soccer player (he learned of the JFK assassination whilst playing a game)
and endurance windsurfer, Kerry had an operation for prostate cancer last
year and his doctors put his rapid recovery down to his strength and
fitness.

Kerry has cycled in the oddest of places, including down Berlin's
Kurfürstendamm during the Cold War in the 1950s, where his foreign service
officer father was stationed.

Kerry's bikes have also been sold at charity auctions, along with bikes
from Greg LeMond, Michael Jordan and Robin Williams. If Kerry becomes
president, the bike sold at the Celebrity Bicycle Auction in Washington
D.C. last year to benefit World T.E.A.M Sports could become a valuable
collector's piece.

Kerry has been endorsed by Congressman Earl Blumenauer, the "Congressman on
the bicycle", a noted environmentalist.

In the first 100 days of a Kerry Administration, the cycling senator will
rollback President Bush's "assault on clean air and clean water and work to
strengthen our nation's environmental laws," said Blumenauer.

"As a member of Congress dealing with the consequences of the Bush
Administration everyday, the choice of a candidate for president was
simple.   John Kerry is one person running who is best qualified to be our
President...[He] has the best record of environmental leadership, period."

Kerry has strong Green credentials. He wants to create a cleaner and
greener America. In a speech given at the University of New Hampshire in
October 2003, Kerry said:

"Protecting the environment isn't just the cause of a campaign.  It's been
the commitment of a lifetime.
"George W. Bush is ... the kind of politician who would cut down a tree and
then climb on its stump to give a speech about conservation.  The
difference between us and George Bush is one of vision.  Where we see a
pristine wilderness or a scenic coast, George Bush sees an oil field. Where
we see a beautiful mountaintop, George Bush sees a strip mine.  Where we
see a pristine old growth forest, George Bush sees toothpicks.  And where
we see an opportunity to join the global community to fight global warming,
George Bush sees a chance to curry favor with his buddies in the oil
business.

"Under President Bush, America's environment has become threatened,
endangered, and imperiled. I'm running to keep clean the water we drink,
the air we breathe, the yards and parks in which children play and laugh,
and the communities in which we live.  This is our commitment - and we
won't back down.

"I will be "the true environmental President," but when I say it, its not
just rhetoric - I have the record to back it up.
"As soon as I step into the Oval Office, I will transform the White House
into a hub of inspiration and innovation and lead America on the great
endeavor of creating a cleaner and greener nation."



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