Kerry's 'Pitch' to Journalists: 'I Read Newspapers'

By: E&P Staff Is John Kerry making a play for one of the most influential "swing votes" in the upcoming election -- working journalists? In contrast to President Bush, who has said that he rarely reads newspapers, Sen. Kerry told John Nichols of The Capital Times in Madison, Wis., "I read four or five papers a day if I can."

When Nichols recounted Bush's statement that he preferred to have staff members tell him "what's happening in the world," Kerry shook his head in disapproval.

"I can't imagine being president and not reading as much as I can about what people are saying," Kerry commented. "I don't want it varnished by staff. I don't want it filtered by staff. I want it the way it is.

"I think one of the reasons we have some problems today is that we have an administration that's out of touch with the problems of average people."

In a lengthy chat on media issues, Kerry continued: "I always pick up a local paper in the hotel I'm staying at, or two, depending on what city it is. And I try to get The Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, papers like that. I try to read as much as I can."

Nichols pointed out that this put Kerry in good bipartisan company, with other avid newspaper readers, from Eisenhower to Reagan to Clinton.