Teresa Heinz rocks!

I just saw Teresa Heinz Kerry speak at the gay and lesbian caucus meeting, and let me tell you, this woman rocks. Screw the critics. She is fabulous. Yes, she has a brain and courage and backbone - something the men running the Republican Party find awfully threatening. Mrs. Heinz brought the house down.

She started by telling the largely-gay crowd "you are a symbol of family, you are a symbol of faith, you are a symbol of hope, you are a symbol of persistence, and you are a symbol of tolerance." (These are near exact quotes - I was jotting down quickly.) She then introduced her two drop-dead gorgeous sons, Andrea and Christopher, and told the crowd that if she were to ever find out one of her kids was gay, she would "feel as a mother free to share my joy and pride [of my child] with all my friends."

But she brought the crowd to a standing ovation when she told the story of a young man who came up to her after a speech recently gave out west. The young man told her "I wish you were my mom." The crowd then laughed, and Mrs. Kerry interjected "this is actually quite serious." (Again, I'm paraphrasing.) She then explained that this man clearly did not have a mother who accepted him, and she told the crowd "If John Kerry becomes president, at the very least you will have a mom in the White House." Everyone went nuts. I still get chills when I recount the story. It was genuine, loving, and wonderful.

This woman gets it, guys. The Kerry campaign, in my view, tried very hard with today's speeches at the caucus to win over any gay doubters, and I have to tell you, they won me. The caucus rocked.