Vera Drake: A Cue from The Passion of the Christ
If the Roman Catholic Church has a problem with pro-abortion-rights presidential candidate John Kerry taking Communion, then imagine its reaction to this: pro-abortion-rights groups promoting the new movie Vera Drake by using the playbook from the campaign that drove millions to theaters to see Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ . The movie, produced by Fine Line Features, is already getting critical praise for its portrayal of the controversial woman who helped perform abortions when they were illegal in Britain. Now, we learn, pro-abortion-rights groups are planning to use the film against President Bush to highlight their concerns that Bush would pack the Supreme Court in a second term with conservative judges who would reverse Roe v. Wade. Such a move, activists say, would end abortions in 30 states. Like the backers of The Passion, groups such as Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and Catholics for Free Choice and celebrities like Gloria Steinem are holding special screenings of the film and talking it up in E-mails. One insider said the groups hope the movie drives Democrats to the polls: "It's a great motivator."
Kerry and the Red Sox: True Love
Forget that pitch into the dirt that Sen. John Kerry made to open a Red Sox-Yankees game during the Democratic National Convention. This guy is no Johnny-come-lately to Red Sox Nation. He recalls playing hooky as a kid to watch Ted Williams at Fenway Park in 1956, attending Game 6 of the '75 World Series--famed for Carlton Fisk 's winning homer--and the '86 Series. "He is Sox obsessed," says a close friend. He even tries to play armchair manager. Drinking Buds in a hotel room while watching Game 7 of last week's Yankees-Sox playoffs, he stood and called out to Sox slugger Johnny Damon: "This is your moment of history!" Then Damon hit his second homer of the night, putting the game out of reach for New York. "Now I can sleep," Kerry said. But first he called team owner John Henry to brag on the boys of Yawkey Way. Friends say Kerry believes in the Curse of the Bambino but thinks this is the year to end it. Ditto for the Curse of JFK --the one that's kept any other Massachusetts candidates out of the White House. Kerry's motto for both, quotes a friend: "This could be the year!"
Betting on Bush
The election is still a week off, but the Bush camp is making strong predictions about the final outcome. Insiders tell us that the Bush-Cheney polling team believes the president will win re-election 50 percent to 47 percent.
Unity Call
The Kerry transition team, hastily planning a Democratic administration should their man win, says it wants to put Republicans in the cabinet. "We want to make it clear that a Kerry presidency will unite," says a Kerry insider, "not divide."
Wayne's World
When aging crooner Wayne Newton played for the troops in a USO show at Iraq's Camp Liberty last week, some of the soldiers were less than thrilled. What happened to stars like the late Bob Hope and Robin Williams entertaining the troops? they quizzed our correspondent. Griped one enlisted man: "Is this war so unpopular that the best we can do is Wayne Newton?"
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