Plymouth, N.H.-Legendary singer/songwriter Carole King paid a visit to the Plymouth State University campus on Friday, October 8. King stopped by Heritage Hall on her way to the Kerry campaign headquarters in Manchester, N.H. speaking to Plymouth students and the community on behalf of presidential candidate John Kerry.
The event was thrown together in a matter of three days by sponsors Plymouth Area Democrats, Common Ground and A.W.A.R.E. Carole King has been on the road campaigning for Senator Kerry since November of 2003. King urged the crowd to do their civic duty, not only in the voting booth but also out on the street. She encouraged people to canvas in their neighborhoods promoting the vote for Kerry.
“If the situation is not working for you, consider voting for change. Give the other guy a chance to make it better,” said King in her hour-long speech. When asked what the most important issue was to her, King immediately replied “the environment,” and went on to explain how, in reality, “Everything ties together.” By focusing passionately on one issue, she said we miss an opportunity to stand for something greater.
The crowd was excited to see this cultural icon of peace and brotherhood, and King was equally excited to see one gentleman in the back of the room waving his red, elephant bearing sign, “Republicans for Kerry/Edwards.” The man claimed that his party had completely lost sight of what mainstream republicans, like him, were all about. One of King’s main points was not to worry about party lines, but to create change by any means possible, stating, “if Bush were a democrat and Kerry were a republican I would vote across party lines.”
King believes that the Republican Party is significantly different from what it once was, and that there needs to be change within the leadership of the party. She told republicans “the best thing you can do to get the party back where you want it is to vote democrat.” This would force Republicans to rethink their strategy and get back in touch with their constituents.
To answer the question of why Carole King is campaigning for John Kerry, she had only this to say: “I know him. I believe in him. I believe he is the leader we need.”