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61 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 12, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 12, 2004 A cutout of President Bush watches over a conference call during a �John Kerry Waffles� breakfast Wednesday at the Jackson County Republican Central Committee Headquarters in Medford. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Breakfast spreads the word ... and according to local Republicans, the word on candidate John Kerry is ‘waffle’ By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune When it comes to waffling, Jackson County Republicans say they may have found a way to outdo Sen. John Kerry. About 40 local Republicans held a hastily formed "John Kerry Waffles" breakfast at their headquarters in Medford Wednesday, poking fun at the Democratic presidential candidate who will hold a rally at the Expo Center today. "This highlights the flip-flops of the Kerry campaign," boomed Brycen Woodley, regional director for Bush/Cheney, over a speaker phone. Lyn Horstemeier said it was a lot of work preparing the breakfast that had not only waffles but fresh fruit. "Republican women know how to cook," she said. Advertisement With all the political attention on Jackson County recently, Horstemeier said, "We’re putting Medford on the map." Bryan Platt, chairman of the Jackson County Republican Central Committee, said the breakfast wasn’t a protest against Kerry. "It’s more a commentary on his inability to articulate his position." Republicans are also holding a rally from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Veterans Park in Medford that Platt said won’t be to protest Kerry, but to show support for Bush. Platt said he made a promise to Bill Layton, head of the Jackson County Democratic Central Committee, not to organize any protests against Kerry. Layton said he didn’t view the Republican event as a protest so much as an attempt to distract from the Kerry rally. "It won’t have much impact," he said. "But it will make the Bush supporters feel good." After waffles, Republicans defended the president, particularly his decision to go to war with Iraq. "We are liberating people that need to be liberated," said Republican volunteer Susan Farnsworth of Medford. She supports this invasion, but she didn’t support the Vietnam War when she served in the military as part of an air evacuation unit. Buncom resident Wallace Kaufman, who owns a policy consulting business that specializes in Central Asia, Russia and Eastern Europe, said, "Bush is the first guy to say to the Middle East you’ve got to democratize." While he agrees that implementation of that idea in Iraq hasn’t been perfect, he thinks the invasion has been a bold strategy in this part of the world. While the president has been criticized for being too close to the Saudis, Kaufman said Bush has lately challenged the financial support for the madras, Muslim schools that promote extremism. Some of those who attended the breakfast didn’t appear to be interested in politics at all. "I love waffles," said Wallace’s 7-year-old son, See Uteyev. But See, born in Kazakhstan, also didn’t waffle when asked who he liked better: Bush or Kerry. "Bush," he replied. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities