thirteen things from scranton

* My last campaign 2004 event was a big rally in the new Scranton High School auditorium. We had a capasity crowd. I used all my old convention signs. It was a GREAT finish.

* Every restaurant in Scranton has the same menu. Must be a law. I recommend the Rueben.

* I have managed dozens of counter-protest squads (goon squads.) Nobody in any of my events has ever touched a protester - and we have always let them into the general seating area. (And then we just surround them and drown out their cheers.) They almost always just go away.

* There are people in the world who do not respond well to high-stress situations. Please do not get on headset. Please do not operate sound equipment.

* For the record: some Nextel phones will make a wireless mic' make a terrible clicking sound. Teresa Heinz Kerry can cover though -she actually turned it into a pretty funny bit about a ghost talking to her. Trust me: it worked.

* The entire town of Scranton seems to be very eager Democrats. Besides San Francisco, it's hard to find a place more saturated with lefties. Who knew.

* There is nobody on Earth more tenacious than a retired nun. She decided she was going to meet, talk to, get a photo with, and share a stage with Mrs. Kerry. Any time I spent trying to control that was a waste and just silly in retrospect.

* Holy Mackerel, hanging a 24 ft wide American flag is incredibly hard. Getting it not to droop. Getting it nice and taught. Handling it properly, though your patience is at an end. Tough.

* Do not, while waiting on the ropeline, try to sell/offer Mrs. Kerry one of your school-fundraiser chocolate bars. It's just a bad idea to shove a box of anything into the face of a Secret Service protectee. (Sorry, kid. I know you were just kidding around.)

* Mrs. Kerry and her staff were just giddy on this final campaign day. It was like a bunch of kids on their last day at school. If they had a full breakfast of chocolate. And the teachers said they could just sign yearbooks all day. And they were all off to really good colleges. That's what Nov. 1 was like.

* I made that face in my last picture with Mrs. Kerry. Maggie tells me not to make that face. Why do I do that?

* I think we're going to win. I really do.

* Maggie flew to Boston last night and I drove 80MPH straight from Scranton to Boston (4hrs flat). We got in late and crashed at a friends. I'm going to wake her up now and head down to get our election party credentials...

Wish us all luck!