Kerry Meets Diop By J. Fro and T. Bro Tuesday, April 27th, was a day on which fifteen of the most devoted members of DIOP, the Democratic Ignatians on Politics, spent the day with two outspoken, liberal, decorated, American heroes: Bob Corrigan and Senator John Kerry. While not having the fancy podium like Kerry, Bob Corrigan held his own as he participated in “AW- O-L” chants started by the Teamsters and drove the Ignatius bus with impressive maneuverability and priceless comments. Mr. BC’s chance to drive the bus during a school day was the work of Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman, an Ignatius alum, who provided DIOP with fifteen tickets to see Senator Kerry at the Slovenian National Home on St. Clair Avenue. A nearly flawless arrival was hampered only by the oblivious Jackson Froliklong’s not-so-sly attempt to slide behind a Secret Service agent, a move which resulted in a Kevin Helton-like stare down from the agent. Then five members of the DIOP crew were invited to sit on stage behind the soon-to-be excommunicated Catholic, John Kerry.     Before Kerry rocked the mic right, numerous Ohio mayors, including Cleveland’s Jane Campbell and Columbus’s Michael Coleman, preached about the economic crippling their cities have experienced since the Bush coup of late November 2000. Mayor Campbell especially accentuated the job loss that has occurred in Cleveland in recent years.    After the mayors spoke, the new JFK (so dubbed by the chants of senior Kyle Holtz) began his epic discourse. Kerry further expounded upon the over 160,000 jobs that have been lost in Ohio recently, the majority of which were in the Cleveland area itself. Kerry promised to roll back tax cuts for the ultra-rich (the same tax cuts that Republicans claimed would serve only as a temporary econ o m i c stimulus, but now are moving to make permanent) and channel that money into education, health care, and job stimulus. The Massachusetts Senator further proposed a plan that, by the third year of his presidency, would provide health care for 97% of all adults and 100% of children.     After a monster standing ovation, many members of the DIOP family pursued Kerry like hungry wolves, hoping for his autograph and perhaps a Kodak moment. He generously indulged all requests, including, as seen above, those of the handsome Pat Gallagher, Tom Brown, and Jackson Froliklong. If nothing else, DIOP’s encounter with John Kerry made the world of politics seem more real than it had before. In light of this experience, we encourage all students, regardless of political disposition, to make a conscious effort to become informed as November 2004 draws nearer.