Protecting American jobs has been a major plank of Kerry's campaign and the campaigns of the other Democratic candidates. That and Kerry's "electability" have made a believer out of Meley.
"My job just went to China," Meley said. "And Mr. Bush isn't going to stand in the way. I at least think Mr. Kerry would have stood in the way."
Meley wasn't the only one concerned about the Bush administration's economic policies, but his story was one of the most poignant.
Manheim resident Constance Woerner said she is concerned about her disability checks because she believes the president wants to make cuts in Social Security.
Lancaster resident Amy Antonucci, who said she frequently travels abroad, said the president is an embarrassment outside this country.
"I have a friend in Germany, and I was visiting her family," she said. "They held up a newspaper with the president's picture and just laughed and shook their heads."
Lynn Paules of Lancaster said she was originally for "anybody but Bush," but has found a home in the Kerry campaign.
"He's electable," Paules said. "I've followed him for a few years. I was originally interested in (Howard) Dean, but I was turned off by some of his hard-line stances."
Most who attended the "meet-up" session at Borders on Thursday didn't show up just because Kerry is "electable."
"I like a lot of the things John Kerry stands for and believes in," Warwick Township resident Anne Pyle said. "I was originally for Wesley Clark."
They say that behind every good man there is an even better woman. That seems to be true in Kerry's case, too.
"I just love Teresa Heinz Kerry," Pyle said. "I loved her husband, John Heinz, and was so sorry for her when he died (in a plane crash in 1991). But she winds up with Kerry, and that's just fine with me."
The group also discussed ways to spread the word about Kerry and share strategies that would entice younger supporters.
Jon Fox, who helped organize the meeting, urged his fellow supporters to attend more meetings and bring more people next time.
Fox said they will next meet March 24 at Cafe Aroma Borealis.
"There are still other viable candidates out there," Fox said. "But if things go our way and Kerry wins the nomination, it would be nice to be able to stick together until Nov. 2 and beyond."
Kerry would probably want it that way, too.
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