Dick Mell: No More Heinz Ketchup

By Kevin Robinson in News on Aug 27, 2008 6:30PM

33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell had a bad experience at the Democratic Convention in Denver, but it wasn’t the restaurant’s fault. During a visit to the famous cigar bar at the Brown Palace Hotel, Mell and his entourage spotted Massachusetts Senator and 2004 also-ran John Kerry. Mell and 39th Ward Alderman Margaret Laurino, who were hanging out with delegate Linda Murphy, a professor at Wright College, spotted Kerry. "Margie says to (Murphy), 'Would you like a picture taken with John Kerry? We can do that.' She's all excited and she says, ‘Sure, I'd like to have that.' " Mell said. Laurino and Murphey approached Kerry, and then quickly left. About 15 minutes later, hotel security asked them to leave, escorting them from the hotel and down the block.

"They came up to the women and said, ‘We want you to leave the hotel,’" Mell told the Tribune. "I called the guy over and said, ‘What did you say?’ He said, ‘The women have to leave the hotel for disturbing the guests.’" Mell blames the senator. "Heinz ketchup will never be brought into my house again," the alderman said. Kerry spokeswoman Whitney Smith emailed the Tribune shortly after the story ran. "We only became aware that anyone had been asked to leave when we saw your report," she wrote. "Sen. Kerry just spoke to the alderman to apologize and offered to have a drink with him and his group in Denver." We sure hope they do make up. It would be a shame if Dick Mell had to give up his novelty Heinz Tomato Ketchup telephone.

Photo of the condiment that lost the War on Terror for America by solanaa