  ( urlLink Kerry has a nice turnout . ) But 15,000 people braved what local officials described as the hottest day of the year while they waited for a fleet of Kerry/Edwards tour buses to arrive.
Nearly 100 people had to be treated for heat exhaustion or dehydration, according to Scranton Fire Chief Tom Davis. The size of the crowd surprised both city and campaign officials, who claimed the turnout was a reflection of the vitality of both.
It's significant that Kerry picked Scranton — a socially conservative swing city with a reputation for supporting labor in a battleground state — to hold his first rally after accepting the Democratic Party's nomination for president during this week's convention in Boston. (snip) And when Kerry tried to introduce to the crowd his younger daughter, third-year medical student Vanessa, she had gone to administer first aid to a man who had passed out. Meanwhile, at some bar in Texas, the Bush Twins just passed out ... 
