by MARIA LOMBARDI
Observer staff

DERRY, N.H. — Two-year-old twins Brett and Barrett race around, pacifiers clutched, into and out of Kim and Gordon Keegan’s arms. The middle-school cafeteria is hosting a John Edwards rally, and the twins are two of the many children spotted in lines and in audiences waiting to hear candidates speak throughout Manchester in the days leading up to the primary.

Mom Kim describes herself as a longtime supporter of Edwards who cried when he lost four years ago. She adds that the notion of a strong family with lots of support is embodied by the the Edwards family, and that’s why she drove from her Massachusetts home to campaign door-to-door.

OBSERVER PHOTO by Maria Lombardi
Kim and Gordon Keegan with Barrett and Brett, 2.

“He’s the only candidate that I actually think is real,” she says.

Lars Trier, originally from Denmark, brings his 8-year-old daughter, Tekla, to the Edwards speech. Lars appreciates the American political system and wants his daughter to learn as much as possible as early as possible.

“I brought her to visit family in Iowa during the caucus, and now we’re back in New Hampshire, and I’m bringing her to as many as events as she could handle, he says”

Lars has brought Tekla to Clinton, Edwards and Obama events.

Tekla likes seeing famous people. When asked who her favorite candidate is, she names the frontrunner. “Obama is my favorite. I think he’s a superstar.”