BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- On the eve of the Democratic National Convention, the wife of Sen. John Kerry told a journalist to "shove it."
Teresa Heinz Kerry accused the editorial page editor for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review of misquoting her.
The Kerry campaign and other Democrats have said the paper is biased against the Kerry campaign and the Democratic Party.
Senior Kerry adviser Tad Devine said Monday that Heinz Kerry "tells it like it is."
"She is such an enormous asset to our campaign," he said.
Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie said only, "She is obviously a spirited campaigner."
Heinz Kerry's comment came Sunday after she told a group of voters, "We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics."
As she was leaving, Colin McNickle, the Tribune-Review's editorial page editor, asked her what she had meant by, in his words, "un-American activities."
She denied having said "activities" and also denied saying "un-American."
After stepping away and speaking briefly with Democratic organizers of the event, she returned and asked the reporter whether he worked for the Tribune-Review. He said he did.
"Understandable. You said something I didn't say, now shove it," she told him.
Asked about the comment Monday on CNN's "American Morning," Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she believes that "a lot of Americans will say, 'Good for you -- you go girl.' And certainly that's how I feel about it."
Devine said Heinz Kerry has been a great campaigner for her husband. "She's someone who connects with voters, who cares deeply about issues. And the fact that she speaks what's on her mind, I think it's enormously refreshing. It's something the American people want to hear more of."
Heinz Kerry will deliver an address at the convention Tuesday night, he said.
"I'm sure the nation wants to hear from her because she can lend so much valuable insight as to who John Kerry is, where he comes from and what he believes," Devine said.
Teresa Heinz Kerry accused the editorial page editor for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review of misquoting her.
The Kerry campaign and other Democrats have said the paper is biased against the Kerry campaign and the Democratic Party.
Senior Kerry adviser Tad Devine said Monday that Heinz Kerry "tells it like it is."
"She is such an enormous asset to our campaign," he said.
Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie said only, "She is obviously a spirited campaigner."
Heinz Kerry's comment came Sunday after she told a group of voters, "We need to turn back some of the creeping, un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics."
As she was leaving, Colin McNickle, the Tribune-Review's editorial page editor, asked her what she had meant by, in his words, "un-American activities."
She denied having said "activities" and also denied saying "un-American."
After stepping away and speaking briefly with Democratic organizers of the event, she returned and asked the reporter whether he worked for the Tribune-Review. He said he did.
"Understandable. You said something I didn't say, now shove it," she told him.
Asked about the comment Monday on CNN's "American Morning," Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she believes that "a lot of Americans will say, 'Good for you -- you go girl.' And certainly that's how I feel about it."
Devine said Heinz Kerry has been a great campaigner for her husband. "She's someone who connects with voters, who cares deeply about issues. And the fact that she speaks what's on her mind, I think it's enormously refreshing. It's something the American people want to hear more of."
Heinz Kerry will deliver an address at the convention Tuesday night, he said.
"I'm sure the nation wants to hear from her because she can lend so much valuable insight as to who John Kerry is, where he comes from and what he believes," Devine said.
