04 November 2004	Thursday	20 Ramazan 1425

HORNI BENESOV, Nov 3: In the sleepy Czech village of Horni Benesov where John Kerry's grandfather was born disappointment hung in the air on Wednesday as the Democrat failed in his bid to become the next US president.

One hundred years after his Jewish grandfather, Fritz Kohn, changed his name, converted to Catholicism and left central Europe to seek his fortune in America, many of Horni Benesov's 2,400 inhabitants had been hoping Kerry could breathe some life into their little town with its crumbling facades.

At her textile shop on the village square, Irena Chromikova looked close to tears after learning that Kerry's bid for presidency had failed.

"I am devastated that he hasn't won. I've been rooting for him the whole time as I think he would have made a good president - he's so kind and has a better attitude when it comes to international politics," said Chromikova.

"I never really believed that he would come here to our ramshackle town, but it would have been good for us to have a connection to the American president," she added.-AFP