Elizabeth Edwards in Mont Vernon w/pix
Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 10:30:04 AM PDT
Yesterday soberboy and I made the trip up to New Hampshire to see Elizabeth Edwards. My parents attended as well. The event was held at the home of Andy and Andrea Baver in the town of Mont Vernon. Mont Vernon has a population of 2,347. There were a little over 100 people there, not including about 15 kids ranging from infancy to 10. Not bad for 2:00 on a week day.
While my parents are still undecided, my mother loves the wooing she is receiving from the Edwards campaign. I had to call her to let her know Bill Richardson would be in the area and where he would be. But the Edwards people call and invite her to each event and then call back to ask her for her impressions afterward. That makes an impression. My son wanted to go because he was interested in Elizabeth’s cancer story. Soberdad has been treated for prostate cancer this year and I think soberboy wanted to see another parent dealing with the issue.
The event was scheduled for 2:10 and Elizabeth arrived at 2:15. What kind of campaign is this that they actually run pretty close to on time? The efficiency is just mind boggling to me after many decades of attending campaign events.
*Elizabeth with Andrea
Andy introduced Elizabeth by saying that he and his wife were supporters from the first time they heard John speak at a neighbor’s home in 2002. He was clearly thrilled to be hosting the event. He and his wife support John because, "John looks at the potential in every person. It’s all of our responsibility to make sure that everyone has a chance to achieve their full potential...I can’t stress enough that John is for everyone."
Andy introducing Elizabeth
Before Elizabeth started she stopped the mothers with toddlers from trying to move back out of the way behind everyone. "You don’t have to move back with babies at any event of mine. I know what it’s like to have young ones. I never would have seen a movie or attended a political event if I was trying to keep babies quiet."
She spoke about how in small meetings like this one, "you can’t get by with the pabulum that works in a debate...Your questions here and in Iowa show a specificity that blows away the rest.... So you have a responsibility to participate in this process in a really thoughtful way and to hold the candidates accountable for details." Later on she joked that she swore George Bush bussed the same group of people to each of his town hall events to ask the same softball questions each time.
Question 1: Priorities
A man wondered what John’s goal would be in the 1st 100 days of the presidency given the many problems facing the next president. Elizabeth talked about Iraq, health care, the environment and tax reform. She did get into some specifics but my notes here are sketchy. She spoke about the difference between voting for a person and voting for a vision. She made it clear that they are working for a vision; that is what they are dedicating their lives to. She talked about the importance of strengthening the lead in the Senate so that the new President can get the things accomplished that need to be done. She said that people often come up to her because of her cancer and say, "I’m praying for you." She said her response is usually, "Thank you but really, please be praying for Justice Stevens’ health."
Under the apple tree
Question 2: Organ Donation
A man who was a liver and kidney transplant recipient asked whether John would support organ donation. Elizabeth said both she and John are listed as organ donors on their drivers’ licenses. She added, "This issue is one of the places where the bully pulpit is useful. There are not enough donors and we need to increase the awareness of the American people so that the supply can better match the demand...The American people are generous. Time and time again we have seen that when government fails the American people respond at a level that is unbelievably generous." She mentioned Katrina and the tsunami in particular. In the midst of all this an apple fell out of the tree and nearly bonked her on the head. She laughed along with the crowd.
Questioner #2 and my mother laughing with Elizabeth
Question 3: Complex Economic Issues
A woman asked the third question, which was on the economy, global warming, consumerism, the trade deficit, and graduate science education. Yes, all in one very lengthy question. I did take a boatload of notes on this and can come back to it in more detail if people want. She talked about reducing emissions by 80% by 2050 and said that was totally doable. She did give props to Bill Richardson by pointing out that John is not the most aggressive candidate on the issue because Governor Richardson is looking for the 80% by 2040. She went into wonky beyond belief detail about permitting for carbon emissions. She talked about how we’re never going to get socks back as an industry and went on to say that the goal is to create an industry dealing with global warming that can be exported elsewhere. This morphed a bit into funding for both this and science education. Then she spoke of when she was young and how NASA excited everyone about science. A few jabs at the current occupant of the oval office later and she was on to how the right leader can create excitement by talking about the magic and wonder of science and engineering.
The crowd in the back, including soberboy & my dad
Question 4: Learning
A teacher mentioned his appreciation of John’s "lack of willingness to engage in infighting." Then he asked, "what area does John need to learn about and how will he go about understanding that area?" Elizabeth made a joke that she wasn’t going to pick an issue because the press would be immediately on John about it. She talked instead about how he came up with his health care plan. Again I have a ton of notes but the quick version is that after tossing things back and forth with people he trusted he narrowed it down to 2 different plans. "Then he got 2 experts, one to argue for one plan and one to argue for the other...He had them pick apart each others’ arguments...So what he ended up with was mostly one plan but with little bits of the other...This is how he moves from a general vision to specific details."
Question 5: The Deficit and the Middle East
An older woman asked, "how do we get out of the deficit and what do we do about the Middle East?" Elizabeth laughed, "Well those aren’t too tough." Then she took a deep breath and plunged in. She talked about main ways to view solving the deficit, the first being to deal with the deficit before anything else and let everything flow from that. The second view was to allow for growth in spending in targeted areas that will increase revenues. She said John was for the second model. She spoke about fixing health care and the ripple effects that would come from that with jobs and the lack of a drain on the economy. Then she talked about being careful about other politicians who say they’re going to implement things and solve the deficit too. She said that it wasn’t possible and that candidates needed to be held accountable for their promises. She mentioned a saying from her grandmother, "The intent to deceive is the same as a lie." There was a lot more but I pared her response down.
On the Middle East she gave big props to President Clinton and talked about how close he came before Arafat walked out of the talks. I avoid the I/P diaries here so I admit I’m not up on this issue. And I’m terrified to mishandle anything she said for the onslaught that could be unleashed. Elizabeth talked about a 2 state solution. She said that every time John spoke people came up to him asking him to sign on to their idea of what the borders should be. She said, "That isn’t the United States’ role...It’s not our choices, it’s theirs..." She talked about the demeanor we should have and again gave props to Clinton.
Question 6: Executive Powers
A man asked, "Bush will be leaving office with basically the power of a monarch, and it’s easier to govern that way than by using the Constitution. What would John do with all of these extra powers?" Give them back. Elizabeth said, "Guantanamo would be closed on the first day. There will be no signing statements." She said she was a recovering lawyer and then went into a discussion about judges interpreting legislative intent vs. this new thing Bush has invented. "Restore civil liberties and rights. He would be an administrator who trusts the departments to do their job. He wants them to do their job and not politicize..." She was incensed over a report early on with Bush which referenced a non-existent link between breast cancer and abortion. She talked about transparency and that, "The American people are paying for reports to be written. Reports should go from the scientists and appear immediately on the Internet without being funneled through the White House." She talked about constant contact and accountability with and to the American people. "I get the feeling that George Bush goes into the Oval Office and thinks it is his job to protect you. John knows he can’t do any of this alone. It requires the engagement of the American people to make the changes that we need as a society. If you’re engaged then you feel a part of the changes."
Question 7: Grassroots
The final question was on grass roots movements and health care and a plea for John to show up at a health care forum in September. Elizabeth said that at the end of Iowa and New Hampshire some people are still going to be around and some people will be going home. And as the race goes on more people will be going home. She spoke about the OneCorps groups and the grass roots community building work they do dealing with hunger, housing and other issues. They exist outside of the campaign; some haven’t even really done any campaigning because they are focused on community work right now. "If John is one of those people going home at the end of this, he will have left something behind. He will have left an empowerment of people to make changes."
She spoke at length about the Harry and Louise ads from 1993 and the need to deal with lobbyists. Having lived through that time I found her comments to be incisive and right on the money. I have notes on this as well.
My 10 year old wasn’t as engaged this time around. He’d wanted to hear her talk about her cancer because he was interested in whether her treatments were the same ones his father went through. He did want to talk to her at the end and tell her about his dad. She was incredibly gracious and spent a few minutes talking with him despite a long line of folks looking for her attention. He told her that he wanted to vote for John and she spoke with him about voting, his Dad, and thanked him for his interest.
My mother had been the next in line to ask a question when the official part was over. She said that she wanted Elizabeth to tell John not to cede ground to Hillary on the issue of who can fight against the Republicans. My mom said, "He was a trial lawyer and he was up against them before. And he beat them." My father would have put in a plug for public financing of all elections. "Any President is going to have to work with a Congress that is bought and paid for by lobbyists."
*The line to speak with Elizabeth
We were there about a half hour after the event officially ended. When we left Elizabeth was still there and it was still going strong. She looked great despite the heat. At the beginning, she mentioned that she stayed in the same Manchester hotel for the third night this week, none of them consecutive. This schedule is absolutely grueling and she looks remarkable. When one figures her health into the equation, I’m amazed that she is so lively and cheerful. She’s an incredible woman.
The view as we were leaving
