Buckeyes give Edwards some love....
Fri Sep 28, 2007 at 10:30:03 PM PDT
I was late getting to the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local #189 in Columbus OH tonight. The start date was 5:30 and I was more than forty five minutes late. As I walked up I saw lots of people milling about outside - some smoking, all wearing smiles. Fifteen dollars was the price of admission to the "Small Change for Big Change" event and I was thrilled to be hearing Edwards speak. The crowds outside let me know that Edwards had not arrived yet. I climbed the steps and entered the hall.
I was a little shocked as I registered (I had purchased my ticket on the web so my name was on the list of attendees) that there was no sales pitch, no attempt to gain an extra donation. Just a very friendly smile and a welcome. I hadn't ever attended a presidental candidate's speech before so I guess I was expecting it to be more rigidly organized and more political machine-like.
I would guess between 500 and 600 people were there to hear Edwards - a terrific turn out considering Ohio doesn't vote in the primary until March. We were a rather eclectic group. Lots of business suits. Lots of jeans and tshirts. Quite a few parents had brought their kids. Everyone relaxed and smiling and friendly. They were just putting up a short platform for cameras at the back as I arrived and soon three very large cameras were set up. I think they were from the three local news channels because each ran a brief story of Edwards visit on the 11 O'Clock News. There was no music, no warm up speaker. At one point a young guy got up to say the Senator had landed in Columbus and was on his way. He briefly led some cheers for Edwards.
Left side of the audience: " John!"
Right side of the audience: "Edwards!"
Left side of the audience: "for!"
Right side of the audience: "President!"
I was the only person participating in my general area. I was still so excited just to be there it was a good release of energy/nerves.
Finally, County Commissioner Marilyn Brown got up on stage with the mic. She introduced herself and announced that she wholeheartedly endorses John Edwards for President. And then Edwards enters the hall.
His speech was fabulous. He talked about health care and education. He added that the last thing we need is to sit down at the table with insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies to develop a plan for healthcare - joking that "they would eat all the food." He spoke about his work in Africa and how he's seen first hand the power of micro loans. He talked about global warming and the committment everyone needs to make to begin to reduce America's carbon emissions. He spoke of Katrina and the failed leadership there. A quote of his that garnered one of the largest crowd eruptions of the night was,
We don't need a surge in Baghdad. We need a surge in New Orleans.
He spoke about labor unions and the minimum wage. He spoke about challenging the automakers in the US to increase fuel standards to 40 mpg. He got angry when discussing the vote on Kyl/Lieberman adding that one of his fellow candidates who he would not name had voted for it. The Senate bill condemning MoveOn.org for the Petraeus ad made him angry too - and he asked when those Senate Republican would line up to condemn Rush Limbaugh for his statements made about the soldiers who speak out against the war.
By far his largest cheer of the night came when he asked -
Do we want to replace a Corporate Republican with a Corporate Democrat?
I wanted to shout "Hell NO!" but I didn't want to disrupt his flow. He was on a roll.
Leaving the event I was hopeful. That what Edwards does for me. He gives me hope. And after too many years of Chimpy McStruts-a-lot, that is what I need more than anything. I need to hear a candidate speak about the problems in this country and make freakin' sense. I need to believe them when they speak. I don't want to hear about "that's not the way its done in DC." I want to hear my candidate say this.....
The way we do business in Washington right now is broken.
Because it is. The way we do business is broken. I don't think Hillary thinks it is broken. I don't think Obama is seasoned enough to know what can and should be fixed.
I believe John Edwards 100%. I support John Edwards. I intend to tell everyone I know about his plans. This country needs him. Because what we have right now is broken - almost horribly irretrievably so. But tonight I have hope.
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