Nowheresville
I was sitting in the dining hall of a senior living complex a little while ago. I took off work today because my father had cataract surgery this morning, and he, despite his dementia, watches my mother.
Mom now sits on the recliner sofa snoring five feet to my left. Dad is reclined six feet to her left quietly snoozing. Ostensibly I'm watching TCM, but truth be told, I took a nap too. I woke up thinking of what Gigi had said. It's a snap shot I'm passing on.
Anyhow, as we were eating, Gigi, lifelong hardcore Democrat, elderly retired elementary school teacher, WF, still sharp as a whip at 90, hair done just right, and lovely as always, came up to me. She's like a grandmother to our children. I've known her for twenty years, and she's known my wife all her life. We moved next door to Gigi when we came back to my wife's hometown what now seems like a long time ago. By then she had long been a widow. But she'd met this nice widower Max at church, and they were sweethearts. Then, sadly, Max died two years ago. Max was a Democrat too, a union man, a WWII veteran, a worker if there ever was one. With him gone, Gigi sold her home and moved in where my parents now live.
Gigi was upset. She said she didn't know who she was going to vote for. She often asks my wife for advice in local races, so I assumed that was what it was about. She made it clear that she was talking about the Democratic primary.
I said that I assumed she was voting for Clinton. I don't take advantage of the trust of the elderly and didn't want to sway her. She said, "I can't stand her, I don't trust her." With that said I told her I was supporting Bernie. She didn't react one way or another to that. I said she could also consider voting for Martin O'Malley, former governor of Maryland and a kind-hearted Catholic. I then said she'd have three good choices, and no matter what, please don't vote for the Republican for president. I said this light-heartedly because Dad, a hardcore Republican, was intently trying to eat his fish sandwich, and we agreed decades ago not to bring politics into our relationship.
In the Deep South, to be an outspoken elderly Democrat surrounded by Republicans at church, retirement home, and in the community takes courage and conviction. I hope Gigi will vote for Bernie or perhaps O'Malley in the primary, but now know she at least says she "WILL NEVER" vote for Clinton. I hope she never has to do so.
I don't think Gigi is feeling the Bern--yet. But as she learns more about him, I think she might if she can see him in televised debates more. So about limiting those debates DWS, I think you are doing a great disservice to our party.
You may manage to lose Gigi's vote to our party, just as Clinton already has lost her vote. That would indeed be sad. Not nearly as said as losing Max, but still sad.
And troubling. I won't say where in the Deep South Nowheresville is, but trust me, Gigi's vote will "count," both as her democratic expression of preference, and, in a close election, would likely make an important difference if there are a few others like her out there.