http://www.baldwinforcongress.com
I first saw Mishonda Baldwin on national television. I didn't know it at the time, but she was (and is) running for an open seat in Maryland's 3rd Congressional District. http://www.baldwinforcongress.com/...
You see, Mishonda was the only "Sister" of the Fighting Democrats who came to Washington on February 8th, joining Senator Max Cleland to stand up against the Republican exploitation of America and its soldiers. And when I heard her speak, I was struck by the strength of her speech, the passion and confidence that seemed to come from inside of her, and that her age - 33 - belied her experiences.
This remarkable woman - soldier, public speaker, activist, mentor, progressive - is up against formidable odds in her bid to become Maryland's first black Congresswoman. Read my interview with her, hear her story - and you'll see why she is head and shoulders above the 15 other candidates in this race.
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http://www.dailykos.com/...
(Kos' report on Mishonda from Majority Report)
http://www.dailykos.com/...
(Liveblogging from Mishonda)
First, my interview with Mishonda, which I conducted last week:
Questions for Mishonda Baldwin
1)At age 19 you went to Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm. Why did you enter the military, and how did your Iraq experience affect your life?
I entered the military because my family could not afford to send me to college. The Army had a program that would provide money while I attended college and would pay back some of my college loans. So, at the age of 17, my mother signed me up for the Army.
During my sophomore year at the University of Connecticut my unit was deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Storm.
While overseas something happened that gave me a new perspective on life. If you recall, there was the air war and there was the ground war. The day the ground war started I became sick. I broke out in hives. No one could determine what was wrong with me.
My platoon leader came into the tent and said that we were going to cross the Iraqi border, but I couldn't go because I was sick.
When my unit crossed the border, they were attacked. The vehicle I was supposed to drive was attacked. People lost their lives and were seriously injured.
I learned a very valuable lesson at nineteen years old. "To whom much is given, much is required." I returned to UCONN with a sense of purpose after my life changing experience and I have lived a life of purpose ever since.
2)You've had a variety of experiences and activities since leaving active duty. Describe some of them, and what they mean to you as a person.
I was an Army Intelligence Officer, specializing in Counterintelligence. I owned a small business. I served as National Chair of the National Black Law Students Association, served as the 1st African American woman ROTC Battalion Commander in Connecticut, and recently served as a US Delegate to the Middle East.
All my experiences helped to provide me with a well balanced, well rounded approach and view to the challenges we face as a country. I am grateful that I have first hand knowledge and experience that speaks directly to where we find ourselves today. We have socio-economic challenges, international challenges, security challenges, and environmental challenges. I am grateful that I can contribute new ideas to the conversation.
3.What led you to decide to run for Congress?
The decision to run for Congress wasn't an easy one to make but it was the only one to make after I sat in front of my TV for 4 days and cried my eyes out as I watched the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I saw people searching desperately for leaders to take control of the situation and no one came. Every reporter and news team could reach the people but where were the leaders? At that moment everything that I had ever experienced and learned came rushing back to me. I realized that all I had been through and accomplished in life had prepared me for such a time as this. So, I made the decision to no longer be a spectator on the sidelines but to get in the ring.
4.Describe the district that you're running in. How does the huge candidate field play in role in how you're campaigning?
The district I am running in covers 3 counties and a city. It includes parts of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Howard County. The Primary race consists of 8 Democrats and 8 Republicans. In a field of 8 Democratic candidates, one has to be very strategic about what votes they gather. As a former Army Intelligence Officer, I've been trained to study the battlefield and to formulate a concise plan with winning in mind and that is the approach I have taken in this race.
5.How have party leaders viewed your candidacy? Did your age and/or background play a role in this?
Party leaders have been hands-off because it is a primary, but they are overall supportive.
6.What issues are you concentrating on the most in your campaign? Why? And have those issues resonated with voters?
Education, Health Care, and the War in Iraq are issues I am concentrating on in my campaign.
Health Care: Health Care is a human right and all Americans deserve the right to know that if they get sick they can seek proper treatment. As leaders we need to do the following:
1) Move beyond partisan bickering and pass the Medi-Kids Health Insurance Act. This will expand the 1965 Social Security Act and provide health care to all children born after 2006 up to the age of 22. This is an innovative step towards universal health-care.
2) Either move to a single-payer system in this country or reallocate health-care spending. For example, instead of the government using money for reimbursements to hospitals for the uninsured, we can reroute some of those funds to provide direct health insurance coverage to the uninsured and simultaneously create a small fund for the uninsured that fall between the cracks of the system.
3) Completely overhaul the prescription drug program in this country.
Education: Education is one of the most important ingredients to success in this country. The 3rd district has a school system that is juxtaposed against itself. We have Baltimore City which has some of the lowest performing schools in the state and Howard County which has some of the best performing schools in the state, both in the same district. To equalize education, it must become more than a lip service priority. We must have a comprehensive overhaul of the entire education system, i.e.
a) curriculum revamp (we need to readjust the current curriculum to be more inclusive and innovative to address the changing needs of the world but simultaneously focuses on the basic building blocks of learning),
b)funding scheme (we must revisit how we fund education in this country, zip codes and property tax bases can no longer be the determiner of the success of a school),
c) Teacher pay (if we say teachers are important, then we must pay them accordingly)
Iraq War: As a Decorated Desert Storm Veteran and former Army Intelligence Officer, we owe the soldiers on the ground a clear plan with a clear objective to include a clear exit strategy. We need leaders in Congress who can rebut the notion that stay the course is a plan. We need to secure Baghdad, empower the local population by incentivizing the revenue pie from the oil fields with them and begin the redeployment process.
I am genuinely concerned with the leadership and the future of this country. Voters are, too and they are excited that someone is sincerely focusing on these issues and say that I am "a breath of fresh air".
7.Has your age been an issue with voters?
People are excited that I am young and have accomplished so much. They see me as the next generation of leadership.
8.Do you have a specific strategy to win the primary? Who do you view as your toughest competition in the primary?
Yes. My race is a very crowded race. There are a lot of "establishment candidates" and all of my opponents are great people. However, my biggest opponent is myself. I must make sure that I stay focused on the plan that is set for this campaign. I believe that what God has for me, no one can take away and what God doesn't have for me, I cannot attain.
10.How would Congresswoman Baldwin vote on these issues:
a.Overriding President Bush's veto on embryonic stem-cell research
Support
b.A bill to increase funding for student vouchers to go to private schools
Oppose
c.A bill to provide national, public health insurance, paid for by raising taxes on the wealthy
Support
d.A bill to mandate job opportunities for veterans of the US Armed Forces
Support
e.A bill that would create a plan for withdrawal of troops from Iraq [exit plan]
Support
11.What advice would you give to future candidates who would like to run for office as a young person?
Follow your heart and not conventional wisdom.
12. Anything else you'd like to add?
Stay encouraged, change is coming!
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Allow me to run down some of the key points I gleaned from this interview:
1)One can easily understand why Mishonda is determined to help others; for her, the rest of her life is a gift that those around her in 1991 were not as fortunate to recieve. When I read her response, I was shocked, to be honest; I can't imagine what it must feel like to know that you were spared from death or disfigurement by chance. But she clearly has taken that shock and given her life purpose out of it.
2)There are very few members of Congress who can claim the same type of diversified resume as Mishonda. Having her in Congress would give Democrats a ball of fiery energy that they may well need in 2007 and beyond.
3)Katrina certainly shook our nation to its foundations, myself included. Before Katrina, I had not been aware of the extent of poverty, racism and vulnerability in America. Like Mishonda, I cried, I was angry - but she has done something about it, and I haven't yet.
4)16 candidates (eight from each party) means a pretty big ballot. Luckily, Mishonda's not a hard name to locate. :) Btw, the district is mostly Democratic (55% Kerry) and the GOP failed to recruit a strong candidate.
5)Maryland Democrats have two key races on their hands in November: ousting Governor Ehrlich and electing a new US Senator. Having Mishonda on the ticket in MD-03 would further drive up turnout and help Martin O'Malley and the Senate nominee win as well.
6)Mishonda has detailed plans for improving this country. Some candidates run with vague ideas and generalities as to how to fix things in Washington; from talking with her, I know that's not her weak suit. She has some other platforms as well at her website, http://www.baldwinforcongress.com/...
7)I shouldn't have asked this question, considering Paul Sarbanes' son, John is running, and he's younger than Mishonda.
8)Mishonda has a deep belief in herself, in her life's work and in her ability to win. I'd love to see some GOP hypocrite try to question her beliefs in a debate - we might see Sumner/Brooks Part 2! Just kidding
9)She'll be a solid Democratic vote, in addition to her being a strong, outspoken advocate for her constituents.
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Let me address a few concerns that you may have about her candidacy:
1)There are several well-known candidates in this race; however, they've spent the campaign beating up on each other. The leading woman (Paula Hollinger) has been under fire for a possible money laundering scheme. Mishonda is the only other woman in the race.
2)Mishonda knew that the major money would go to the other candidates; she therefore has spent little time begging for it. Rather, since she has far more time to campaign instead of dialing for dollars, she's attended local events all over the district since the beginning of the year. She may not have TV ads, but she has name recognition. And with MD-03 voters being bombarded by the others' TV ads, fatigue will eventually set in, leaving the grassroots candidate (Mishonda) as the one.
3)MD-03 is largely Caucasian, with only a 16% minority population. However, the district has a wide variety of ethnic and religious groups inside of it, making Mishonda's race irrelevant.
If there are any other questions, feel free to ask them here. I'll do my best to answer them, and will pass them on to Mishonda if I can't. She's been here before, and trusts us.
I'll be covering the Baldwin campaign through the primary (September 12th) here, as well as (hopefully) through November 7th. Should she win, she will be one of Congress' most dynamic Representatives, as well as one of its most dedicated. If you give her your support, it'll be the best return investment since the dot-com boom. Her website is http://www.baldwinforcongress.com ; for more, try some of these links:
"Female Vets Put Military Mettle in House Races"
http://www.alternet.org/...
Mishonda's interview with Air America
http://shows.airamericaradio.com/...
Coming soon: Don't take my word for it! Hear some testimonies from those who came to know Mishonda...and now work for her!
