Yesterday JRE spoke to the AARP Forum on Poverty and Aging. Fellow blogger Edgery from the EENR blog attended the event and jotted a few notes on the EENR blog:
In introducing John Edwards, Nancy LeaMond (head of the AARP Foundtion) said,
"John Edwards exemplifies the values Bill Anderson advocated throughout his life for our nation's most vulnerable people. ... Bill Anderson was a Legal Services attorney who was once accused by opposing counsel of being 'overzealous' because of how hard he fought for his client. The case was over just a few hundred dollars but Bill understood how important a few hundred dollars were to his cllient, an older woman. ... Bill approved of John Edwards' willingness to speak out on poverty and economic security when no one else would."
This notion, that John Edwards has stood up for the issues of poverty and economic justice when no one else will, resonates strongly here at EENRblog and it is repeated now regularly by the media. Others talk about the different aspects and possible programs; Edwards brings it all together with a clarity that unique.
The theme of today's speech can be summed up in two words "Remember Us." He told about finding the people sleeping under the bridge in New Orleans last January on his way to where he would that he was ending his presidential campaign, and the older woman who said to him as he was leaving, "You won't forget us, will you?"
AARP Radio also interviewed him. Here's a link to their blog where there are YT clips.
As usual, the idiot paparazzi was there too, more interested in whether or not he was at the Beverly Hills Hilton last week instead of asking him about poverty or Half in Ten. (I'm not posting a link to that story, just trust me that I read it). He told them he didn't have time. I don't blame him. He was rushing to get back to Chapel Hill to celebrate his and bride of 31 years' anniversary, but I'm certain the media didn't get it that was one of his reasons.
Happy Anniversary John and Elizabeth. I've been working on a YT, but my learning curve is steep. For now, I'll just post a pic of you two and just imagine Nancy Lamott singing an obscure Gershwin tune "Ask Me Again."
Here's some champagne for two of the most selfless but high profile people I am blessed to be acquainted with.
This week has been phenomenal. I've seen more diaries about the Edwards campaign around the blogosphere, most of them about endorsements, house parties, polls, or Elizabeth Edwards' health.
This week, Edwards picked up some key endorsements in WI, MN, and KY. Most of them are influential legislators who can help with the organization of the campaign, which means ground boots support. Two of the folks are current members of the House and chair key committees: Rep Obey of WI is chairs Appropriations, and Rep Oberstar of MN chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure. The two gentlemen are standing behind JRE in the picture that was taken last September.
Wednesday was the National House Parties day for the campaign. I did not host nor attend one as the closest one was near Chicago. I didn't host because right now my spouse is busy with work-related stuff and we just didn't have the time or energy to get one together. But I did get to see the DVD that was mailed to anyone who was going to host such an event. It is about 12 minutes long.
Rather than rewriting what I thought about it, Citizen 53 did a nice diary on the Daily Kos that said what I thought too.
To see more about the houseparties, George Stern at JEFP has compiled pictures and comments. Apparently, one of the bonuses of hosting was that JRE gave a conference call to all parties. How cool is that!
Polls are a funny thing. I've seen comments that Vilsack's exit out of the race helped Madame Clinton, whereas others think it helped Edwards in Iowa. In either case, Obama got no bump out of it. Chuckles1 wrote a clever diary this topic yesterday on the Daily Kos. Bottom line: Edwards is not "a" front runner; he is THE front runner in the Hawkeye State. John and Elizabeth will be back in Iowa (and NH) next week to talk more about health care, global warming, and other issues of interest to voters and caucus goers.
Yesterday was quite a day. Be Inspired over at the Daily Kos penned a diary about seeing JRE and Elizabeth upclose last week when they announced that the cancer had returned, but they would continue on the campaign. It was a moving personal story in and of itself, but then the responses were so poignant. These are the ones that brought some emotion for me:
My husband's last unemployment check was just cashed Monday. I don't know how or where it'll come from but I think I have a couple of bucks I can spare. If it means the difference between Edwards being president or another four years of the same s**t, different face, I have to try and help.
It's funny though... as I was watching the press conference unfold, I immediately wanted to send them a whole bunch of money.
Hillary is detached and slippery.
Obama talks pretty but that's all he does.
Edwards needs to be our next president to fix this country and make it America again.
Thanks for a wonderful diary from the inside. It means a lot.
And this one:
I just donated a little..
I plan to do much more in a few months, but am on disability now, so funds are low...but with surgery scheduled next week and a six week recuperation time frame I should be back to work in a couple of months and then I plan to donate monthly.
I appreciate the diary and look for any Edwards news here daily. Howard Dean pulled me into politics for the first time in 20 years (although I always voted) and I am supporting Edwards this time because he has been walking the walk these past four years. I will support the candidate who wins the primary, but it will be soooo much easier to talk to friends and neighbors about Edwards in 2008...you know when the other 95% of the voters start paying attention. :)
For anyone in KY - take a look at Miller/Maze for our Gov. race!!! THEY ROCK!
-Michelle
So amazing, people who hardly can afford much of anything, and they want to see positive change for this country.
If that weren't enough for one day, during my lunch hour I saw this post over at JRE's blog:
You all have hugged me, and I thank each one of you. From the posts on the blog here (and nearly everywhere, it seems), to the emails offering support and prayers and remedies and affection, to the cards and letters I cherish, to the flowers and teddy bears, the elixirs and photographs -- including the astounding twelve dozen -- yes, you read that right -- twelve dozen beautiful pink roses from Democratic Underground -- you have hugged me, you have made a difficult time easier, and you have hardened my resolve (okay, maybe my resolve was pretty hard already) to fight this.
Yes, this is Elizabeth Edwards, thanking the bloggers, especially those at the DU, for the 144 pink roses she received this week.
I noticed last week that the DU was going to do this. Onebluenation got it rolling, and by Monday, over $500 had been raised. So, I decided to post Elizabeth's note at the DU (since I am a member).
Wow, it made the front page in 3 hours. Amazing. It's still there, 165 recommends later.
So this week, in which today is the end of the first quarter, has been like the song, the Waters of March, which I'm very fond of. It's a Brazilian tune by Jobim.
Here are the lyrics:
A stick, a stone, It's the end of the road, It's the rest of a stump, It's a little alone
It's a sliver of glass, It is life, it's the sun, It is night, it is death, It's a trap, it's a gun
The oak when it blooms, A fox in the brush, A knot in the wood, The song of a thrush
The wood of the wind, A cliff, a fall, A scratch, a lump, It is nothing at all
It's the wind blowing free, It's the end of the slope, It's a beam, it's a void, It's a hunch, it's a hope
And the river bank talks of the waters of March, It's the end of the strain, The joy in your heart
The foot, the ground, The flesh and the bone, The beat of the road, A slingshot's stone
A fish, a flash, A silvery glow, A fight, a bet, The range of a bow
The bed of the well, The end of the line, The dismay in the face, It's a loss, it's a find
A spear, a spike, A point, a nail, A drip, a drop, The end of the tale
A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light, The shot of a gun in the dead of the night
A mile, a must, A thrust, a bump, It's a girl, it's a rhyme, It's a cold, it's the mumps
The plan of the house, The body in bed, And the car that got stuck, It's the mud, it's the mud
Afloat, adrift, A flight, a wing, A hawk, a quail, The promise of spring
And the riverbank talks of the waters of March, It's the promise of life It's the joy in your heart
A stick, a stone, It's the end of the road It's the rest of a stump, It's a little alone
A snake, a stick, It is John, it is Joe, It's a thorn in your hand and a cut in your toe
A point, a grain, A bee, a bite, A blink, a buzzard, A sudden stroke of night
A pin, a needle, A sting, a pain, A snail, a riddle, A wasp, a stain
A pass in the mountains, A horse and a mule, In the distance the shelves rode three shadows of blue
And the riverbank talks of the waters of March, It's the promise of life in your heart, in your heart
A stick, a stone, The end of the road, The rest of a stump, A lonesome road
A sliver of glass, A life, the sun, A knife, a death, The end of the run
And the riverbank talks of the waters of March, It's the end of all strain, It's the joy in your heart.
Watch Jane Monheit sing it.
Note: Waters of March is not only dedicated to the Edwards campaign, but also to my spouse, JRZ. Today's our wedding anniversary--number 6.
This blog is for my friends and acquaintances who were formerly with the John Edwards campaign, which had the most progressive agenda. I am a progressive liberal, musing about politics and life.
