|
Well. Moving this little primary bloodletting to its own area was a great idea. If someone wants to raise their blood pressure, feel insulted, and discouraged all at the same time, we needn't look far.
I'm tired of the cruel attacks by Clark supporters over my choice of candidates for the nomination. The attacks are more vehement than those of our Nader/Gore scuffles after the stolen election. Perhaps Clark appeals to more aggressive people, and more GOP leaning "Democrats", because I have not seen such anger toward other DUers before Clark announced his candidacy.
Here is why I chose Dean, (and if you post a bunch of cruel things about me and my choice, after reading this.. then there is no hope for us defeating Bush. None.
In the mid-nineties, I had the privelege and pleasure of volunteering, and being heavily involved in the campaign of a non-insider running for US Congress. He was a professor at University of Santa Barbara, California. His name was Walter Capps. He was something else. He was a funny, gentle man with a dry sense of humor. He was kind and unassuming. He had a wonderful wife, and family who was by his side during the whole campaign. He represented the ideal that WE are the ones that make a difference in politics. He was unlike any politician you've ever met.. because he wasn't one.
He ran against a very popular, very right-wing devotee of Newt Gingrich. She was shrill. She was also heavily financed and supported by D.C. Walter came from nowhere, not a particularly deft campaigner by political standards, but he won. The GOP was flummoxed.
He did everything he set out to do in his first months as a Congressman. He was well liked and popular in D.C. Before a year of his term was over, Walter died in the Dulles Airport returning from a visit to his constituency in California. He, and his wife Lois, made a point of returning there as much as possible to stay in touch with the people who put him in office. Lois was by his side when he died. He was 63. His colleagues, supporters, employees, and friends were devastated. The day after his death, I received in the mail two letters. One was from Walter, one from Lois. Both thanked me and told me how much they enjoyed a social event that I arranged and attended with them. Both were written the day he died, before he arrived in D.C.
I came across those letters today, and I wept. Walter inspired people who had never considered becoming political. He inspired people who thought they would never have a voice in Washington, D.C. He was a warm, intelligent, humorous man who's eyes lit up when he recognized a friendly face coming into a room, even if he was knee-deep in a policy discussion.
I chose to support Howard Dean because I see some of Walter's qualities in him. The ability to inspire. The ability to give voters that sense that they CAN make a difference, that their votes DO count. The feeling that the country belongs to US, not the special interests. I watched speeches by Howard Dean, and I see the same passion for the people that Walter showed.
Walter's widow, Lois, served the rest of his term. She was then re-elected into the office, where she still serves Walter's constituency.
Peace,
Caliphoto
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
