Washblog

34th LD disses Hillary, cheers John Edwards

By dinazina
Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 09:52:38 AM PST
Section: Diary Topic: Presidential Caucus and Primary


At the 34th's monthly meeting the other night, I made it known I was organizing the John Edwards campaign in our LD. I shared a table next to an amiable Hillary representative.

My display of materials was more creative than his. But much as I admire my own graphics, I don't think that explains why he sold one button, and I sold 82 dollars worth of buttons, bumperstickers, and signs.  A whole bunch of people filled out my signup sheet. I don't think he even HAD a signup sheet.

The 34th (West Seattle-Vashon area) is not overly fond of Hillary. But I have to remind myself, it's probably one of the most liberal LDs in the nation. Jim McDermott is a hero, and Kucinich sweatshirts and signs are a common sight.

Surprisingly, the Kucinich supporters were not present that night, nor Obama people. The chair told me they didn't contact him.

One of my older DFA members wore an Obama button. "I'm sick to death of slick Southerners," he said, obviously a jab at Bill Clinton. "Are you prejudiced against Southerners?" I asked. "Yes!" He replied.

But a few minutes later his wife bought JRE materials. "Are you going to be on speaking terms with your husband after this?" I asked. "Don't worry, we will use both right next to each other," she said. "If only they were on the same ticket! I want to see somebody kicking corporate butt!"

The chair gave us reps a minute each to introduce our campaign to the members. The Hillary guy said something like: "I think many of you have not taken a good look at Hillary. If you really take a good look at all the candidates, you will have to agree, she is the only one experienced enough to start the job on Day One."

That statement from the official HRC talking point book did not go over well at all. The Hillary Rep was not booed, but he was greeted with a rumble of dismissal, sort of a mass "Oh, come ON."

I was greeted with applause and cheers before I opened my mouth. Hey, that was nice. I thanked the members for their support. I pointed them to the site Washington for Edwards (designed by Chad Lupkes and moi) and asked them to let us know of their support by signing in, and helping out any way they were able to.

Actually, I had not prepared a statement. But I said that to me, the Edwards campaign is about justice for the average American. Edwards wants to put a stop to the racketeering that's been going on between government and giant corporations for decades. That he's completely fearless in taking them on--that's what I respect most about him. Big applause.

The Hillary guy slinked out early.

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34th LD disses Hillary, cheers John Edwards | 22 comments (22 topical)
At the 47th LD meeting we had a strawpoll
Edwards won by a pretty good margin over Obama.  Clinton was well behind both.  I was proud of that.

Unfortunately, both Kucinich and Richardson got only a few votes.  

by noemie maxwell on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:30:17 AM PST

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Dwight came to 36th meeting to pimp
some great plan to get all kinds of people involved and active and registered ...

yawn

I did NOT get a chance to ask him:

So, AFTER we break our tails cuz we gotta beat the fascists,

ARE you f$$ks gonna just sell us all out again?

rmm.

http://www.liemail.com/BambooGrassroots.html

by rmdSeaBos on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:04:03 PM PST

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Student straw poll
After the New Hampshire primary, I polled my students on their Presidential preferences. Here are the results:

Barack Obama--59.8%
Hillary Clinton--18.5%
Don't care--10.9%
Don't know--4.3%
John Edwards--2.1%
Rudy Giuliani--2.1%
Me--2.1%

Make of that what will you.

by DWE on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 08:28:36 PM PST

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Hillary's authorized message
is this:  
Hillary is the most competent, experienced and ready to go on "Day One". If you don't support Hillary, it must be because you're:

  1. Sexist
  2. A Republican Clinton-hater
  3. Young and ethnic, dazzled by Obama
  4. Ill-informed

1, 2, and 3 wouldn't fit our demographic in the 34th LD meeting, so the messenger used number 4.

But I'm surprised he thought that would fly in a roomful of the card-carrying Democratic base. It sounded patronizing, the same as when it's broadcast by the candidate herself in that schoolmarmish "Hillary knows best" way she has--or anyone else in her campaign.

We have not "given all the candidates a good look." Maybe we HAVE given them a good look, that's how we came to a decision that doesn't include supporting HRC.

You might say that if I use the word "schoolmarmish," that makes it a sexist remark. Maybe so. If a male candidate did the same I might call him: patronizing, arrogant, authoritative, lecturing, insensitive, or tone-deaf.

I don't doubt that HRC is "ready to go from Day One," but is that necessarily a good thing? I don't think I would approve of her Day One agenda. She will immediately install all the old Clinton loyalists, from Terry McCauliffe to James Carville to Madelyn "Suffer the little children" Albright. Howard Dean will be booted from the DNC.

Has she said anything about her Day One agenda including things like shutting down Gitmo, holding the Bush administration criminals accountable, apologizing to the U.N., putting a halt to torture, or reversing the "Unitary Executive" privileges? I think not.

The Clintons don't have much use for grassroots activism and participatory democracy, seems to me. They like a top-down model, softened by "I feel your pain" platitudes.  

And some voters like a top-down model too. A majority of human beings are followers, not leaders and want someone else to make all the decisions.  

by dinazina on Sat Jan 12, 2008 at 12:44:55 PM PST

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