Washblog

Notes on Representative Smith's remarks
Representative Smith, a state super delegate who has pledged to Senator Obama, noted that he started being active in politics around 1980 or 1982, at the beginning of the conservative ascendancy and the Age of Reagan and Gingrich. He was first elected in Washington in 1990, during the Clinton impeachment hearings. And he has served throughout the Bush administration, which snuck into the White House. We are now at the end of this age.

"The people of the United States have rejected the conservative movement. Its policies are just flat wrong. They do not bring us what we want." That's the good news, that people know this and they are ready for a change. The bad news is that we can screw this up.

Can the Democrats deliver? Can we unite the country around the progressive ideals we stand for: access to health care, quality education, an economy that shares the wealth and doesn't only concentrate in the hands of a few, a nation works with the world community and doesn't try only to dominate it?

There is not a huge policy difference between the two Senators. But Obama has a leadership ability to bring people together that is unprecedented.  Smith said that he's never seen someone who can do this as Obama does.  It transcends gender, age, race and even partisan preference. "Make no mistake", Obama has the ability to inspire people and unite the country around these policies.

Obama offers us an unprecedented opportunity to unite around our ideals. We see in a state like South Carolina, how powerful his ability is to inspire people. Obama's margin over Clinton in South Carolina was more than 2-1, and his presence in the race resulted in Democratic exceeding Republicans.  In South Carolina!  

Obama has a better chance to win in the fall because he appeals to independents and Republicans. Once he's elected, he has a better chance to unit the country around the progressive agenda.  

Dick Brugger, formerly Director of Auburn Youth Services, and Carol Barber, 47th PCO.

Cheryl Barrett, 47th LD PCO and Obama staffer with Bryan Kesterson.

Tyler Page (L), past Chair of 47th District Democrats and area caucus coordinator for Panther Lake area with Eric Steele, PCO, and Turian.

Notes on Senator Keiser's remarks
Senator Kaiser gave both personal and practical reasons for her support of Senator Clinton's candidacy.  

Last fall, she began "watching the scene", tuning into cable shows and listening to the radio. She knew that we were seeing the beginning of a "fantastic opportunity to make history. And I got my dander up," she said. On radio and cable TV, there was a pattern of bypassing Hillary Clinton's policy message and demeaning her on the basis of her appearance. Over and over commentators ignored the substance of what she was saying to make fun of how she talked, how she laughed, her pantsuits, her hair. "Here is this smart, capable, caring person and she's being demeaned.  That's just not fair."

As the Chair of the Senate Health and Long-term Care Committee, Senator Kaiser knows first-hand the difficulty of advancing any improvements in this field. "I've never seen such a bumpy road for legislation," she said, noting the powerful opposition of drug companies, and insurance companies, and others to any change that would threaten the status quo. She identifies with the odds that Clinton has faced in this work.  Even more so, she recognizes that Clinton's contributions in health care have made a significant difference in Washington state.  "She is the architect of the State Children's Health Insurance Program," (SCHIP), Senator Keiser said, which has made it possible here in Washington to extend health insurance to many thousands of our children. She's also been a major player in health care reform.  

In addition, Clinton has been very effective on the issue of family leave, a cause Senator Keiser focuses on, as well.  "I've been committed to family leave for 20 years," Senator Keiser said.  Keiser is the prime sponsor of Washington's Family Leave Act, which will go into effect in 18 months.  Senator Clinton's work on the federal level has made Washington's reform possible.

Senator Clinton is also more qualified to address the work of turning around the damage done by the Bush administration on an administrative level. This is not sexy work, Senator Keiser said, it's not glitzy. It's "grunt work".  But Clinton knows how to get it done.

Keiser recounted that she attended a keynote address delivered here in Washington State by a low-level Bush administration appointee to the Department of Education. The official attributed the challenges that we are facing in education to inadequate religious faith by the people running the schools.  

From the Department of Health and Human Services to the Veterans affairs, we are "infected top to bottom" by ideologues who believe we should be bringing religion into government, Keiser said. Hillary Clinton understands this Byzantine bureaucracy. She can bring the correction and healing that is needed on this level.

Both candidates are talking about serious issues, in contrast to the other side. Both are supporting policies that will move us forward. We have the opportunity to elect either the first African American president or the first woman.  "What a wonderful thing that is.  We win either way."

Bryan Kesterson, Chair of 47th District Democrats, with Doug Hill, the district's newest PCO.

Carol Lynn Harp (L), Shirley Hickey, and Steve Tellari.