Wednesday was not the best day I've ever had. After I spoke with Sen. Edwards at 9:50 AM, I walked in to chair a Platform Committee meeting for the next three hours. Let's just say that, though I did try, I was distracted and couldn't focus on what was in front of me to do much less decide which of the other candidates I would support. But after I got home, I had a conversation with my 22 year old son that first pushed me in the direction I was leaning anyway and then challenged me not to sit back, play it safe and vote but not endorse.
During the day, I talked with someone else who was undecided, and he said, "Well, let me ask you this, who do you think your boys will support (they're 22,23)." I said, "Obama, for sure." I didn't even have to ask them. He said, "Mine, too. Maybe we better follow our kids lead." Sure enough, I checked that with my sons today, and they both will now vote for Obama. I asked my son, Tyler, "why Obama?" He said that he was going to vote for the candidate he believed in. We had been talking about delegate counts and percentages, and he just stopped me and said, "I'm not going to try to calculate who to vote for; I'm just going to do what I think is the right thing. I want to vote for someone whose face I want on the television if the worst happens, for a person I trust." I told him that I was leaning toward Obama as well, for a variety of reasons, but I thought I would just sit back and not endorse anyone before Tuesday. It was the safer thing to do. "Since when," he said, "have you taught us to play it safe?" With that, he had thrown down the gauntlet for his mom. It was time to step up or shut up.
And so, just as I am proud to have supported John and Elizabeth Edwards who embraced a bold agenda for change; now, I am pleased to support another powerful agent for change, Sen. Barack Obama. Sen. Obama has inspired and engaged a new generation of Democratic voters who will help build Democratic majorities in November and in the future. Plus, in Georgia, between now and November, I will be working hard to elect wonderful Democratic women to state and local office. I want the candidate at the top of the ticket who best helps those women win their elections. Without question, that candidate is now, Barack Obama.
Friday, February 01, 2008
It's Obama for Me
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6 comments:
Amy,
I have made the same decision as you. I believe that Obama's approach to issues is closer to John Edward's and that some of the things from the Clinton years are not things I want repeated. Specifically NAFTA and triangulation.
Last night at the candidate's forum for the Democratic Women of Faith meeting (where I was supposed to have spoken on behalf of Senator Edwards) I picked up an Obama bumper sticker and this morning put it next to my John Edwards bumper sticker. I want people to know that this John Edward's supporter is now for Barack Obama. Hopefully it will influence someone else.
BTW You did just fine at the Platform Committee meeting!
Jodi
Thanks, Jodi. I did my best, but you know how it is. It was like finding out something bad had happened to a member of the family-because that's how John and Elizabeth treated all of us-like we were family. But, we do need to elect a President in November, so there is a very practical consideration. And, the election really is about the future, so why not listen to my kids?
Amy, I know that you are proud to have worked so hard for John and Elizabth Edwards. I do believe that you fought the good fight and for a very worthy candidate. There will always be a part of me that wishes that we could've seen what Edwards might have done as president, particularly in the areas of workers rights, free trade, and healthcare. In fact, if he could've found a way to win South Carolina and remain viable in the race, I would've voted for him myself.
As much as you were honored to cast your lot with them, I know they are equally as honored to have had you on their side. You're a tremendous force for good.
Perhaps your family might allow you to run for office yourself some day?
Button:
Right back at ya'. I can't tell you how much your words mean to me, especially right now. There are times when we really wonder whether we are making a difference, and that's really what it's all about, right? Working to leave things better than we find them, trying to make it possible for those who come after us to have a better life than we have had? Speaking for those who have no voice? We get so caught up in the day to day-or just surviving-that we forget how what we say and do impacts others. I'm just as guilty as anyone.
Someone said that one of the rules of social relationships is that the more you get to know someone in private, the tougher it is to stick a knife in their back in public. It's easy to see all these candidates as cardboard, two deminsional, faces on the tv, but none of them really are that. These are real people, with real families who get tired, angry and sad-except they're not allowed to. To have had the opportunity to know the Edwards'-just a little bit-made me glad, actually, that someone who wanted to be leader of the free world had to threaten to take his son to the back of the bus for a talk when he wouldn't cooperate. I'm rambling; I know.
Run for office? I think about that sometimes, and people in my life mention it sometimes. It just always seems that I can imapct more by trying to effect the process in a broader way. I do appreciate the vote of confidence, though!
C'mon AM, take one for the team and run for office!!
By the way, PSC Commish's Stan Wise and Doug Everett are freaking evil, exactly the type of a-hole establishment guys that John Edwards was fighting against. Amy, when ya see them, tell GA Dem leaders to pay attention to the PSC once in a while. SCANA and GNG are blatantly stealing from customers.
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/printedition/2008/02/01/psc0201.html
Georgia Natural Gas and SCANA changed their standard variable-rate plans but didn't tell legacy customers who enrolled under previous plans.
Before the discussion began, Everett said he wanted several questions answered before holding a public hearing.
"I want to make sure the marketers are treated right," Everett said.
Wise said any discussion would be "a sham" after a commissioner asked that it be postponed.
But Baker said, "This commission cannot sit idly by and kill this matter because of administrative procedures."
Everett and Wise walked out.
I was suprised to see Edwards withdraw so suddenly. It seems like many of his supporters were taken by surprise as well. I hope that the withdrawal and its timing were purely his own decision.
Edwards should have a big impact at the convention in Denver. As a key supporter, I think that you should plan to attend.
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