Impressions of an Edwards Campaign Stop

The first political event I saw was Adlai Stevenson at the Lane County Fairground during the Lane County Fair. I was six, shook his hand, was impressed by how tall he was and how kindly to a small boy. Still an indelible memory. I also saw Robert Kennedy when he came through Eugene on an honest-to-God whistlestop tour down the west coast as part of his campaign, some months before he was killed. Recall he gave a good stump speech, parried some ribaldry from the audience and we left fairly pleased with the whole event, having attended in a spirit of fun, some with straw hats.

Edwards appeared in San Francisco at a somewhat controversial nightspot called the "Temple Bar" which is a converted warehouse complex with four floors, six bars and a restaurant under construction. Decor is lots of Buddhist figures of the tourist art variety, which some argue is somewhat disrespectful considering the joint exists to foster the San Francisco singles club scene, apparently tilted toward the young, restless and hetro. Interesting to get a look at, as far as I am concerned, and since Buddhists generally have a pretty good sense of humor I am inclined to think that no one is likely to have a cow over it all. Now start a "Mecca Bar and Grill" or a "Jesus Disco" and I think it would be a very different story.

At any rate, the crowd, as is often the case in San Francisco, was an interestingly varied one. Socialites to homeless, with a smattering of old lefties and a side of elders. Not the bar scene in Star Wars, but not Kansas, either. A relatively small venue, stuffed in the end with 300 or so, standing and making noise, waiting for it to begin, climbing on the TV risers and the backs of chairs, good-humored and amoral. The bar was open, serving sort drinks, something called "Smart Water" and two brands of beer. Is that civilized, or what. One of the club's bouncers was at the door, a nice bit of local color. I immediately grasped why in England the Reggae song "Monkey Man" (Toots and the Maytals) became the nickname for dance club bouncers. I think why Edwards was speaking there was because he got the space for free.

Anyhow, before starting his prepared speech Edwards commented negatively on the suggestion that $20 billion in arms should be sold to Saudi Arabia. Said it was sending arms to an area of the world already in conflict, seemed likely to spark a regional arms race. Noted that he heard Dick Cheney strongly support it, and that pretty much clinched it as being a bad idea. Howls from the audience. Said that the first action he would take as President would be to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facilty. No more torture, not in our name, not on his watch. Launched into what must be his standard stump speech. No great surprises for the most part. Universal health care (not "National Insurance"), our responsibility to make sure every American gets decent preventive care, the importance of helping those at the bottom of the economic ladder, improving education, building our economy by building individual lives. Said that instead of starting wars so often he thought diplomacy should be focussed on helping other countries develop, one type of $4 one-time medication could save newborns in Africa from contracting HIV/AIDS during childbirth to infected mothers, but there is widespread lack of that medication where it is needed. Is that the value we place on a human life?

In ending he spoke of the $500 billion that has gone to Iraq. He said that it would sound like a crazy idea, but used differently that money could have given elementary school educations to every third-world child in the world. He sort of tapered off then, I think in tacit admission that would never happen.

What was striking was that he called out the Health Insurance companies and the extremely wealthy. Didn't waffle or say that "adjustments" would be needed, he said we needed a different and better way to deliver health care and that he planned to pay for it by rescinding tax cuts for those who earned more than $400,000 a year. Sort of drawing a line in the sand, that few if any other political figures have dared to, except for those with absolutely no chance. Edwards, as far as I can see, has a statistical chance, for example if someone comes forward with crap about Hillary and Obama during the primary season. Otherwise, no, he has no shot. He is helping to drive the debate, which I think is of value.

So, always interesting to see somebody in the flesh. Not as tall as Stevenson, a less funny accent than RFK, seemed a reasonable guy. He is obviously crazy to be making a run for President, against the odds, but he seems to be just cranking along like the Energizer Bunny, well-aware of the odds, but convinced he has something important to say and the energy to go out and just keep saying it. Very much retail politics, showing his face, pressing the flesh. I am sure he will be at many County Fairs. Does that kind of politics work any longer, now that Fox News is on 37% of television stations in the US? Or are we doomed to accept whoever the media decides we should like? I think that's really what it all comes down to.

Do the voters decide or does the media and the advertisements? Do we have a democracy, or are we a herd of multicolored sheep? Bred to be clipped instead of slaughtered, but still just a herd.

Arthur