The Button

Back in Denver (doesn't that seem like years ago?), I met a lady who had made and was selling to help defray Hillary's campaign debt,  this pin:

It was designed to send the message that Hillary supporters were NOW Barack Obama supporters.

If you have been a loyal reader, you'll remember my post of August 28 ("Everyone Makes Nice") where Hillary nominated Barack by acclimation and Bill Clinton gave a fantastic & supportive speech for Barack. It seemed everyone was "healed" or at least on their way to that promised land except John Oliver and the Daily Show people who were keen to point out that the PUMA people were NEVER -EVER-going to support Obama. 

The Convention concluded and as as we all returned to our home towns, we took our "Hillary Supports Obama" buttons with us. 

Then came the Republican Convention and the phenomenon known as Sarah Palin. I know I don't have describe what has since transpired. EXCEPT for the transformed button. 

The button has taken on a whole new meaning: That is, Hillary people ARE Obama supporters and NOT Sarah Palin supporters! 

Last weekend, my mom and I were in New York City and as we proudly wore our buttons--countless people stopped to talk to us --in the hotel, at lunch and dinner, on the street--to say they loved the button, how could they get a button of their own, and other equally cheerful things! We made a million new friends! :)

As we were checking out of our very nice hotel, the doorman (of all people!) made a snide remark about our pins: Something like: "If he wins, you won't be able to stay at a hotel like this!" And with that, my mother turns to him and says: "If he doesn't win, you won't be having a job at a hotel like this!"

And as we know, there is our great-grand-canyon-of-a-culture-divide.

Bookends

I sent this letter to the editor of The New York Times. Doubtful that it will see publication, I offer my thoughts in this humble blog. I suggest everyone call their Representative and Senators. This is no laughing matter.

To the editor:

In their meticulous description (Blocking Care for Women", NYTimes, September 19, 2008) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/opinion/19clinton.html 

Hillary Clinton and Cecile Richards perfectly describe what may be the matching bookend for the G.W. Bush Presidency. On his first day in office, January, 2001, President Bush reinstated the Global Gad Rule, a policy whose restriction mandates that no U.S. family planning assistance can be provided to foreign NGOs that use funding from any other source to perform abortions, provide counseling or lobby to make abortion legal or more available. The "gag" stifles free speech and health care progress for women in developing countries.

Now, the Bush Health and Human Service people want to extend a similar "gag" order cloaked as a way to "protect a provider's conscience" to block women's health needs right here in the United States of America. Good Grief. If this is allowed, "we the people" are surely headed toward an "imperfect union".

Culture

The last three weeks have been filled with two back-to-back political conventions and a week that was not to be for recuperation-but blaring with non-stop shooting of red and blue poison arrows. 

I write today about two things: 1) the double standard (it's "ok" for the red team but not-so-"ok" for the blue team and 2) Two countries: The USA and the USA.

The double standard I refer to concerns the righteous right against the somehow unrighteous- non-right. 

Examples-I'm sure you've read these before:

1) Jamie Lynn Spears (Brittany's sister) gets pregnant and the right shouts: "bad parents" BUT

Sara Palin's daughter get pregnant and the right politely states: "we treasure life".

2) If you're Harvard educated and by-pass the fancy law firm to focus on your community and your family, you are not "truly American" BUT if you never went to college or you went to multiple small colleges and finally graduated, you're living as  a "real American".

So goes the popular email entitled "I'm Confused"(Thank you, Andy!) and while all the examples are clever and very sarcastically-smart aleck, the real point is that there is something at work that- to me- and probably to  you, doesn't quite make sense. Why is my thinking so, so opposite? Why can't I get my mind around the "red world"?

To help educate myself and  better understand the "other side of the argument", I recently subscribed to the Wall Street Journal (Sorry, Bob, not quite ready for Rush's Newsletter!). As much as I am a devoted fan of the NYTimes op-ed folks; Tom Friedman,  Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd--I knew I needed another view. And there, on Saturday morning, was the article that said it all: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122125912790430149.html

In case the link doesn't work or you don't want to read the lengthy article, the main take-aways are: 1) "Liberals always think there's something broken in politics. Conservatives always think there's something wrong with the culture."

and

2) If hearing the word "culture" makes you think of Rossini, the latest translation of  "Anna Karenina", the Guggenheim Museum" or "The Wire", then you're probably a liberal--or at least, an  unreconstructed "cosmopolitan" conservative. But if the word culture means for you forms of courtship, or sexual preference, or the relationship between parents and children, or the set of rituals that revolve around the ownership and use of a gun, or, most passionately of all, ways OF living, and believing, and rejoicing, and suffering, and dying that are hallowed by the religion you practice, you are what might be called either a heartland or a Bloomian conservative.

Thus, I finally "get it"....it's about two ways of life...two opposite world views. Which brings me to my final musing...

Saturday-ironically the same day as the WSJ "Culture" article-I volunteered at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. My job brought me into the lives of two young suburban sisters--a 17year old high school senior and 20 year old-a college sophomore.

When someone walked by wearing an Obama hat, I  took the opportunity to inquire if the girls had chosen their candidate. Without a moment's hesitation, they forcefully and with commitment said"McCain". 

After I caught my breath, I gently asked what about McCain earned their support. And that's when the WSJ article intersected with my new teenaged friends: "Sarah Palin!" they exclaimed, "she's gonna bring us change."

It was raining on Saturday. And we had a two-hour shift together. I took a loooong pause. A short while later, I asked what they knew about Sarah? (Suddenly I'm on a first name basis with Ms. Palin!)  When the answers were non-coming, I asked, "Do you knew about Sarah's strict anti-abortion policy and her abstinence-only sex education?" No, they weren't that familiar with that stuff, but their own religion was against abortion.

Suddenly, the 17 year old volunteers that just 3 weeks ago she had accompanied a pregnant friend to court-as a minor, the friend was seeking a judge's permission for an abortion. (Being underage and not wanting her parents involved, she needed the judge to grant the abortion permission.) If the friend had to have the baby, she would have had to forfeit her 4-year, full college scholarship. Wanting to go on to college, she proceeded with the court approved abortion.

Now, we were talkin! We talked about the implications the overturn of Roe v Wade, back alley abortions, coat hangers ("really?" they asked eyes wide open?? These "hip-know-it-all"and  confident-girls were shocked!) We shared a few more "real stories, talked about Sarah's abstinence-only sex education policy ("Are you kidding?" they asked)  and then the younger sister said "well, we have have to vote MCCain b/c our parents and grandparents are for him" and, anyway, they are Italian and "Italians would never vote for a black".

Ahhh. And there it was. The angry, festered, bursting boil. The culture war at work.

I sympathized with their situation and acknowledged that kids often agree with the politics of their family's dinner table. The girls were silent. And I was silently hoping that armed with some facts from our conversation they would have the courage to make their own decision.

There is a lot of work to do to reach across the "culture".

Back Home and BAM!

Back home for a few days, and while I am still reeling from the long days and short nights, life was mostly back to normal when BAM!  John McCain names Sarah Palin as his VP and the suddenly, women across America are asking themselves: Can I support Sarah Palin?

Thanks to Lana Moresky for alerting me to the Gloria Steinem article in today's LA Times. Gloria says it all and says it best: http//www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-steinem4-2008sep04,o,1290251.story 

McCain's "no-choice" choice

I certainly did not expect to add yet another post today... Thought you all might have had enough. But as my plane was coming to its Cleveland gate, my email was filled with inquires about what I thought about McCain's VP choice and did I think the PUMA people would line up for McCain.

First, I'm flattered at the question. And since you asked, here goes-with this caveat:

I am not the "Hillary Clinton supporters" spokesperson. 

That said, the Hillary supporters I know are all lined up behind Obama: 100%. We know the first order of business is TO WIN! and John McCain in the White House is no way to advance the women's agenda. For Ms. Palin: Just having breasts is not quite enough of a qualification.

So in spite of the talking heads, IMHO: I don't think the Alaska Governor will de-rail Barack Obama except that McCain will probably get Alaska's 3 electoral votes. 

the BIG day

The BIG Day

the endless line

The HUGE crowd

 

The BIG CheersI

Ohio's delegation met for our usual morning briefing that included a Memorial Tribute to Stephanie Tubbs-Jones. As you might imagine, all Ohio's elected officials paid tribute to Stephanie (Governor Strickland, Senator Brown, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunning, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Refern, and a lot of other people too (this was a 1 hour tribute). 

The remainder of the day was dedicated to getting to and into Invesco Field. No matter what you saw on TV, this was an enormous event. I heard $50 million along for security. And I believe it. Today's security was miles beyond what we had seen on prior days. 

First, to realize: Unlike the Pepsi Center, Invesco Field was not that accessible by foot. And even by vehicle, not so easy. A majority of the main roads to Invesco Field were closed. 

For me, this day was both exhilarating and exhausting.

First: Exhilarating.

Another Sparkling Denver day eliminated the weather worries. Lana and I went to lunch with all leaders of the Women's Movement including: Ellie Smeal, President. Feminist Majority, who sat with Joe Biden during the Clinton Speech and Kathy Spillar, Executive Editor Ms. Magazine.

The restaurant was very close to Invesco Field so we all felt very "safe" that we had plenty of time to avoid a rush. 

I was the first to leave. And as soon as I walked into the adjacent parking lot, I was stunned. As far as I could see, there was a winding line of thousands of people waiting to clear the credential check point. Dozens of Denver volunteers were trying to manage the crowd which-over all-was very controlled and patient. I was told that my "delegate badge" did not qualify me to "jump to the head of the line" and in no uncertain terms I was to "go to the end" (I couldn't even see the end of that line!) Long story short: I marched myself to the front of the line, declared I had a delegate credential and still the volunteer started pointing me in the "end of the line" direction while saying, "You'll have to speak with the Secret Service". I did and was ushered right through the "credential check".

"Ahh", you may say, "she got in." Not so fast! From there, I had about another mile of a winding and uphill trek to the 2nd security check point. 

FInally, at 3.30 pm I got to the seat my friend Judi Wolf was saving. 

All the speeches and pagent you saw on TV, need no comment from me. The crowd was HUGE and showed their love throughout the day and evening.

GETTING OUT: one word: Nightmare.

Almost 90,000 people leaving at the same time was wild. There were dozens of buses for people w/a credential but there were 10,000 of us and the buses were jammed. There was NO organization at all. Finally, on a bus that sat in the parking lot for another hour (!), I returned to my hotel 2 hours after leaving my seat in Invesco Field.

Today was not a day for the faint of heart!

Everyone Makes Nice

By the end of Bill Clinton's speech- the feeling-for the first time this week-really felt UNIFED. When Bill Clinton came to the stage, the hall erupted in a huge, long and wildly ecstatic! and roar would not stop. If you were watching TV, you could see The President trying to calm the crowd-but to no avail. I think everyone was happy to be happy! (Plus, he clearly loved the love coming his way!) 

The choreographed nomination of Barack Obama, with the NY Delegation escorting Hillary into the hall and Hillary's gracious nomination completing the nominating process was brilliant. Again, everyone seemed really happy-everyone until we left the Pepsi Center and encountered a woman from Maryland being interviewed by John Oliver of Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. At first I thought she was an "act", but, no, she was clearly not happy and kept declaring she was voting for McCain. It was fun to watch the Daily Show people in action-but not so much fun hearing this lady.

There is a group called PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) that is supposedly composed of unhappy Clinton supporters saying they will vote McCain--but there are rumors that PUMA is being financed by the Republicans. Whoever they are, they have been demonstrating all week...right along side of the Falon Gong, the anti-abortion people with their dead baby photos and the evangelicals shouting at all passers-by that all women are going to burn for eternity in hell if we don't "submit to men" and accept Jesus. 

Armed with a precious ticket to Joe Biden's after party, we arrived at the Denver Convention Center to find "really delicious food" and since we were starving we were doubly happy.  All the B-I-G Obama fundraisers-led by Penny Pritzker-were there trying to be nice to the newly enfranchised Clinton people. It was like being the new "in laws"  and coming into a huge, happy family that was getting along fine without you, thank you very much! 

While this has been an amazing week, attending a national political convention requires considerable physical fitness, endurance and courage! This is not a sport for the faint of heart! But, nevertheless,  definitely a sport!