A President Like My Father

Listening to my dad rant last night after Edwards dropped out was what I imagine it would be like to step back in time to when the Democratic party was a party of the people, NOT just fancy schmancy poseurs. I'm not backing down on that business, either.

Let me tell ya about dad.

Dad's a fervent southern/new deal/yellow dog democrat. His grandfather came here from ireland to dig ditches in the bootheel of missouri. Fast forward to when he was lucky enough to meet my mother, and now I have an Ivy League degree.

My sister and I are the John Edwards of our family. When John Edwards proper dropped out of the race, the voice of earnest 20 somethings like me got a lot quieter.

Sounds like we're giving up. We're not, its just a shame.

"Yet when John Edwards tried to build a campaign around ... issues he was subjected not only to the opposition of the establishment and its media but a notable tone of ridicule whose subtext was: why would anyone want to bother with such things? Especially a guy as rich as Edwards?

And when he pulled out of the race, Edwards was treated to more of the same, especially from such faux hip websites as Gawker, Radar and Fark:

Radar: The pretty-boy presidential candidate scored just 14 percent of the vote in yesterday's Florida primaries. . .

Fark: John Edwards announces he will drop out of race today to spend more time with his hair.

Gawker: John Edwards will end his 49th run for president Wednesday after failing to capitalize on his angry hobo-under-the-bridge message.

These sites, like much of elite America, are led by spoiled offspring of generations who had to struggle with just the sort of issues Edwards was trying to raise, but from which they now consider themselves immune by their education, status and cleverness. "


Sortof embarassing, ain't it? I really feel this argument. The crux of it is a large part of the people-based why of me staying and setting up "shop" here in St. Louis.

Read the rest here. Seriously, skim it.

Makes every point I would've continued to make for John until Nov and I'll make for myself forever. So many points.

John Edwards for president (of the shadow government) of the USA!

As God is my witness, I'll never watch Oprah again.

I'm hoping that John Edwards (the only guy that could've beaten McCain, despite the collective svengali-ing Obama's been doing) will take up the cause of NOLA, healthcare, and the struggling middle class in a private sector way, grow a beard, make a movie about it, get an Oscar and win a Nobel prize.

That's how you do it now, right?

I like my shadow government presidents Pretty and Populist. Frankly, that's how I'd like my ACTUAL president, but its not looking so good in that area.

From now till Tuesday, I'm going to have to decide which of the two dems are the Robin Hoodiest, and vote for that one. I won't say which one seems to more likely, in my mind, rob the rich and give to the poor (though I've picked one), because I am STILL an Edwards Girl.



I was so looking forward to living in a more swedish/scandinavian (healthcare-wise, though I am not averse to a nice meatball) United States of America. John's gonna find a way to do it more expediently and better than he ever could have as president.

We'll wait and see what happens in the General.

Come in from the Cold

Oh my, I was exhausted from the caucuses, and then I got this crazy cold disease thing. Let me tell you, it was crazy. I was well at 5pm last Saturday, and by 6pm I was basically driven to uselessness (re: watching too much MSNBC) sick. The Nyquil sleep was nice though.

Anyway, I'm back! Life in the 3rd week of January in the City of Saint Louis is great. I'll give you a run-down.

I saw John Edwards yesterday at his rally at the Carpenters' Union Hall. I really do like him. We'll see what happens. I vote how I WANT in the Primary. I'll pretend its the general, and my mind alone could WILL John the nomination. Right? Right.

I also had a great interview this past Friday -- it was just a fun interview. Who knew!? I suppose I can share that in this here forum. Come to think of it, I've had a couple other interviews that were actually fun. Only the other fun interviews did not result in a Donny Hathaway John Lennon cover! That's good stuff, however you look at it.

A friend and I were talking about how much we hate the interview question about your strengths and weaknesses, and how annoying it is that everyone answers the weaknesses with something that will show that they work too hard, but it's something they're trying to overcome....that sortof thing. You'd do it, don't lie! It's an act everyone puts on when they're playing the interview circuit. Interviews are the new vaudeville.

So we came to the conclusion that the next time that question gets asked, why not play it for laughs and just say that my biggest weakness is illiteracy.

...And I've done very well, thank you - and I don't appreciate you bringing it up!

Sister pride

My sister is a very important person.

SO important, she's on politco.com - just mention her name at any American Legion or after-church social, etc.... and you're sure to get the best cookies in all of southeast Iowa, and yelled at if you don't support my man John Edwards.

Check her out.

this valley girl gets political

I want to say I don't usually like to take sides much, but as much as I wanna say it - it ain't true! I love taking sides, and I've taken one. In the words of one of my hero's, Jonathan Antin of BravoTV's "BlowOut" -- "...and most importantly, he had perfect hair."




You'll look over to the right there and you'll see John Edwards, a man I'm hoping will be the anti-Clinton/Obama come primary time. Sure, if I think I know who you are, you probably know that my sister is working hard for Mr. JRE in Ottumwa, IA (did I tell you that I met a lady at Starbucks whose entire family was from Ottumwa!? It was zany.)--- but hey, I recently decided that I like Sen. Edwards just for him, and not due to the fact that he's feeding, health-caring, and otherwise keeping my baby sis busy up north. That's nice of him, though!

Basically, I'm tired of corporate politicians, or more specifically politicians run by machines that I don't like. John Edwards(with the possible addition of Biden) seems to be the only guy/gal in the race who's ready to stick it to the man, and who keeps it real.

So far, he's got my vote, whatever his haircut looks like.
Let's see what I can do to get him some more publicity here in the StL - I'm v. v. tired of hearing about Barack.