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This is the mindset we are up against.
On Friday evening several friends and I hosted a Clark fundraiser attended by Mrs. Clark, Congressmen Charles Rangel and William Jefferson, US Civil Rights Commissioner Mary Frances Berry and SC's former Governor Jim Hodges, all of whom were great. Over 800 invitations were sent, the venue was perfect (across from both the State House and Clark campaign headquarters) and the time was convenient -- right after work so folks could drop in directly from the many downtown workplaces. Yet, attendance was only fair and collections were far less than expected.
Same evening after that event, I went to an annual Black Sorority affair that was jam packed with well-heeled folks. So, still adorned with my Clark buttons, I decided to work the room. To the many undecideds, I pitched my plea about why I thought Clark was best and hopefully won some converts. Unfortunately, I encountered people who are planning to vote for Sharpton because "I like what he says and he's saying things the others can't/won't." Fair enough, I replied more times than I can recall but then countered that to make their votes really count and propel the right person to the nomination, they should vote for Clark and send some money to Sharpton to keep him on the trail and his voice in the 'debates'. Then there were the Kerry people whose only reason for support was "he's leading and he's electable." And last, perhaps the most disheartening, "well, I don't know enough to make up my mind." My retort for that was you do know that you don't want Bush and that any of the Democratic candidates would be better, but it's simply that we have to pick the right candidate...
Yesterday, Saturday, I'm still campaigning only this time at a predominantly White function. I knew a handful of people who know of my son's interest in the military (he would love to be a Ranger) and of the fact that I am holding him back (literally bribing him not to sign on any dotted line until Bush is out and the US is out of Iraq). Anyway, I used their queries about my boy to launch into why Iraq was the wrong war, at the wrong time, etc... Guess what y'all, the media has done a great job because the general responses I got were: "well, I'm glad we went over there before they come back and hurt us."
I am so despondent. I feel there is so much (perhaps too much) ignorance, apathy and indifference to overcome. Then it does not help that the media here has nearly completely ignored Clark. It's as though he were invisible. The stupid STATE newspaper ran 2 front page photos of Edwards in a single week, the more recent of which depicts him speaking comfortingly to a woman who lost her son in Iraq. No mention of course that Edwards' signing over war power to Bush helped put her son in harm's way.
The media blitz for Kerry and Edwards is amazing considering that a mere 2 weeks ago Kerry was not even on the radar screen. He had announced his candidacy at Patriot's Point in Charleston (a political ploy) in September but had not returned since. Native son Edwards was not thought too highly of either. In fact, his announcement of candidacy on the campus of the University of South Carlina's main campus here in Columbia was met with a disruptive, jeering crowd of young reptilians, I mean republicans. In the meantime, Clark has spent more time here with an active network of campaign people, paid and volunteer.
One of my selling points to those many people here that loathe Bush but feel disenfranchised being in a state that has given the White House to the Bushes in 2 elections is a simple story:
we want, we need outsiders who truly understand the plight of working people and who have lived the American Dream. That ticket should be Clark-Edwards. Two men from humble backgrounds, whose success is rooted in education and opportunity and who want to give back that educational opportunity to others. One man understands war, foreign policy and the inside workings of the Pentagon and is not afraid to take on the Pentagon's bloated budget and put money in education and healthcare. The other is a Washington newbie, still new enough to be able to look at things from an outsider's perspective but has some valuable experience with how things work in Washington that can be helpful in getting things done. That's a ticket that would appeal to the masses, carry southern/sunbelt states that Clinton won but Gore lost and most important, can defeat Bush.
I hope I have won some supporters, but what I have sadly discovered is that we are not only a fractured nation, we are a terribly splintered party and that may be our undoing and lead to defeat in Novemeber.
It's now Sunday, only 1:15 in the afternoon. I don't give a rip about the superbowl and after what I've seen this weekend, I am going to get an early start on a bottle of fig vodka, the only good thing I can think of at the moment.
Y'all have a good day, and enjoy the 2004 version of bread and circuses: patriots vs panthers
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