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July 28, 2004
GOOSEBUMPS
Because I have been involved in politics for much of my life from the inside, I tend to observe political mechanics with a different eye than many. Not with a cynical eye so much, just a knowing one. In my life, I've known Senators and Congressmen, and have met two presidents and a vice president. Very little fazes me in that regard; I am more realistic than idealistic. In my whole life, I have only had one speech give me goosebumps -- Mario Cuomo's address at the 1984 Democratic Convention.
Tonight, I had them again.
John Edwards spoke to the Democrats in Boston and to Americans across the country tonight. If any of you ever want to know the speech I've always wanted to write or to give, you heard it tonight.
I supported John Kerry as far back as 2002; I'll be honest, my primary reason was that the pragmatic side of me believed he was the Democrat with the best chance to defeat Bush. As the primaries played out, though, I started listening to Edwards' stump speech, and the pragmatist took a back seat to the idealist in me. The New York primary was a foregone conclusion by election day... so even after having contributed a couple hundred dollars to Kerry, I gave in to my idealistic side and voted for Edwards. Tonight, I felt better about that vote than any other I have ever cast.
It wasn't just that a trained speaker hit a home run when it was his turn at the plate. It was what he said. I turned the speech on absent-mindedly while checking fantasy baseball scores, just to see how he'd do; two minutes in, I was sitting on the edge of my sofa, the laptop left behind on my desk, hanging on everything Edwards said.
When he said we're going to pay for our agenda by keeping the tax cuts for 98% of Americans, I applauded in my living room. When he talked about how we need to value and respect the hard-working people who've lived up to their end of the bargain by working full time jobs and who yet still live in poverty, I pumped my fists in agreement. When he talked about how there doesn't have to be two Americas - one for the affluent and one for the rest of us - I said, "YESSSS!!" to no one in particular. When he talked of respecting the sacrifices and the courage of our armed forces, I got goosebumps. When he recalled the horror of 9/11 and said that al Qaida cannot run, cannot hide -- that we will destroy them... I stood up, energized with enough adrenalin that I could have put on the uniform again and joined the battle this very evening. And when he reminded us of the wife and mother who's struggling right now because her husband in the National Guard was called up a year ago and still hasn't been allowed to come home, I was moved to the point that my eyes welled up.
Yes, Democrats sometimes go through a litany or laundry list... I'll admit, sometimes our candidates' speeches sound like they're just pandering to our list of interest groups. But Edwards tonight didn't hit them because he was reading from the list... it was just because his vision for America includes them all.
Between the tax credits for child care, and the promise to both eliminate tax breaks for companies who outsource American jobs, and to give tax breaks to companies who keep their jobs here, I'm sold. Add in the $4,000 tax credit for college tuition, and I'm really on board.
There was hope, there was vision, there was toughness, there was idealism... and I for one am inspired. I don't even care what Kerry says tomorrow. Edwards is someone I'm going to enjoy having as my Vice-President. I want this guy involved in making the policy of my country. After that speech, I'm ready to go into the trenches with this guy. I don't have reactions to political speeches; I write them. But tonight, I got goosebumps.
For another, perhaps more objective analysis of Edwards' speech, read here.
You want to know what kind of Democrat I am? John Edwards told you tonight.
