Comparing their situation to that of come-from-behind racehorse, Seabiscuit, Elizabeth Edwards introduced her husband to an enthusiastic mob of supporters at an historic mill in Manchester, NH early this morning, just hours after the Senator's second-place finish in Iowa.
I took a few moments off from helping out behind the scenes to snap these two photos. Couldn't get close to the Senator but did get the chance to witness Elizabeth greeting supporters by the mill's exit. They didn't need Elizabeth's handshake, thanks or hug to head out into the minus 6 degree morning. They were already fired up and ready to go to bat door-to-door for the man some of them got up at 2 a.m. to drive from New Jersey to celebrate with and campaign for.
No one wanted to pass up a chance to meet his wife and clearly people respond to the sincerity of his family. But it's the the depth of the Senator's ideas and plans for the working people of America that continue to fuel an amazing amount of volunteer hours for a campaign that has steadfastly refused lobbyist influence and money bags.
When you look at the spending totals it's an amazing accomplishment to have edged out the well-oiled Clinton machine. And just as stunning to have finished in the running behind a campaign that outspent him four or five to one.
I've napped for a few hours and will head back to the grindstone shortly. I'm having an amazing experience in New Hampshire. No time to say more but I highly encourage anyone to join the process, head up here or start thinking about South Carolina. This is the time to make your impact on the electoral process. Just do it. Don't let the media and lobbyists pick our next president.
Comments
Nice.
You're doing a great job DQ
How is Elizabeth holding up? I was so fired up last night watching the results that Betsy was bringing to BlueNC. Everyone's adrenaline has to be pumping to keep up this pace!
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
Progressive Discussions
As you can see, mo, she's doing very well
I don't know how long she slept last night. It couldn't have been much! But, as you can see, she was up and at 'em this morning. This was taken after the rally, probably around 7:30. She's one determined lady.
I took video of both of them speak this morning but I have no way of posting it. And it was so packed I had to hold my camera up in the air which makes it quite shaky.
They were both pretty fired up. Amazing amazing people. Lots of class.
News of the 10th district: See Pat Go Bye Bye,
Thanks for the report...and your work. This fight is NOT over!!
Nan and I will be in South Carolina working. It's amazing to me that the Media continues to ignore John.
Obama spent well over $9M and Hillary over $7.5M. I figure each vote Obama got to achieve a 6-7% margin cost him about $500. Thay may work in Iowa but he'll have to take a lot more money from lobbyists if he wants to buy that margin in CA.
Stan Bozarth
just had to respond to this one..
With all due respect, but I really think you're not being very honest here and insinuating stuff that simply isn't true.
First of all the victory margin wasn't 6 or 7%, but 8 with Edwards and 9 with Clinton, but that's a detail.
Then you seem to suggest that Obama "bought" his votes. If you can just buy votes in Iowa, then why did Clinton end up third after spending $7 million?
Obama didn't win Iowa by buying votes, he won because the majority of Iowans believe in him.
Then you go on suggesting that Obama will have to take money from lobbyists to win.
You forget to mention that the reason Obama has a lot of money is because he has received 800,000 donations from 500,000 people before the Iowa caucuses even began, more than have ever donated to a presidential campaign before the voting begins.
Obama has a big "war chest", not because he gets huge donations from a few people or lobbyists, but because he gets small donations from hundreds of thousands of supporters and the win in Iowa will make that group even bigger.
The question you need to ask is Why your candidate doesn't get that kind of support.
I'll be in SC this weekend too, and I want to thank you for the work you're doing to keep our democracy alive and vibrant, but I'll be working for the guy who's going to win. Sorry.
Left on 49
No arguments there, LiberalNC
Congratulations to Senator Obama and his staff, volunteers and supporters on his well-fought victory.
He's put together an absolutely wonderful grassroots campaign. I do wonder why people don't see what I do in Senator Edwards. I've been with him from the start. It's obvious he never gets the mainstream or corporate media attention others have with the same level of financial and polling support. And that makes tends to make us supporters somewhat grouchyl.
I don't think that Obama has sold out to corporations as have other candidates. Yet Senator Edward's experience at fighting corporate greed and malfeasance is right there for everyone to see. And well before this last week, I've wondered how Obama plans to make these changes he talks about. Of course, the ability of candidates to make promises happen once they are office-holders is dependent on so many factors that no one can really predict. People vote on gut for that one and 38% of Democrats in Iowa made one choice, 30% another and 29% another. That's pretty close to me. That's way toooo close to say, okay, it's over. We're not talking a Guiliani 3.5.
All that being said, if Barack Obama is our nominee I will support him 100 percent over any other options. And be very very proud to do so.
And I think there's a lot going to happen between now in South Carolina but I encourage everyone, Republican and Democrat to go there to support your candidate. Most primaries are meaningless after January.
News of the 10th district: See Pat Go Bye Bye,
Response to response... :)
He didn't even get over 50% of the Democratic delegates who were awarded from a frantic, last-minute herd-count of well-meaning musical chair enthusiasts, much less over 50% of the people in a state that helped put jerkoff back in office in 2004.
Just sayin'. :)
Now, now - even so.
He won. And his speech was inspiring. His people were organized. My 79 year old mother called me and told me that she had decided based on that speech that she would vote for him. She said he was exciting and commanding. :)
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Barack would make a great President,
and I am sooo glad that the majority of Americans (from what I can tell) don't consider his race an issue—they're actually listening to what he says, and basing their decision from that.
It speaks volumes about the progress we have made in race relations in this country, during a time when the media chooses to focus on examples that cause us to question whether any real progress has been made.
All that being said, John Edwards has some pretty specific and sensible ideas about reversing trends in poverty, making higher education more accessible and affordable and breaking us out of the downward health care spiral, and I honestly believe these things won't be dealt with as well by anybody else.
I agree whole-heartedly with everything you said.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
How long you been in politics son?
:)
Stan isn't saying Obama bought the votes, but that each vote cost him that much. He spent x amount (advertising, signs, other election related crap)....got y number of votes - simple math - divide what was spent by the number of votes and you see what each vote cost. We do that all the time in politics. It's one reason we can say with pretty much confidence how much Robin Hayes has to spend to win b/c we know what each vote costs him. It's also the reason I say with confidence that Larry doesn't have to match Hayes dollar for dollar b/c historically Dems in the 8th don't spend as much per vote.
Obama may have to take money from lobbyists, PACS, etc to win if he has to continue spending that much for each vote. Many of his donations aren't donations at all, but are actually from purchases of Obama paraphernalia. He sells more souvenirs than other candidates.(I found that info somewhere online and now can't find it again, but from the attendance at his rallies I'm pretty sure it has to be true.) I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but people will only buy so many tee shirts, bumper stickers and coffee mugs. I haven't done the math, so I don't know if this is the case. Just trying to explain what Stan means and why what he says may very well be true.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
buying elections
I spent 1.29 cents ($735/57053 votes)per vote in 2006. Hopefully the citizens of Mecklenburg are getting their money worth
"jump in where you can and hang on"
Briscoe Darling to Sheriff Andy
You crack me up
I just love you. Yes, they're getting their money's worth out of you....are you getting your $1.29/vote out of the experience?
I'm signing up for the newsletter and preordering my trees and rain barrel. If I preorder my trees can my mother pick them up for me? Em hasa SATs that morning.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
too late
too late for tree pre orders but if you ask nicely we might be able to work something out. You can still pre order the rain barrels. Don't think they would fit in your Mom's car though.
"jump in where you can and hang on"
Briscoe Darling to Sheriff Andy
Urgh
I'll have to work something out, then. Maybe the man can take the daughter to Wingate and I can come play with trees and barrels. :)
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
***************************
Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Obama yard sign in Concord
Saw an Obama yard sign in Concord today, right across the street from a Paul yard sign. Is it yours Lib?
"jump in where you can and hang on"
Briscoe Darling to Sheriff Andy
No, there's more than one Obama supporter in Concord.
Believe it or not ;-)
The sign you're talking about is on Union St and belongs to an older African American gentleman.
I live about 3 miles from there in a subdivision who's HOA doesn't allow yard signs until 45 days before the election. So no sign in my yard.
By the way, since you were on Union Street, did you visit our local liberal hangout, the Sweet Pea Cafe, by any chance?
Left on 49
FYI - current delegate count
can be found here.
Note that this includes superdelegates who could change their mind.
Person County Democrats
I actively oppose gerrymandering. Do you?
Fill me in -
How can delegates be awarded when none of these states have had primaries yet? I'm way confused.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Delegates
Different states have different rules, but my understanding is basic. Some people are counted as super delegates (for example, Democratic elected officials). When they endorse a candidate they are saying they will vote for that candidate when the delegates vote. This all happens outside of the primary process.
This is a vague answer, but it is the best that I can provide. Any others have more details?
Ah.
OK. So no matter what we the people say, some of the candidates started off ahead because of the old boy network?
Hm. That's BS.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Here's a link to an article that might help
but essentially you have it right. About 800 Dem. delegates get to make up their own minds about who to vote for - basically the hot snot Dem. elected officials from each state.
The article is here.
I couldn't find a date for the latest CNN superdelegate polling, so we have no way of knowing how current the delgate count is. Way less than half of the superdelegates have expressed a preference 'twould seem.
Person County Democrats
I actively oppose gerrymandering. Do you?
Short Elizabeth Video from AM Rally in Manchester
DramaQueen is still recovering from her encounter with Joe Trippi and wanted me to post this video for her.
Also, for those of you stuck in the warm weather of the south (although, I hear it has not so warm lately) here is a pic of BlueSouth and DQ at the Edwards rally.
Great to see DQ and BS
Lookin' good!
2 Different reactions to sleep deprivation
DQ gets more pumped up. I just try to maintain the ability to form sentences.
"Keep the Faith"
"Keep the Faith"
Not Just Sleep Deprivation
DQ says that is not just sleep deprivation but several Shotz of Caffiene!!! Not to mention the Kool-Aid she has been drinking all week.
Uh oh.
Edwards' "Angry Guy" Kool-Aid?!?!? Just kidding!