Why I’m Bumming that John Edwards Dropped Out

Ok, it’s been more than 2 days since Edwards packed up his tent and moved on. Still, I’m damned upset. The man had the right message for the right time. We do have “two Americas.” Anyone who lived in (or still lives in) The Rust Belt knows that. Anyone who’s had a family member been displaced in a job knows that. Anyone who has been in a catastrophic family situation knows that.

Edwards believed in everything I believe in: End No Child Left Behind, get out of the war, have universal health care, work on improving the lives of those in poverty, provide economic opportunity for all. Be fair with taxation.

He had the plans that pushed the two au courant “rock stars” in the Democratic party to consider that the platform needs to be more than someone’s gender or race and a couple of catchy words. Edwards was truly, truly spot on. He kept the frontrunners honest.

I’m glad that Edwards is holding out on those 26 delegates he has. Wait it out, John. Not to be a kingmaker, but to ensure that someone’s standing up for those who have no voice.

I know I’m voting in the NJ primary come Tuesday. I really have thought about voting for Edwards if his name is on the ballot — not in protest, but to say that maybe, just maybe, if Edwards could have held on to Super Tuesday that he could have been a larger player. A few friends of mine have said I’m just being my stupid, stubborn self. They remember when I embarassed my mother by having the only write in ballot for Jerry Brown in 1976 (I drove 90 minutes from college to vote and then I was the only write in vote in my small town!). They remember when I voted for John Anderson in 1980 because I believed Anderson was right about the need for an energy tax (he was visionary on that issue, for sure). They remember when I couldn’t vote in 1984 because I moved to a new voting district — and how I spit nails because I was so stupid for having my house closing after the deadline for changing districts!

The list goes on….1988, 1992 (so happy that the Democrats were going to sweep…watching the folks in the North End of Syracuse where I grocery shopped talk politics — in both Italian AND English), 1996. And when I wanted to leave for Canada in 2000 because of my anger — only to be stopped by my graduate students’ petition begging me to stay.

Now it’s my 9th Presidential Election. I really believe in John Edwards. My hope is that he will become a VP candidate (please, John….PLEASE!). I’ll cast my vote for whomever selects Edwards as a running mate. I’m not proud. I’m angry. I’m angry at the same things Edwards is angry about and wants changed in America. While I’ve not been as lucky as he has in life, I’ve been very fortunate. I want others to have that same sort of opportunity. But I don’t see that option open with the other candidates.

 So yeah, I’m really bummed that John Edwards  dropped out of the race. I once thought Al Gore would come riding in on some sort of post-Nobel environmental cause thing…

Bummed there, too.