BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

It’s been several hours now since John Edwards left Chattanooga and there is a buzz, at least among those with whom I have talked.  Of course, birds of a feather ….  Well, in this case it was more like four asses and two elephants herding together at a Chinese restaurant.

I spent an hour or so having lunch with friends after the Edwards rally and some very interesting comments were made.  I must admit that some of them set me to thinking.

One friend brought up Obama’s campaign being based on “hope” for the future.  Another responded, quoting from Anderson Cooper’s commentary on the aftermath of Katrina and FEMA’s debacle, “Hope is not a plan.” 

That set off a series of comments that were rather enlightening.  Some of my luncheon friends argued that Obama was the candidate of hope, charismatic and motivational.  Yet another suggested that he get a job as a motivational speaker, saying that she had recently been to a business conference that was so full of the “hip-hip-hooray” rhetoric that everyone was walking on air as they left the convention center on the final evening.  About fifteen minutes later with no one present to lead the cheers, it occurred to her that while she had become motivated and eager to do something, no one had bothered to lay out the plan.  She knew no more than she had when she arrived at the convention two days earlier.  That, too, was her analysis of Obama.  Her words were, “He’s like cotton candy, all fluffy and pretty to look at, but where is the substance?”

Another companion, at the age where she is awaiting her AARP card, mentioned that she had been a “Hillary” supporter since the former first lady announced.  ”I always thought we would have a woman president before I died,” she began.  She paused a bit, most of us thinking she had completed her comment.  She added, “I just hope it isn’t Hillary.”

You could have felt the air being sucked from the around the table as the rest of us gasped.  We had all but kidnapped her to get her to the Edwards rally.

Another spoke, saying that she so wanted to see change, that nothing could be more exciting for America that to do something different like electing Obama or Clinton but “that’s a luxury.  We can’t afford luxuries right now.” 

John Edwards outlined his plans for change, ending the war in Iraq, healthcare, education, and economics.  He got his point across.  He spoke solidly and convincingly.  Without all the pomp and circumstance he laid out his plan for the future. 

And, based on my lunch companions, he gained six votes.  I just wonder what the two elephant husbands thought when they arrived at home this evening to the sight of “John Edwards ‘08″ placards in their front yards.