John Edwards

John Edwards Dropping out Without Backing Down

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: I Won't Back Down

A Song for Kucinich

The democracy of the internet seems alive and well on YouTube these days. Historian Howard Zinn, when speaking about art and war, called art "the equalizer" because it can bring to the fore certain truths that may be shunned by those in power. That said, please allow me to present Dakota & the Black River Bandit singing for Dennis Kucinich.

Dakota & the Black River Bandit

Song for Dennis Kucinich 2008

Mike Gravel

Candidate Mike Gravel



Maggie on Mike Gravel...

“Gravel was in the Alaska House of Reps in the mid-60's, then became a US Senator from Alaska, 1969 - 1981. He was instrumental in making the Pentagon Papers public in the 1960's. Afterward, he published "The Senator Gravel Edition, The Pentagon Papers (Beacon Press, 1971), with added commentaries by Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky. Also, he is, arguably, the person responsible for stopping the draft in 1971.”

Thanks Maggie!

More Candidates

Thanks to readers I have 2 more candidates. I could not add to my other poll because votes have already been cast. I have included Dennis Kucinich even though he has officially dropped out because I could not have a new poll with only 1 candidate and Kucinich remains the dream candidate of many idealists.

Bobby

BOBBY
ON DVD @ SAN JUAN PUBLIC LIBRARY

Sometimes art shows us perspectives on our past that relate to how we go about creating our future. On the DVD shelf at Friday Harbor's public library I found the Movie, Bobby, a star studded telling of the day Robert Kennedy was shot. It was same day he won the presidential primary in California. Besides its impressive cast it features actual footage of RFK and Walter Cronkite. The story line may seem like a mass of disjointed subplots but it is well worth seeing even just to watch Demi Moore as an alcoholic prima dona in a touching scene with her hairdresser Sharon Stone or see Harry Belefonte play chess with Anthony Hopkins. It has a good sixties inspired soundtrack including Aretha Franklin and it ends with an inspiring speech by Bobby Kennedy. Just the thing to get you ready for the caucus.

Caucusing on San Juan Island

San Juan County Democratic Caucus

I’ve served as a San Juan County precinct committee person twice. In 1988, it was easy. We met at the school and went into classrooms with our neighbors (all 8 of them). I read the directions and we chewed it over then unanimously decided on Jesse Jackson.

2004 was a different story. This time I went to planning meetings for months in preparation. Caucus day the school was a madhouse. My neighborhood classroom was packed. I had a special assistant just to do the math. We had 1 Sharpton supporter, 1 Edwards’s supporter, the rest split between Kerry, Dean and Kucinich. Our Edwards supporter was nearly in tears because without 15% there was no chance to be represented by a delegate and she was not willing to swing to another candidate. I was nearly convinced to swing to Edwards myself if we could have rallied the 15%. This is the fun part where each group tries to convince others to join them. The Kerry people were adamant that he was the electable candidate. The Sharpton supporter swung to the Kucinich crowd and eventually so did I. I think our lonely stalwart Edwards supporter may have taken up the mantle of precinct committee person for Friday Harbor 2. If she has she may finally get her chance!

CAUCUS '08
Washington State's Democratic Precinct Caucuses will be held on
Saturday, February 9th, 2008 beginning at 1:00 pm.

link to: San Juan County Democrats

Washington State Caucus ~ Feb 9