With all these folks in town for PodcasterCon this weekend, John and Elizabeth Edwards – who also live here in Chapel Hill and have their own podcast – decided to host a dinner with a few podcasters. I got to go as the partner of the fabulous conference organizer Brian Russell, which was a nice change as he often accompanies me to stuff where I am the invitee and he is my guest. (And most of that stuff isn’t nearly this fun.)
I was especially eager to meet Elizabeth Edwards as I have always found her to be strong role model for women in the public eye. I really don’t know what I would have said to John, as I am still extremely disappointed with his vote for the war and with his abdication of the US Senate seat to which North Carolinians worked so hard to get a Democrat elected. He has apologized for the former in his famous “I was wrong” editorial, which is more than most Dems have managed, but I’m still disappointed and unconvinced that he actually beleived the “intelligence” at the time when so many of us plebes without security clearance could see right through it.
Also, Elizabeth participated on OrangePolitics after I started a fuss about her and John’s voter registration. It seems they were still in the midst of moving from Raleigh to Chapel Hill and decided to vote in the community they knew better. She was extremely patient and gracious about explaining this to us rabble-rousers.
Anyway dinner was great, and I got to sit right next to her! She was very friendly, and extremely smart. I see now that both she and her husband have a gift for politics. Even though I don’t agree with all of his (their?) positions, I am increasingly convinced that John Edwards is the best Democrats can do in 2008, so I am hoping he will make another presidential run.
Cool. I’m a big fan of the Edwards.
It’s important to consider the context of that vote, in the larger picture. At the time, regardless of faulty intelligence, everyone believed that there were WMD’s because the Inspectors had not finished disposing of them. I certainly believed there were WMD’s, and sadly, I have to admit that I still do.
Anyway, I was against the war; but if I were forced to explain that to the voters of NC, and still get elected to persue my agenda, I’d think twice about voting against the war. It’s tough being a southern democrat.
As for the abdication of the seat to run for POTUS, yeah I’m with you. If he had voted against the war, this would make more sense to me (“Sorry NC, but I must stop Cheney”).
Nevertheless, I am enthusiastic about the idea of him running for president again. In the mean time, he has a great job, and is doing important work.
Edwards/Dole in 08. Sinreich/Graysmith for NC senators.
End Rant.
Of course, I am jealous of you. I guess if I was a podcaster….