Kerry’s loss may not have felt so devastating if those early exit polls hadn’t been so strongly in his favor. My superstitious inclination warned me not to believe that it was a done deal, but it certainly was easy to feel a little gleeful. My husband and I were emotionally involved in this campaign, not just because we had given personal funds and raised significant money. We agreed with Kerry’s agenda, and the values of honesty and service that he represented. We also knew Kerry personally, had attended small dinners with him, and contributed to his early Senate runs. Now as he ran for President, he would acknowledge my husband if he spotted him in a crowd and bother to hug me if I was up front in a rope line. This was heady stuff, and as close as we would ever be to someone with serious political power.
People often commented that they didn’t like Kerry, but they would vote against Bush. I suspect that they weren’t drawn to the Senator because they found him to be stiff. They complained that he spoke as though programmed; his wife’s blunt views sometimes made them cringe. Relating with female voters was so important, yet when Heinz Kerry said that Laura Bush had never held a “real” job, she was questioning anyone who had chosen to be a stay-at-home mom. I’ve talked with Teresa one-on-one, and found her to be articulate and vulnerable as she explained how tough it’s been to be pilloried in the press. It’s unfortunate that neither the press nor the public is ready for outspoken, intelligent women.
His wife’s verbal miscues certainly don’t explain Kerry’s defeat but they do illustrate that in this age of reality TV, media frenzy, and sound bites, it’s more important than ever to connect with people, to be that warm and effervescent presence. At the Democratic Convention and on the campaign trail, Kerry’s daughters successfully humanized their dad. His “band of brothers” were also important advocates. But the man himself was at his best in his Faneuil Hall concession speech when he looked out at the audience, choked back his tears, and spoke from his heart.
The winning numbers across this country reflect the many Americans who voted Republican because they were concerned about moral values as in gay marriage and late term abortion. It amuses me that this administration’s supporters pride themselves on holding the moral compass because true family values include feeding and sheltering the hungry, educating our children, providing adequate child care support for parents working outside the home, medical coverage for all, making sure that women have access to abortion so they don’t have to leave themselves open to being maimed or worse, and protecting the civil rights of all as in same sex couples who are currently treated as second class citizens.
I could go on with my rant, but I’d rather look on the positive side. My children as well as my nieces and nephews and countless friends’ kids, were riveted by the 2004 election. They paid attention, and discussed sobering issues such as how Bush’s flawed international policy threatens our national security by inciting would-be terrorists. Young people held registration drives, knocked on doors, and voted. While they were amazed by the number of “red” states, incredulous that so many people voted for Bush/Cheney, and disappointed with the outcome, I hope they’ll continue to be involved. We owe it to them to keep working for change, because this is the legacy we are leaving them and future generations. We should also remember that 55 million people voted for Kerry/Edwards.
There are many reasons for speaking out but one in particular is critical right now. The President’s proposed appointment of Dr. Hager to chair the FDA’s Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee is a scary possibility as this group is charged with making pivotal decisions regarding drugs used in obstetrics and gynecology. As the author of “As Jesus Cared for Women: Restoring Women Then and Now”, Dr. Hager is pro-life and won’t prescribe contraceptives for unmarried women. He uses his religious belief that Christ is the healer of women as part of his medical practice, and has written in his book for example, that women complaining of premenstrual syndrome should find solace in prayer and reading the Bible. The danger in Dr. Hager’s appointment would be that this blending of politics and religion could drastically compromise women’s rights. Here is a prime example of why we need to remain vigilant by writing letters to the White House, letters to the editor and commentary pieces. The more we e-mail: president@whitehouse.gov, the more we keep on making our opinions known.
