| Six Democratic candidates, including the top three, had people speaking on their behalf at the forum.
In alphabetical order, which is how it went, here's some of what they had to say.
Hillary Clinton's proxy was Denise King of Columbia County, current chair of the DNC's Rural Council and former chair of the NYS Democratic Committee's Executive Committee.
She effectively made the essential points of Hillary's campaign -- that she has a decades-long record of "standing up for America's families," that she has "a plan for health care for all," that she will end the war in Iraq, and that she will work to ensure energy independence.
Christopher Dodd (who will evidently not be on the NY ballot) was represented by DFHMR member Glenn Lewis, who extolled Dodd's experience, from the Peace Corps to his 25 years in the Senate, and said that Dodd was electable in the general election.
John Edwards' representative, Christopher Luhn, formerly a lawyer in the Attorney General's Office and currently in private practice, urged people to check out Edwards' appearance on Charlie Rose's PBS interview show.
Luhn said that Edwards would make the uniquely American idea of "access to health care" irrelevant by enacting true universal health care.
Dennis Kucinich's representative, former 20th Congressional District candidate Frank Stoppenbach, noted that Kucinich, unlike most of the candidates, had opposed the Iraq War, and now opposes funding it; and that Kucinich supports HR 676, Medicare For All.
Barack Obama's representative, Albany City Councilman Corey Ellis, said that Obama has also opposed the Iraq War from the get-go, and that he provides "a vision for change" that has inspired more than 400,000 volunteers.
Bill Richardson's representative, Ken Bulko, NYS Director of the Richardson for President campaign, said Richardson is "the perfect person to solve the country's problems," mostly because of his experience as a mountain state governor and United Nations ambassador.
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul was represented at the event by Jeff Gaul, Paul's NYS Meetup coordinator.
Gaul said that Paul is a strong "constitutionalist" who has consistently opposed the Iraq war and will work to reduce the size of the federal government.
After two-hours-plus of speeches and questions-and-answers, the hands-up straw poll results were remarkably close:
Edwards, Kucinich and Obama tied with 10, edging out Hillary with 9.
Also-rans were Paul with 5, Richardson with 2, and Dodd with 1.
It's unlikely that anyone's original preference was affected by the forum. But it was a rare chance to talk presidential politics in an open forum with people who are really committed to one candidate or another.
And, except for the few Ron Paul-types, committed to electing a Democratic president in 2008. |
