Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

  • Shop
  • Subscribe to BMG
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Front Page
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Rules
  • Events
  • Register on BMG

My eyes stung 12 years ago

July 26, 2016 By sabutai 1 Comment

Watching the convention tonight, I felt pulled back in time.  Sometimes it seems that many activists have one campaign that remains steeped in rose and gold, enthusiasm with no cynicism, adoration without suspicion.  For me it was Howard Dean in 2004.  I wore an orange hat and went door to door in Hiawatha, Iowa for him.  Distributed literature in Cedar Rapids.  Crashed on a cousin’s couch in Nashua passing out video tapes as people entered a supermarket.  Made phone calls to South Carolina and Wisconsin from home.  Then, lo and behold, I managed to snag a pass to the Convention in Boston on the night to hear Dean (and before him some senate candidate from Illinois).  My eyes stung when he came out.  Yelled my lungs out from the second mezzanine and loved how long that applause lasted.  Still have that pass; still have one of the signs I held.

That was the beginning of my streak of primary disappointment.  I liked Bill Richardson for his foreign policy experience.  He dropped out, I went with Hillary.  In 2016, I was mesmerized by Bernie Sanders’s message of economic justice.  But it was the Dean loss that hurt the most.  I believed in Dean….told him at our last conversation that I felt he was the Robert Kennedy of my generation.  God did it rankle to see John Kerry up there receiving applause and nomination.  Him!  Ugh!  It rankled to see him supporting Hillary twelve years later, too.  Thankfully, I did find a state representative candidate I could support with vigor in that cycle; that was a life preserver in a sea of ennui.  But the top line of the ballot still loomed.

It probably wasn’t until September that I came to terms with voting for John Kerry in 2004.  Not because of the platform.  Not because of the healing of time.  I voted Kerry in November 2004 because I was expecting people in Florida and Ohio to do the same.  God did I want those swing staters to do the right thing as I sat in electoral college irrelevance in the Bay State.  Wow was I hoping, deeply urging them to suck it up and vote Kerry.  No more wars, no more disasters…because a vote isn’t a self-indulgence.  A vote isn’t a weapon, a cudgel, an expression.  A vote is the strut you place in a bridge to the future, a bridge that I would be walking across; one my neighbors and someday my children would cross.

It may grate on me to hear from some of the Sanders delegates, the inconsistencies in their statements.  Their flexible definitions of trust and truth to serve their dislike for Hillary.  But….I probably would have said much of the same about John Kerry in 2004.  In August, with tears in my eyes.  I just hope my fellow Sanders supporters make that same journey I did in 2004.  It’s never easy; it’s never fun.  It’s never been more necessary.

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0
0

Filed Under: User

Comments

  1. jconway says

    July 26, 2016 at 10:12 am

    Had I been old enough to vote that year I would’ve voted for David Cobb as an anti-war protest against Kerry, after months of working my ass off for Dean and working the same convention you did as a volunteer. But, I saw a future president in Obama the night I saw him speak. So there was a silver lining. In retrospect, I have been awed at the great job Kerry has done at State and have long gotten to the point where I would’ve voted for him in 2004.

    There will be no nose holding for Hillary, I’ve consistently said she would be my general election choice and a good President. But I do think there is maturity in working within the system and freedom working outside of it. I like working both lanes simultaneously, and respect those that work one or the other exclusively. But this is the year to come together. I think my primary candidate has pulled out all the stops for Hillary and I hope to see him actively used by the campaign.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recommended Posts

  • There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This Timing (3)
  • Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid Primaries (2)
  • Promises made, promises kept (2)
  • IRA passes 51- 50! (1)
  • Real “Center” is Economically Nationalist/Culturally Moderate (1)

Recent User Posts

Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid Primaries

August 12, 2022 By jconway 1 Comment

There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This Timing

August 10, 2022 By terrymcginty 8 Comments

Site issue: Unable to reply to comments

August 10, 2022 By SomervilleTom 2 Comments

Why do PUKES oppose $35 insulin for diabetics with private insurance?

August 8, 2022 By fredrichlariccia 3 Comments

Promises made, promises kept

August 8, 2022 By fredrichlariccia Leave a Comment

Schedule F

August 7, 2022 By johntmay 4 Comments

Recent Comments

  • SomervilleTom on Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid PrimariesI appreciate you writing this diary. This primary seems…
  • fredrichlariccia on There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This TimingKLEPTOCRAT GRIFTERINO is not the VICTIM; he's the PERPET…
  • Christopher on There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This TimingRepublicans: How dare Merrick Garland politicize the DOJ…
  • fredrichlariccia on There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This TimingThe Court has just given Trump until 3 pm tomorrow to ap…
  • fredrichlariccia on There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This TimingAG Garland just announced the search warrant has been un…
  • johntmay on There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This TimingI would not be surprised at all to learn that Trump deli…
  • fredrichlariccia on There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This TimingCould it also mean that KARM-A-LAGO might want to divert…

Archive

@bluemassgroup on Twitter

#mapoli

aaron_rw17 Aaron @aaron_rw17 ·
1h

Who are ppl voting for attorney general? Currently undecided

*** give reasons why too btw #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1558507288662614016 Retweet on Twitter 1558507288662614016 Like on Twitter 1558507288662614016 1 Twitter 1558507288662614016
cdempc Chris Dempsey @cdempc ·
1h

Join Mayor @wutrain and me this Monday, 8/15, at 7PM for a *Virtual Meet & Greet* and grassroots fundraiser. All are invited! Thank you to @votehalbert @mdmcclos @RachelPoliner @JeremyComeau and so many other amazing Co-Hosts!

#mapoli #bospoli

http://www.actblue.com/donate/081522virtualmg

Reply on Twitter 1558504578856910856 Retweet on Twitter 1558504578856910856 1 Like on Twitter 1558504578856910856 4 Twitter 1558504578856910856
robyn4senate Robyn Kennedy @robyn4senate ·
2h

Beautiful morning with @repkatehogan at the Bolton Fair. Agriculture is core to our district’s economy and vibrancy. I look forward to partnering with Representative Hogan to ensure our state continues to invest in and uplift our farmers and fairs. #mapoli

4

Reply on Twitter 1558501518873186307 Retweet on Twitter 1558501518873186307 Like on Twitter 1558501518873186307 4 Twitter 1558501518873186307
chrisforma Chris Doughty @chrisforma ·
2h

Thank you @RepSoter for your support! #magov #mapoli #massgop

Reply on Twitter 1558501112306614285 Retweet on Twitter 1558501112306614285 6 Like on Twitter 1558501112306614285 13 Twitter 1558501112306614285
kevinkalkut Kalkut for State Rep @kevinkalkut ·
2h

The Norfolk Cup trophy has made it to #NorfolkMA!

There is still time to register you and your little golfer for our tourney tomorrow at 11a at @ForeKicks. Visit https://www.kalkut4rep.com/event-details/norfolk-cup-parent-child-golf-tournament to sign up and we’ll see you there tomorrow! #kalkut4rep #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1558500623535972356 Retweet on Twitter 1558500623535972356 Like on Twitter 1558500623535972356 Twitter 1558500623535972356
massaflcio Massachusetts AFL-CIO // Build Back Better @massaflcio ·
2h

Great morning hitting the doors for @VoteCosta #1u #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1558499489211731969 Retweet on Twitter 1558499489211731969 Like on Twitter 1558499489211731969 1 Twitter 1558499489211731969
Load More

From our sponsors




Google Calendar







Search

Archives

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter




Copyright © 2022 Owned and operated by BMG Media Empire LLC. Read the terms of use. Some rights reserved.