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Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 03:21 PM
Occasion marked before Sen. Edwards touched the mic.
By Michael D. Altman
In a presidential race marked by arrogant, sometimes delusional supreme confidence from all campaigns, the likes of which only Donald Trump could possibly relate, a blue-collar ethic sprouted out of nowhere.
Just before Cincinnati Civil Rights legend, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth prayed over the crowd in Bond Hill, as Senator Edwards prepared to enter, Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune addressed the audience.
Commissioner Portune, the first Democrat to be elected to County Commissioner seat in 40 years, has been in a wheel chair since tumors on his spine rendered him virtually paralyzed from the waist down a year ago.
In his pep talk, he expounded upon the uplifting “we’re in this thing together” theme that had snowballed from candidate to candidate that spoke before him, as they introduced themselves in warming the crowd.
In a candidates’ theme laden heavily with “Bush is out of touch and messing up the country,” Portune instead took a proactive stand on the Dems running for office. Instead of speaking on the negative virtues of their opponents, he offered the mantra of his fellow party candidates.
“These candidates are winners. These issues are winners,” he affirmed.
Clutching the shoulder of Senator Mark Mallory and Ohio State Representative Wayne Coats, Commissioner Portune lifted himself up from his wheel chair. Trembling, he encouraged, that as he is using “every ounce of strength I have” to stand up, Democrats in the county and country must work to win the elections for the good of the future.
This was no stage trick of The Who’s showmanship caliber, or a magic show, it was passion for the people that is unique to Portune as a politician, replacing over-confidence with real human fight.
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Fanon Rucker demands prosecutor step down now
Kaia Grant, a volunteer for the Eve Bolton for County Commissioner campaign cynically joked, “Democrats are always late,” only about a third of the way into the wait. Grant was part of the Bond Hill cookout of just over 1,200 that waited under three hours for vice-presidential candidate John Edwards.
The wait was worth it.
In light of Commissioner Portune’s display, it would be difficult for the headliner to follow the opening act. In the middle of the lineup of Democratic candidates for state offices, Democratic County Prosecutor write-in candidate Fanon Rucker greeted his first audience by decisively requesting that Mike Allen step down immediately as Hamilton County prosecutor.
Rucker recounted his credentials as a prosecuting attorney in establishing that his “sworn duty as an attorney is to ensure public trust in the system.”
He described his mission as one of “restoring honesty and integrity to a system that many people have lost faith in,” remarking that ”people believe they have not received honest and fair representation.”
The crowd responded with oomph. The kind of response you expect from a constituency that has waited a generation for someone to say exactly what Rucker said.
* * *
The participants in the rally at the Bond Hill Recreation Center sustained the energy that speakers such as Cincinnati City Councilperson Laketa Cole delivered. Cole helped sustain the passion of the crowd with a “when I say get it—you say got it!” hook in her home neighborhood.
It was an atmosphere consistent with Edwards’ national persona --- positive, honest, with homegrown integrity. The cookout, gospel music and honesty of the audience’s emotions suggested just a touch of Edward’s distinct southern charm.
* * *
A Safe Place
On the façade of the new looking Bond Hill Rec Center, there is a yellow triangle that is the “safe place” logo. From in front of center stage, the dominant Kerry/Edwards billboard to the logo’s left obscures it. This is a safe place, in a sense exponentially larger than the sign.
A safe place for Democrats? Obviously.
A safe place for the future of America? The question was being addressed by the blue-collar optimism of the audience.
Rev. Shuttlesworth miffed, “Halliburton has replaced hallelujah!” under the Bush administration.
Then, Senator John Edwards began, saying that the one thing that he agreed with President Bush about is that Bush should be judged on his record.
“The truth is Iraq is a mess because of the failures of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. They can’t admit that they’ve done anything wrong.”
“They told us that they had enough troops to secure Iraq… Not true! They told us they had a plan… Not true! They told us they had allies… Not true!”
This was also a safe inviting place for African Americans democrats…finally. The African American community in Hamilton County had felt taken for granted for much of the early part of the campaign.
Few Kerry coordinators had been able to touch base with African American leaders in neighborhoods of Cincinnati. When they tried to, efforts fell short. But today, the Hamilton County Democratic Party and the African American community were once again in a safe place, together. Trust and their relationship had been renewed.
Sen. Edwards was easily engaged with the Bond Hill audience, almost taking on the persona of the well-loved PTA president, running late to the meeting after working all day at his law firm, to save black and white Davids.
He was clear about the Kerry/Edwards positions: strong alliances in the world, making the same health care that is available to Senators available to every single person in America. He explained his plan to send people to college.
“You give us 2 years of public service, whether it be community, country, or state, and we’ll give you 4 years of college tuition,” suggesting a safe place for the Matt Maupins of the country. Matt is or was a 3.5 student who was left no choice but to go into the military to pay for college. This message also resonates in African American neighborhoods where many kids, due to economic inequities are forced to do the same. Edwards suggested an option, and a stronger people ethic… a world that can be a much safer place.
Michael D. Altman writes “I Don’t Mind Telling You” based on insight into the direction politically and socially of this, the Pepsi Generation (No--- that’s Gen Y?). The fact checker responsible for this confusion has been sacked (fired). The column appears as a weekly feature in QCF magazine.
Contact Information
· michaelda@queencityforum.com
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