MOMocrats

Elizabeth Edwards testifies before US Senate on Funding The Cancer Fight, Healthcare reform

Elizabeth Edwards and Lance Armstrong are backing legislation sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas, that would create a more comprehensive approach to fighting cancer. Both testified before the U.S. Senate today on the importance of cancer research, prevention and treatment funding.

Christine-Modern English

Go Read It: John & Elizabeth Edwards on Clinton/Obama

If you've ever wondered why the MOMocrats were founded to support John Edwards' candidacy, look no further than this week's People Magazine Article, "What We Like (and Dislike) about Clinton and Obama."  No endorsement from either one, unfortunately, but we do get a glimpse of the discussion around the kitchen table in the Edwards home.

The MOMocrats have been sitting around our virtual kitchen table for months discussing the very same topic as the Edwards, how we like and dislike things about both Clinton and Obama.  We have a few die-hard Obama Mamas, and some Hill-Raisers among us, but many of us still miss the Edwards' presence in the race.

How about John Edwards for Attorney General and Elizabeth Edwards for Secretary of Health & Human Services?  That's a dream team I'd like to see in leadership positions in either a Clinton or Obama administration.

Go read it: Elizabeth Edwards' Op-Ed in the New York Times

Elizabeth Edwards tells it like it is (like she always does): Bowling 1, Healthcare 0.

Please, go read it.

Follow the Leader -- Elizabeth Edwards at the Center for American Progress

It's no secret that many of us here at MOMocrats are big fans -- I mean BIG fans -- of Elizabeth Edwards.  She's long been a woman after my own heart -- politically-oriented, not afraid to speak her mind, at the ready to set the MSM straight when it's needed.

She's not afraid to take on the McCain, as she proved recently when she took him to task for his version of health care for America.

Even though her husband's race for the Presidency is over, Elizabeth is not resting her political voice.  She's joined the progressive think tank Center for American Politics as a senior fellow on health care issues.  Plus, she won't be far from the blogosphere -- she'll be contributing to the CAP blog, Wonk Room, as well.

Elizabeth Edwards on Universal Health Care -- "I'm for Ideas That Succeed."

As I posted a couple of weeks ago, Elizabeth Edwards is speaking out against John McCain's health care plan (such as it is) and endorsing Hillary Clinton's proposal.  Why not just come out and endorse Hillary as a candidate?

Just as I would expect her to say, Elizabeth Edwards believes that she and her husband John can do more good for the country speaking out on the issues that matter most to them.  For her?  She wants to spend what political capital she has talking about improving health care.

As for her husband?  She believes he will continue to advocate for and work toward ending poverty in this country.

If they don't qualify as the new dynamic duo, I don't know who does. 

When she's not dreaming of an Edwards/Edwards ticket for the White House, you can find Joanne at her place, PunditMom, where she's thinking up new ways to get all political.

Yes,Virginia, Republicans can become Democrats!

I have a confession to make.  I have been a lifelong Republican.  Oh, wait, it gets better.  Not only that, but I usually just based my vote on the apathetic reasons of "I am not crazy about any of the candidates so I will just do what I have always done" theory. 

My earliest voting memory was the election of 1976.  All I truly remember about that election was that my Mom knew it was important to teach my the process and let me go with her.  I got to "pull the lever" and "vote" that year.  As soon as I was of age, I never missed an election.  The sad part? I never truly cared.  I just wanted to do my part as a citizen and vote.  Now, in some elections I did truly want the candidate I chose to win.  Sometimes because I agreed with their politics.  But sometimes because more than agreeing with one candidate, I disagreed more with the other one.  Lesser of two evils voting theory.

But that changed this summer.

I came to the Democratic side in a rather "backwards" way.  I, as many other women, had the wonderful opportunity to listen to Elizabeth Edwards speak at BlogHer '07.  I can't say honestly that her words made me jump up and shout, "I am now a Democrat!"  However, what she did was challenge me.  She challenged me to look into the candidates.  To *gasp* research the people who are running for president.  My next (un)logical step was listening to a few speeches that Michelle Obama had made.  Before you say it, I realize that neither Elizabeth Edwards nor Michelle Obama were the candidates, but they started me down my path to listening. Real listening.  Which led me to actually researching the candidates.  All of them.  My conclusion?

My head and my heart began to back a Democrat.  Yes, it shocked this life long Republican, but the facts were there.

Elizabeth Edwards Not So Thrilled With Obama & McCain on Health Care

If health care is your issue, then you might want to hear what Elizabeth Edwards has to say about the candidates' positions.

This weekend, Elizabeth Edwards pointed out that if John McCain is our next president, neither her breast cancer nor McCain's cancer (melanoma) would be covered under McCain's proposed health care plan because they are pre-existing conditions.

The health care proposal she believes is the best among McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton?  According to a Los Angeles Times report, during a speech to the Association of Health Care Journalists:

"Edwards said she favored Hillary Rodham Clinton's healthcare plan over Barack Obama's.

'Sen. Clinton's plan is a great plan' that closely resembles John Edwards' proposal, she said. Clinton's plan mandates that every American be insured. Elizabeth Edwards said only universal healthcare would resolve one of the problems plaguing the healthcare system -- its soaring cost."

While not an endorsement of Clinton's candidacy, Elizabeth Edwards has been vocal that Obama's health care plan is not as "similar" to Clinton's as he purports it to be.

A recent New York Magazine article reported that while Barack Obama was courting a potential John Edwards endorsement, he may have alienated Elizabeth over their discussion his health care policy:

Obama blew it. Speaking to Edwards on the day he exited the race, Obama came across as glib and aloof. His response to Edwards’s imprecations that he make poverty a central part of his agenda was shallow, perfunctory, pat. Clinton, by contrast, engaged Edwards in a lengthy policy discussion. Her affect was solicitous and respectful. When Clinton met Edwards face-to-face in North Carolina ten days later, her approach continued to impress; she even made headway with Elizabeth. Whereas in his Edwards sit-down, Obama dug himself in deeper, getting into a fight with Elizabeth about health care, insisting that his plan is universal (a position she considers a crock), high-handedly criticizing Clinton’s plan (and by extension Edwards’s) for its insurance mandate.

For me, poverty and health care are the two huge issues in this campaign.  Sadly, I have not heard either Clinton or Obama really address (as they promised the Edwards) how they would start down the road to ending poverty in this country.  So whichever Democrat has the better health care plan is the one I'd like to see move into the White House.

And you can bet I'm going to pay close attention to what Elizabeth Edwards has to say.  She's still got her finger on the pulse of this campaign, the common sense to lead us in the right direction on the issues and the gravitas to hold the candidates responsible for leading us in the right direction.

Joanne also discusses political stuff at her pad, PunditMom.

Elizabeth Edwards' father, Vincent Anania, passes at age 87

The MOMocrats would like to extended our deepest sympathies to our MOMocrat hero, Elizabeth Edwards, who lost her father on Saturday.

Our thoughts are with Mrs. Edwards and the entire Edwards-Anania family at this time.

Mr. Anania will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and the family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Wade Edwards Foundation.

Elizabeth Edwards Backing Obama? Not So, Says Elizabeth

According to CNN's political ticker, John Edwards met with both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama recently on endorsements.  The article goes on to say that according to two friends of Elizabeth's, she's backing Obama.  Not surprising, really, since Hillary's people threw a hissy when Elizabeth noted that she thought she had more joy in her life after she decided to stay home with her kids.

John Edwards has not formally endorsed anyone, but it would be interesting if the two of them disagreed on who to back.

UPDATE: After we posted this, Elizabeth Edwards commented that this information from CNN is not accurate.  She has not endorsed anyone. 

Sorry, Elizabeth!  We hope that when you DO endorse someone, you'll let us know!

Eight Reasons Elizabeth Edwards Should be First Lady

I decided to finally sit down and read Elizabeth Edwards' book Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength From Friends and Strangers.

It's really the sub-head of the book title that made me pick this book up because isn't that what we all try to do?  I don't know about you, but there are just many times in life when I need a little extra strength or support and I'm trying to learn to take it where I can find it.

Elizabeth writes so gracefully and eloquently about how she has done that in her own life, from the time she was a small girl living in Japan when her father was stationed there in the military to her husband's campaign for the White House with John Kerry to her diagnosis with breast cancer.

Aside from the message of her book that I've taken to heart, her words often made me laugh as I recognized myself, and my friends, in descriptions of herself.  It occurred to me that this is the type of "regular" woman we need to have some influence on our country!

So, here is a short list, taken from Elizabeth Edwards' own words, on why I think this down-to-earth mother, wife, daughter, and professional should be the next First Lady of the United States:

1. She likes meatloaf.  Elizabeth, I make a darn good meatloaf (just ask my dad -- it's what he always wants me to make if he comes for dinner).  So next time you're in town, stop by and I'll throw one in the oven!

2. She's a song geek.  One of my favorite things to do if I'm cruising down the highway is to crank the tunes and start singing.  Elizabeth has what must be the song compilation of all song compilations -- she's been collecting lyrics for car trips since her children were little.  She made copies of her special book for the reporters on the campaign trail when her husband ran for vice-president in 2004 so they'd have something to do on the bus!  I'm sure the current crop of reporters covering John Edwards' race this time have become intimately familiar with it!

3. She shops at Target.  I have a feeling that wouldn't change if she lived in the White House.  After all, you can order online.

4. She buys matching pajamas at Target for herself and her girlfriends.

5. She's just as happy with a burger from Wendy's as she is with fancier food.

6. She likes Lawrence, Kansas.  OK, that's one that's probably peculiar to me.  But as a grad of the University of Kansas Law School, I had to include it!  Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!

7. One of her favorite children's books is Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.  (Hmmm, meatloaf, burgers, meatballs -- do I see a theme here?)

8. Most importantly, and more seriously, she has an amazing sense of hope.  If I had a fraction of the hope and optimism she does, I'd be a happier person.  But on a larger scale, wouldn't it be great to have a little of her brand of infectious optimism in the White House?