Posted here Wednesday, June 23, 2004 at 2:07:55 PM 
This is good enough to post whole, since it is hard to get impressions of Kerry. That he elicts this kind of response is itself telling.
June 22, 2004
Dear friends,
A group of us traveled to Denver last night and had the opportunity to stand and listen, close up, to Presidential candidate, John Kerry. I witnessed a humble public servant who has dedicated his entire life to on the job training, through long years of hands on experience learning and practicing the arts and skills of governing, of policy making, of coalition building and of implementation. I witnessed a man of true vision for the possible, who understands that true leadership arises from the marriage of heart and head and from the willingness to dream what may be possible and then figure out how to make that dream palpable and real.
Kerry spoke unabashedly about the need for an ecologically sustainable world, which is also economically productive. He spoke of the need for putting money towards programs in which our disenfranchised youth are mentored with understanding and compassion and educated with skills rather than thrown into prisons which eat resources and further destroys these precious young lives.
As Kerry spoke of forging and repairing friendship and partnership around the world, the crowd sighed in relief. Those of us in the room understand how building cooperative and mutually respectful relationship has to be a major component to any prayer of future national security. He spoke in depth about how we would lower the cost of health care while creating an economic motivation for quality of care and delivery. He spoke returning the the 90's when we systematically paid off the deficit and balancing the national buget.
He covered a lot of turf, and covered it well. We were listening to a highly intelligent and thoughtful man who understands the issues, understands how things get done and has shown the patience and the skill to do them. Kerry is not afraid of economic competition but he is clearly a man who will foster a fair and just and ecologically sustainable competition, both here and abroad.
Lat night, John Kerry said "Under my presidency America will only go to war because we have to, not because we want to. And we would only do so with full and accurate disclosure to the American people." I found myself held by the crowd and leaning back into my husband's arms with tears of hope welling in my eyes. I was not alone.
Kerry is real human being. Kerry is a man of integrity and of solid vision and values. Kerry is also giving his life for us. As he moved among us to shake our hands, I found myself saying to him "Please take us there." He said simply, "I'll try."
When my friend, Margo behind me called out, "Bless you - we're with you" He smiled broadly and said a heartfelt "Thank you!"
John Kerry is Presidential. I am much more inspired after seeing him than I was before, when I was in the "well it's what we've got" camp.
And I believe Kerry would be a fine president in terms of policy, implementation and in providing the solid, steady kind of leadership which will be required to turn the great ship of this country back on course. But Kerry does not appear to be a crowd -pleasing, energy raising show-man, which, although just fine with me, unfortunately, is often what wins the votes of the un-decided.
Traveling back to Boulder on the bus, the conversations were hushed and serious. How can we really take this country back? How can we win? He's got the content. He's got the know how. He actually is what we want in a President. He is not perfect. But he is perfectly human.
To get Kerry elected, more of us need to not only give money (very important) but many more of us need to work in all ways make to make this happen. Those of us who know how to give inspiring speeches should be doing so wherever we can find to give them. We need to register voters, drive to the polls and figure out anything and everything we can to create success.
If each of us committed to regime change at home, pledged to personally find five people to vote for Kerry who would not otherwise have voted, and personally committed to get them to the polls on election day, we could win this electon. And in the process of filling this commitment, we would be serving a larger vision. We would be reaching out beyond the people we may already know. We would be educating ourselves and others. We would be making a difference.
If each of us committed to regime change at home, dug deeper, and offered more money that we think we have, we could make the difference.s
Kerry acknowledged, and the group present agreed, "This is the most important election of our lifetimes." We need to, as Margo said, bless him every day. And we cannot expect him to be other than he is. If more passion is needed, well then it is up to us to provide it. If more money is needed, well, then it is up to us. He and Terry have stepped forward and offered their lives. Let's not let this be a futile sacrifice. Let's get this man in office with all the support, encouragement, hard work and blessings it takes to make it happen. This is not a one-man job. This is not the job of the inner circle or the experts. This is not the job of the already dedicated political activists.
Getting Kerry elected is our job. And as he so eloquently said last night, "We are in this for the children." For the children, for the grandchildren, for ourselves, for the world. Please give in any way that you can.
Judith Ansara Gass
Co-Director of the Peacemaker Institute. Boulder Colorado.
********
|
|
