Naturally, getting to the hotel in Manchester wasn’t as easy as it should’ve been, but after getting only mildly lost in the driving rain, I arrived late for breakfast and only just in time for John Edwards’ scheduled appearence. Fortunately for me, Edwards was on politician time (late), so I got to hear the last extended minutes of Democracy For America President Jim Dean (he of the eerily similar voice to his brother).

(Details on Edwards, Jim Dean, Paul Hodes, Carol Shea-Porter, and the impeachment panel including Jeffry Taylor, Dan DeWalt, Dave Lindorff and Adrienne Kinne below the fold…)

Sliding into the q&a portion, I did catch a couple interesting responses or exchanges. First of all, Dean indicated there would indeed be a DFA Presidential endorsement, but he indicated the bar would be set high (“no ‘fifty percent plus one'” that a candidate could eke under), and braced the crowd for the idea that no Dem primary candidate would make the cut. In any event, that’ll be an interesting process to watch.

The other interesting element to the q&a that I heard was the assertive presence of members of Vermont’s Progressive Party. I was told that before I got there, Dan DeWalt (of impeachment fame) asked Dean for advice on how to assertively advocate for the wars end without alienating Democratic allies. I understand Dean’s advice was (wisely) not to make it personal. Regular GMD visitors know of my frustration with the direction the impeachment movement has taken (despite my part in getting it going), and a sincere question like that was a reminder not to lay my frustrations at Dan’s feet (and I had a brief opportunity to offer a quick apology for Dan for coming off too harshly on this site).

On the other hand, another Prog I’m on generally great terms with was more annoyed. He pointedly called on Jim Dean to endorse Progressive Party candidates in Vermont (Dean didn’t close the door on the idea, but indicated he’s primarily interested in making the Democratic Party more responsive). In a brief hallway conversation afterwards, this questioner offered his “two cents” to me, which turned into a scolding for my “overreacting to a couple people” and my “burning bridges.” I told him that I felt the bridges had been burned under me, but he was having none of it, and didn’t really allow for the notion that impeachment-promoting Vermont Dems like myself could reasonably feel alienated after months of seeing the movement we’d played a key role in building become a counter-Democratic Party movement. Ah well, “to thine own self be true” goes both ways, I must remind myself…

Edwards was in absolutely peak form. I was impressed. He was relaxed and natural, his voice largely in conversational tones – and boy, did he know what to say to this crowd.

Edwards made sure to spend particular attention on the war – if only to remind the crowd that he sees it as a priority, and agreed with most of them that it should be firmly and definitely addressed – perhaps not quite to the extent many would like to hear, but by stating clearly that there should be no funding bills without firm withdrawal deadlines. He again acknowledged his responsibility for voting to authorize the war (saying confessionally “I have to live with that”).

Edwards easily moved through a checklist of issues important to progressives, and lingered on a few for particular emphasis. He returned to the poverty theme (which, surprisingly, Obama and Clinton seem to be leaving to him, to large extent) saying “incredible inequality…still exists” and that “the two americas are alive and thriving” referring to his common “two Americas” theme of four years ago. As part of an extended nod to labor and the importance of reforming the laws around workplace organizing, he called the labor movement the “greatest anti-poverty movement there is in history.”

He touched on racial inequalities, our “addiction to oil” and global warming without getting into specifics beyond calling for Justice Department action against oil company price gouging (stating his view that if big oil isn’t breaking the letter of the law, they’re breaking the spirit, and the letter should be changed accordingly.

But Edwards spent particular attention on the health care issue, which he is attempting to claim as his own – accusing his rivals of simply trying to play catch up. He characterized his plan as the only “truly universal” system. And while explaining the basic structure of his vision – that would mandate citizens opt into one of an array of partly subsidized choices,” he explicitly  presented his plan as designed to “move the system towards single payer” by having the “medicare plus” care option be the most attractive, thus drawing people into it voluntarily. The crowd was extremely receptive.

Edwards clearly understands that you need “hearts and minds” for big changes, and that you can’t simply run over skeptics. He advocates being blunt and clear from the bully pulpit of the presidency about the challenges, solutions and the impact of corporate money on the national debate. I almost had the sense that he would approach moderates and conservatives who might be leery of his plans as he would a jury.

Finally, he indicated that he believed the cures to our policy ills could not be cured by “incrementalism,” but by “bold” decisions. He stated that voters who are interested in moving slowly to fix things should choose someone else.

Strong words, but delivered convincingly. We’ll see, I guess…

Next I went to the impeachment panel, which included Jeffry Taylor of Vermont’s “Rutland Resolution,” the aforementioned Dan DeWalt, Dave Lindorff (author of “The Case for Impeachment”) and Adrienne Kinne, an Iraq War vet from Vermont.

I’d guess there were about thirty people in the room, and there was a “preaching to the converted” element, but also some real meaty stuff for three NH State Legislators who were in attendence and are preparing to push their own Rules Committee (this Monday at 11:00) to accept a Vermont-style impeachment resolution onto the calendar (despite being told the standard line that it’s “too late” in the session to consider it).

Dan DeWalt must’ve flown through his intro, because I only stepped out for a moment. He bluntly (and alas, truthfully) characterized much of the Dem leadership as being “stupid” or “afraid” to push forward on holding this President accountable and recounted the Vermont impeachment movement’s phenomenal success. Taylor provided the nuts and bolts of a state legislature using Section 603 of the Jefferson’s Manual, making the point that Vermont’s Senatorial resolution did not meet that standard. He added, though, that a properly executed and presented 603 resolution could not simply be shunted into the House Judiciary Committee, as the press has reported, but must be considered as a “privileged question” before other business. He encouraged the NH legislators to examine the orignal Rutland Resolution for language, rather than the Vermont Senate bill.

Lindorff was impressive, determined and angry at the Democratic leadership (which he made a careful and deliberate point of distinguishing from Dem rank and file – thanks, Dave… I wish more folks could make that distinction) for, in his view, making a deliberate, calculated decision to ignore their Constitutional responsibilities in order to have a weakened, disastrous President better serve their electoral interests. He rejected entirely the notion that hesitant legislators were – as DeWalt put it – “stupid” or too terrified to move (an assessment which is a bit simplistic, IMO, as I think all three of these elements are in play to one extent or another – as well as some good ol’ fashioned honest disagreement). Lindorff went so far as to call on Democrats (which he identified himself as) to withhold votes from elected officials unwilling to advance impeachment.

Finally, Kinne related her own interesting (and disturbing) experience as an Arabic intepreter in Iraq working for Military Intelligence (I think I heard that right…. I was futzing with my cell phone). She indicated that they had been given a blank check to eavesdrop on every and anyone in the Middle East area (including the Red Cross), and acknowledged she had strong misgivings at the time – tying her work to the NSA scandal.

Kinne spent a lot of time expressing her anger with Rep. Peter Welch for not pushing impeachment in Washington. In particular, she focused on his rather ridiculous statement that “history will impeach” George Bush (which makes me cringe everytime I hear it), following up with her own well-stated “history will impeach all of America” for not stepping up to the plate to stop him.

What I, of course, was listening for was whether or not Kinne would echo the call (in front of a Democratic crowd) for Welch and Leahy to leave the Democratic Party as Jeffords left the GOP and directly equate the Dems with the Republicans as her colleague James Leas did on Freyne Land. She did not, thankfully, understanding (I hope), looking at the roomful of supporters, that it was indeed possible to be a Democrat and still be a “good guy.” All in all, the Democratic crowd clearly appreciated her and made her feel welcome.

I’m not going to linger too long on their joint presentation, as I should be getting a clip of them that I can post in its entirety in the next few days. Suffice to say there’s was a feel-good presentation to a crowd of warm supporters. Shea-Porter in particular is the poster child of the grassroots electoral ideal – and the progressive electoral ideal at that, defeating, as she said, a “do-nothing Democrat” in her primary.

They gave the assessment of the improvements in Washington that we’ve heard from sitting Democratic Representatives across the country, celebrating the steady return of congressional oversite, but raising the clarion of the 2008 elections in order to bring a more meaningful majority with a Democratic President. Shea-Porter reminded the crowd that a Democratic majority is not the same as a progressive Democratic majority, and that activists’ expectations should be proportionate.

Again, I’ll post video when I have it, but both Hodes and Shea-Porter came off as exceptionally sincere and intelligent, which made it more… complicated… to hear many of the standard hedges, hesitations and rationalizations against moving directly against the President (either via impeachment or otherwise) that I’d just heard discounted and rejected in the impeachment session. Many of the impeachment participants were in the room at the end of the presentation, and their frustration was palpable.

If you ascribe to Lindorff’s view, Hodes and Shea-Porter were engaging in deliberate cynical calculation to put their Party’s interests above the nation’s. Dan DeWalt would also allow for the possibility of ignorance or fear. I agree with Dan on the fear angle very strongly, as I stated here (and no, I didn’t know about the Al Gore book when I wrote that). I would add that I think it’s possible for sincere disagreement – that there are some who believe impeachment only exists in the event you have a President that becomes an ax murderer or somesuch.

In any event, I don’t accept that Hodes and Shea-Porter are schemers, but I do hope Representatives like them come to take this President’s actions as seriously as we do – because as much as they insist otherwise, if they consider impeachment “off the table,” it’s hard to believe that they really do.

The afternoon was filled with workshops and films. I had to go elsewhere to get a cheaper room, and as a result I think I missed Granny D. Woops.

So I will head back in to catch Presidential candidate and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel at 7:30, and I’ll linger in the hopes of catching a couple people, such as Matt Dunne (who I also missed this afternoon). I’m still trying to pin down a one-on-one with Gravel, and with any luck, I’ll be able to post a q&a with him over the next coupls days. I tried getting time with Edwards, but ya can’t win ’em all, I guess.

…end part one…

Hamatika School
Gwembe valley
October 4, 2002

Dear Aunty Grace

Thank you very much for the food that arrived yesterday. Mother was thrilled to see
it. She cried because she had not seen so much mealie meal for months.
Straightaway she cooked a really big meal of nshima. We ate really well last night
and I still feel full today.

Some days when I’m unable to write at home, too lazy to make breakfast, or just need a better cup of coffee than I make around here, I head for a local Internet Cafe. Java Street is a very pleasant spot run by a gracious friend named Stacy and habituated by a generally interesting and diverse group of people.

Yesterday as I settled in, plugged in the laptop and ordered breakfast I spoke to a couple of the regulars who play chess most mornings trading quick coffee house greetings. As I opened the morning paper I noticed at the next table a very pretty young woman (I’m a professional, a trained observer, it’s my job) wearing a headset, engrossed in her work and seemingly oblivious to the coffee aromas mixed with the lingering memory of burnt toast and the low murmur of breakfast banter wafting in her vicinity.

I wonder where you managed to find all that food? There has been nothing in the
market here for weeks now and the last maize that came was so expensive that we
could not afford it. The harvest from our farm ran out in July, after only a few
weeks. Since then father has been walking to the next village to work as a brick
maker. He gets really tired with the long walk and the hard work but the boss pays
him in food so at least we have had something to eat, even if it is often only one
meal a day.

I decided when I got up yesterday, to not try to write and instead, take care of some of the administrative jobs on the website, fixing links, window dressing, doing a little promotion, responding to comments at other sites etc. I had written several short things in the last week and felt myself reaching, grasping for more, and knew that I should take a day off lest I succumb to my inner literary greed.

Unfortunately he has been told there is no more work after next week
and so no more food. Mother says my brothers and I will probably have to leave
school for a few weeks to look for food in the bush and to help in our fields in the
hope that we get a harvest this April.

I’m not sure how but after breakfast, after the the checkmate at the next table, after the headset was removed, and my busywork was done I caught the eye of the lovely young woman (blue eyes filled with wit and humor, with intelligence, curiosity and charm) and asked her what she was working on.

I hope things are better for you in Lusaka. We always imagine the capital city will
be really rich, with plenty of food and it must be wonderful to be able to watch
television! Lots of my friends want to come there to get jobs and get rich, but I am
not sure, what do you think?
Please write soon

With love
Joy Mweeba

Her gaze was direct, her smile pleasant, if somewhat quizzical, and her tone frank as she explained that she was a graduate student in anthropology, preparing to leave in a few days for a summer research project in Africa.

I heard the roaring of lions, the gentle thrumming of rain on the jungle canopy, the rhythm of distant drums, I was smitten, smitten with Africa and of course, ancient though I am, with this, this, young lady, this girl really, younger than my shirt, so lovely and young so brave and earnest.

Half a century ago, when I was a boy, before high school, before John Kennedy, Vietnam, marriage, a dozen years before the birth of my son there was a great dam built in what once was Northern Rhodesia on the Zambezi River. Kariba Dam among the worlds largest was built to interrupt the flow and harness the power of the mighty river, power that was needed to run the colonial towns and cities in what would become Zambia and Zimbabwe.

As the river rose, foot by inexorable foot behind the dam, as the great fertile valley became Lake Kariba, now one of the worlds largest man made lakes, great efforts were made to save and relocate the wildlife of the area.

The wildlife of Zambia is the stuff of legend, of history merged with legend, Livingstone and Stanley, Great White hunters, safaris, a magnificent remnant of some ancient Eden.

Project Noah it was called, a great relocation of wild creatures which preserved untold thousands of wild and exotic animals who made their home in the Zambezi valley. They commemorated this rescue with a plaque in Kariba.

There were other residents of the valley of the Zambezi, the Tonga of the Gwembe valley, they called themselves “Basilwizi” the river people. They were the river, a part of the Zambezi and the river was part of them, flowing through them body and soul as surely as the blood that courses in their veins.

They had been there for centuries, living, farming in the rich alluvial soil along the banks of the Zambezi, year after year planting and tilling their crops and and erecting rain shrines all over the basin where they performed Mpande, ceremonial rites to ensure that the rains would come and the the harvest would be plentiful and there would be food to eat.

The Noah project neglected to treat the River people with the same care shown to the animals, the same sensitivity in their relocation. The British made promises, promises of good housing, of schools and roads and loan opportunities, their area, the new one that is, would be a showcase of clinics and wells and grinding mills.

Promises

Promises made to nearly sixty thousand who were relocated on higher ground where the sandy soil no longer supported their crops, where no amount of prayer and supplication or appeasement of the spirits would bring the rich harvest of the past or provide fodder for their cattle, their goats.

The Basilwizi, the River People describe now how their shrines are submerged by the waters, “there was no way the shrines and some of the spirits could be carried with us,” they say.

“Life was very good in the Valley when I was growing up. We had more than enough food,” they say.

“If fields could be carried, we could have carried them with us,” they say.

I’ve had breakfast this morning and coffee and writing was easy with the grass and the rabbits, the leaning blue spruce and the breeze blowing through the window from the back yard.

I’m going to the coffee shop anyway this morning ,
I want to find that earnest and lovely and brave young woman.
I want to ask her to be my friend, to write to me and share what she finds in that place, that Africa.

I want a piece of the adventure she is about to embark upon and I want her to share with me,
to share, these Basilwizi,
her people of the river.

Bob Higgins
Worldwide Sawdust