Just got in from an Edwards fundraiser, and I’m pretty tired; it was a long drive there and back for me after an early morning. But I thought I’d share a few thoughts. She was kind enough to speak with me briefly, and to the group of supporters as a whole at some length. Bottom line: Elizabeth is the Real Deal, a human being with a heart, someone who is Doing It because she cares about the future, and not because there is gain in it for her.

Ms. Edwards is exactly what she seems to be, that is, someone that our beloved SCLM can’t process or understand. She made one really important point: media time is free campaign time, and more importantly, results in a spike in fundraising totals. So, Hillary kissing up to Murdoch makes mucho sense. In a gentle way, Elizabeth forgave the media’s interest in the First Serious Woman Candidate and the First White Acting Enough Black Candidate- they are both “New and Fresh” and John is “just another white guy.” To me it’s a sad case of once again, unreal Media Constructions (the romantic/mythic narratives of the Other in American politics) trump reality when it comes to “what matters” in our media.

Ms. Edwards did not stop talking about health care. I heard the first part of the plan: “universal.” I didn’t hear “single payer.” I’ll go check the campaign website later, but my advice to the campaign is that they need to fully embrace real health care reform. More “insurance” isn’t the solution, total coverage of actual medical expenses, for all and paid for by taxdollars at sensible rates is. Hint: we’ve already spent what it would cost in Iraq, so “we” can “afford it.” She did use the topic to bash Bush, for his failure to work with auto companies when it could’ve made a difference on this issue. That was a good local angle to stress.

Ms. Edwards is all about “personal stories,” and says her husband is too. She recounted a number of conversations she and he have had with us Little People, as they crisscross the nation on the campaign trail. Populism is the theme of the Edwards campaign, for which I for one am very glad. I was impressed by the fact that despite the fact that she was obviously tired, she took some long and uncomfortable-for-everyone-else minutes to listen to a supporter recount a very confused but obviously emotional personal narrative about faith and health. Elizabeth is a Pro in handling the mob. She gets props for that.

I congratulated her on her husband’s commitment to the Constitution. She made it clear to me that this isn’t a ‘low information voter’ concern, it’s for wonky folks like us. That disturbs me a little bit, but I do understand it. It’s a progressive fantasy that patriotic, Sam Adams style cries for Constitutional restoration ring loudly in the common hall of most potential voters. The war, health care and the economy were Ms. Edwards focii, and I suspect so shall they remain.

Basically, she gave some good talking points and was extremely warm and supportive of what she calls the “army” that has to do the work to make her husband successful. She did a great job making the people assembled there feel important. Some were local insiders, some were just people writing a check because Edwards is their choice. I like Detroit, because it was also a very racially mixed crowd. Very. Between Union support and this willingness to mix with DFHs and other sundry rubes, it’s very clear that the Edwards campaign is setting itself up to be the “voice of the people.”

But she didn’t quite fool me, for after all she was speaking in the SCLM-approved code (which is always very “civil” if you’re a Dem pol). I don’t mean that John isn’t running as the more populist choice, that he is. Rather, populism is the choice of the Edwards team because the SCLM has left them no other. Ha, I’m too tired to do brilliant snark about this, but it’s got to be somewhat ironic that the SCLM, which hates real populism, would cause the creation of a populist candidate by ignoring him when he acts like a “moderate.” That seems to be what’s happened.

Elizabeth was very kind to other candidates, notably Kucinich, and attentive to matters dear to my heart, and she came across as genuine. She seemed to understand that “what is right” is a moral imperative. The key word she wants you to associate with her husband’s campaign: change. She made it clear that Joe Lieberman and other Bush Dogs won’t be John’s choice of Veep nom. She also said that although Hillary is a woman, she isn’t the best candidate for the advancement women’s rights. My favorite part was when she talked about labor and immigration. No racism from her at all, indeed, she seemed happy that I brought up the Tyson case (in which uneducated youth from Central America were brought up to work in US poultry plants in slave-like conditions) during a conversation about the latest immigration “reform.”

She gets Big points for mentioning the Evil of Inherited Wealth and racism in the Republican party. Interestingly, no one brought up the occupation; I think the unspoken understanding among supporters is that John is the guy who will end it fastest. I also approve of her staff- pros who knew when not to interrupt or make her look disinterested in the Common Supporter.

As always, I have to feel a little sadness that this meetup was ~60% theatre. Elizabeth has a book out, and some of the supporters there were local activists who were also in the book. I noticed that the people with Real Money (you can always tell by the shoes) stood apart for much of the evening, waiting for Ms. Edwards to be done with the show for the rubes, and to go off with them to a private major fundraisers-only dinner session. Heh, one of those who blew me off will be sorry for that later, but he’ll never know who made him so. I’m not a nobody in this state, bucko. But I don’t blame Ms. Edwards for the sad state of political campaigning in this country. I fully expect her and every other Dem pol to spend more, and more meaningful and significant time, with those who write the big checks.

If you want that to change, agitate for a blogosphere-wide effort to fund primary challenges. There is a little remembered rule in politics in this country: you can have more responsibility and authority than you have ever dreamed of, it’s a simple matter of getting in on the ground early and keeping (even a small) river of money flowing. People who do this for their jobs often don’t believe they could apply those same skills in a campaign, I’m not sure why. But if you’re itching to make a difference, get busy with the populist or radical of your choice, in your area. It’s really quite easy, and fun. Once again I return to my mantra of “no one is going to fix this shit for you, slacker.”

Democracy requires participation. Blogging/commenting only partly satisfies that requirement. But I feel good about writing this post, and I’m happy to say that I remain, at this point, firmly in the Edwards camp.