Hope: A Conversation With Elizabeth Edwards

I don't regularly discuss politics here on my personal blog. I'm not sure I can accurately articulate why that is. I guess Lawyer Mama has always been an outlet for what is going on inside of my head. My thoughts on politics and social policy usually aren't limited to the four squishy corners of my brain. I talk about them often, with friends, family and co-workers. But lately? My thoughts about the upcoming election and the direction of this country have been racing. So bear with me. I'm going to get all political on you, my dear readers, and it's going to probably happen pretty often until November 2008.

This weekend, the Silicon Valley, Chicago, and D.C. Metro Moms bloggers had an opportunity to speak with Elizabeth Edwards. The Silicon Valley moms met with her in person and some of the Chicago and D.C. Metro Moms bloggers participated by conference call, including yours truly. Joanne was the spokesperson for the D.C. Metro Moms on the call and she did a fabulous job. You all know what a big Elizabeth Edwards fan I am, so I was thrilled to have the chance to ask Ms. Edwards substantive policy questions. (If you'd like to see live blogging of the whole shebang, go here and here.)

I did, however, have a moment of sheer mortification. I was on the conference call on my cell phone parked at my laptop in the dining room. My husband has been transferring the contents of said laptop to an external hard drive for the last 3 days, so I was grounded, so to speak. I couldn't lock myself in the bedroom away from the chaos created by two small boys.

During the introductions, I accidentally un-muted my cell phone. Of course, H&H began screaming and running around on cue. I didn't realize that anyone could hear them until Elizabeth said "Whoever has the kids in the background, don't shut them up! I might have to bring my own in here too." Everyone laughed while I was staring at my cell phone in horror and frantically pushing the mute button! Of course, I got over my embarrassment immediately. This was a conference call with mothers. Elizabeth is a mother too. She and my fellow mom bloggers certainly weren't going to judge me for showing a bit of humanity.

Elizabeth (she asked us to call her that!) was, as always, articulate, funny, and a font of information. She answered our questions about health care, her role as first lady, and, most impressively, how John Edwards will make our world better and safer for our children. This was Amie's question and, man, it was a good one.

Elizabeth went on to talk about universal health care, college for everyone, and reestablishing our moral authority in the world. She was up front about change being a slow and difficult process. But she also told us that we need to be engaged to make it happen. "We don't get the change we want unless we're willing to work for it."

Elizabeth talked about not just making this a better America, but about creating a better world.

Creating a better world.

What I like most about Elizabeth and John Edwards is that they both have a touch of idealism in them. They don't talk like politicians. They haven't given up on making positive changes. In fact, they've both dedicated their lives to trying to make that happen and they have concrete plans to do it.

I voted for John Edwards in the last presidential primary. I'll be doing so again in early 2008 and, hopefully, in November 2008. I hope that when my children are older I'll be able to tell them about a phone call I had with our future First Lady and about how she gave me hope. Hope that this world and our United States can be better.

Of course, I'll have to tell Hollis and Holden about how our future First Lady commented on their hooligan noise and roughhousing. But I'm quite certain she did it with a smile.
Cross posted at D.C. Metro Moms Blog and MOMocrats.

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I'm also excited to tell you all that I've joined another blog, this one with a solely political purpose. It's called MOMocrats and it's a group of moms who are supporting John Edwards for president. You can read all about our bloggers here. I'm thrilled to have this opportunity and I hope you'll stop by often to hear what we have to say.