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StumbleuponFairborn grandmother hits the streets for Obama
Saturday, September 06, 2008
COLUMBUS — Marion Edwards of Fairborn is ready to knock on doors for Democrat Barack Obama.
So what if she's a 65-year-old grandmother, old enough to remember when "text" didn't mean sending messages?
Obama's youth brigades may have their cell phones and BlackBerries. Edwards has two hugs from the candidate himself. That's enough to keep her going as she hits the neighborhoods for Obama today, Sept. 7.
She got the hugs from Obama on Feb. 25 at his rally at Wright State University's Nutter Center during the Ohio primary season. Edwards had been a fan since his 2004 keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston but seeing Obama in person – especially after a long wait in cold weather – was something else.
"I remember it like it was yesterday," said Edwards.
She told Obama about the death of her husband Lanny in 2006 after 43 years of marriage. He died after suffering a heart attack and being diagnosed with cancer. He had lost his job a few years earlier when his company downsized. He had no health insurance.
"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," Obama told her as he put his arms around her.
Edwards also told Obama about her problems buying prescription drugs under Medicare.
"Then he hugged me again," said Edwards. "By then the tears were coming. I think I put my head on his shoulder. I said, 'thank you. You know I'll work for you and do anything to make you president.'"
The hugs made Edwards a minor celebrity on the Internet. There are pictures on a Wikipedia page about Obama's presidential primary campaign, 2008, taken by W. Stuart McDowell, chair and artistic director of the department of theatre, dance and motion pictures at Wright State.
There's also a YouTube video featuring Edwards and Obama, that you can see at www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN6hp_Mtoj8.
"I have it on my computer," said Edwards. "I'm never going to let it go."
Now that the conventions are over, the hopes for both Obama and Republican John McCain ride on how well their campaigns can motivate thousands of volunteers like Edwards to get out the vote in what is expected to be another down-to-the wire race for Ohio's 20 electoral votes.
Until the Republican National Convention, Obama seemed to have an edge in generating the enthusiasm that it takes to get volunteers into the streets, particularly because of his appeal to younger voters.
McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, as his running mate, however, may help close the enthusiasm gap.
The religious conservatives who form the GOP base greeted Palin's selection with thunderous approval. They've never been too keen on McCain but now sound ready to knock on doors, make phone calls and spread the GOP word.
They shouldn't bother stopping at Edwards' house. She's committed to Obama.
"I think the man could read the phone book and I would listen to him," Edwards said.
Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1608 or whershey@DaytonDailyNews.com.
