A great speech. Thank you so much for doing what you do. I know that part of it is just being who you are, but I feel like your willingness to put your whole self before the public is a gift to us all - it shows that elements people might find contradictory are not really contradictions.
I particularly loved that you dug up that wonderfully snarky (and spookily apropros) bit from Truman's speech and the way you set it in today's context.
----tl;dr, rambling follows----
(apologies in advance to anyone for whom the following is old hat, but I find this kinda stuff fascinating)
I recently saw (although it's about a month.5 old) a great article about the concerns of rural voters who react negatively to messages from urban Democrats: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/05/white-rural-rage-myth-00150395 (subtitled: The ‘White Rural Rage’ narrative gets the research wrong. I know, because some of it is mine.) It definitely resonated with attitudes I've heard from relatives that still live in rural areas. I was fascinated. YMMV. The article also includes links to other articles about Democratic candidates who've been successful in the rural US.
Part of the calculus of Truman's win was a gamble of the part of his veep, Hubert Humphrey. HHH gave a speech on civil rights (that at the time was perceived as a very fiery speech) at the 1948 Democratic convention (it fits on one page - see http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00442/pdfa/00442-00187.pdf for the speech and related materials). The convention adopted the pro-civil-rights plank that HHH was advocating. Taking a forthright stand on civil rights meant that the party lost many votes from part of the populace, but may have gained more in other parts. (This is the speech that induced Strom Thurmond to walk out of the convention and later form the Dixiecrat party, before he became of Republican)
Note that HHH grew up in farm country and along with Elmer Benson, brought the Farmer-Labor Party (imagine that!) into the Democratic party in Minnesota, forming the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (which exists to this day and is affiliated with the national Democratic Party).
My father has talked to me about the grudging respect he's developed for Truman, whom he now regards as one of the better, more underrated presidents of the 20th century. My father's a lifelong Republican, who grew up on a farm and worked for his entire career in the petroleum industry. But he also maintains a strong sense of curiosity, reads history for fun and has been very impressed by Truman. It doesn't hurt that people on boths sides of my family have an inordinate fondness for underdog-wins and man-bites-dog stories.
I really enjoyed your speech. I admire your strength as a person. You always present yourself as you are (which is impressive, by the way), no bullshit, even when it might be a demanding audience. I'm not nearly as confident in myself to do this.
What caught me in your summary post was your observation about how hard Democrats had to work in primarily Republican areas. I finally found out firsthand how hard it is as a Democrat to canvass highly Republican rural regions of Colorado. I did this for the mid-term elections.
I live in this lovely little progressive hamlet dropped right in the middle of Colorado Springs, CO. For context: Colorado Springs is a very conservative area in CO. CO is overall a purple state. Again, though, I had found my cozy, safe place there.
I decided to step out of my comfort zone and canvass during the midterm elections and go to rural areas of Colorado. I knew I was likely to meet people who don't necessarily have the same views as I do. And wow, it was hard work! I learned a lot from meeting new people, listening, answering questions, and even when they slammed a door in my face. I ended my days feeling exhausted, inspired, and so happy that I talked with families, not much different from mine, and felt like we could be friends even with our differences. It gave me hope, which was hard to come by for many years.
I will sign up to canvass for the general election in areas that I know are primarily Democratic and again for the areas I know are mostly Republican. I think learning from multiple and possibly very different views will help me, as a voter, look at issues with a more complete picture.
That Truman speech excerpt was so great to see, Charlotte! Thanks for sharing and great speech!!
A great speech. Thank you so much for doing what you do. I know that part of it is just being who you are, but I feel like your willingness to put your whole self before the public is a gift to us all - it shows that elements people might find contradictory are not really contradictions.
I particularly loved that you dug up that wonderfully snarky (and spookily apropros) bit from Truman's speech and the way you set it in today's context.
----tl;dr, rambling follows----
(apologies in advance to anyone for whom the following is old hat, but I find this kinda stuff fascinating)
I recently saw (although it's about a month.5 old) a great article about the concerns of rural voters who react negatively to messages from urban Democrats: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/05/white-rural-rage-myth-00150395 (subtitled: The ‘White Rural Rage’ narrative gets the research wrong. I know, because some of it is mine.) It definitely resonated with attitudes I've heard from relatives that still live in rural areas. I was fascinated. YMMV. The article also includes links to other articles about Democratic candidates who've been successful in the rural US.
The mountainous parts of Idaho are indeed beautiful. And the rather dreary southwest of Idaho was long livened up by Fearless Farris signs (https://www.idahofb.org/news-room/posts/farris-lind-and-the-stinker-station-signs/). Does anybody know if any still stand? (see also https://iafi.org/hf/Bonneville.html, which features a Fearless Farris sign and explains the watermelons - I know about the story of the Bonneville flood because of my father, who's a geologist).
Part of the calculus of Truman's win was a gamble of the part of his veep, Hubert Humphrey. HHH gave a speech on civil rights (that at the time was perceived as a very fiery speech) at the 1948 Democratic convention (it fits on one page - see http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00442/pdfa/00442-00187.pdf for the speech and related materials). The convention adopted the pro-civil-rights plank that HHH was advocating. Taking a forthright stand on civil rights meant that the party lost many votes from part of the populace, but may have gained more in other parts. (This is the speech that induced Strom Thurmond to walk out of the convention and later form the Dixiecrat party, before he became of Republican)
Note that HHH grew up in farm country and along with Elmer Benson, brought the Farmer-Labor Party (imagine that!) into the Democratic party in Minnesota, forming the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (which exists to this day and is affiliated with the national Democratic Party).
My father has talked to me about the grudging respect he's developed for Truman, whom he now regards as one of the better, more underrated presidents of the 20th century. My father's a lifelong Republican, who grew up on a farm and worked for his entire career in the petroleum industry. But he also maintains a strong sense of curiosity, reads history for fun and has been very impressed by Truman. It doesn't hurt that people on boths sides of my family have an inordinate fondness for underdog-wins and man-bites-dog stories.
Excellent speech. Thanks for sharing!
What a terrific essay and speech you gave Charlotte! I know it fired up those folks in Idaho ‘cause it fired me up here in my blue Seattle bubble!
You are a treasure!! 💙
A great read and much-needed dose of optimism. Thank you for fighting the good fight!
This is so uplifting & timely. As a blue dot Montanan, this resonates down to my tippy toes. Thank you, dear Charlotte!
Great speech! I hope you can visit Spokane some time, Dems here need to hear this
I really enjoyed your speech. I admire your strength as a person. You always present yourself as you are (which is impressive, by the way), no bullshit, even when it might be a demanding audience. I'm not nearly as confident in myself to do this.
What caught me in your summary post was your observation about how hard Democrats had to work in primarily Republican areas. I finally found out firsthand how hard it is as a Democrat to canvass highly Republican rural regions of Colorado. I did this for the mid-term elections.
I live in this lovely little progressive hamlet dropped right in the middle of Colorado Springs, CO. For context: Colorado Springs is a very conservative area in CO. CO is overall a purple state. Again, though, I had found my cozy, safe place there.
I decided to step out of my comfort zone and canvass during the midterm elections and go to rural areas of Colorado. I knew I was likely to meet people who don't necessarily have the same views as I do. And wow, it was hard work! I learned a lot from meeting new people, listening, answering questions, and even when they slammed a door in my face. I ended my days feeling exhausted, inspired, and so happy that I talked with families, not much different from mine, and felt like we could be friends even with our differences. It gave me hope, which was hard to come by for many years.
I will sign up to canvass for the general election in areas that I know are primarily Democratic and again for the areas I know are mostly Republican. I think learning from multiple and possibly very different views will help me, as a voter, look at issues with a more complete picture.
Wow!
This was so good, well written, very inspiring. Thank you
Thank you, Charlotte! Just what I needed today!
That was an amazing speech, Charlotte! Much respect for finding the right words for the right situation.