(Danville, California)
Every vote counts! It's not a cliche'. It is true! In my career as a reporter I have covered at least a half-dozen elections decided by fewer than five votes, including one tie. George W. Bush won Florida (and the Presidency) in 2000, by a mere 537 votes. Most recently here in the San Francisco Bay area the Mayor's race in the City of Vallejo ended with a five vote margin. On the recount, the challenger actually surged ahead and won by just two votes.
American political history is littered with such anecdotes, and they are wonderful. Again, every vote counts!
That lesson becomes important today as Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue their quest for Democratic "Super Delegates" that each needs to win the nomination.
Today there is a special election to fill the Congressional seat formerly held by Rep. Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) . Mr. Lantos died on February 11, after a long battle with cancer. He had served 27 years in Congress. A Hungarian Jew, he was also the only Holocaust survivor to ever serve in the U.S. Congress. Tom was one of my good friends in Congress. He actually was the final person to persuade me to move to California. Back in December of 1998, in the middle of the impeachment of President Clinton, we booked Tom to be out guest on KTVU "live" from our studios on Capitol Hill. By the time he arrived, a driving rain and ice storm erupted, and it was bitterly cold. I had to persuade him to wear my trench coat, scarf and gloves as the interview was outdoors.
As the two of us stood outdoors, waiting to go on TV, we discussed my dilemma. Should I stay in DC as a political correspondent, or should I transfer to the San Francisco area as the morning anchor on KTVU? I thought he would try to persuade me to stay in DC, but - to my surprise - he said go west to the Bay Area. "It's the most beautiful place on earth," he said, as we stood in the DC storm. And he was a man who had been just about everywhere.
So I moved to California and have been here just over nine years. I saw Congressman Lantos from time to time over the years and always thanked him for talking me into the move. I was very sad the day he died. He served our country very well.
Now that his seat is open, there is a special election today to fill it; and this race is about more than just who gets to go to Washington, DC. All Democratic Members of Congress in California are "Super Delegates," meaning they get to cast their votes at the convention for the possible Democratic nominee.
Today former State Senator Jackie Speier is trying to win the vacant seat in Congress. You may remember Speier as the Congressional Aide who survived the "Jonestown Massacre" back in 1978. She also backs Sen. Hillary Clinton for President. She is facing fellow Democrat Michelle McMurry, who is backing Barack Obama for President. There are also two Republicans in the race, as well as a Green candidate; but this district, which includes a portion of San Francisco, is heavily Democratic. Today's winner gets a seat in Congress until the regular election in November. And one of the presidential candidates will be one super delegate closer to the nomination in this year when the Democratic nomination could be decided literally by one vote!
Two weeks from today I report from Philadelphia, where our "Founding Fathers" envisioned this sort of electoral drama over 230 years ago!
Check in often at www.MarkCurtisMedia.blogspot.com
Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides.
1 comment:
Mark,
Thanks for keeping us abreast of what is going on in the political arena. You are knowledgable and I always like hearing what you have to say!
Post a Comment