(April 30, 2006 grab) kerryforpresident2008.blogspot.com

John Kerry for President 2008
"Individual supporting John Kerry for President in 2008.  Discussion about Presidential Politics and the 2008 election issue."

About the Site:
Run by Robert Freedland, a physician in La Crosse, Wisconsin; first postings Nov. 30, 2004.

Robert Freedland (May 1, 2006 e-mails):
I am a physician here in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Politics has been part of my life on a volunteer level since I was about 13.  I am now 51.  I remember volunteering for Gene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy as well as George McGovern.  I did the usual thing, going door-to-door, leaving literature, making phone calls.

In college (I graduated from Princeton University in 1976, a classmate of Joshua Bolten as well as Mike McCurry, I wasn't personal friends with either of them), I ran for class and student body office and was on the Undergraduate Assembly as a Freshman when Bill Frist was, I believe, Student Body President.  At Princeton, while a pre-med, I did grass-roots work for Jerry Brown who was looking to run for President.

I went on to University of California Davis for Medical School.  During the Presidential campaigns at that time I helped organize the John Anderson campaign in Sacramento and for a short time was the Sacramento coordinator for Anderson, helping open a campaign office in the city.  I resigned from that activity as I was heading to Alberta, Canada, for a Family Practice elective in High Prairie, a great experience.

Since then, I have not been doing much beyond volunteering.  Back in 2003, I started blogging about the Stock Market, and you can find my blog at http://bobsadviceforstocks.tripod.com/bobsadviceforstocks/.  In 2000 I volunteered for Al Gore, and in 2004 I was spending time and money working on the Kerry campaign.  I canvassed, I made telephone calls, I held signs up at the roadside and I bought cookies and bottled water for staffers.  I did whatever was asked of me.  I did go to the Holmen Skeet shoot but was just at the roadside holding a sign when the press came buy.  That was the famous photo-op of Kerry practicing with a gun.  In general, I was just a regular old volunteer.  Ready to squeeze in hours at the local office at whatever I could do.  I met Senator Kerry only as far as a handshake on the morning of the 2004 election, when he came at 1 in the morning to greet supporters at the La Crosse airport.  He left La Crosse after that to go back to Boston to vote.

After the disappointing 2004 results, I decided to continue campaigning for Senator Kerry.  I think John Kerry got the short end of the stick in 2004 and deserved to win.  Our nation would be better off with Senator Kerry in the White House.  I decided to set up a blog, which, as a blogger, was something I was familiar with.  I didn't know if one voice from La Crosse, Wisconsin could make a difference but I was determined to continue to tell the story.  I strongly believe that Senator Kerry is the best potential candidate to lead our nation with his unique perspective as a Vietnam War Veteran and protestor.  The peculiar situation our country has found itself in with the Iraq conflict is a war that Kerry is familiar with.  He understands how a nation cannot ask its young men and women to die for a mistake.

I do what I can here.  My blogging has helped me understand many issues in greater clarity.  It has also helped me understand the extend of the smears and lies that are spread on the web.  It also has given me hope that one person can make a difference.  I worry about the responsibility of representing the Senator on issues.  Sometimes I am afraid that he will email me and ask me to take down the site.  I have very many strong beliefs about different issues, and the blog is about what I believe even more than what Kerry does.  However, I do believe that my beliefs are consistent with what Kerry has advocated, whether it be on the environment, the war in Iraq, international relations, Women's Rights, separation of church and state, or honesty and integrity in government.

I hope that I shall also be able to meet Senator Kerry in person to let him know how much I appreciate his efforts on behalf of all of us.
 

Asked about Sen. Feingold, Freeland responded:
I like Russ Feingold.  In fact, if you look through my blog, I wrote up one entry applauding his courage.  I have met Senator Feingold and am very impressed by his courage in challenging the Patriot Act for instance.  If Russ gets the nomination, you can be sure that I shall be working my heart out for him as well.
 
 

Notes:
First postings: Nov. 30, 2004 - "Welcome" ("The nation does need a Massachusetts liberal!  Please join in the discussion here and let's start talking about 2008.  John Kerry gave it his best shot in 2004 and lost by the smallest of margin.  We can do it if we do it together!") and "Why Kerry?" ("The last election was about being anti-Bush. America did not get a chance to know John Kerry until late in the election...")

Looked at on April 30, 2006, the most recent posting was April 30, 2006 - "America has Nothing to Fear," a long posting on the Spanish language version of the National Anthem.  The April 29 posting "Ellen Goodman Opposes Kerry Presidential Bid" is more on point.  He writes that Goodman's "irresponsible op-ed piece does nothing except add to the character assassination of Senator Kerry."