Bird-dogging Edwards -- he's on board with $50b for Global AIDS, all you have to do is ask!

Last night, two friends and I went to see John Edwards speak at the College Democrats Convention being held here in Columbia, SC at the University of South Carolina. It was a great event, college kids from all over the country (and some international students as well) were there. First, many thanks for Karen Bates for hooking me up with the Edwards campaign for free passes to get in (otherwise, it would have been $20). So, the event was a street party where Howard Dean and John Edwards were both scheduled to speak. Dean had to cancel at the last minute for reasons unknown.

In Edwards' speech, he spoke about universal, single payer health coverage here in the US that would make sure no American went without medications. From there, he began speaking about AIDS and TB at home and abroad. When he spoke about AIDS in Africa, he said that it is not only necessary for our own health and safety and to help improve foreign relations, but it is also our humanitarian obligation to help people suffering with this disease in poor and developing nations. I noticed one of his handlers (that's what I call them) and asked exactly where he would be exiting the stage. I, then, went ahead and moved to that area with my two friends to make sure we beat the crowd to the handshake line. We seemed to be in the perfect position until some of the Convention staff decided it would be best to break the crowd up so that Edwards would be walking through us. We hoped he'd be shaking hands of people on either side of him, but that did not happen.

There were two police officers between Edwards and me, so I reached over one of them (he was pretty short which was good since I'm only 5'4" myself), grabbed Edwards' shoulder and yelled, "Senator Edwards" as loud as I could (I needed his attention; it was very loud; and there were a lot of people trying to grab him from all directions).

Amazingly, he stopped what he was doing, mid-autograph, reached his hand out for mine, and looked me straight in the eyes. I said "$50 Billion," and he said "I'm 100% completely on-board." I then said "I didn't get to finish, do you know what I'm talking about?" His reply was, "Yes. $50 billion in aide to Africa to take care of AIDS patients. $10 billion a year at a minimum. I'm with ya'll completely. By the way, you guys are doing a wonderful job getting the word out about that." I said my thanks and wished him the best. Just a fun little afterthought, as we were walking away to leave, a man walked up to me whom I've never seen before (he was covered in environmental buttons) and said "Way to bird-dog!" Sadly, my day today has been packed, so I did not get to make it down to see any of the other candidates today and was unable to catch Obama Thursday. Looks like you guys are doing a great job with Edwards though! Amy