Elizabeth Edwards in New York City w/video

[mbair]

Is it me or is it just that Elizabeth Edwards is destined to become the next and future best first lady ever?

I attended a book signing for Elizabeth Edwards’s new memoir, Saving Graces, on Tuesday night in New York City and I taped the whole thing. She spoke to all of us in attendance briefly about the why and the what of the book and then she took questions until she was asked to stop. Mrs. Edwards stuck around for about an hour and a half as the 200 or so in attendance waited patiently in line for a signature and a moment. And boy did she ever have her moments on Tuesday, especially during the signings after the remarks.

cross-posted at dailykos





Video: Elizabeth Edwards in NY - Part 1 (6:49)

As I’m walking through this huge bookstore, I’m thinking that what the world needs now is another book, right? But this is a book that I wrote really because I felt that I had to because I wanted to communicate something that I really felt was important... That is how important it is, in times of struggle, to really have built relationships on which you can rely.
We all have, and this is true in each one of our communities throughout the country and throughout the world, obligations to one another. Those obligations come in really big ways when we need to take care of people in great need and they come in little ways when we need to treat each other with dignity and respect.

Respect, dignity, the value of connection and community - those were the big themes in Mrs. Edwards’s remarks on Tuesday night.

Although Saving Graces is a deeply personal memoir of life so far for our favorite Elizabeth, the themes that run through the book seem to transcend politics on the one hand and inform our politics immensely on the other hand. What Mrs. Edwards writes about in her book seems to be the more human side of the same kinds of values that draw me to progressive "causes" and politics in the first place. I don't want to live alone in my life and I don't want to live in the kind of country where everyone is on their own. But enough politics, this is an Elizabath diary and I don't want it sullied by politics even though I'm the sullier.

Mrs. Edwards gives us a few specific reasons why she wrote the book. One of them was a real shock to me, but in retrospect it was so very Elizabeth. She talks about Jacqueline Onassis as the brave, dignified and stoic woman that she was. I always considered Mrs. Onassis a national treasure, as does Mrs. Edwards, but Mrs. Onassis was also a product of her times. Mrs. Edwards tells us that she wanted to "model another way of grieving in the book." Jackie-O never expressed her pain and grief in a public way. In the book Mrs. Edwards bears her soul and shows us the raw pain and anguish that she started going through once her son, Lucius Wade Edwards, died. Is that smart politically? Personally? I don’t know, but Mrs. Edwards feels that she had to write the book. She has that obligation to give something back and she wrote this book, in part, for people like her that grieve the way she does.

Video: Elizabeth Edwards in NY - Part 2 (9:40)

In this clip, Mrs. Edwards reads two passages from the book. The first is about being a mother recounting the time that she bags Wade and his friends for joyriding without a license and tries to impart some wisdom to the young men. In the second she reads us a letter she wrote to a member of an online grieving community. Don’t miss this clip, it was a stunning letter to read in the book and it’s even more eloquent to hear her read it in person.

Video: Elizabeth Edwards in NY - Part 3 (7:42)




The Q & A starts in this clip. This is one of the best clips of the night and touches on Mrs. Edwards’s life growing up military as the daughter of a career Naval Aviator. She describes how close-knit these communities are.

It was like living in a very small town only no one went home to see their Grandmothers. Everyone stayed in this environment. What you developed was an unbelievably closely knit group of people who shared the same frustrations with not having any idea what the fashions were, not having a hometown and having the same fears about our fathers. In those days all of them were just fathers who working in a dangerous time and a dangerous place.

Interestingly enough she's adding dates for Military bases to her book tour. They've got her at Andrews Air Force base tomorrow and they also have her going to a base out in Tacoma for the Seattle appearance. Awesome! A real Democrat rolling in for a book signing and probably by popular demand to boot, but this diary is not political, right?

There's some snappy repartee between the Edwardses at the event on Tuesday night in this clip. This is part where John Edwards mentions Karl Rove, a fact that I alluded to in yesterday’s teaser diary. Hold onto your hats kids, it sent her a "get well" card after the election. I don’t know about you but that makes me slightly nauseous. Karl Rove sending Mrs. Edwards a "get well soon" card. Puke. Okay that's it for politics in this diary. Swear.

Video: Elizabeth Edwards in NY - Part 4 (9:06)

I don’t think that I have any extra strength, honestly. And I’m not trying to be self-deprecating here. I ask people for help when I need it... John... my family... And I find that people, actually, don’t mind it. They feel good reaching out and helping someone else. You have to think about it as if you’re giving someone a gift. of us contributed when Katrina decimated the Gulf Coast. And we felt good about the people receiving the benefits of our gifts who were blessed by them, but the truth is that we felt good as well.
It’s because I have woven this safety net that I am able to appear strong to you, but it’s only because of the people who hold me up.

Did you know that Mrs. Edwards was Queen of the e-mail list? It seems that whatever comes down the pike can be turned into a tool to reinforce what you already do. By that I mean, something like the internet can be turned into a tool for establishing connections with other people and maintaining a virtual community if you’re so inclined. Mrs. Edwards is so inclined. She’s not just a smart beauty married to a pol out there banging away day after day for the cause. She reaches out because it’s just her nature. She can’t help herself. All I can say is, get them into the White House and let the healing begin. The whole nation has been traumatized by the current politics of this country.

We need some Elizabeth.

Video: Elizabeth Edwards in NY - Part 5 (6:13)

Yup, she takes on the Big Guy in this clip. The question was a great one because the context for these remarks is the death of her son and how that informs her faith. The attendee asked how she struggled with her belief in God after Wade dies. Mrs. Edwards discusses the dynamics in the online communities that she participated in, each person came to the group with their own belief system and struggled with the question: Does God intervene and if not then why not?

Video: Elizabeth Edwards: The Cure for Politics (2:12)




A young woman, pictured here on the right, comes up to get her book signed and asks, "why don't you run for office?"

Naturally, Mrs. Edwards gets this question a lot since she is Elizabeth Edwards after all. Her response is usually something like, "I got it out of my system in high school." Here it is on tape. I guess Prom could do that to a person. Also in this clip are two cancer survivors who came out to see her last night as well.

Video: Elizabeth Edwards: The Crowd (6:43)




Direct quote from this clip, "First of all she has the most beautiful voice... Christine Lavin has the best arms in show business. She speaks to me." This was a really funny part of the signing after the remarks. A woman comes up to her to give her a Christine lavin CD and Mrs. Edwards just goes off. Jennifer Palmieri cues Mrs. Edwards to keep the line moving in an ever so genteel way, and Mrs. Edwards replies, "sorry, so sorry, but I'm working on my connections here".

Tonight Mrs Edwards will be in DC:

Thursday, October 5th, 2006
Washington, DC
7:00 PM
Olsson's Books & Records
418 7th St., NW (between D & E Streets)
Washington, DC 20004
202-638-7610



Previous Vlogs:

Guerrilla Vlogger: People Powered Media - Edwards, Lamont and Deval Patrick
Guerrilla Vlogger: Meet Deval Patrick
Guerrilla Vlogger: Lamont and Edwards in New Haven
Guerrilla Vlogger: Patriotism for something more than War
Guerrilla Vlogger: WakeUp Wal-Mart assignment
Guerrilla Campaign, Iowa w/YouTube video

See you out there...

[mnhtnbb]

1. Will somebody--some group of Elizabeth's friends--puhleeze

recommend her to TLC's What Not to Wear?

It is absolutely beyond me how these insightful, attractive women who are attached to political men ignore dressing themselves well.

C'mon, Elizabeth, that sweater looks like it belongs in some 7 year old's First Communion wear collection.

[Catchawave]

29. I'll pass it along ....

:eyes:

[ShortnFiery]

2. Nope, her comments about The Kerrys were less than gracious

if not truly backstabbing your friend and colleague. :thumbsdown: HOWEVER, not to be disingenuous, PRIMARILY, I don't think Edwards can win the Presidency is my main criterion for not voting for him in the Primary. :shrug:

However, IMO her husband will make an excellent VP to perhaps Gore or Clark. :hi:

[blm]

4. I am of the belief that the media put the wrong emphasis on

Elizabeth's words. They were more nuanced than the way the reporter made them out to be in the interview.

The reporter could have easily portrayed the words in a positive way for the Kerrys, but chose to go the exact opposite route.

[FrenchieCat]

3. 2008 will be here soon enough......

I realize that she is "promoting" her book, and getting fantastic publicity for it, and I don't begrudge her for it (she's had experiences that certainly need to be shared).....However, if she's and her husband are potentials to be vying for the White House in 2008....couldn't she have waited till after November 7th to go on the Road? Wouldn't that have been a better approach in highlighting her book and generating press for both her and her hubby....cause right now, many of us are busy attempting to take care of business that is currently front and center, i.e., Election 2006?

Only sayin' cause based on all of the horrendous things that are currently happening in the world (torture, potential war with Iran, etc...), and in these United States (FoleyFolly and election 2006), these press junkets appears to give off a slight disconnect as to what the Edwards' priorities are considering that we are currently in a fight of our lives to save our democracy with only about 31 days to go.

If I had the money for the book, I'd prefer to donate to candidates right now. If I had to the time to go do something, it wouldn't be waiting in a line to have her sign a book...but rather to go canvas for candidates...but I guess that's just me! :shrug:

[philgobluemi]

6. It's not about politics

it's about dealing with difficulties in life -- the death of a son, getting cancer -- and the power of community.

The video from Oprah is free as is this diary. Please consider reading and watching.

[mbair]

9. link please

Do you have a link? I don't have that.

[FrenchieCat]

14. Yet it is posted in General Discussion POLITICS......

So maybe it is about politics as well, hey?

[mbair]

7. well okay

but Edwards is currently traveling the country working on 2006 elections and ballot issues precisely as you say we all should.

He's done Culver in IA, Lamont in CT, Webb in VA, a Wake-up Wal-Mart bus tour in Pittsburgh by invitation and that's just a tiny fraction of his campaigning in the last couple of months. So far this year Edwards has gone out into the districts and raised about 6.5 million for down ballot candidates across the country. It's hard to keep track sometimes and he does it on his own dime. He's not raising a lot of money for his PAC, the fund-raisers are for the candidates hosting.

The "campaign stops" for the minimum wage initiatives and service unions have also been all over the country consistently since last winter.

I realize that she is "promoting" her book,

Ya think? She's not "promoting" her book, she's promoting her book. By which I mean she had to agree to do a book tour when she signed the contract. Random House doesn't care about the election one way or another, they want to sell books and plugged her release into this time period themselves. Edwards is coming out with a book at the beginning of November and the coverage is "fantastic" because the book is so honest and funny. It's not some kind of a secret campaign plot.

[MontanaMaven]

8. Cancer doesn't wait...

When you have had cancer or a loved one has had cancer, there is no more "timing." Every day is a gift. So the sooner the better for those who need comfort from a book like this. While we political junkies may think that nothing is more important than Nov 7; there are people struggling every day with loss. Elizabeth Edwards, as the wife of a political figure, understands the Catch-22 of fame. She will be praised or vilified depending on things other than the worth of the book. If the book is released after November 7th, they'll say she's trying to steal the limelight from say, a Warner who will announce. Or they will say she preparing for her husband's announcement. Or..Or... Or.. The woman lost a son and is trying to whip breast cancer. Since the book is filled with amazing and courageous statements, take it at face value. It's a good book written by a woman that sees the big picture of pain and suffering from IRaq to Africa to our own back yard. And in the midst of the lurid little sexcapades and whining and weasel behavior by the mostly men in Washington, this book of faith is a breath of fresh air.

[mbair]

10. ditto that - n/t

[FrenchieCat]

11. I understand that.....my mother had Breast Cancer.....and my

grandmother died of it, and so did my mother-in-law....so the subject is not unfamiliar to me.

However, DU is a "political" website in general....and this particular forum is for "political" general discussion specifically....and so, to me, seeing this nice spread on Elizabeth here in this particular forum does seem somewhat of a disconnect.

Just sayin'! :shrug:

[Catchawave]

12. I think it's a refreshing change from Foleygate :)

DU has been saturated lately, and I for one appreciate mbair sharing her diary and the very inspiring future first lady with us :toast:

[FrenchieCat]

13. Saturated with discussions of the bringing down of the GOP....

via a scandal days prior to election sounds really good to me.

Hell, I've been waiting for saturation (in particular, in the media) like this for a long time. I can't get enough......!

I'm glad that there is a saturation pointing to the facts that the GOP is filled with nothing more than criminals....and I hope nothing gets in the way of that saturation except for more germaine issues that would make the GOP look bad all the way until November 7th.

[Catchawave]

15. So go join those threads !

And stop bashing Dems and/or playing Thread Police by telling a poster where or how s/he should be posting. Thanks :hi:

[FrenchieCat]

16. If this is a "bash".....then it doesn't take "Much" at all

Since according to you, pointing out a disconnect in finding this thread here at this time is a "bash" of Dems ....when I just thought it was simply my opinion.


Sounds like I better STFU!

[Catchawave]

25. My apologies...

I meant Thread Nanny. Have a great year or two, and that good General too :hi:

[philgobluemi]

19. I'm still new here

and it's already obvious that Frenchie physically is incapable of not joining in and throwing snark on any Edwards thread, even if it is about dealing with tragedies. It's actually sad.

[FrenchieCat]

20. Thanks!

Must mean that I am a pretty terrible person....while you must be just "great", hey?

FrenchieCat (1000+ posts) Wed Sep-27-06 08:21 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. Sounds like it was a very sad, heartfelt and a moving tribute to their
Edited on Wed Sep-27-06 08:23 PM by FrenchieCat
son, Wade and to what they have had to endure due to that tragic untimely loss. I read the story of how they lost their son in a newspaper account early in 2003, and the story literally made me cry. It was one of the things that got me interested in John Edwards initially. I ended up not supporting Edwards in the '04 primaries due to some other issues, but I always remember how much that story moved me.

Well, I'm glad they had a chance to share such a tragic and life altering experience with a large audience. Dealing with the death of a child is probably one of the hardest pain to have to live through.

Breast cancer ain't no picnic either. My Grandmother died of it at 52, and my mother was just pronounced cancer free after her 5 years check up. I go for my check up every year because of this. Having to deal with any cancer is a very frightening experience, and although many more women have early detection and are able to come out of it in one piece these days, it's got to be jarring.

Thanks for the review!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2847329&mesg_id=2850565

[Catchawave]

21. Oh honey, also on that thread you posted:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2847329&mesg_id=2848634

And I believe newbie phil granted you that wish on this thread :hi:

[FrenchieCat]

23. I have watched the interview since.....but thanks anyways, honey!

Signed "sad" person who can only inject snark in Edward threads even in the face of tragedy (although that wasn't true...but guess proof requires no comment or apologies....as it doesn't matter how I may be portrayed even if its a lie)

:hi:

Edited to add "honey"...which I guess must be someone's name, as it isn't mine.

[Catchawave]

24. You're very welcomed !

And another :kick: for this lovely thread :toast: Oh, and you might want to reserve snark for mothers who haven't lost a child/cancer survivor threads :D

[FrenchieCat]

28. Well thanks for the kind words anyways.....

cause I notice that the mention of the history of cancer and deaths in my family which I shared didn't nary a comment. Guess my family just ain't as "special"..... :shrug:

Edited to add the little phoney :hi: as you do!

[MontanaMaven]

17. "Politics" is a discussion about what kind of society

we want to live in. Politics is exactly what the Elizabeth Edwards blog is about. It's about how we join our own self interests to our values.
It's about how we see others. I find the discussion of what is "politics" very interesting and revealing as to what leaders represent a person's view of politics. Tactics are useful in a battle, but without an over all goal besides just winning, the victory is hollow. Those of us who are drawn to positive messages will gravitate towards the Edwards who appeal to something bigger in ourselves other than winning something. Foley is a small timer compared to the huge story of Condaleeza Rice being warned about Al Qaeda and doing nothing. Let's keep our eyes on the prize. Everytime a Democrat comes forward whether it is Elizabeth Edwards or your guy Wesley Clark, let's embrace the message. But we should especially embrace it if it gives a real alternative to the warlike, violent, bigoted, selfish, and decadent party that is in power now.

[philgobluemi]

18. much better said

I should have written that it's not about "2008 politics" which is what Frenchie was talking about.

[DemDogs]

30. And I was so surprised to see a photo of Clark on your post

Any anti-Edwards post and you can bet that there is a Clarkie there somewhere. It is not every single one, but don't you guys get tired of it?

[philgobluemi]

5. See Oprah Interview From Last Week

http://www.vsocial.com/video/?d=48130

Just amazing stuff. Mostly on the death of Wade and cancer.

[machka]

22. Actually, phil...

...This here is a link to all three parts of the interview - that way folks can see the whole thing in order, instead of just seeing the first part, or having to fish around for the others. ;)

(edited to add a more direct link)

[Catchawave]

26. Thank you machka !

Very kewl link :D

[machka]

27. You're welcome. n/t