PDA Unity Rally Rocks Orange County
By Mike Hersh, PDA Communications Manager
November 2, 2008
From the left: Norman Solomon, Patrick D. Kelly, Michael Lighty, Tim Carpenter, Debbie Cook, Bree Walker, David Clennon.
Orange County native Tim Carpenter returned to this once-overwhelmingly Republican stronghold in high spirits, rallying with local labor and other progressives. The Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) hosted members of the PDA national team, State Coordinator Dr. Bill Honigman, Tom Pallow and other local PDA members at their Lodge 725 in Huntington Beach Sunday, November 2. Carpenter served as master of ceremonies recognizing speakers and audience members including radio talk show host Bree Walker.
Debbie Cook, Healthcare NOT Warfare candidate for Congress in California's 46th Congressional District, arrived early. She and Carpenter welcomed the volunteers, elected officials, candidates and other speakers as they jammed into the Machinists Union Hall at 5402 Bolsa Ave. in Huntington Beach, CA. Cook's rival, Dana Rohrabacher, was identified as a major obstacle to progress in every speech. People swapped stories about his exploits not suitable for print while waiting for the rally to begin.
Carpenter delivered the opening remarks and introduced long-time PDA friend Patrick D. Kelly, Teamsters Local 952 Secretary-Treasurer. Kelly raised the roof with real straight talk--not the cheap imitation heard from "the guy from Arizona" as Mr. Kelly called him. The crowd joined Kelly in chants of "Obama! Obama!" and yelled in response as he listed McCain's anti-worker policies such as taxing health benefits and supporting the outsourcing of jobs.
Michael Lighty from the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee shared concerns about people losing their healthcare, explaining that his organization supports Debbie Cook because she's a strong supporter of John Conyers' H. Res. 676. She "gets it." Lighty described the recent PDA Healthcare NOT Warfare/CNA/NNOC campaign tour stops: rallies in Orange County, Rochester, NY (for Eric Massa, candidate for Congress), and throughout Ohio. In the hours before voting, we'll rally in Virginia with PDA-endorsed congressional candidate Andrea Miller and wrap up in D.C.
Norman Solomon, PDA's Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign national co-chair, connected the lack of healthcare with the war and occupation of Iraq, noting that whether you're talking about people sick at home in Long Beach, CA or fighting in Baghdad or Mosul, it's a matter of life or death. David Clennon, activist and actor (Syriana, thirtysomething), ran down a "Top Ten List" of reasons Orange County should support Debbie Cook over Rohrabacher.
Jim Moreno of the IAM hosted the event and shared heartfelt sentiments about the House of Labor and its importance to social justice and progress in California and the U.S.. Moreno is also a trustee for the Coast Community College District. Keith Bohr who serves as Councilman for the City of Huntington Beach offered a warm welcome on behalf of his city. Gus Ayers, Councilman for the City of Fountain Valley; Katrina Foley, Councilwoman for the City of Costa Mesa; and Jose Solorio, California State Assemblyman from the 69th District appeared as well.
Debbie Cook, the current mayor of Huntington Beach, closed out the speakers' list. She graciously accepted accolades and support for her campaign, recognizing other candidates and calling on the rest to join with her walking the district, making calls, and more.
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