In the Agora: What I want in my President

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April 05, 2007

What I want in my President

John and Elizabeth Edwards held a town hall meeting at the University of New Hampshire Monday. Rush Limbaugh offers this transcript of what an undergraduate named Jenny Ballantine had to say:

I need to be able to look to my leader and see words of encouragement, words of hope. I need to be able to trust that person. I need to be able to know that I'm going to be grow [sic in transcript] in a world that's not going to be full of hate and prejudice and racism and to know that I matter, that I wasn't just dumped in this world for no particular reason whatsoever.

I'm busting my ass in school, I work 25 to 30 hours a week, and it's just me and my dog. So what can you do for the people that are in my situation, that are trying their damnedest in school, wanting to go to grad school, is going to be hit with the loans--and, uh, I have no idea what I want to do when I grow up. I don't know what I want to be when I'm an adult. But I'm 22 right now, so people are like, "Honey, you are an adult." You know what? It's about me. It's about me voting for you or supporting somebody who's going to be the next president. So it's all about me right now. Just give me something.

The Edwardses responded as you might imagine:

Mr. Edwards: God bless you. If I were choosing a president, uh, that's what I'd be doing. I'd be looking for the specifics of what they want to do, because that matters, but I would also be judging them personally, because we need to trust our president.

Mrs. Edwards: I want to say something, too. I was really impressed with you, Jenny Ballantine, and I think probably everybody in this room was, and I want everybody in this room who believes that Jenny Ballantine is going to be able to do it to give her a round of applause.

Via James Taranto we learn that, according to Foster's Daily Democrat of Dover, N.H., the audience gave Miss Ballantine not only a round of applause but a standing ovation.

The Edwards' response is pathetic, empty, and actually gives me more of a gag reflex that the snot-nosed Jenny Ballantine's initial rant. When I vote in the 2008 presidential election, one of the factors I will consider is which candidate is most likely to say, "Well Jenny, this isn't 'all about you,' and I'm not going to give you a damn thing." Is that candidate available?

Posted by Joshua Claybourn at April 5, 2007 05:43 PM

Comments

Apparently, Ms. Ballantine wants a combination of Santa Claus and Dr. Phil for President!

Posted by: Eric Seymour at April 5, 2007 06:55 PM | permalink

facebook.com only comes up with one Jennifer Ballantine, whose only network is London, ON. Maybe the Edwardses sensed she was Canadian?

Posted by: Zach Wendling at April 5, 2007 09:26 PM | permalink

Sorry to spoil your comment Zach. I am that "Jennifer" who has a facebook profile, and I have never attended a "town hall meeting" in New Hampshire, and, obviously, I am Canadian. You may not want to base your comments on random facebook searches next time. Please use more discretion when commenting using other people's names/identities.

Thanks.

Posted by: Jennifer at April 20, 2007 12:54 AM | permalink

April 05, 2007

What I want in my President

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