Dooley: Biden’s exhortations are an inspiration

Vice President Joe Biden, left, with Peter Shumlin, the Democratic candidate for Vermont governor

Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Sandy Dooley, who lives in South Burlington, where she is vice chair of the city council. An MSW-trained social worker who retired this past January, her career included direct services, teaching, survey research, and social welfare and public health administration and policy.

An hour waiting outside in alternating snow showers and cold, drizzling rain tests one’s resolve to see and hear our vice president, Joseph Biden. Upon entry into the Patrick Gymnasium’s tennis complex, I see this is truly a standing room only event as there are no chairs, with the exception of the special area for the VIPs and a few seats for frail elderly attendees. Still, I am charmed by the seven Lawrence Barnes School sixth-graders who sit excitedly on the floor awaiting the Big Event.

The goal is firing up the crowd to vote for Democratic candidates–HIGH TURNOUT IS GOOD FOR THE DEMS–and the means is the Stump Speech. Sen. Bernie Sanders, once again, proves that he ranks among the best in this genre and Vice President Biden is clearly right up there with our guy Bernie. And while those two have had decades to hone their skills, gubernatorial candidate Peter Shumlin shows promise of becoming a major leaguer in such endeavors.

Theirs is a message of absolutes and contrasts and unabashed appeal to the visceral.

Bernie tells us about “Wall Street’s greed, recklessness, and illegal behavior” and how our Republican opponents are the champions of Wall Street. But (Bernie says) “Peter Shumlin understands that Vermont can be a model for America” in enacting Medicare for all, via a single payer health care system.

Peter Shumlin gets to his points expeditiously. They are: jobs, universal broadband access by 2013, and education, especially more investment in early childhood education.

The vice president, who is greeted by hundreds of the faithful waving “Vermonters Heart Symbol (Love) Joe” banners, tells us “this is an election about competing visions” and “today’s Republicans are not your parents’ Republicans.” He later adds that they are not (Senator) Bob Stafford or (Senator) George Aiken Republicans, either.

According to “Joe,” Democrats in control in Washington means moving forward with the Obama policies of creating jobs, building a future that has as its foundation sustainable energy, reforming the financial system, fine-tuning the health care law, and education reform. If the Republicans win, we are back to the failed policies of George W. Bush, he says.

Joe exhorts us to “Go go out and vote tomorrow and get three others who will vote for Democrats to the polls, also.” Go forth and do good.

The music begins. Vice President Biden and Shumlin enter the crowd for hand-shaking and politicking. I am energized. There is something irreplaceable about in-person political events no matter how constrained they are by today’s security requirements. The mundane act of voting today will mean more to me because of this experience.