Biden VP Choice is Great for Genesee County

If you have been asleep for the past nine hours you are just waking up to this news:




Much will be written on Sen. Biden's foreign policy and national security credentials and how we can help the ticket with certain voting blocs. That really is only important to the national leaders of the party and the campaign.

Here in Genesee County, we are interested in how adding Sen. Biden to the Obama Campaign for Change will help our communities and how he will help us bring around those undecided voters who will ultimately decide this election.

First, Sen. Biden has a personal story that hopefully none of us will ever have to endure but that we can all empathize with. After winning his first of six terms in the Senate at the freakishly young age of 29 (He turned the constitutional minimum age of 30 prior to being sworn in) his bright personal story took a tragic detour. While driving with his family they were in a car accident. Senator Biden's young bride and his infant daughter were unfortunately killed. His two young sons were seriously injured.

Facing a new career in the Senate and an unspeakable family tragedy, then Senator-elect Biden gave careful thought to not entering into the Senate. He eventually did what many people here have done which is, he put his family first. He stayed with his sons in the hospital so much that he was actually sworn in as a US Senator at the hospital with his recovering sons. Facing a new challenge as a single dad of two sons, grieving the loss of his wife and daughter, and a brand new Senator he began a balancing act that many single parents here in Genesee County can relate too. Unlike most Senators who buy residences in DC, he stayed in Delaware to raise his young sons and took a ninety minute Amtrak train into the capital twice a day. This is a practice he has done for the past 36 years.

I detail his story to demonstrate that Sen. Biden has a life story that will resonate with the voters in Flint, Flushing, Burton, Grand Blanc, and every other community in our County. His life story is backed up by a voting record protecting women & children, being a great friend of labor, and a champion for civil rights.

I would hope that Senator Biden will have an opportunity to come to area and share his message of change and his track record of fighting for working class communities like Genesee County. In the mean time, we all need to head down to the Campaign for Change HQ in Flint at Fifth Ave. & Saginaw St. and share his and Sen. Obama's message for them.

Candidate Forum was a Success!!!

On July 30th, the GCYD and Alpha Phi Alpha (Theta Tau Chapter) sponsored a Democratic Party candidate forum for the 34th and 51rst State House races. The forum was held at the University Center at UM-Flint. For the 34th district, Eleazar Barzart, Richard Dicks Jr., Chris Del Morone, and Woodrow Stanley were present; for the 51rst, Michael J. Thorp and Harold Ward. The 34^th district is Flint and the 51rst is Grand Blanc, Fenton, Linden, Atlas Twp, Argentine, and Mundy Twp.

The event went really well. Please remember to vote in the primary this Tuesday, August 5^th.

Here’s video from the introductions:

Here's video of the question and answer portion:

Here is video of the closing remarks:

Thanks to the candidates, the audience, and our co-sponsor.

- Keith