I had a former Republican who's now a Dem APOLOGIZE to me today!

[AndyA]

Months ago, I posted about a woman here in my community who used to be very involved in Republican fund raising, supporting the GOP, etc., and how she had become very upset with the direction the party had taken, and that she was going to vote Democratic in the November 2006 elections because she felt like the Dems were more aligned with what she wanted for our country.

Well, today at lunch I saw her and she came over to me and after we exchanged initial greetings, she said to me, "I owe you an apology."

I said, "What for?"

She replied, "For supporting the GOP all these years. I'm ashamed of myself for doing it."

I told her "As long as you have come to see the light, that's all that matters at this point. None of us can undo wrongs..."

She interrupted, "Oh, but I intend to! At this point in my life I have to try to correct some of the wrongs I've done."

She fumbled around in her purse, pulled out her wallet, and opened it up. I was thinking, is she about to give me money??? That seemed a bit strange. But she yanked out her Voter Registration card and she's now a REGISTERED DEMOCRAT! She made the change before the November elections.

I told her how thrilled I was that she felt so strongly about it, and that she was a welcome addition to the party. (The lady has LOTS of connections.)

She told me her husband thinks she's lost her mind (he's very right wing) and she said she thinks he's never had a mind to lose, now that she looks back!

She asked me what I thought of our local people, and I told her they were as bad as could be. (Inhofe and Coburn.) She agreed! After all these years of supporting Inhofe, she now thinks it's time for him to go.

She told me she couldn't imagine what she ever saw in him, and that he hasn't done a thing for Oklahoma, he's just a blank check for George Bush.

Oh, and she REALLY CAN'T STAND GEORGE BUSH OR DICK CHENEY! She downright despises them.

I told her we really needed to make sure Inhofe was gone in 2008, and she agreed. She says she's working on finding someone strong enough on the Dem side to run against him and beat him. We think our Attorney General, Drew Edmondson, could do it but he's said he doesn't want the job.

If anyone can change his mind, this lady can!

As we left each other, she gave me a hug and told me her recovery was well under way, and that she'd "quit drinking the Lemonade."

I laughed, and said, "You mean Kool-Aid?"

Then she laughed and said, "Oh what the hell, I never liked either one of them. I'll take Jack Daniels any time over one of the others."

She started to walk off and then turned around and whispered to me, "You should have seen the look on Harry's (not his real name) face when I told him I was going to my first Move On meeting! It was priceless!!"

She's having a lot of fun being a Democrat, and I think she will be a huge asset going forward. I know she will be a force to contend with once she's up and running 100%, which should be in plenty of time to help out with the 2008 elections.

At any rate, just an update for the few who may remember my earlier encounter with her. Things are changing, and I think the Democratic Party will be stronger for it in the long run. It's sure been a long road, and we haven't reached the end yet.

[Duer 157099]

1. :sigh: I long for encounters like that...

I keep hoping and hoping and hoping....

hope springs eternal I guess

[Kadie]

2. That is a great story!

Thanks for sharing.

:hi:

[redqueen]

3. Amen!

:applause:

[ourbluenation]

4. here's your 4th! great story - thx for sharing.

:)

[Greyskye]

5. Thanks for the write-up

Great story to share, thanks!

[shadowknows69]

6. Tell them to apologize to children

n/t

[liberal N proud]

7. Everyone who voted for bu$h and his republican cohorts should apologize to America

They owe a special apology to those families who have lost loved at the hands of the bu$h regime. They should be ashamed of what they have done to these families and to the nation.

Glad to hear at least one repentance

[iconoclastic cat]

8. You didn't say "see the light," did you? lol nt

[AndyA]

10. Yes, I did say that.

And when I did, she kind of gazed off to the sky like she was seeing it again!

She's really a great lady with a great sense of humor. Now I'll look forward to seeing her at Move On functions.

[iconoclastic cat]

14. Cue Jake Blues: "The Band!" nt

[nealmhughes]

9. I had the same experience a while ago, an old grad school friend who read some of my

political writing for PDA. He sent me a 2pp email telling me how he had been snowed and was working to "change my ways and set the country back on track"!
What changed his mind: he reread the Declaration of Independence and some Paine!

[AndyA]

12. It's a beautiful thing when someone changes sides.

This lady I believe has had some pretty dark moments over the past few years, realizing that what she believed so strongly in for so long, and worked so hard for all these years was wrong.

And after she got depressed over it, she got angry and decided to do something about it. It's really amazing to hear a former GOPer talking about gays should have the right to get married, women should not be forced to have babies that they aren't prepared to care for, etc.

I really do believe this lady will be a positive influence in our party going forward. I think we'll see big things from her in our formerly red (now a bit bluer) state.

[CrispyQ]

16. I sent my rw mother one of those little US Constitution books

& warned her it was some of the most liberal stuff she would ever read. She didn't like me calling the Constitution liberal. :eyes:

I'm glad to hear some are coming around.

[cascadiance]

11. I sent a couple of video clips to a Republican/independent in our office...

He's not hardcore Republican, as he has really turned on Bush and Cheney recently, but he's receptive. He earlier supported Brian Bilbray, but I persuaded him to vote for Francine Busby. I also persuaded him to supoort prop 89. Now I think I've got him on board thinking that Russell Feingold would be a good man as either president or VP. He's also looking forward to someone like Gore running too.

We CAN make a difference talking to folks! Don't stop!

Talked my next door neighbor who's a registered Republican into putting up a Busby bumper sticker on his car too! He was proud of showing it to me!

Get out and talk to folks! You CAN make a difference!

Ultimately, we have logic and history on our side, not a lot of pontificating propaganda. Ultimately if shown this enough, most rational people will eventually see that.

[JHB]

13. K&R

Whoo-Hoo

I like her attitude: let'em have the Kool-aid, I'll take Jack Daniels! Kick back and look at the human dimension.

It's a lot like Emma Goldman when the movements of her day got too "politically correct": something to the effect of "What good is a revolution if you can't dance?"

[roguevalley]

15. great woman, great story. thank you so much.

[truedelphi]

17. Oh mi gawd! This happened in Oklahoma...

I expect my Californian Republican neighbors to someday see the light...

But Oklahoma? A Republican from Oklahoma changing like that and attending MOVE ON?

I'd love to find out what stepped on her last nerve to get her to make the switch.

Betcha you had a few things to do with it - ya never know when a shared insight (one that might originally stick in someone's craw) will eventually get digested by their very soul.

Good work. My hat is off to you.

[tom_paine]

18. Hopeful news. I always like hearing it.

In Oklahoma, yet.

I only pray there is enough time for us to turn this around. I only hope the vast amounts of theft and damage can be overcome to make America what it once was, warts and all. Still one of the best if not the best places on Earth.