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A conference call hosted by the Obama campaign has just concluded. It featured the announcement that well-known NH Democrats Gary and Meg Hirshberg have officially thrown their support to Barack Obama. This comes over their second choice of John Edwards in the current field- originally being with Tom Vilsack, who dropped out early on in the race. According to a press release issued by the campaign,
Gary and Meg Hirshberg, business and community leaders and veteran Democratic campaigners, have endorsed Senator Barack Obama’s bid for the presidency. The couple stressed the importance of choosing a president who can bring refreshing and unifying leadership to begin to heal our divided nation..“America is badly divided and in desperate need of new solutions, new ideas, and a new way of conducting politics,” Gary Hirshberg said. “Barack Obama is the candidate who can best help Americans focus on our common strengths and dreams, rather than our differences. We must move forward into the 21st Century and not back to old divisions and Barack will catalyze the change we need—in our disastrous policies, but also in the way the world sees us, and how we see ourselves. Meg and I are thrilled to get to work for Barack here in NH and across the US.”.Hirshberg added: “As a CEO of a multi-hundred million dollar company, I have come to appreciate the leadership qualities needed to inspire and empower successful organizations. Barack Obama possesses all of the characteristics to be a superb and effective chief executive.”.Gary Hirshberg is Chairman, President, and CEO of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt of Londonderry, New Hampshire. At the helm of the world’s preeminent organic yogurt producer, Gary has developed innovative programs to bolster economic growth, environmental conservation and public health, which are among the top challenges facing the next president. Meg Hirshberg, a writer and activist, has served on the boards of numerous charitable and educational organizations. Outside of work they have dedicated themselves to supporting progressive causes and candidates.
When you look up "liberal" in some dictionaries, there’s a good chance that if not there already, Mr. Hirshberg’s picture ought to be. As a long time conservative…
…living here in NH, I have watched the Hirshberg’s embrace one liberal cause after another through the years. One could not, however, call the Hirshbergs strong members of the "establishment" wing of the party. It is no real surprise that they have gone elsewhere besides the Clinton camp.
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During the telephone conference call with Mr. Hirshberg, currently at some global-warming confab in France, he spoke mainly of Obama’s qualities as a uniter and one who can listen and learn, with a healthy helping of energy transformation talk mixed throughout.
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Some key points made by Hirshberg:
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"No campaign in my memory has been as well organized as this one."
I concur with Gary on this. As a conservative blogger here in NH, my contact with the organization and observation of last week’s event here in Laconia bear this out. While the McCain campaign is in freefall for other reasons, they are tops when it comes to organizing the retail political machine on the ground. Obama’s team strikes me as amazingly similar in their prowess.
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Worried about the growing gap between rich and poor.
What card-carrying liberal wouldn’t be?
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"As a CEO, I look for someone who can manage and administer.
This, of course, plays well with persons of all stripes, especially in the post-Katrina environment
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Mr. Hirshberg claims he knows and hangs out with many Republicans who are "embarassed by past support of the incumbent", have no interest in other Democrats, and have decided they could support Obama.
One must not forget to consider the types of "Republicans" a far-left liberal like Hirshberg must have in his circle of friends…
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Looking ahead to the general election, he feels Obama could get us away from having a one-state balance in who gains the White House and gain a 60% majority. Hirshberg noted a broad appeal among those left out and disenfranchised by the current political climate.
Certainly this is higher than anyone might predict of a Hillary victory. Is it really achievable? Perhaps if the Republicans see that unavoidable rout some are predicting.
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Another major point raised as his reasoning behind supporting Obama is that the private man and the public man are one and the same.
One laughs when wondering if the same can be said of Hillary…
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Peppered throughout the call were continued references to Obama’s willingness to learn and admit making mistakes, vis a vis environmental issues, which those who follow this stuff closely know this is Hirshberg’s number one issue. This was an obvious reference to Obama’s vote supporting liquefied coal/ diesel in the Senate, which runs counter to Hirshberg’s beliefs. (He said during the call that the US receives enough solar energy in a day to power the nation for a year) The phrase "renewable energy" came up again and again.
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I asked about nuclear energy and both Hirshberg’s and Obama’s position. He admitted that it is a piece– but just a piece– of a transition between our current situation and a future of new, as yet unknown major sources of energy. What is amazing is hearing liberals actually admit a role for nuclear power at all, given the past history in this area.
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All in all, it was rather interesting as a conservative to listen in on a true blue liberal like Mr. Hirshberg. He believes that Obama has the liberal credentials so dear to him and his wife, while at the same time able to "heal a divided America." It’s my opinion that in order to do so, a Democratic candidate can’t be too far to the left, otherwise he/she risks even further dividing the country. As Hirshberg stated today, "Responsible Democrats must think about not only the primary, but the general" election as well. He sees Barack Obama as the candidate that can, at the least, "turn red states purple."
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That all depends where Senator Obama falls on the left-right scale. It’s still rather difficult to discern where he is at this point. Hirshberg’s endorsement perhaps helps to get a better fix on that point– remember, he is considered one of the more far to the left people here in NH. We’ll have to watch and see as we move closer to the voting time and learn more about Barack Obama, and all of the other candidates looking to pick up at the end of the Bush era…