New Haven Independent

Representatives from the three top Democratic candidates’ campaigns came to a basement hearing room of the Hall of Records to make pitches at a Connecticut Young Democrats meeting Monday night.

New Havener Jacqueline Kozin, co-president of the statewide group, asked the candidate-touters to go beyond the buzzword and say how their candidate would actually go about making “change.”

“She’s ready to hit the ground running,” offered John Williams (pictured), a staffer for the statewide Hillary Clinton campaign.

“So you’re saying she would make change quicker?” paraphrased Kozin. Williams nodded.

Josh Strickland (pictured at right at the top of this story), a Yale Law student who came to talk about Barack Obama, said the Illinois senator has a unique talent at “bringing people together.” Obama is not just advocating policy changes, argued Strickland — he’s working for a “deeper change,” redefining the way D.C. runs by transcending partisan politics.

“My change is deeper than your change!” quipped a listening cynic.

A man in a scarf across the room pressed the Obama crew to go past the idealist talk: “What would he do?”

Obama would bring people together and include people who had never been involved in the political process, replied Matt Bailey (pictured second from right at the top of this story) of Hartford. Obama fills rooms of thousands, inspiring the masses; he’ll rule with transparency, Bailey argued. (Obama has said he would televise negotiations with insurance companies for a health care plan, instead of conducting them behind closed doors.) He’ll create a new ruling majority and get things accomplished that “haven’t been done before,” Bailey said.

So, you’re making a case based on personality? Kozin asked.

No, countered Bailey — “It’s a method of governance.”

Jennifer Just, who’s organizing New Haven area Obama-ites, stressed that that this new method of governance would require greater participation from everyone in the political process.

Remember John?
This duo, Patti Hughes and John Jevitts, came to make a John Edwards pitch. They stressed their candidate’s refusal to accept money from lobbyists.

“You can’t create change by raising a lot of money from lobbyists, and you can’t create change on the theme of hope,” said Jevitts.

“In order to break the machine that is Washington, you can’t exist within it,” added Hughes.

Let Your Loving Heart Shine

What’s you’re candidate’s weakness? someone asked.

“Her weakness is she’s emotionally guarded,” said Debbie Hauser, an East Rocker who came to talk about Hillary. “The truth is, she’s been viciously attacked. She got skewered a lot, and in some ways that has made her wary.”

A psychologist by training, Hauser (pictured) said she’s got experience probing people’s psyches. “That woman loves America,” concluded Hauser of the New York senator. “She has soul for America. She needs to let her loving heart show through.”

Obama? “He’s got a little bit of ego on him,” admitted Jennifer Just.

Hughes said that Edwards, the former senator of North Carolina and vice-presidential candidate, was hampered by having had to represent a conservative state. “He voted to represent his constituents,” she said, “and how he has changed.”