Endorsing Obama: Sheila Leslie
I recently interrupted Sheila Leslie’s South American vacation to expound upon why she chose to endorse Barack Obama’s candidacy for president. Thankfully, she waited until her return to Reno before responding to my pesky questions with some thoughtful responses. The reasoning behind her choice to endorse Obama very early in the campaign season demonstrated once again that she is not only a great advocate for the citizens of Nevada, she is also a seasoned political strategist.
MTM: In light of the list or more than 100 Nevada women supporting Clinton’s presidential bid, your (early) endorsement of Obama is intriguing. What do you think Obama offers to women on issues normally associated with women voters like childcare, education, women’s health care, abortion, etc.?
Leslie: I did not do a matrix of where each candidate stands on every issue I care about, because frankly, I could (and will) happily vote for whomever the Democratic nominee is, and as a politician myself, I understand that it’s impossible during a campaign to concretely say “this is what I’m going to do about that”. Things change. More information becomes available. So I did not compare Obama’s position on women’s issues with Clinton’s or Edwards’. I think any of them would meet my needs.
My top 3 candidates, in order, are Obama, and then probably Edwards, then Clinton, but again, I will cast my vote so happily for any of them. To decide among the three, I looked more at personal integrity, leadership qualities, ability to engage the public, and most importantly, their statements on the war. Stopping the insanity in Iraq is my personal top priority in selecting the next president. I believe Obama is the strongest candidate in that area and that counted for a lot with me.
Going back to my criteria, Obama came out on top again in the area of engaging the public and leading us in a new direction. When I met him and spent time with him in Carson City as he interacted with people at Comma Coffee and in the legislative building, and truly, on the sidewalk with ordinary people, he was so impressive. I’ve campaigned for 10 years just at a state level and I know how hard it is to be sincere, engaging, “real”, and enthusiastic. I cannot begin to imagine the energy he has to have to do his level of campaigning. People responded to him. He is inspiring and the hope he brings for change is something our country desperately needs. We need a leader we can believe in, so we can believe in ourselves again.
MTM: How did the issues you typically work on influence your decision to endorse Obama? Honestly, I would’ve figured you for an Edwards supporter. Why not Edwards?
Leslie: There was a great column this past week in the NY Times – I can’t remember by whom – that spoke about how crazy it is to expect “detailed plans” on every issue from the candidates. The columnist talked about health care as an example. It articulated my views very well – I just need to feel comfortable with the direction the person is taking – I don’t want to know every detail; it’s impossible to know what will be possible by the time the person is in power. It’s a disservice to expect the candidates to be producing detailed plans at this juncture…
MTM: What did you think of the Elizabeth Edwards comments recently about her husband being a better candidate on issues concerning women?
Leslie: As far as Mrs. Edwards’ comments: I’ve met Elizabeth and enjoyed her company very much. I admire her courage and her honesty. But again, I don’t think her husband will necessarily be better on women’s issues than the other two. They’ll all be good. I have not yet met Mrs. Obama, but I’ve been impressed with what I’ve read about her. It’s an excellent sign in my opinion when candidates marry strong spouses, and all three of my top choices have. I like that about all of them.
MTM: There must be a lot of pressure to support Clinton if you are a woman, and I would imagine even more if you are a woman legislator. Did you feel any of that?
Leslie:I have definitely felt pressure to support Clinton. Frankly, it’s been somewhat of a turn-off. It’s insulting to assume that because I’m a woman, I will automatically support someone because she’s a woman. One interesting twist I’ve noted is that some women older than me (I’m 51), are indeed supporting Hillary because she’s a woman. Several older women close to me have told me that they have waited their entire lives for a viable woman presidential candidate and now that they have one, they are supporting her all the way, even if they admire some of the other candidates. I think women in my generation might just see things differently because we have had more political opportunities. I’m not sure, but it’s something I’ve noticed that is somewhat intriguing.
MTM: Why did you finally decide to endorse Obama over Clinton and Edwards?
Leslie: I chose Obama because I want to support someone I believe shares my values on peace and social justice issues and because I think he can help our country heal through inspiring leadership. Young people are excited about him, and if he engages our youth, well, that itself is reason to vote for him. On Clinton; I worry still about her electability, and as far as Edwards is concerned, I’ve been somewhat concerned about his campaign so far. It seems like he should be doing better. I talk regularly to people I trust in Las Vegas, and they tell me that he’s just not connecting with crowds and people very well. I like that he’s so focused on poverty, but some of his actions (taking a large fee for speaking to an anti-poverty group, the heavy reliance on corporate jets etc.) are kind of dissonant.
MTM: Why make an endorsement so early in the primary season?
Leslie: I decided to endorse Obama earlier rather than later for several reasons. One, believe it or not, I got over the novelty of being personally “courted” rather quickly. I don’t need my ego fed with personal phone calls from the candidates themselves and endless phone calls/meetings with their local representatives. It was fun for a short while, but it’s not really my style. I’m not going to make my decision based on which candidate flattered me the most. So endorsing early puts a stop to the endless wooing. I know some of my colleagues are enjoying it, but it’s just not for me.
The real reason to endorse early is to gain access to the national campaign people and have some influence over the candidate’s campaign in NV. As part of the Leadership Team, I am involved in regular conference calls and local/state decisions about the campaign. Hopefully, I will be able to influence his decisions on critical NV issues like Yucca Mountain. I will get more opportunities to interact directly with the candidate and perhaps even co-host town meetings in my district. How fun is this going to be!
MTM: I guess we all know who to contact for a job if Obama wins the nomination.
Leslie: Finally, I don’t expect any Democrat to view my endorsement as a reason they should support any candidate. Democrats can certainly think for themselves. Each person should use their own criteria in determining which candidate will get their vote. I love how the caucus is energizing the Democrats (take a look at voter registration figures recently!)
It’s turning into a fabulous organizing opportunity. Thank you Senator Reid!!!!
MTM: Once again, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to live in Assemblywoman Leslie’s district.
And for those of you waiting to see who the minx endorses, don’t hold your breath. I’m not going to endorse anyone until the folks in Iowa finish up their leg of the caucus schedule. I agree with Assemblywoman Leslie–we are fortunate to have some very excellent choices on the Democratic ticket, and things can change instantly upon the results of one caucus. I want to see how it all starts to shake out before going public with my preference.
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- Endorsing Edwards: Interview With Assemblyman David Bozien
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“I think he can help our country heal through inspiring leadership” I really liked this part most of all… I am glad you’re back, Myrna
Sheila Leslie is going to be the
Obama campaign precinct captain from her precinct. People who want to do and be the same in their own precinct can contact the
local Reno Obama office.
Thanks for this interview.
Heads up!
Obama is supposed to be coming through Elko – yes Elko – Thursday or Friday.
I wish very, very much that I could be there for that.
Heads up!
Obama is supposed to be coming through Elko – yes Elko – Thursday or Friday.
I wish very, very much that I could be there for that.
Thanks for this interview. I liked her answer regarding the “women” thing!
Glad to see you are back, Minx!