I admit it. I was wrong.

Back on December 18 I wrote a diary entitled It is not yet 07 - please stop obsession with 08.  As soon as we got past November 7 people began running polls for the presidential nomination, arguing the merits of various candidates.  As a resident of Virginia, I pointed out that we had 140 legislative seats up this year, one of five states (LA, KY, MS, NJ) with major elections at the state level.  I expected that I would remain neutral until after this coming November.

I have changed my mind.  I hereby publicly announce my support of Tom Vilsack.  In this diary I will explain why I have decided to commit, and what that means to my actions.  Read on if you are interested, and if not, that's fine.
First, for those who do not know, I have a relationship, even a friendship, with Tom Vilsack.  This goes back to when his internet guy, Kevin Thurman, a long-time denizen of dailykos (3 digit UID), arranged for a conference call in which I was one of several educational bloggers who talked with then Governor Vilsack about educational issues.  At the time Tom was heavily involved with his efforts at Heartland Pac to help elect Democrats to state offices (specifically governors, later expanded to things like Secretaries of State, etc.).  After the conference call, I participated in some discussion at the blog for Heartland Pac, eventually crossposting a comment from there as a diary at dailykos entitled A response to Tom Vilsack.  The following day Tom responded with his first dailykos diary, entitled A Response to TeacherKen and Dailykos Community.  Our common interest in education kept us in touch.  Eventually I invited Tom to be part of the education panel at Yearlykos 2006.  I made clear that this did not represent an endorsement of any future presidential aspirations, and he assured me that he had not yet made up his mind about running. 

Our relationship continued after Las Vegas.  It was becoming clear that Tom was intending to run.  Tom kept me informed about things he was doing, and I would periodically pass on to him things about education. 

When Tom announced November 9, he was confronted with the reality that he was not a Federal office holder or previous candidate for federal office, and thus had no Federal campaign funds that he could transfer to a presidential run.  Thus he had to start from scratch, and had to start immediately.  Recognizing this, and because of our friendship, I sent him $100, but noted that I was not endorsing;  I wanted him to have a fair shot, but my focus was going to be on Virginia.  I also wrote a dailykos diary about Tom's quest, entitled The man who would be president?, which I posted on November 22.  I concluded that diary as follows:

I have probably offered enough background information for the day before Thanksgiving.  Let me offer just a few thoughts I think worthy of keeping in mind.

  1.  Tom Vilsack is a very serious man, as much of a policy wonk as were Bill Clinton or Michael Dukakis

  2. He can offer a somewhat compelling life story.  He was an orphan, adopted into a family with a step-mother who struggled for a longtime with addiction, wound up becoming mayor after his predecessor was shot to death in the middle of a public meeting. 

  3. He has leadership skills that have been recognized by his peers.

  4. He did a lot of work to help state level democratic officials get elected this past cycle, and may have some IOUs  which he can utilize.

  5. I can tell you from personal dealings that he listens well, that he is quite good at the kind of retail politics that are so important in Iowa and New Hampshire.

  6. He is a decent, if not scintillating, public speaker.  He is not Barack Obama, but he is more effective than many who have contended for high office.

  7. He is known for his ability to focus

  8. He has a track record of success, and does not lack confidence

  9. He has been building a national support network over the past year or more, one that has not been visible to many who comment upon politics.

I consider Tom a friend.  This diary is not intended as any kind of endorsement.  I felt it worth the time to try to introduce someone whom it would be a real mistake to underestimate.

His campaign may never get off the ground.  He could also turn out to be someone of such real substance that people are increasingly drawn to him.  We do not yet know the shape of the field, nor do we know the issues which will be on people's minds in a year or so.  But since Tom Vilsack has entered the race, I thought a little introduction on my part was warranted.

I attended the Saturday session of the DNC winter meeting.  The night before I attended a related social gathering.  When  the question of 2008 came up (logically in the context of the putative candidates making their presentations) I reiterated my intent to remain neutral.  I said that the only thing that could change my mind would be if someone came out against reauthorization of NCLB.

Saturday morning after I got my credentials, I saw Tom come in and went over to greet him.  This was around 8 AM.  In  the diary I wrote about the DNC meeting, entitled Richardson, Vilsack, and more . . .  I wrote about what happened then: 

What Tom told me before the session this morning was that he was going to come out against reauthorization of NCLB.  This presents me with a dilemma.  I have made clear that my focus politically will be Virginia legislative races this year.  I have told a few people (not Tom), that the only thing that might move me off of neutrality would be if one of the candidates came out strongly against reauthorization  of NCLB.  Tom now has, he is a friend, and I like and respect him.

I am not YET (please note the qualification) endorsing Tom Vilsack, or committing to his candidacy.  But I find myself far closer to making that leap than i had expected would be possible.  It is in part because education is for me the single most important issue, and not merely because I am a teacher.  I believe it is a key to the future of this country.

On Monday night as I drove home from school after our first dress rehearsal for Little Shop of Horrors, I realize that the time had come for me to recognize that I needed, I wanted, to support Tom Vilsack.  I communicated that to Kevin Thurman, who had first put me in touch with Tom, and to Tom directly, who was kind enough to respond to me via his Blackberry as he was getting on a plane to return to Iowa.

Let me offer just a few remarks as to why I made that decision.  Clearly Tom's commitment on education is important to me.  Whether or not his candidacy is successful, that he chose to make that a part of his message raises it as an issue.  He phrased it in a very personal way.  Tom was left at an orphanage, and never knew his birth parents.  As he has commented, he was left behind.  And from working with him and our many exchanges I know how seriously he takes education.  As a teacher that is hugely important to me.

And of course like many in the progressive blogosphere I was attracted by the directness with which he now addresses the question of Iraq.  His position has evolved somewhat over the time I have known him, and when I asked him about it he told me that he has been very affected by the calls he has had to make to the families of those Iowans who have died in Iraq.  I expect he will speak about that directly at some point, and I hope that he is not offended that I share the substance of that comment, but I am a blogger and he did not say it was off the record.

All of that would be insufficient.  I would still have to believe that Tom Vilsack was highly qualified to serve as our nation's chief executive.  I have watched him closely over the past year.  I have seen him give speeches live and on television, to large groups and small groups.  I have observed as he sat and talked with tv talking heads and willingly engaged with Jon Stewart.  I have had extended conversation and many electronic exchanges.  I have come to know a man who is thoughtful, caring, and sees how public policy affects the lives of ordinary people.  I have experienced that he listens to people, and is willing to engage them.  Let me quote someone else's experience of this.  Jeffrey Feldman of "Frameshop" fame live-blogged both Friday and Saturday at the DNC.  After the Saturday session, when Tom visited bloggers' alley outside the press room I introduced him to Jeffrey, from whose blog post I quote:

So...Richardson was clearly the "big fish" of the line-up, today.  Nonetheless, in the room here--it is all Vilsack.  He has a great presence in these meetings.  His supporters are super friendly.  In fact, Vilsack is about to come over here and be introduced to me by Teacherken.  If this is any indication.

OK. I just had some "face time" with Vilsack.  What a great guy.  Get out and meet him first chance you get.  He shook my hand, and then--amazingly--stood there and spoke to me without looking around the room

He talked about the weakness of the non-binding resolution and he is clearly pissed.

Let me add as well that Vilsack's team passed out bags of popcorn with his campaign logo on it.  What a great idea!  The whole room is munching and talking to Vilsack.

All the other candidates have gone off to separate rooms and  Vilsack has settled into this space just next to blogger alley.  He is owning the space. 

What makes Vilsack's speaking style low key is what makes him very personable in close quarters.  He seems very, very real and I was glad to have a chance to meet him (and quite a few of his staff members--all equally personable).

Tom Vilsack IS real.  He is as knowledgeable about policy as anyone I have observed.  He is not a great orator, but he is an effective communicator.  He refuses to bash his opponents, preferring to win on the merits of the case, and thus he will be in a position to heal post-primary wounds.  He governed successfully with a Republican legislature, then elected a Democratic successor and helped give him a Democratic legislature. 

I am supporting Tom Vilsack.  I have only touched on two of his positions, education and Iraq.  Tom has as a governor wrestled with issues of energy, employment, health care,and many others.  I don't agree on every detail, but I find a thoughtfulness in how he comes to his positions, and a willingness to reconsider when given new evidence.  At his campaign website you can view video and read press clips.  The campaign will be adding issues statements as they are released.

You may think Tom has no chance, but he was more than 30 points behind when he started his first run for governor, and he has never lost an election. 

As he will not bash his opponents, and welcomes the challenge of their coming into his state of Iowa, I will not as his supporter denigrate either his opponents or their supporters. 

I am visible as a blogger.  I will on occasion use that visibility to write about Tom Vilsack, as I did so often last year about James Webb.  When I do, I will make clear that I am writing as an active supporter.  Most of my online writing will continue to be on other subjects.  I have a responsibility for the education panel at Yearlykos 2007 and that is independent of anyone whom I may support for any office.  I have other concerns, and if, when I write about those, the communities in whose blogs I post find what I have written worthy, I hope they will respond on the basis of those writings, and not because of the support I offer to Tom.

But I do support him.  I am not sure this is to his advantage, given my track record.  The only person I have supported in the primary process to win the nomination was the man for whom I did the least, Michael Dukakis.  The others I supported - Fritz Hollings in 1984, Paul Tsongas in 1992, and Howard Dean in 2004, did not obtain the nomination, so I do worry about my support being a detriment.

So there you have it.  I will continue to work to elect Democrats to the state legislature in Virginia.  And of course I will continue to teach.  But somehow I will also find the time to help Tom Vilsack become the next President of the United States.  As I knew Jim Webb would make a great senator, I know that Tom Vilsack will make a great President.  And I intend to do what I can to help him get the chance.

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