"I hope I can call her Madam President."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Friend --

Five years ago this month, a man stood three feet away from me in a grocery store parking lot, aimed a gun at my head, and pulled the trigger. I survived, but he killed six people that day, including a 9-year-old girl.

Speaking is still physically difficult for me. I do hours and hours of speech therapy. But next January, I hope to call my friend Hillary 'Madam President.'

Mark and I are proud to have Hillary’s back, and to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her to break the stranglehold the corporate gun lobby has had on American politics --  and American families -- for too long.

,,,


Thank you,

Gabby Giffords

[riversedge]

1. and to think so many vile comments were aimed at her on her facebook.

[NCTraveler]

2. What an inspiration. nt.

[Sunlei]

3. Is headline the exact quote?

"I hope to call my friend Hillary 'Madam President"

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. Verbatim

I hope I can call her Madam President
Inbox
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Gabby Giffords <[e-mail]> Unsubscribe
4:45 PM (15 hours ago)

to me
We can't stop fighting.
Friend --

Five years ago this month, a man stood three feet away from me in a grocery store parking lot, aimed a gun at my head, and pulled the trigger. I survived, but he killed six people that day, including a 9-year-old girl.

Speaking is still physically difficult for me. I do hours and hours of speech therapy. But next January, I hope to call my friend Hillary 'Madam President.'

Mark and I are proud to have Hillary’s back, and to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her to break the stranglehold the corporate gun lobby has had on American politics --  and American families -- for too long. If you’re with us, add your name right now, and let’s show the gun lobby that we’re ready for this fight:
Add my name

Thank you,

Gabby Giffords

[Sunlei]

13. I don't see your OP headline "quote" in her letter, is what I meant.

I may just need my cup of coffee to open my eyes enough today



"I hope I can call her Madam President."
is your headline "quote".

[Tanuki]

14. It's the e-mail heading

It's what you would see as the headline in your inbox, and the wording within the main part of the text is a little different. But the headline is indeed verbatim.

[Sunlei]

17. I see the email heading, thanks. But the heading is not a "quote" from Mrs. Giffords letter.

No big deal, but I like Mrs. Giffords "friend", letter-better.

[MoonRiver]

4. I love those two.

And I share Gaby's dream!

[Cassiopeia]

6. Funny how your personal situation can change your outlook on our laws.

http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/28507/gabrielle-giffords/37/guns

I can't imagine the hell she's had to endure because of the vicious attack she suffered, but she wasn't strong on guns before it happened. I completely understand the shift, but lets be open, it is a reversal from her previous stances on gun issues.

[Tanuki]

10. I don't find anything "funny" about Gabby's "personal situation."

[ChisolmTrailDem]

16. Neither did Cassiopeia. I see...

...nowhere in her post any laughing at Gabby's personal situation.

[Sunlei]

22. militia 'hunting' mexicans in Arizona desert & Palin with gun targeted faces changed my 'outlook'

Was just a matter of time until the Republicans-NRA, fear&hate campaigns- emboldened some people.

Mrs. Giffords did mention "her picture in the crosshairs" before she was shot, not an exact quote but close,

"this could ultimately incite people to do violent things"

[leftofcool]

7. Inspiring minds think alike

[Rider3]

8. With all due respect,

I will vote for Secretary Clinton if she is the nominee, but Bernie is my man. He's the only one who has not been bought by anyone.

[leftofcool]

11. With all due respect, this isn't about you or Bernie

This is about Ms Giffords or did you miss the OP title?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. Folks can post whatever they want but it does seem gratuitous.

DSB

[ChisolmTrailDem]

19. So this comment "I hope I can call her Madam President" is about Gabby? Looks like...

...a campaign endorsement. That makes it about the campaign. That makes it fair game for comments from BOTH sides.

[riversedge]

27. Thank you for this post. Well said.

[randome]

9. I empathize with the sentiment but I wish we could move beyond gender-based identifications.

'Actor' has pretty much come to mean both male and female practitioners. So has 'policeman' and 'chairman'.

Maybe it's time to co-opt the pronouns to emphasize equality?

'Mr. President' can mean whatever the hell we want it to mean, right?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

[hamsterjill]

15. I do see your point.

But I think, at least, for the first female President, it would be nice and appropriate to call her Madam President.

As you point out, many gender-based identifications have evolved, and they will evolve most certainly in time with relation to the office of the President of the United States.

[randome]

23. Agreed. This would be a first, a bridge between old stereotypes and reality.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

[mcar]

12. Shame on those terrible FB posters

People have the right to choose whom they support for President. For people to harass, abuse and insult prominent citizens for their choice is unconscionable.

[ismnotwasm]

20. K&R

[Gothmog]

21. This is a great and important endorsement

[blackspade]

24. Giffords is a class act.

I disagree with her on this endorsement, but she is a rock solid Democrat so, kudos to Clinton on this one.

[Uponthegears]

25. Just thought I'd paste in

some of the horrible "top posts" from Bernie supporters found on the courageous Ms. Giffords' FB page

"Love ya , Gabby...not not for Hilary Clinton. Warren, yes! Bernie yes! But not Hilary....." (95 likes)

"Love Gabby Giffords, think she is a remarkable person, but disagree with her assessment of Hillary Clinton. One issue doesn't make a president. This is America and we can agree to disagree, but still love and respect Gabby Giffords." (341 likes)

"I love Gabby Giffords and I love Bernie Sanders" (219 likes)

"I'm a fan of Hillary Clinton and think she's eminently qualified for the role - probably more so than any candidate I've ever seen. However, Bernie Sanders' positions are far more in line with mine and I believe truly can start a wave of more progressive policies that at least have a chance of changing the direction we're currently moving in regarding income and wealth inequality... I just don't see Mrs Clinton making that as much of a priority" (285 likes)

"Ms Giffords, I respectfully disagree. Hillary Clinton does not have the determination and toughness to stand up to any lobby. Period. She is part and parcel of the problem. She never met a special interest she didn't like. #FeelTheBern." (173 likes)

Truth . . . it gets in the way, huh?

[aidbo]

28. Vile! Disgusting. Spewing bile! Uncouth!

[Armstead]

29. Yep. Mischaracterizations abound about this so-called "bile"

And the "fainting couch" crowd also fails to mention is that a large number of the bad comments are from right-wingers, not Sanders supporters.

[Coolest Ranger]

26. I beleive those comments

because every time I mention my distaste for a certain candidate I'm told to shut up, I'm told that my opinion doesn't matter and that I need to sit my behind down. Sound familiar?

[Thinkingabout]

30. I am glad I do not feel the need to trash someone's facebook page simply because the

person endorsed some else than I am supporting.