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Imagine New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former first lady and 2008 Democratic presidential aspirant, trading hotel suites for a sleepless night on a bedbug-infested mattress in an overcrowded downtown Washington, D.C., homeless shelter. Or picture John Edwards — the very wealthy former North Carolina senator and trial lawyer who has made fighting poverty a central issue in his presidential bid — panhandling for change outside a busy Metro station. That is the challenge laid down this month by the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), a non-profit advocacy organization, to all of the announced candidates in the 2008 contest for president: to spend a night as a homeless person. None accepted the invitation; in fact, only Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama — who introduced a bill in April that would provide more housing for homeless veterans — responded to the group, and he demurred, citing scheduling conflicts.
This is one of those things that no one really expects the Presidential-wannabes to do, yet it’s tough for them to say “no” to it. I like Obama’s excuse of “scheduling conflicts,” though. I’m sure he’s really busy every evening while he’s sleeping in his huge house.
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What, Mrs Clinton is supposed to crash underneath a bridge somewhere — with half a dozen Secret Service agents to attend her? :)
August 31st, 2007 at 3:29 pm