Is there a correlation between candidates showing up at the American Association of People with Disabilities’ Nov. 2 Presidential Forum and winning the New Hampshire primary? Maybe, says ADAPT organizer Mark Johnson: “Clinton came to the Forum, Obama didn't. McCain participated by phone, no other Republican candidate did [participate].”

Hmm … interesting. Let’s explore this a bit further.

In addition to the Nov. 2 forum, back in August AAPD also published the answers from presidential hopefuls to a questionnaire addressing some of our community’s major issues. All the major Dem candidates responded. The answers are as dry as the questions, but if you feel it’s your patriotic duty to be an informed voter read it all here.

None of the Republican candidates bothered sending in the questionnaire, which perhaps speaks to the red team's toadying up to its conservative base, which would rather most of our programs simply cease to exist. Although, of course, as noted above, McCain did at least participate at the forum by phone, while true-blue Obama had something else more important to do that day.

But this is just how well the candidates respond to AAPD. To really see where they stand on disability, let’s look at their websites’ issue pages.

Clinton’s website does not have a specific tab for disability issues, but her office suggests clicking healthcare. Come on, woman -- that’s just one issue of many!

Edwards’ site has a disabilities issue page.  Good boy, John. Too bad about, you know, Iowa and New Hampshire. Better luck down South.

Like Clinton’s site, Huckabee’s doesn’t have a tab specifically for disability issues, but he touches on our issues when discussing healthcare. Maybe it's an Arkansas thing. Anyway, his campaign office isn’t really sure who the correct person is for me to talk about disability issues with, but when they get back to me you’ll be the first to know.

Iowa-winner McCain’s website has a tab about “human dignity,” which would be a great place for disability issues. But it’s just a bunch of stuff about prolife and pornography. Bummer.

Every minority in America gets a tab under “people” on Obama’s website except people with disabilities. Damn. Still after much digging, here’s his stand on disability issues.

And upon hearing my request to be sent to the tab on his website that addresses our issues Romney’s campaign office transferred me to a stuffed-up voicemail system that disconnected me. Ah well.

Josie, as we all know money is the mother's milk of politics. I would add that bringing a power base to a candidate will gain her/his attention quickly. I watched the Iowa post caucus events and did not see one visibly disabled person on the candidates' dias. Unfortunately we as a population do not bring much to the table. Yes, we want our government sponsored programs to survive and expand, but what are we doing to ensure this outcome? Not much, I say. Going to a disibility rally in Washington, D.C. is a feel good exercise and may even get our face on national TV. It's not the same as getting directly involved with a local, state or national candidate and having a measure of influence on that candidate's policy issues. Politics is not a spectator event--to get our issues up front, we must join a team of our choice. I could go on, but I've made my point, that is to be counted you have to count, first. Charles

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