Geri was anxious to share time with William and his wife Cassandra as the young couple participated in a day devoted to talking about veterans' health issues that was sponsored by Congressional candidate Eric Massa of New York.  Eric is one of CNA/NNOC's "healthcare heroes" for the 2008 election cycle because of his support of HR676, single payer, publicly funded, privately delivered healthcare for all.

William recounted the terrible injury he suffered — his left leg was left fused at the knee after shrapnel from an IED (improvised explosive device) ripped through his body as he served with his unit in Iraq. After multiple surgeries and on-going therapy, William is devoting much of his time to speaking up for other injured vets and making sure they can access the care they need.

Across the street, the nurses found co-workers James Ross and Chris Honeywell busy preparing for a benefit to raise money for an ill friend — 44 year-old Tim Mullany of Rochester, who gave up his job as a cook at the popular Rochester restaurant after he was diagnosed with lymphoma.  "We just have to help him.  He has bills and expenses," said his friends.

Everywhere the bus went, not only were the nurses attending community events and spreading the word about single payer reform, they also heard story after story from people hurting for a more humane and just healthcare system.  And the RNs listened to every story and gave dignity to every voice. 

As the afternoon wound down, the road show crew split up to visit two separate community events.  One group went to talk with Congressional candidate Kathy Dahlkemper in Erie, Pennsylvania, who is committed to safe patient ratios for RNs and who is working hard to win her race. The stop was a great opportunity for RNs to educate surrounding healthcare reform and to show off the marvelous bus carrying the healthcare report card for the presidential race.

The other group of road show RNs and civilians like me sat on a panel for an informational healthcare forum held at a church in Rochester, spoke with four local television stations about healthcare reform and then made their way to a forum on veterans' issues being conducted by candidate Eric Massa. Standing on the dais with such military heroes as Major General John Batiste and Georgia's own veteran and military hero Max Cleland, CNA's board secretary Jan Rodolfo delivered the moving message of the RNs' support of healthcare for all and their unwavering support of the men and women serving our nation now and in the past.

As the warm fall sun set in the hills above Canandaigua, New York, the break-away group made their way back to join the bus crew by now well on their way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  On a day that began in Rochester after breakfast, continues in four separate locations in New York and Pennsylvania before dark, and ended after midnight for the many, the RN battleground state road show continues to reach thousands of people who know that their nurses speak the truth about healthcare issues when many others may have motivations for doing otherwise. 

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FKj2HUIKLc

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After that we hit the road, back to Akron, in search of healthcare voters, and education opportunities.  We did a short rah-rah to the walkers at the Akron labor hall, pumping up folks in the midst of doing the hard work of community organizing. 

We stopped by a healthcare community forum in the small town of Stow, where we picked up Bill O’Neill, a member of ours running for Congress, and took him to the local paper to demand some coverage.  Unfortunately, Akron’s paper has been hit as hard as the rest of the region, and they don’t have staff on the weekend. 

It was spooky standing in the middle of downtown Akron—formerly known as “Rubber City” now as the birthplace of Lebron James—pounding on the doors of a shuttered newspaper within sight of a skyline full of abandoned construction projects and abandoned factories.

Next up: Kent, yep, that Kent, as in Kent State University, where an earlier generation of protestors was mowed down by government bullets.  A very different kind of power was on display today as John Conyers—healthcare hero and Congressional conscience—held a rally for a very energized crowd of local volunteers.  He spent a great deal of time visiting with the nurses, and our allies from the Professional Democrats of America, as well as thanking everyone for their work, and exhorting them, “10 more days to change the world!”  It was an honor for us—and for him, he insisted—to be with him in front of the bus emblazoned with his bill HR 676 for guaranteed healthcare for every American.

After that it was time to roll us our scrub sleeves and pitch in.  We swung by a USW hall in Niles, Ohio (near Youngstown) that was staffed by folks from CWA and UPWA-postal.  RNs from AFSCME greeted us and told us how proud they were of us for stopping SEIU at Catholic Healthcare Partners.

The stories the labor folks told were heartbreaking.  30 plants closed in recent months and years in the surrounding area, with most of the jobs moved to China thanks to Bill Clinton’s heartless trade bills.  CEO’s spending lavishly on plant-closing dinners—“factory funerals”—and telling workers “Hold your head high as you walk out of here, because you worked hard every day.” 

And still we called through AFL CIO and Working America members, to find about half voting for McCain—going down with the ship.

But our friends at the labor hall warned us this was a conservative, battered-down, hurting, depressed, bleeding part of the state—and further behind the rest of Ohio, which is ready for hope, change, and healthcare.

Tomorrow, we have two events with Congressional candidates who are about to push corrupt incumbents out of office, and highlight their support of HR 676 and safe nurse ratios.

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