Washington, DC with the kids: Day 1

Day 1 was mostly a travel day, the drive being astoundingly videogame-free, as the kids were entertained by a book on CD the whole way. In fact, the Gameboys never came out of the bags while we were there, incredible!

We got to our hotel just in time to race out, grab a hotdog and walk to the White House Visitor Center. Keep in mind, it was 104 degrees and 500% humidity at 2:30 in the afternoon.

We made it before they closed at 4:00, though: Kids were hot and sweaty, but happy to be somewhere cool and cool, if you know what I mean!

Funniest thing about the White House Visitor Center: No Obama pix AT ALL. Okay, one little photo on an easel wishing the President a Happy Birthday. Nothing in the displays, nothing in the gift shop. You would never know W wasn't still in office. WTF?

We took some pictures inside: the chandeliers: The pretty ceiling: We sneered at all the pictures of W and Crazy Eyes.

We had already decided that the Visitor Center was all we could do on travel day, so we walked (slower) back to the hotel via the real White House: No one was home, they were all away in various places, although later we knew that the President was going to New Hampshire for a town hall and we though we saw Air Force One fly over, but are not really sure.

Kids were impressed but hot so we headed back to the hotel for a swim on the roof! I can seriously say Thank God for that pool. Sometimes the idea of that pool before dinner was the only thing keeping us going in the heat!

On another topic.

Healthcare Reform without a robust public option is a bailout to the insurance industry that has indeed been holding us all hostage, Mr. President. If you hand them a mandate, with the billions that come with it, and do not make sure that every single child, every single pregnant woman, every single cancer victim, every single accident victim are able to have treatment without losing their home or going bankrupt, I will be done with you.

I have been your biggest fan, sir. I have campaigned, I have blogged, I have cried and I have hoped. Remember you said, "This is our moment, this is our time." That still chokes me up. But if you do not stand up for healthcare for the children, the workers, the mothers and fathers of this nation, sir, I will know and millions of others who voted for you will know that it was all a sham.

We will know it.

And we will be done.

No parent should ever have to decide if their child is "sick enough" to go to the doctor. No one should ever have to die because they can't afford their treatment. No sick person should ever become homeless. No one should profit from the suffering of others. That is NOT what we voted for.

We will be done.

Please, sir, justify our faith in you. It's still there right now. Show us that you're not just one of those politicians after all, that you're not beholden to big donors, that the greedy and the selfish and the self-centered cannot make you fold.

I am waiting. Lead.

Peace.