Rep. Donna Edwards: Gaza has opened up the conversation in Congress

Scott McConnell reports:
I went to a Nation event on Obama's first 100 days. A pretty smooth show-- generally they're disappointed with Geithner, Summers, mildly optimistic about other stuff. Was curious about how they'd treat I-P, and was ready to ask about it during question period. But progressives have so many other issues, that after an hour and a half I resigned myself to no comments at all on the subject from the panelists--save for Ari Melber's snarky crack that "We may discover that Jane Harman is not really a terror suspect". But finally, during the questions, John Nichols said that "very many" Nation readers (from the website, apparently) had asked about the Mid East, and directed the question to Donna Edwards, the new congresswoman from Prince Georges county who arrived late at the panel. And she gave an excellent answer, saying the bombing of Gaza had really opened up the conversation "among members of Congress"--and that many were confident that O would push for a solution fair to the Palestinians "and good for Israel as well." There wasn't thunderous applause, but it was ample. Ms. Edwards struck me as absolutely terrific, very savvy and well modulated.