Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of vice presidential candidate John Edwards, was recently in Milwaukee visiting St. Francis Hospital, where 1,100 nurses are represented by the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP). St. Francis is the only unionized hospital in Milwaukee, and WFNHP was instrumental in getting Edwards to visit.

The event energized our members, says Candice Owley, president of WFNHP and chair of AFT Healthcare's program and policy council. "The nurses responded very well to Edwards. She was articulate and extremely knowledgeable about healthcare issues," says Owley, who is also an AFT vice president.

During her visit, Edwards met with nurses, patients and led an hourlong discussion with area women about access to quality, affordable healthcare. Each member of the panel shared stories about the challenges she faces without adequate healthcare coverage. Between stories, Edwards, on her first solo campaign trip, talked about the healthcare plan that Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry and her husband, John Edwards, have proposed to ensure access to reliable, affordable coverage.

"She connects things very quickly and was able to relate to our experiences," says Arlene Palleon, an RN who has worked in the special care nursery for 37 years. She escorted Edwards during her visit and sat in on the discussion.  "It was comforting to know that she understands our issues. She probably won a lot of votes in this hospital."