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 I
first came to Corning, New York in
the early nineties, but the journey
that brought me here began when my
grandparents emigrated from southern
and central Italy during the Great
Depression. My grandfather died at a
very young age, and before the
phrase, -single mother- was even
invented, my grandmother, now 100
years old and still very much in
charge of family reunions, raised
the family on her own. My mother's
family saw two sons enlist and serve
in both the pacific and European
Theaters coming home to a new and
hopeful America. My father joined
the Navy as a World War II era
non-commissioned officer and spent
more than 30 years on active duty as
a Navy pilot. He married his
sweetheart, my mother, a nurse, who
raised the family all over the
world. We returned from overseas
duty so I could graduate from High
School in New Orleans, Louisiana. I
was then privileged to attend, and
honored to graduate from the US
Naval Academy at Annapolis Maryland.
I was
commissioned as a Naval Officer and
spent a total of 24 years on active duty
serving in every operational area that
the Navy sailed in. Along this
un-chartered journey, I fell in love
with and married my wife, Beverly. We
raised a family moving all over the
world, much like my experiences growing
up. One deployment saw us for many
months off the coast of Beirut in direct
support of our Marines ashore. During
another cruise to the Middle East we
were on station during the Iraqi
invasion of Kuwait and throughout the
opening of Desert Storm. My capstone
military assignment was Special
Assistant to General Wes Clark, both in
Panama and then when he became Supreme
Allied Commander of NATO forces. I
served with Wes in Washington DC,
Panama, and in the European Theater of
Operations. (See Eric's
military records.)
My career was cut short when I was
diagnosed with terminal Non-Hodgkin's
Lymphoma. The good news is the Doctors
got the prognosis wrong and with Faith,
family and friends I was able to find
the strength to overcome the odds, and I
beat cancer. I stand before you today
healthier than I was six years ago. I
spent the last part of my military
career working as a cancer outreach
advocate. I traveled across the country,
talking with other cancer patients who
were in the same position I had been. It
was meeting these people, and talking
with them and their families that made
me realize, for the first time, how
important Healthcare for all Americans
really is.
 When
my Naval career officially ended I
retired and returned to Corning New
York. I went to work in the Photonics
division of Corning Inc. and eventually
the automotive environmental division. I
joined Corning the day the stock reached
its highest point and I rode it all the
way down until the company was forced to
lay off almost half of its work force.
When the tech bubble burst I, and many
thousands of other tech workers got wet.
My wife and I made the decision to stay
in Corning. I was offered a position as
a Professional Staff Member to the House
Armed Services Committee for the United
States Congress, in Washington, DC. I
found a way to commute to Washington,
and keep my family in our home in
Corning, New York.
As a Professional Staff Member I
expressed grave concerns to the
Republican Party and wrote several
dissenting documents about the plans to
invade Iraq. When I saw what was
happening to our returning Veterans, I
again documented my concerns to the
Republicans. When my former Commanding
Officer and friend, Wes Clark joined the
Presidential race, I refused to allow
partisan politics to come between myself
and my loyalty for my old Boss. I left
my position on the House Armed Services
Committee over the plans and strategies
dealing with the Iraq war and its
aftermath and have not looked back
since. While I was not on the House
Floor when the vote to invade Iraq took
place, I voted with my feet by joining
the Wesley Clark for President Campaign
in New Hampshire.
After the campaign, I returned home and
watched the outcome of the 2004
elections. I grew even more concerned
about the future as I saw a small group
of right-wing partisan politicians,
highjack the party I had left the year
before. Vote after vote in both the
House and the Senate results in
legislation that continues an unending
assault on the very backbone of our
nation - the hard working families of
America that form our Middle Class.
 It
is my responsibility to pass on to my
children a nation as solid and as
improved as the country I inherited from
my parents. When I look at my kids,
Justin and Alexandra, I see the burden
of the mistakes being made today
weighing on their futures. The security
of our economic future is not clear and
becomes more in question every day. Jobs
are being shipped overseas, access to
health care is more difficult and more
expensive. The deficit fueled by tax
cuts and unrelenting government spending
has created a true toddler tax of over
$27,000 dollars for every new child born
in this nation. We are failing to secure
the future for our children.
This is what brings me here today, and I
want to turn that around.
I am working to earn your vote and lead
the fight to protect those who built
this region, this state, and this
country; the working families and middle
class. I look forward to meeting each of
you, and talking about your concerns,
and most importantly, hearing your
thoughts and ideas about how I can help
you recapture the true future of our
region.
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