Ann-Marie Still Loves The Game
Last night we had the full, blow-by-blow account of the Caribbean Shores convention - where Santino Castillo blew out his opponents Chandra Cansino and Ann-Marie Williams.
Even though she was the tacit choice of the party establishment, Chandra Cansino can't feel that bad with her second place finish and 616 votes, after all, she entered the race as a virtual unknown with no national profile.
But the same can't be said for Ann Marie Williams. She's been in the media spotlight for two decades- and has been a prominent journalist, talent show judge and leading women's rights activist.
But with all that, she only got 137 votes. So what went wrong? We caught up with her at the airport today where she told us handout politics did her in:..
Jules Vasquez
"The election is over. What are your impressions?"
Ann-Marie Williams, got 137 votes in Caribbean Shores convention
"Mixed. It's unfortunate that hand out politics is alive and well and it's not going anywhere. As you all know and everybody knew I was the only one not paying out there that day. People came out and people voted. Two things were at play, we had a lot of pledges but I felt some people came and felt that Santino had already won and something was there to be taken - to be given from both camps and they took it and they voted for those who gave. I didn't give anything. there were some of my people who didn't show and that's it."
Jules Vasquez
"Handouts couldn't have had a determining factor. It may have played a role, it couldn't have had a determining factor."
Ann-Marie Williams
"Well you saw it you were out there. It was amazing; I've never seen it at that magnitude."
Jules Vasquez
"Now a critic would say well it's just sour grapes, you didn't win so you will say that the others bought out the election."
Ann-Marie Williams
"I don't have to say that. You were there. I am not saying that they buy out the election. I am saying handout politics is alive and well."
"This is not sour grapes, I am no means bitter because I felt that people were not ready for the real change and that's ok, we are at different places."
Jules Vasquez
"But might you be willing to entertain that maybe it's about you. I told you this when you got in, sometimes you love the game but the game doesn't love you."
Ann-Marie Williams
"I don't know, the last time I lost by only 80 votes and I have done a greater body of work, so it's not about me, it's about what was there for the taking. You can only do so much and so I wanted to do a whole lot but I can't do it alone and so the electorate of Caribbean Shores had an opportunity - they made a choice and that's ok."
Jules Vasquez
"Leadership is something you strive towards. Will this deter you from what has been one of the great unrealized ambitions of your life?"
Ann-Marie Williams
"No it will not deter me from politics but I certainly will take a look and asses where I turn and where I go, I am very committed to helping Santi, but in terms of maybe me running again that's not really an issue, that is not even something I think about."
Right after our interview, Williams left for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Women in Public Service Project - an elite training course for 50 outstanding women form across the world, which will take her to multiple cities across the USA starting in Sacramento, California.
Channel 7