I didn't see Bill Clinton's speech earlier this week, and was stoked to find it here. He's amazing.
July 2004 Archives
"We can do better and we will. We're the optimists. For us, this is a country of the future. We're the can do people. And let's not forget what we did in the 1990s. We balanced the budget. We paid down the debt. We created 23 million new jobs. We lifted millions out of poverty and we lifted the standard of living for the middle class. We just need to believe in ourselves -- and we can do it again." - John Kerry
Worked for me.
Sweet Jesus, David Brooks is a putz. He is SO smarmy, SUCH a tool, SO self-satisfied. Ick, ick and double-ick.
MSNBC is better, if for no other reason than their video broadcast quality looks better on my widescreen. Chris Matthews amuses me these days because he always sounds like he's playing himself in an SNL skit. Funny, funny stuff.
I'm disappointed I didn't see Clark's speech on TV, but rather heard it on the radio. Would have enjoyed observing his body language and the responses of the crowd. However, audio-only managed to choke me up. The whole "it's our country, too" message hits really close to home for me. It hurts to love your country so much, and be constantly told that you're not a patriot if you oppose King George. It sucks to have the idea of being an American presented as if it is antithetical to working for a peaceful world.
More later...
Been down the OH rabbit hole for the past week-plus, but can finally sense the existence of the end...beautiful friend....{sorry; Doors digression}.
Any-hoo, have been coming home and collapsing past couple of nights, periodically catching bits of the DNC in Boston. Heard Obama on NPR coming home earlier this week; caught Ron Jr. and Teresa; and just emerged from the Edwards thrall. Jottings during the latter:
Well, I found Edwards pretty inspiring, but I'm also pretty exhausted and, therefore, malleable. I don't have the energy at this point for hearty cynicism.
I also saw "Farenheit 9/11" last weekend, so I'm a bit sentimental about ol' America right now. It's hard to imagine someone sitting through it and not believing that Michael Moore is a patriot. Is he an agitator? Absolutely. Can he seem a bit impolitic, even unhinged at times? Indeed, but one must reflect honestly upon some of our lauded Forefathers, who were not necessarily the least rebellious sort of men. Even if one does not agree with his conclusions or even his art, I think it's only reasonable to give him credit for his intentions, which are driven, I believe, from an honest love of his country. That's an admirable trait; an American value.
It's our country, too.
Patti Davis / Newsweek: July 20th, 2004
September 11 either made me love this country or it made me realize how much I already did. I think it's the latter. Seeing "Fahrenheit 9/11" made me think deeply about love of country--how it molds us, drives and emboldens us and how it can sometimes make us so angry we want to shout out to the world: "No, this is wrong." Many things have been said about the movie, and of course about its director, Michael Moore. But I don't think I've heard anyone comment on Moore's love for America. It seemed evident to me that the film was born from that love.
This is Ronald Reagan's daughter? Who knew? spk
Via the Agonist.
Ron Jr. was on Fresh Air today, talking about his upcoming speech at the Democratic convention, and his new book, If You Had Five Minutes with the President : 5 Minutes, 55+ Personalities, 1 President.
When asked what he'd say, if he had five minutes the President, he had two answers. If it was a generic President, he'd ask for his views on Darwinian evolution. He contends, and I agree, that the answer to that question speaks volumes about the kind of person someone is.
If he had five minutes with W? He'd ask Mr. Bush about the 15,000+ Iraqis who've died since we invaded their country, whether they're in his thoughts, in his prayers, whether he believes they are bound for heaven.
I'd like to hear the answers to those questions.
One for the "wish I'd thought of it - duh!" books from Kos:
Newspaper logins
by kos
Mon Jul 19th, 2004 at 00:32:02 EDT
More and more news publications are putting up registration pages. Whenever I encounter such a page, I create an account that you are all welcome to share. It's either:
Login: dailykos
Password: dailykos
or if the login is an email address, then
Login: kos@dailykos.com
Password: dailykos
Many of you have already created accounts at sites all over the place. I have gotten into many a newspaper using those passwords even though I hadn't create the account.
But if you run across a site that doesn't have a "dailykos" account setup, do us all the favor of setting up such an account. It'll make our web surfing efforts much more efficient and enjoyable.
Thanks to Dave for the pointer to the transcript of this hilarious segment of The Daily Show (via Buzzflash):
Thursday, July 15, 2004 – Jon Stewart – The Daily Show - Comedy Central
Talking Points: Keeping up with current events
Jon Stewart: "It’s not easy keeping up with current events. As soon as you catch up, more happens. That’s where conventional wisdom fits in. Conventional wisdom is the agreed upon understanding of an event or person. John Kerry is a flip flopper. George Bush has sincere heartland values and is stupid. What matters is not that the designation be true just that it be agreed upon by the media so that no further thought has to be put into it. So how is conventional wisdom arrived at? For instance, let’s take the example of the addition of John Edwards to the Democratic ticket. I don’t know how to feel about that. I don’t know what it means. Here’s how I will."
CNN: "This is 28 pages from the Republican National Committee. It says, ‘Who is Edwards? It starts off by saying a disingenuous, unaccomplished liberal.’ We also saw from the Bush-Cheney camp they released talking points to their supporters."
Jon Stewart: "Talking points. That’s how we learn things. But how will I absorb a talking point like ‘Edwards and Kerry are out of the mainstream’ unless I get it jack hammered into my skull? That’s where television lends a hand."
Fox News: "He stands way out of the main stream."
CNN – Terry Holt, Spokesman for Bush Camp: "…way out of the main stream."
CNN – Communication Director, Bush-Cheney: "He stands so far out of the main stream."
CNN – Lynn Cheney: "He’s so out of the main stream."
CNN - Terry Holt: "They’re out of the main stream."
CNN – Frank Donatelli, GOP Strategist: "…well out of the main stream.
Jon Stewart: I’m getting a feeling. I think, I think they’re out of the main stream. But, what if I wonder why?
CNN – Frank Donatelli: "…two of the foremost liberal senators of the US Senate."
CNN – Crossfire: "…two of the foremost liberal senators of the US Senate."
MSNBC – Ed Gillespie: "…the most liberal rated senator in the US Senate."
Hardball – Lynn Cheney: "…the most liberal senator of the Senate."
Fox News: "…who was rated as the number 1 liberal in the US Senate."
Fox News – Elizabeth Dole: "…the number 1 most liberal senator in the US Senate."
Jon Stewart: Wow! Those guys are liberals!! In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d say they’re the first and fourth most liberal in the whole Senate. Wow! And while we don’t have any idea what that means and where those rankings come from and how they were arrived at or whether it’s even true, I don’t like the sounds of it. And it’s certainly not something for the media to question. As a matter of fact, I would imagine people like that, liberal and out of the main stream, hang out in some pretty extreme places.
ABC – This Week – Lindsey Graham: "…talking about the hatefest."
CNN: "…Hollywood hatefest."
Fox News: "…last Thursday night’s hatefest."
Pat Boone: "…Radio City Music Hall hatefest…"
Jon Stewart: "Yeah. See, out of the main stream, liberals, and hatefest. Keeping up with current events is easier than you think. Talking points – they’re true because they’re said a lot."
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Kos! This is truly hysterical, and a fantastic tonic for the sort of political fatalism I've been awash in since my trip to the Heartland.
Whenever I get down about the abuse I've taken as a member of the political left, I find it useful to review the dictionary definitions of "liberal" and "conservative:"
Conservative: Tending to oppose change; favoring traditional values.
Liberal: Having or expressing political views that favor civil liberties, democratic reforms, and the use of governmental power to promote social progress.
(from The Americal Heritage Desk Dictionary)
I'll take liberal any day.
Been mobile over the holiday weekend, and will be for the next week. Connection speed here in the Morgue is sloooooow, so posting will likely be sparse.
Managed to get into a firey political altercation with my mom last night. She can't believe us young people want to create a socialist country. I could go on and on, but I think I'll devote my energy while I'm here to avoiding any more discussions about whose candidate is ruining the country. *sigh*
