Okay. Like many of us, I've been cringing at some of Howard's comments over the past few weeks. "Party of Christians" and "never worked an honest day" may be true for lots of Republicans, but it's hard to imagine that they're good politics for the masses. Sure, there's a lot to be said for having someone make the case in the extreme, but it usually works best when it comes from outside rather than headquarters. Guys like Kucinich and Sharpton can push the edges with impunity and get away with it, but the Chairman is just a little too "official" for many of us not to be at least a little concerned that it could make the whole party an easy target for the bad guys.
Then I see Howard on Newshour tonight and I can't help but forgive him. No, let me rephrase that, I can't help but love him. He's right, for chissakes, and not only that, he has exactly the right perspective on most of our critical issues, to wit:
FLIP IT
-He lambasts the notion that the Republicans are the party of fiscal responsibity and plays the Clinton trump card strong and without hesitation on the subject.
-He refuses to apologise for his comments and notes how his remarks are taken out of context by people like the Washington Times who have very clear wingnut agendas.
-And my favorite: He refuses to let the Republicans define what constitutes values and makes the case that the Democratic Party's support for the poor and the oppressed are downright biblical.
You know, I was a Kerry man from the jump, but no matter how much I fret about the party, I just can't help but love it when I hear Howard talk.