I stumbled upon this gem of an article written by the incomparable Molly Ivins. This is her empassioned, enraged and just plain disgusted plea to those political hacks who say a Senator can't be elected to the highest office of the land. And beneath her anger, I can almost taste the pity she has for numbers-crunching pundits.
Article in its entirety can be found here.
Thanks to peacenik for catching this article and writing what follows it.
Excerpt:
"Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone. This is not a Dick Morris election. Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.
More below the fold.....
"The recent death of Gene McCarthy reminded me of a lesson I spent a long, long time unlearning, so now I have to re-learn it.
It's about political courage and heroes, and when a country is desperate for leadership. There are times when regular politics will not do, and this is one of those times. There are times a country is so tired of bull that only the truth can provide relief.
If no one in conventional-wisdom politics has the courage to speak up and say what needs to be said, then you go out and find some obscure junior senator from Minnesota with the guts to do it. In 1968, Gene McCarthy was the little boy who said out loud, "Look, the emperor isn't wearing any clothes." Bobby Kennedy -- rough, tough Bobby Kennedy -- didn't do it. Just this quiet man trained by Benedictines who liked to quote poetry.
What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60 percent) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) wants to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.
The majority (77 percent) thinks we should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment. The majority (87 percent) thinks big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools. WHO ARE YOU AFRAID OF?"
It's not about being left or right. It's about doing what's best for the American people. It's about standing up and not being scared of Karl Rove and Rush Limbaugh. Dean got it. Russ gets it. If you don't get it you shouldn't be President. Run, Russ, Run!
And, if you feel the same way MeetUp with fellow supporters on Presidents Day Weekend in Los Angeles, NJ, Madison or anywhere else in the country.