A little over a year ago we lost a wonderful and insightful friend in Molly Ivins. I have often wondered what her take on the current campaign would be and how she might in her own deft and charming way, cut through the spin and BS.
I know she would be engaged and having a great time, after all this is the women who nicknamed GWB, Shrub. So I went to some of her writings and tried to get a sense of what she might have to say.
Follow me over the fold and you'll see that as always not only did she have a "take" on this current election season, she also "nailed it."
In January of 2006, Molly shocked many Democrats when she wrote a column in which she made clear her feelings regarding Hillary's run at the White House. Here is a link and some excerpts from that column.
http://www.cnn.com/...
I'd like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president...
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...
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.
She goes on to refer the passing of Gene McCarthy in the same column where she sums up her take in Mrs. Clinton.
"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."
Well, she never was one to mince words. But I always trusted her because she was seldom, in my opinion, wrong.
Then I wondered what she would have thought about Barack Obama. I wasn't sure if he had caught her attention, but of course he had. My bad for even questioning.
In a column posted February 13, 2008, titled Molly Ivins, Elvis and Obama writer Myra MacPherson talks about a time in December 2006 when Ivins was asked whether or not Barack Obama should run for President. Her reply?
"Yes, he should run. He’s the only Democrat with any ‘Elvis’ to him."
I encourage you to go read this column for yourself. I really enjoyed her personal reminiscence about Molly. Myra ends with this regarding a women she obviously loved as much as many of us here at the Kos
Molly prophesied the kind of following Obama would get and early on pointed out Clinton’s vulnerabilities. Then the best columnist I ever knew died — a year and two weeks ago. The race was beginning to heat up
God I wish she were here to enjoy this. But, I take solice in enjoying her words again and having her spirit and insight none the less.