Debuts on
ITunes with a bullet.
Crisp verses laced with ideals so high-pitched you can hear Grandma's crystal break.
A booming, hooky chorus blares out Leadership themes.... or more specifically--the lack of...
The Leadership Void background vocals chime in with unusual gusto.
"I love your voice", she cooed.
"You're a great voice for reason--", he rang out.
B: I love your voice out there, General. I want you to keep going. I love what you're doing and I'm just proud to know you.
C: You're a great United States Senator and a great voice for reason in this country.
Two world class leaders; Senator Barbara Boxer and General Wes Clark had a meeting of the minds on Capitol Hill this week, and they are letting us in on it via Clark Cast.
Weaving the issues back and forth with such a mutual harmony - you'd think they had been singing this song together for years. They are fighting for your future, your planet's future, and your children's future. You don't have any? For your pet's futures, then.
They are fighters extraordinaire, never to be underestimated...
I couldn't imagine two better warriors to put on the front lines for such an epic battle as we have ahead of us right now.
The Boxer - Clark Duet begins on the downbeat of the Iraq disaster (otherwise known as the Iraq war) and vibrantly plucks its way through everything from farm-raised Salmon to the remarkable proposal of revamping of the entire federal Government automotive fleet to Hybids by Executive order (!), culminating in a sweeping crescendo on the protection of our oceans... which Ms. Boxer elegantly terms-- "aquaculture". (We like when a podcast can teach us new multisyllabic words) I ponder if there is already an Aquacultural Committee in place in Congress-- or do we have to wait to get someone who believes in science in the White House first...
Discussing a recent defeat of the Bush administration's case in a court ruling on EPA air pollution regulation rollback, Ms. Boxer quotes what the court ("the conservative court") had to say about the Bushies--
"Their thinking is Humpty Dumpty.... they turn everything on its head..."
It makes you wonder if Orwell did in fact borrow just a wee bit from Lewis Carroll and the Egg Man himself when creating "Newspeak"?
When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'
`The question is,' said Alice, `whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
I now know that Humpty Dumpty was indeed a Looking Glass Republican.
Yes, I am incredibly biased, as Senator Boxer is my Senator - (my very own) - and, being an election reformer obsessive-compulsivist, she is also my heroine for her bold standing up with Stephanie Tubbs Jones after the 2004 charade often referred to as the `presidential election'. On January 6, 2005, Boxer joined Representative Tubbs Jones in filing a Congressional objection to the certification of Ohio's Electoral College votes. It was only the second Congressional objection to an entire State's electoral delegation in U.S. history-- the first instance was in 1877.
General Clark is someone I have followed, admired, and supported wholeheartedly for 3 years since first hearing his precise and insightful analyses on CNN, through his exciting Presidential campaign, and on through his current tireless support and endorsement for a dozen or so candidates in upcoming Congressional races.
They make me wax. They take stands. They stand up when everyone else is sitting down. They take on hard issues and don't back down. They have a brand of pioneer boldness that seems to have all but vanished from the corridors of corporate power today. And they share a genuine, deep love of country without stale rhetoric. It's the fuel that keeps them working so many hours on end without succumbing to the weariness or fatigue of lesser mortals. They are an endangered species and we need to protect them.
On rare occasions, you come across a Public Servant who is... just that. A person who truly thrives on serving the people, by lifting them up and bringing them hope and a better way. Alright--before I lapse into the realm of campaign clichés, let's turn to their incredibly impressive resumes for more.
A little research reveals this duet to be a match-up of no small fortitude. Compare the two resumes' highlights to get a feel for the enormous shoes they stand in.
~~~~~~~
General Clark - no academic slouch- graduated first in his class at West Point, is a Rhodes Scholar, holding Masters degrees in Politics, Economics and Philosophy (yes, Philosophy) from Oxford University. In 1970 he was awarded the Silver Star when wounded in Vietnam. During thirty four years of service in the US Army, Wes rose to the rank of four star General as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. In the Kosovo campaign, he directed the forces of a 19 nation alliance--hey, wait a minute--that sounds like a real coalition...to end the brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing of 1.5 million Kosovar Albanians, where he prevailed without one single combat casualty. Hey, wait a minute... that sounds like a real "Mission Accomplished"!! After his retirement in 2000 he became an investment banker, author, network commentator and businessman. Oh yeah, and he ran for President too. Classic profile of an underachiever...
The General has picked up a few shiny trinkets along the way as well: Clark's awards and honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The State Department Distinguished Service Award; the US Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal;(five awards), The US Army Distinguished Service Medal (two awards), The Silver Star, the Bronze Star (two awards), the Purple Heart, and Honorary Knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments and dozens more. On the board of a handful of non-profits, authored best selling books--- oh well, the usual.
Senator Boxer had served 10 years in the House before her now 13+ years in the Senate. She's been championing issues from education, health, women's issues, environment, human rights, whistleblower protection, to election protection, and more. Author of the Patient's Bill of Rights in 1997, recipient of Environment California's Public Interest Champion award in 2005 for her efforts to protect the Arctic National Wildlife refuge from oil drilling, named Friend of National Parks by the National Parks Conservation Association- 2005, presented with the "Champion of Affordability" award from the housing trust of Santa Clara county, received the HIV Policy Leadership Award from Project Inform, and the Immigrant Representative Excellence Award from the L.A. County Bar Association.
She introduced NOPA (National Oceans Protection Act) in 2005 and co-sponsored the Clean Power Act with Jim Jeffords aimed at reducing emissions from power plants. Other Acts emanating from the fighting Boxer: Freedom of Choice Act, Violence Against Women Act, Port Security Act, Count Every Vote Act... the list is long.
Following her brave stance in the Senate to object to the certification of Ohio's 2004 vote, a campaign began called the "Barbara Boxer Rose Campaign", wherein people collaborated to buy Senator Boxer roses-- 4,500 roses were sent en masse to Senator Boxer's office on Valentine's Day, 2005. I heart my Senator.
Boxer & Clark: uniquely innovative, possessing of stunning intellect, and far-reaching vision, with over 60 combined years of exemplary service to country between them... hearing them riff on the issues in the podcast, you might find yourself wondering--
Why can't THEY be the Deciders?
Give a listen here at ITunes or... if your ears are tired, take your eyes over to the transcript here: at Securing America, and check out the Clark blog while you're there where you can talk with others about it. CCN
All in all, I'll give it a 99. Had a good beat and was really easy to dance to. Look out Ross and Ritchie.... Boxer and Clark have hit the charts.