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Tread lightly on the things of earth

Mike’s weblog about computing, politics, and faith (a progressive view)

Tags: , , , , Dean plays Hardball, wins (or, Welcome to Phoenix)

Posted in Weblog (filed under campaign)
—Mike @ Tuesday December 2, 2003

[Phoenix PNG test image]I watched Howard Dean on Hardball with Chris Matthews last night, broadcasting from the JFK, Jr. venue at Harvard University (transcript, video). Wow.

I can’t imagine George lasting five minutes in a context like that, wherein you need to be smart as a whip, historically and politically knowledgeable, think quickly on your feet, and be blisteringly articulate.

Damn, it’s exhilarating to witness principled intelligence in action!

I was sold on Dr. Dean’s principles and positions already, but man — now I find I like him.

Great response to a question about why African Americans should vote for Dean “do Republicans use race to divide whites and blacks as a campaign tactic, and how do we overcome that as a nation?”

Dean answered that this election’s focus must be on matters that are important to all of us [“our common interests”], crossing all divisions among us:

“We have got to stop having the campaigns run in this country based on abortion, guns, God, and gays, and start talking about education, jobs, and health care.” <huge applause>

Yes. The former themes — especially in the cognitively- and semantically sloppy way they’re most often used — divide us as a people; the latter can unite us.

With Dean’s campaign something new and wonderful is happening, I think, a profound grassroots phenomenon much larger than one candidate. I imagine I’m seeing democracy being reborn, like Professor Dumbledore’s elderly pet phoenix Fawkes in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, who bursts into flame as Harry watches him, only to arise again from his own ashes, fresh and new.

We may yet again achieve for ourselves — with God’s help, for real this time, eyes wide open, no hubris, no living in denial — a government that uplifts instead of crushes, empowers instead of impoverishes, welcomes instead of excludes, that is truly of the people, by the people, for the people, in place of the present one that we have nearly let the Enemy, quoting God-talk to deceive us, render into ashes.

2003-12-03 update:
Added transcript- (thanks to Rich) and video links (QT, WMP);
updated blockquote above from actual transcript.

Comments

  1. Hey old stranger :) I thought I should drop you a line and some encouragement. I found your blog a few weeks back via geoURL but life and the holidays conspired to keep me from writing you. It is fantastic to see other opinions outside of the predominant ditto-head mentality here in the mid-south. I post similar, less well-reasoned opinions via my website, but find most folks just advocate what their church or radio tell them to believe. Stop by the site and visit (check out the photos, see how I've aged) or better yet drop me an email (rich@robotthoughts.com).

    — Rich Thompson    Tuesday December 2, 2003    #

  2. I keep hearing the words of Stephen Stills in his song entitled "For What It's Worth." I know it's been mentioned on your blog before but it's such a great song it's worth repeating.

    There's something happening here
    What it is ain't exactly clear
    There's a man with a gun over there
    Telling me I got to beware

    I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound, everybody look what's going down.

    There's battle lines being drawn
    Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
    Young people speaking their minds
    Getting so much resistance from behind

    I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
    Everybody look what's going down.

    What a field-day for the heat
    A thousand people in the street
    Singing songs and carrying signs
    Mostly say, hooray for our side.

    It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
    Everybody look what's going down

    Paranoia strikes deep
    Into your life it will creep
    It starts when you're always afraid
    You step out of line, the man come and take you away

    We better stop, hey, what's that sound
    Everybody look what's going down
    Stop, hey, what's that sound
    Everybody look what's going down
    Stop, now, what's that sound
    Everybody look what's going down
    Stop, children, what's that sound
    Everybody look what's going down

    I agree with you that something is happening in Dean's grassroots campaign, and it's exciting. Once again, a voice is crying out in the wilderness for the masses. I pray that enough of us find it in our hearts to answer. Go Dean and thank you, Mike, for being part of the solution. You're blog is great. p.s. Hi Rich.

    — Vickie    Tuesday December 2, 2003    #
  3. Hey Vickie! :) Mike, The transcript is here: http://www.msnbc.com/news/1000254.asp?cp1=1 — Rich Thompson    Wednesday December 3, 2003    #

  4. Mike,

    What do you think about Dean screwing up and calling Russia "The Soviet Union" several times?

    I agree W wouldn't last long on Hard Ball- but Chris is pretty cozy on that side of the fence and probably make a good commentator for Fox News.

    — Steve    Wednesday December 3, 2003    #

  5. Steve -- good catch. I admit I didn't notice, I think because the first use of "Soviet Union" was "buying the enriched uranium stocks of the former Soviet Union," so without thinking I inserted "former" in front of each succeeding occurrence, maybe like that reading gotcha where you don't notice the "the the."

    I can't say I see this gaffe as a showstopper, though. It was the Soviet Union for a hell of a lot longer than it hasn't been; I bet for lots of us in the 40+ crowd, it's still (Back in) the USSR. :-)

    "Nuke-u-lar," now that's a showstopper.

    — Mike    Wednesday December 3, 2003    #