A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Christine Bowman
Leave a comment if you miss Molly Ivins. What clear vision she had and what a great ability to sniff out political b.s.! What a hero and patriot she was.
On January 20, 2006, Molly Ivins wrote a plea for reform and a stinging critique of certain Democrats* who had pissed her off. She wrote about the fear that had kept those Democratic disappointers in line, causing them to line up behind the misbegotten Iraq war:
What was that? Patriotism bullies only kick the weak, little guys? Ms. Ivins continues:
Now Barack Obama finds himself fiercely cornered in a presidential contenders' back alley. Barack Obama, the one candidate who, all along, was against the unpatriotic Iraq war that has been so bad for America in so many ways.
The bullies want to know, where is that lapel pin? Does his retired ex-minister love or hate America? Does he now, or did he ever (at age 7 or 8) associate with the Weather Undergound '60s radicals? [BTW, Tom Hayden and Carl Bernstein say Hillary Rodham was in Chicago for those 1968 convention protests.] Obama is being taunted now by the GOP (including John McCain), by Hillary Clinton, and by right-wing media propagandists. They've all impugned his patriotism. Seems like they are betting Barack Obama is a dachshund.
Well?
This campaign for the presidency began as a genteel conversation among the Democratic contenders as to how alike they all were. They seemed certain any one of them could beat a Republican since Americans had lost faith in George W. Bush.
Well, it's late April and the gloves have come off. The bullies have ganged up on the skinny peaceable guy with the charming smile.
Barack Obama – you have right on your side and a vision for making us a better nation. A million and a half Americans in your corner have backed you with their very hard-earned small money donations. You have the most voters, the most delegates, and a swelling contingency of superdelegates in your corner. Most remarkably, you still have faith in this country, in its voters, and in yourself.
It's time now to talk about your patriotism and ours. You need to do it before next Tuesday's Indiana and North Carolina primaries. You may have to snarl and snap.
You might remind folks of the heroic Buffalo Soldiers, the patriotic Tuskegee Airmen and, dare I suggest, some heroic immigrant Americans and women patriots. Tell us again about your own vision and what it'll take for us to get there. Find yourself a suitable backdrop as you did when announcing your candidacy in the Land of Lincoln and speaking on racism recovery in Philadelphia.
Lots of Americans know you can do this. You have the proven abilities to speak truth to power and appeal to our better selves.
The time to face the patriotism bullies is now. Your friend John Kerry missed his opportunity.
It's time to play your own patriotism card, or the movement you have been building for 15 months, and your whole life long, just might crumble. Don't let the bullies win this time.
* * *
Video: Obama 2004 D N C Address ("One America" excerpt) [1]
Video: Barack Obama: 'A More Perfect Union' (Full Speech) [2]
Molly Ivins: Not. backing. Hillary. (1/20/06) [3]
Molly Ivins: Stand Up Against the Surge (1/11/07--her last column) [4]
Molly Ivins Talks About Who Let the Dogs In! -- Interview From the BuzzFlash Archives, 2004 [4]
Tom Hayden: Why Hillary Makes My Wife Scream [5] (The Nation)
Swift Vets and POWs for Truth [6] (Wikipedia)
* Molly singled out Steny Hoyer, Rahm Emmanuel, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Joe Lieberman.
Leave a comment if you miss Molly Ivins.
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
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