RE: [Futurework] All the President's votes?

[Karen Watters Cole]

Karen We even need irascible opponents, like Thurmond was, to bring color and individuality to politics so that the general public can see somebody like themselves up there representing them and not feel distanced or awed by the process that in truth is operating everyday in their name.    arthur Hence the Dean statement on Confederate flags.  A good statement given what he was trying to achieve, inclusiveness.  But under the barrage of media political correctness he quickly apologized.   As well he should have.  It was clumsy speech, and a presidential candidate should be more careful not to direct friendly fire at himself.    I applaud his intent, however, and hope that who ever is the final candidate to oppose Bush will use that message better: the party standard bearer running for POTUS must represent all the public, even those he or she may find disagreeable and difficult to represent.  Begone, this holier-than-thou cr*p we get now from the GOP.     The DEMs need to recover those “Confederate flaggers” and the so-called “Reagan Democrats” in 2004.  I think they have a fighting chance, thanks to the damage Bush2 has inflicted upon itself, and the better late than never hell raising that gives some balance to public debate.     PS. I’ve been sick all week and have run out of sweetness, but thankfully not Kleenex.  KWC   While chopping veggies for a soup to ward off early winter weather in the Pacific Northwest and the first round of winter colds, I heard a tribute to now-deceased Sen. Mike Mansfield by the author of a new book about him, and was startled that I had failed to mention him recently as a man of principles in politics and one who served a very long time as a public servant.    The only politician who told LBJ to his face that his plans in Vietnam would bring disaster, he also originated a bipartisan committee of Senators (and Reps) to investigate what became Watergate, just 3 months after Nixon was reelected by a landslide in 1972, convening only members with no presidential ambitions (thus we got Ervin and Tallmadge, elders unafraid to ask the ugly questions), something never done previously.  Fascinated with China from his youth, he later served as Ambassador to Japan under Carter and Reagan's full 8 years.    This is a remarkable man who forged a signature to get into the armed services while under age, then served in all three branches and as a copper miner for 9 years before getting his high school and college education simultaneously, and then running for Congress, representing his adopted state of Montana with distinction.   I have been ruminating on personality and politics, again, in light of several deaths and intent to retire announcements recently, several of whom are decidedly "characters", leaving the bulk of Congress filled with bland bureaucratic members.  This is a loss, in my opinion.  Thank goodness McCain refuses to go away, or Barbara McKulski, who more mildly replaces Bella Abzug.  We need elected officials with personal integrity and also the fearlessness to speak up against the grain when necessary, like Dennis Kucinich is doing now in the tradition of Paul Wellstone, unafraid of sticky labels thrown at him.  We even need irascible opponents, like Thurmond was, to bring color and individuality to politics so that the general public can see somebody like themselves up there representing them and not feel distanced or awed by the process that in truth is operating everyday in their name.    This only partly explains the popularity of Dean right now, or for that matter, Nader's popularity in the 2000 cycle.  People distrust "talking head suits" who will say anything for the campaign commercial and then not follow-through.  Accountability is the foundation of checks and balances, and since politics requires some compromise, it's best to make sure you "say what you mean and mean what you say" when trying to get there, as GDubya might acknowledge in private, about credibility gaps.    - KWC