August 29, 2008
He doesn't know
John McCain doesn't know: he doesn't get it. Barack Obama, in the speech of his life, articulated the Republican's problem as they move into Minnesota for their cocktail party/convention. Barack nailed it last night.
Obama was aided by the loony comments of McCain's top economic adviser, (at least for a while) who called us "a nation of whiners!" One supposes that to the super-rich a worker at minimum wage whose good job went to China, asking for policies to create good jobs at home, is "whining."
I'm reminded of the Herb Block cartoon of Barry Goldwater in the 1960s, looking at a line of unemployed workers saying, "Why don't they go out and inherit a department store like I did." (Truth be told, even Barry looks good compared with mean-spirited McCainites like Phil Gramm.) Or how about John Goodman, a top Republican adviser on health care, quoted by Paul Krugman. Goodman, no stranger to McCain, mimicked Bush's line in saying, and I'm not making this up, "No such thing as being uninsured. After all, you can go to the emergency room for treatment." Only a person who has never been to an emergency room could say something that stupid. Only someone who simply doesn't give a damn about people could ignore the closing of inner-city emergency rooms, and conclude that "treatment" is always available. Good Lord.
Indeed, Goodman and McCain don't know and don't get it. Forty-seven million uninsured know McCain doesn't know and doesn't get it.
MSNBC's Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman were blown away by Obama's speech. And so was I. But as thrilled as I was about the Al Gore and Obama speeches, I was more excited about a gathering in Republican strong-hold Jefferson County. More than 100 folks came together to watch the speech and to get their assignments to help elect Obama and Joe Biden. The goal was to have 100 similar gatherings all over Wisconsin. If there is a large turnout, Obama wins. The enthusiasm in Johnson Creek was incredible. My conclusion: Something is happening and Barack summed it up in one word: "Enough!"
Family Reunion: Next Saturday, all members of the progressive family are expected in Baraboo at the seventh Fighting Bob Fest. All sorts of people would like to speak in addition to Phil Donahue, Bill McKibben, John McCain (just kidding)Arvonne Fraser, Jim Hightower, Stan Gruszynski...check FightingBobFest.org for the list and the tentative schedule.
Enough--time for action.
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