Mortal Kombat references aside, I will quote U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday:
And the battle's just begun...
In the wake of Wednesday's debate, and other recent guffaw's in the media, people are actually commenting upon Hillary Clinton's "unsavory" behavior. Well someone's getting it right. The media had it wrong in the first place, teetering on the free pass to the Coronation Ball. Finally, some are perceiving her haughtiness, snippiness, and lest we forget, mechanized laughter.
I wish that The Daily Show hadn't done a bit on Hillary's calculated bubbliness at the start of the week. Had they not, I was hoping someone would address her moment at the debate, when she derisively laughed at Mike Gravel, if only for illustrating the severe danger in her Senate vote (which sided with Republicans and AIPAC-Lieberman in chastising Iran for waging “a proxy war against the Iraqi state and coalition forces in Iraq.”). Gravel's exasperated old uncle approach, which many deride, is sincere beyond words. People think he can't articulate his points, which is part of their very strength and urgency. The very SOUL of our nation is at stake, and he knows this. So disregarding the messeneger himself (which any Hillary-enabler is first to do), let's take the overall context:
A former US Senator, remembered for his strident passion to end the Vietnam war, expresses his shame and outrage at a current US Senator, who has just voted FOR a Senate Bill that antagonizes Iran, a country with whom we already have hangover-shaky relations.
Rather than take such a charge seriously and with the dignity expected of a Senator, former First Lady, and presumed next President (too many), she laughs. She scoffs. War is not funny, provoking further hostility is not funny. But heck, just laugh at the messenger, and the world laughs with you. Even though the comic, the jester, is always the one free to speak the truth, since everyone laughs along. In this case, AT the messenger himself. Forget that he was a one-man-wrecking-dove (copyright!! hands off, Colbert!) to filibuster against the draft (on and off for 5 months in 1971), causing Nixon to end the draft in 1973.
Instead of this moment, most of the media chose to pick up on Hillary's hard-lined stance against torture, flying in the face of Bill's endorsement of it, if to obtain information to squash an imminent terrorist threat. Then she gets all mushy about bickering over torture with Bill. Rather than alienating some with caustic commentary, Colbert invites everyone along with his customary wink and charm. Check his video on the MSNBC debates and the Clintons cuddling over torture.
It's like when Rocky makes Drago bleed! When Van Damme mounts a comeback against every villain he's ever faced! When Bono resurrects the crowd via Where the Streets Have No Name. Sufficed to say, there are chinks in the Clinton armor, and anyone who want a less Corporate-Militant America needs to get busy.
From PopMart, U2's ironic (and ironically misinterpreted) piss-take on corporate-pop-culture. They announced the tour from K-Mart, for crying out loud:
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
SHAME on you, Hillary!
Briefly and broadly, I want to recall some key and clutch moments in last evening Democratic debate.
#1 MOMENT, if nothing else, this was the crux of the evening. Video below, editing not mine:
Mike Gravel, speaking with regard to yesterday's Senate vote to rebuke Tehran, a histrionic move that potentially validates war with Iran. He applauds Biden and Dodd for voting against, questions Obama for not showing up...
"And I am ashamed of you, Hillary, for voting for it."
(Hillary mockingly laughs/chortles in response)
"I don't know where to start," she sighs.
Here's a thought, Hillary. Try answering a single question directly, stop triangulating like your husband, stop exploiting nostalgia for the pre-Bush years, which are that much rosier by comparison. Don't feign to be some aristocrat who's above handling questions that every other candidate is eager to answer. If you're going to sandbag the debates, don't bother participating. This is an election of urgency, not entitlement.
Amongst the other candidates, everyone had scattered moments, not one clear and away winner. If there were any losers, it was the top two of Hillary/Obama. Hillary's arrogance and presumed victory are apparent, while Obama just doesn't throttle it up and take her, or any issue really, to task. His sing-song, infinitely-qualifying-itself rhetoric do not work, and don't convince me has a hard-lined stance on much. Enter John Edwards. As I previously noted, Edwards is the political athlete of the field, most adept at truly sparring with rhetoric. That is exactly what we saw last evening. For, while a quiet presence overall, he bobbed and weaved on Hillary numerous times, illustrating their differences. At no point does he outrightly diss Clinton, but his comments paint very overt distinctions.
admitting his error on authorizing the Iraq War:
"We learned a very different lesson from that. I have no intention of giving George Bush the authority to take the first step on a road to war with Iran... What I learned in my vote on Iraq was you cannot give this president the authority and you can't even give him the first step in that authority because he cannot be trusted. And that resolution that was voted on today was a very clear indication..."
on Iraq/military strategy:
"There are, however, differences between us, and
those differences need to be made aware. Good people have differences about this issue. For example, I heard Senator Clinton say on Sunday that she wants to continue combat missions in Iraq. To me, that's a continuation of the war. I do not think we should continue combat missions in Iraq."
on prioritizing universal Healthcare:
"What happened in '93 and '94 is that we didn't get universal health care, but we got NAFTA. And when I'm president of the United States, you have my word, I will never pull the universal health care bill."
Kucinich had some trouble getting his footing at times, with responses bouncing between the other candidates. Considering Kucinich's unique stance on Iraq and healthcare, it's no surprise. But you give him the right opportunity, and he'll unleash. From the Lightning Round:
Russert: "Would you be in favor of a phase-in $3.00 a gallon gasoline tax?" (Based upon Alan Greenspan's suggestion in his new book).
Kucinich: "No. And he said something else that didn't receive much notice. He said that the Iraq war was about oil, something that
I said on "Meet the Press," Tim, on February 23rd, 2003.
I think that we need to make sure that the next president was
right about Iraq, was right about the Patriot Act.
You can have a president like that, who was right about Iraq, who
voted against it from the beginning and against the funding. You can
have a president against -- who was for a single-payer, not-for-profit
health care system, one who will stop the Patriot Act... or you can have a president who's tall."
And when recounting the epic Cleveland-falls-into-default story, in which Kucinich stood up for regular citizens, and was heralded as Cleveland's savior 15 years later:
"I put my job on the line. How many people would be willing to
put their job on the line in the face of pressure from banks and
utilities?
As this story gets told, people will want me to be their next
president, because they'll see in me not only the ability to take a
stand, but the ability to live with integrity."
Gravel was also on point, with his exasperation more palatable this evening (I'm always a fan of it, but I recognize much of the populace is full of squeamish squares who can't handle the truth). Hopefully others watching felt the same way. Case in point, regarding his personal bankruptcy:
"I stuck the credit card companies with $90,000 worth of bills and they deserved it because I used the money... They deserved it -- and I used the money to finance the
empowerment of the American people with a national initiative, so you can make the laws."
It goes to show ya, the guys with the purest integrity are the ones with the least money to their name. To that end, Edwards did not take kindly to questions of character regarding his hedge fund work/haircuts/book deal with a Rupert Murdoch publisher. And I respect how he was able to answer and qualify each of those incidents (donated all the book deal money, took his money out of the hedge fund and set up a low-income housing program after the revelation, and the haircut... who cares? Giuliani pays more for Max Schreck's makeup parlor, and Hillary would wear face glitter if he got her votes, so don't go off on him about integrity). It's a shame that the system is so crooked in the first place. Anyone vocally expresses a desire to fix it deserve support, not skepticism bred out of complacency.
Top One Liners (not surprisingly, they come from the guys given the least time or opportunity to fully explain their platforms):
Gravel: (on lowering the drinking age to 18) "If you're old enough to die for this country then you're old enough to drink."
"WE'RE LIVING IN FANTASY LAND!" (recurring soundbite, very true as well)
Kucinich: (on a national smoking can in public places) "I've been breathing in a lot of second-hand smoke here tonight. You bet I'll go for a national law."
Also, big props to Biden:
"And last point I'll make is, Rudy Giuliani doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. He's the most uninformed person in American
foreign policy and now running for president, number one."
THAT is what we need more of. Democrats willing to directly call out the Republicans. The only way to reclaim moral authority and integrity amongst the American people is to tell it like it is. Gravel sure as hell will, Kucinich fears no man, Biden is a force, Dodd even has some fire, Edwards was a born fighter, Richardson had change + experience... but what about the other two? Obama? Hillary?
#1 MOMENT, if nothing else, this was the crux of the evening. Video below, editing not mine:
Mike Gravel, speaking with regard to yesterday's Senate vote to rebuke Tehran, a histrionic move that potentially validates war with Iran. He applauds Biden and Dodd for voting against, questions Obama for not showing up...
"And I am ashamed of you, Hillary, for voting for it."
(Hillary mockingly laughs/chortles in response)
"I don't know where to start," she sighs.
Here's a thought, Hillary. Try answering a single question directly, stop triangulating like your husband, stop exploiting nostalgia for the pre-Bush years, which are that much rosier by comparison. Don't feign to be some aristocrat who's above handling questions that every other candidate is eager to answer. If you're going to sandbag the debates, don't bother participating. This is an election of urgency, not entitlement.
Amongst the other candidates, everyone had scattered moments, not one clear and away winner. If there were any losers, it was the top two of Hillary/Obama. Hillary's arrogance and presumed victory are apparent, while Obama just doesn't throttle it up and take her, or any issue really, to task. His sing-song, infinitely-qualifying-itself rhetoric do not work, and don't convince me has a hard-lined stance on much. Enter John Edwards. As I previously noted, Edwards is the political athlete of the field, most adept at truly sparring with rhetoric. That is exactly what we saw last evening. For, while a quiet presence overall, he bobbed and weaved on Hillary numerous times, illustrating their differences. At no point does he outrightly diss Clinton, but his comments paint very overt distinctions.
admitting his error on authorizing the Iraq War:
"We learned a very different lesson from that. I have no intention of giving George Bush the authority to take the first step on a road to war with Iran... What I learned in my vote on Iraq was you cannot give this president the authority and you can't even give him the first step in that authority because he cannot be trusted. And that resolution that was voted on today was a very clear indication..."
on Iraq/military strategy:
"There are, however, differences between us, and
those differences need to be made aware. Good people have differences about this issue. For example, I heard Senator Clinton say on Sunday that she wants to continue combat missions in Iraq. To me, that's a continuation of the war. I do not think we should continue combat missions in Iraq."
on prioritizing universal Healthcare:
"What happened in '93 and '94 is that we didn't get universal health care, but we got NAFTA. And when I'm president of the United States, you have my word, I will never pull the universal health care bill."
Kucinich had some trouble getting his footing at times, with responses bouncing between the other candidates. Considering Kucinich's unique stance on Iraq and healthcare, it's no surprise. But you give him the right opportunity, and he'll unleash. From the Lightning Round:
Russert: "Would you be in favor of a phase-in $3.00 a gallon gasoline tax?" (Based upon Alan Greenspan's suggestion in his new book).
Kucinich: "No. And he said something else that didn't receive much notice. He said that the Iraq war was about oil, something that
I said on "Meet the Press," Tim, on February 23rd, 2003.
I think that we need to make sure that the next president was
right about Iraq, was right about the Patriot Act.
You can have a president like that, who was right about Iraq, who
voted against it from the beginning and against the funding. You can
have a president against -- who was for a single-payer, not-for-profit
health care system, one who will stop the Patriot Act... or you can have a president who's tall."
And when recounting the epic Cleveland-falls-into-default story, in which Kucinich stood up for regular citizens, and was heralded as Cleveland's savior 15 years later:
"I put my job on the line. How many people would be willing to
put their job on the line in the face of pressure from banks and
utilities?
As this story gets told, people will want me to be their next
president, because they'll see in me not only the ability to take a
stand, but the ability to live with integrity."
Gravel was also on point, with his exasperation more palatable this evening (I'm always a fan of it, but I recognize much of the populace is full of squeamish squares who can't handle the truth). Hopefully others watching felt the same way. Case in point, regarding his personal bankruptcy:
"I stuck the credit card companies with $90,000 worth of bills and they deserved it because I used the money... They deserved it -- and I used the money to finance the
empowerment of the American people with a national initiative, so you can make the laws."
It goes to show ya, the guys with the purest integrity are the ones with the least money to their name. To that end, Edwards did not take kindly to questions of character regarding his hedge fund work/haircuts/book deal with a Rupert Murdoch publisher. And I respect how he was able to answer and qualify each of those incidents (donated all the book deal money, took his money out of the hedge fund and set up a low-income housing program after the revelation, and the haircut... who cares? Giuliani pays more for Max Schreck's makeup parlor, and Hillary would wear face glitter if he got her votes, so don't go off on him about integrity). It's a shame that the system is so crooked in the first place. Anyone vocally expresses a desire to fix it deserve support, not skepticism bred out of complacency.
Top One Liners (not surprisingly, they come from the guys given the least time or opportunity to fully explain their platforms):
Gravel: (on lowering the drinking age to 18) "If you're old enough to die for this country then you're old enough to drink."
"WE'RE LIVING IN FANTASY LAND!" (recurring soundbite, very true as well)
Kucinich: (on a national smoking can in public places) "I've been breathing in a lot of second-hand smoke here tonight. You bet I'll go for a national law."
Also, big props to Biden:
"And last point I'll make is, Rudy Giuliani doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. He's the most uninformed person in American
foreign policy and now running for president, number one."
THAT is what we need more of. Democrats willing to directly call out the Republicans. The only way to reclaim moral authority and integrity amongst the American people is to tell it like it is. Gravel sure as hell will, Kucinich fears no man, Biden is a force, Dodd even has some fire, Edwards was a born fighter, Richardson had change + experience... but what about the other two? Obama? Hillary?
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Hummingbirds sing, why do they hum
Question. Who's out there pollinating social change? Did Dennis Kucinich on his recent peace tour of the Middle East? Did Bono when he waved the white flag at Red Rocks? Did the Peace Czar when he littered Provincetown with flyers? Dubious on that one, but the harbingers of social change and progress are always floating around, in the soot and smog, the sewage runoff, the meadow tops. Don't discriminate. The brain pollen from the street mingles with the hermit high atop in the mountains.
Cue Arthur Lee and his psychedelic band:
Hummingbirds hum, why do they hum, little girls wearing
Pigtails in the morning, in the morning
La da da, da da da da
Friday, September 7, 2007
News & Notes Take 1
From the first few days on the road:
In what should be a more thorough commentary of traveling political sales on the road:
I start by thanking Big Sleepy and all the hospitality afforded by Vassar & Poughkeepsie, particularly The Dubliner, which had the greatest karaoke selection I've ever seen. When you're nearing a dozen-plus songs of both Blur and Pulp, you're doing something right. And special shout-out to Ben of Vassar for being the savviest of students to pick up on Bleeding Hearts Club. I hope many more catch on, too. SUNY New Paltz, you don't know what hit you! Peep my flyers, drop the BHC a line.
Sarah Lawrence, I hope you see the connection between the executive branch of our government and the trash receptacles upon which I adorned many flyers. That said, please don't throw my flyers in the trash... at least recycle them!
A staple gun would have served me well at SUNY Purchase, where my thumbs and index fingers are now raw from prying out staples from billboards, only to delicately press them back in with my flyers. I thank the visual arts building for being open 24 hours a day and having many remote workshops. One of which had a tattered pleather couch than I jostled upon for nearly 6 hours of welcome sleep, only to scurry out before the morning janitors may have found me.
Soon I embark upon a homecoming trip to Wesleyan for WesXC's season kickoff alumni race. Rousing shows of old man strength are sure to ensue. And to address Wesleyan as a mystical cultural entity for a moment... please show me that you've got a sense of humor about Warho. Pleeeeaaaaassssse?
The motto of my trip may not be found on the campuses I visit, but it permeates my thinking and what we need to combat. And it comes from a Canadian rock outfit, of all sources:
I was sick of America
And her screaming decay
In what should be a more thorough commentary of traveling political sales on the road:
I start by thanking Big Sleepy and all the hospitality afforded by Vassar & Poughkeepsie, particularly The Dubliner, which had the greatest karaoke selection I've ever seen. When you're nearing a dozen-plus songs of both Blur and Pulp, you're doing something right. And special shout-out to Ben of Vassar for being the savviest of students to pick up on Bleeding Hearts Club. I hope many more catch on, too. SUNY New Paltz, you don't know what hit you! Peep my flyers, drop the BHC a line.
Sarah Lawrence, I hope you see the connection between the executive branch of our government and the trash receptacles upon which I adorned many flyers. That said, please don't throw my flyers in the trash... at least recycle them!
A staple gun would have served me well at SUNY Purchase, where my thumbs and index fingers are now raw from prying out staples from billboards, only to delicately press them back in with my flyers. I thank the visual arts building for being open 24 hours a day and having many remote workshops. One of which had a tattered pleather couch than I jostled upon for nearly 6 hours of welcome sleep, only to scurry out before the morning janitors may have found me.
Soon I embark upon a homecoming trip to Wesleyan for WesXC's season kickoff alumni race. Rousing shows of old man strength are sure to ensue. And to address Wesleyan as a mystical cultural entity for a moment... please show me that you've got a sense of humor about Warho. Pleeeeaaaaassssse?
The motto of my trip may not be found on the campuses I visit, but it permeates my thinking and what we need to combat. And it comes from a Canadian rock outfit, of all sources:
I was sick of America
And her screaming decay
Monday, September 3, 2007
Soothsaying
As I embark upon the Bleeding Hearts Club's inaugural college tour, some prescient predictions:
Annoying hyper-politically-correct kids to contest Warho? Yes.
Heart palpitations from too many Steaz energy drinks? Possibly.
Feeling painfully out of place on college campuses and simultaneously wishing for undergrad freedom? You bet.
Scorning self-righteous hipsters, trustafarians and every other stereotype the college system has to offer? Do I really have a choice?
Endless cycling of early Elvis Costello, mid-era Super Furry Animals, and The New Pornographers album? Indubitably.
Annoying hyper-politically-correct kids to contest Warho? Yes.
Heart palpitations from too many Steaz energy drinks? Possibly.
Feeling painfully out of place on college campuses and simultaneously wishing for undergrad freedom? You bet.
Scorning self-righteous hipsters, trustafarians and every other stereotype the college system has to offer? Do I really have a choice?
Endless cycling of early Elvis Costello, mid-era Super Furry Animals, and The New Pornographers album? Indubitably.
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