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This Is What Democracy Looks Like
www.NationalView.org's Note From a Madman
October 22, 2008
Travel
Opportunities
The presidential race is a dead heat now in OH and FL, and getting too close for
comfort in PA. The Obama campaign has an intense need for volunteers in all
three states and it would be great if you could volunteer in one of them. While
you need to pay travel expenses, the campaign may be able to find a place to
house you.
Ohio. If you can go to Ohio please contact Tim Kinsella
tim.kinsella5467@gmail.com or Rachel Levine, Deputy Out-of-State Director for
Ohio. 614 221-6563 X223. Groups are heading out to Ohio this weekend and next
weekend.
Florida. If you can go to Florida, please contact Josh Haimson,
ilenejj@optonline.net 732 740-1238 or Deb Slott, the Volunteer Coordinator for
Palm Beach County dslott@barackobama.com.
Pennsylvania. If you can go to Pennsylvania, please contact Elsie Foster Dublin,
fosterdublin@optonline.net; 732 777-2179, 732 331-2767 or contact the Obama
Harrisburg office at 717 823-9284.
Thank you all in advance,
-Josh Haimson
The New Witch-Hunt
They're hunting Democrats these days. Just a few days ago, an official surrogate
of the McCain campaign came on Hardball (or is that Softball?) with Chris
Matthews and told the audience that she thought the Democrats and anyone who
doesn't agree with the agenda she subscribes to ought to be investigated for
being anti-American .
Since her appearance with Matthews just days ago, Rep. Michele Bachmann,
Republican of the St. Cloud area of Minnesota, has taken back her accusations
and said that she was misunderstood, never said that, had a brain aneurism or
whatever excuse she might have used to push those words back into her mouth.
Her remarks are reminiscent of those made on the floor of the House of
Representative by Rep. Jean Schmidt. Just after being elected to the seat left
vacant by the criminal Bob Ney, Republican of Ohio, Schmidt told the world that
her Democratic colleague in the House, Korean and Viet Nam war hero Jack Murtha
of Pennsylvania (who has his own foot-in-mouth problems) was a "coward". The
newly elected Schmidt wanted to make her bones by using character assassination
aimed at someone who had served in two wars for the US as an enlisted man, then
as an officer.
Bachmann decided that she was going to be "taking care of business" by doing
more than insinuate that the Democrats were all anti-American.
As for her excuse, Bachmann then inserted her other foot in her mouth by stating
she had never watched Matthews show before, to which anyone in political arena
said "Huh?"
Just what programs does Rep. Bachmann watch, one might ask? Does her television
set only show Fox News Channel, FX and the local Fox affiliate? Surely she can't
be serious.
Oh, but she is.
Her statement following the attack on Senator Barack Obama and all Democrats in
general rang of a Bush-style non-apology:
"I did not say that Barack Obama was anti-American, nor do I believe Barack
Obama is anti-American. He loves his country, just as everyone in this room
does. Nor did I call for an investigation of members of Congress for their
pro-American or anti-American views. That is not what I said."
-Bachmann
Oh, but she did say it, and I saw it live.
Matthews allowed Bachmann to talk with few, un-Matthews-like interruptions. When
she insinuated that there were anti-American sentiments all over Washington and
in the halls of Congress, Matthews decided to put her mettle to the test. First
Matthews asked Bachmann to respond to a McCain robo-call (phone calls made
electronically) which went like this:
"Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that
Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose
organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home, and killed
Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take
control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment
to lead our country. This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the
Republican National Committee."
-the McCain-GOP Robo-Call
While responding to Matthews questions about the robo-calls and McCain's
appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, Bachmann kept getting crazier and
more dangerous in her comments:
"Absolutely. I'm very concerned that (Obama) may have anti-American views,"
"...on college campuses... you find people who hate America... you'll find them
in all walks of life all throughout America,"
"I would consider (Nancy Pelosi and harry Reid) to have )interrupted by
Matthews) far leftist views. I'm not going to say that they're anti-American or
pro-American,"
-Bachmann
Bachmann continued on this path with Matthews acting as her traffic cop. Then
came this exchange:
MR. MATTHEWS: How many Congress people, members of Congress, do you think are in
that anti-American crowd you described? How many Congress people do you serve
with? I mean, it's 435 members of Congress.
REP. BACHMANN: Right now --
MR. MATTHEWS: How many are anti-American in the Congress right now that you
serve with?
REP. BACHMANN: You'd have to ask them, Chris. I'm focusing on Barack Obama and
the people that he's been associating with. And I'm very worried about --
MR. MATTHEWS: But do you suspect that a lot of people you serve with --
REP. BACHMANN: -- their anti-American nature.
MR. MATTHEWS: Well, he's a United States senator from Illinois. He's one of the
people you suspect as being anti-American. How many people in the Congress of
the United States do you think are anti- American? You've already suspected
Barack Obama. Is he alone, or are there others? How many do you suspect of your
colleagues as being anti-American?
REP. BACHMANN: What I would say -- what I would say is that the news media
should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the
American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress
and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to
see an expose like that.
Bachmann's non-apology means this: A sitting US Congress-woman thinks that
nearly 300 members of the House and Senate; plus anyone who thinks differently
than her on our college campuses; and I'm betting anyone who reads this
newsletter if she were ever to open up her email are anti-American, traitors to
the flag and what it stands for.
Rep. Bachmann, and those like her (and there are many), are the legacy which
President Bush, Dick Cheney and Karl Rove have left us. We used to have
Republicans and Democrats who disagreed with each other on the methods of making
our nation better but always had the best interests of all Americans - yes, ALL
Americans - at heart.
With the joyful, cutesy attacks leveled at Senator Obama by Governor Palin; the
less-than-joyful-but nowhere-else-to-go attacks by John McCain; and the attacks
on anywhere from forty to sixty percent of the nation she supposedly represents
by Rep. Bachmann, the tone of the political conversation has shifted towards to
worst.
It isn't just about winning anymore, it's about insult and injury, and it's
aimed at all of us. They practice the politics of fear and intimidation with the
end-game not being a victory so the American people can benefit but a victory
for those who support their - or their contributors' - agendas which more often
than not clash with our agenda.
I feel for those Republicans who had their party stolen from them (well...
almost). People like Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and Senators Olympia Snow
and Susan Collins, both of Maine, are put under the thumbs of those in the GOP
leadership such as Senator Mitch McConnell (KY), former Number Two in the House
Tom DeLay (TX) and those seeking to gain a higher place in the party by acting
like those at the top like Bachmann.
It's too bad for them and really, really bad for us.
-Noah Greenberg
In response to Gov. Palin's future, as set up by Sen. McCain, Don Sloan writes:
I suggest, however, that Palin is making a clown of herself to the point she
will fade away from embarrassment after November 4th. She fell into the VP slot
as a way of combating the Hillary factor. The American people are fools. They
gave Bush 2 terms. That says it all. But Palin is even beyond them. You heard it
here first.
Visit www.Nobodyaskedmebut.net to
enjoy some pithy politics.
In response to, "And her failure to repudiate those in her crowds who offer up
such solutions as calling Obama a "terrorist" or suggesting the solution of
"Kill him!" makes one realize that John McCain made the worst choice possible
for his running mate," Pat Thompson writes:
Thankfully, it appears that Independent, and even Republican voters are
indicating that Palin s more of a drag on McCain's polling results than even
George W. Bush. It's just not working for them.
And in response to, "Sarah Palin will be around and in the public eye for years
to come as the Republican party's go-to female politician. She is ambitious
enough to keep herself in the various spotlights and work the political room as
her party's flag waver to keep her minions scared and vicious," Pat Thompson
writes:
The electorate is becoming increasingly Democratic as young voters register. If
the Democrats win in November, and also have a Democratic Congress, results that
improve the country, our economy, our safety and our image will continue to turn
younger voters and minorities toward the Democratic Party. If the results are
not so wonderful, the Republicans will get another chance. The pendulum
swings...
In response to, "If trickle down works, why is the gap between the rich and poor
growing? In this sort of economic environment, giving further tax cuts to the
wealthy as proposed by John McCain is absolutely criminal," Pat Thompson writes:
You are so very right, but the Repugs turn this around and say that Obama wants
to "share the wealth". They have poor and ignorant people scared that Obama will
take their money and give it to welfare. Until they got that little sound bite,
which Obama said on a rope line, they had nothing. Hopefully, they are still
going to lose, but they are using that "spread the wealth" nugget for all it is
worth.
Send your comments to: NationalView@aol.com
-Noah Greenberg