Robert Dole Remembers Senator McGovern

In case you missed it, former Senator Bob Dole had some very lovely words for his late friend and longtime partner, George McGovern in Monday's Washington Post. I say partner because the men spent decades working together in Congress and again, as administrators of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.

Sometimes competitors; always friends.

It's a great article, and Dole's humility in both describing the greatness in achievements that the two shared over seven decades makes is informative and inspiring. I also couldn't help but read this article and recall a recent television appearance in which the late Senator McGovern made a very good point about working with those who you sometimes disagree with.

The article, titled, "George McGovern, the man who never gave up," is available here. The link below has the television interview with Oklahoma Network. One who you sometime disagree with might be competitor, but such a person is never an enemy.

Thank you, Senator McGovern. Today we mourn a winner.

George McGovern has died. Forty years after forever changing the face of the Democratic Party, and just two years after skydiving on his 88th birthday, the former Senator and Presidential candidate passed away in hospice care at Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

An illustrious man who led an illustrious life.

This blog had attempted, only slightly tongue-in-cheek, that the humble man from the prairie make another run at the presidency, not only for the good of the nation, but to rectify a false perception that McGovern's views on peace and prosperity were some how outside of mainstream political thought. Sadly, George McGovern made the news throughout much of the last year for his failing health rather than a resurgence in his political ambitions.

However, in death, his views have once again come to light, serving as a stirring reminder that this country is much better off for his noble, if ultimately unsuccessful campaign for the White House four decades ago.

But although the ultimate prize of winning the Presidency in 1972 may have been unsuccessful, many of George McGovern's visions certainly did come to fruition. Specifically, I refer to the moment that gave the Senator the loudest applause during his nomination acceptance speech:


"I am here as your candidate tonight because in four administrations of both parties, a terrible war has been chartered behind closed doors," thundered McGovern. "I want those doors opened and I want that war closed!"

The war did close, after those doors did indeed open. His signature platform came true. Do you doubt me? George McGovern brought new people into the political process, not the same hacks who had managed Presidential campaigns in years prior. His Dallas, Texas campaign office is a shining example of McGovern's open door policy. That office was managed by a young law student from Arkansas by the name of Bill Clinton, and his girlfriend, Hillary Rodham. Paid staff also included an 18-year-old African-American from the streets of Dallas by the name of Ron Kirk, who later become the first African-American mayor of that very city, as well as Ann Richards, who would become Texas' first female governor. Oh yeah, Steven Spielberg worked at that Dallas office ,too.

This is not the work of a "loser." This was a man of great foresight whose impact has helped this nation for generations. This is the work of a winner.

World War II is but one example of a lifetime of service.

And at the risk of sounding overly partisan, it is important to remember that his opponent in 1972 was nothing short of a loser. It is important to bear in mind that in less than 24 hours of this writing, Lance Armstrong may be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. At the very least, one can make a rational argument that Lance was on a level playing field with his competitors during that time period, virtually all of which have tested positive at some point in their careers for performance enhancing drugs. One cannot say that Richard Nixon was competing on a level playing field with George McGovern.

Watergate revealed that Nixon was a cheater, and the organized break-in at McGovern's national campaign headquarters was merely the tip of a massive iceberg. How massive? One example might be the destruction of the Ed Muskie campaign during the 1972 Democratic Primaries. Many recall Senator Muskie broke down crying during a public speech in New Hampshire. What less people recall is that self-proclaimed Gonzo Journalist Hunter S. Thompson speculated that Muskie was under the influence of a hallucinogenic drug at the time of his public breakdown. This startling allegation would seem like one of Thompson's absurd rantings, if not for the fact that in his biography of Richard Nixon, straight-laced reporter Anthony Summers did research into Nixon's campaign tactics. Guess what? Summers  found evidence that Nixon campaign operatives had indeed spiked Muskie's coffee with a hallucinogenic drug!

That is merely one example that we know about. We may never know how many others. Examples like  these should serve as a reminder that calls to eradicate poverty, promote racial harmony and fight discrimination, and promote the causes of peace and justice are not outside of mainstream political thought, but rather hardcore American values.

Two years after this photo was taken, someone else was flashing a piece in disgrace.

And that is how we shall view the late Senator George McGovern. We view him as a man who dedicated his life to make not only his country but the entire world a better place to live. We view him as a winner. Thank you Senator. We will miss you greatly, and we will admire you good work close at hand always.

A New York Punk Rocker's Definitive Assessment of Mitt Romney

Dateline New York:

It's after midnight. I'm tired. I have to go work another 10 hour day tomorrow. But a good friend of mine asked me to help make this video about Mitt Romney go viral. Folks, I hope it does. The friend in question is none other than Hal Ruzal, a long-running CBGB's regular when the Lower East Side had rock-n-roll character through and through. Now the frontman for Kilifax, he still plays up and down New York City with his unique style of punk rock, blues guitar, and a funnier, louder, angrier version likeness of Phil Ochs.

A rare shot. Hal doesn't normally air guitar because it's obviously beneath him.

Prompted by candidate Romney's admission that he doesn't care about nearly half the American public, Hal released this video from a recent show at Desmond's Tavern on Park Avenue and 29th Street. Curiously enough, Ruzal actual wrote the guts of this song in the 1980s about Ronald Reagan. Listen and you'll agree: it works on just about any Republican presidential candidate!

And let's really do our work to make sure this song goes viral. Yes, Romney will go down in flames come November, but before Mittens becomes a historical footnote, let's have some fun with him.

It's Curtains for Mittens.

I had nothing to do with the clandestine video that captured Mitt Romney in all his obnoxious glory that has made headlines this week. I had absolutely no advance knowledge about said video when I declared that President Obama would win a cakewalk against li'l Mittens. And until this video surfaced, I didn't realize the full scope of Mitt Romney vast, laughable ignorance.

These aren't one percenter's they are working stiffs! Well, certainly stiff.

Back in 2008, Mitt Romney came across as mildly intelligent. Perhaps this illusion was made possible by the utter incompetence of George W. Bush. At least this Romney character had the ability to construct sentences without coming across as someone who struggled as if English was his second language. As George Bush would say, I "misunderestimated" this guy. I completely "misunderestimiated" how dumb he is.

Sure, there's the obvious math problem in saying that those who don't pay taxes are lock for Obama. Former Slate man Tim Noah has very clearly deconstructed that argument. Yes, there is the disturbing realization that a the candidate of the party of Lincoln is openly indifferent to nearly half the country--a disturbing contrast when one considers that our nation's first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, found it in his heart to visit wounded Confederate soldiers in Virginia a week before his assassination. Now Mittens criticizes wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan as freeloading, irresponsible moochers who are "dependent on government." What a creep. In case you didn't notice, the party of Lincoln is now the party of Lincoln, Rolls Royce and Bentley.

The video itself makes for incredible juxtaposition with the Mittsters words. While butlers are serving $2000 bottles of champagne and clearing the table, Mittens and company are talking about how they are the "middle class," who are getting screwed by high taxes. I just seems unbelievable that someone who makes more money in an hour than most people do in a decade could claim to be a person of modest means. And in their infinite wisdom, they have concocted what they deem a fair solution.

Raise taxes on the poor and middle class. Raise taxes on the rich. Cut government programs that serve the general public and keep millions out of poverty. Use that money to make the rich even richer. That's his tax plan. Good luck trying to win over voters with that policy.

Maybe Mitt Romney can get a laundry ship named after him, too.

It would seem nothing short of madness for someone born into more wealth than most could ever attain sulk and complain that he needs more money--and he needs you to give it to him.

I was hoping I could use what little time I have to updating this blog into building the future that I believe in, that I have always believed in ever since I was in third grade, when I found a book in the school library about John F. Kennedy. This is the country that put a man on the more for no other reason than to prove we could do it. Now, we have an entire political party who claims that we can't afford Social Security, because if Alex Rodriguez were to pay the same percentage of his income in payroll taxes as a Yankee Stadium parking garage attendant, than Flake-Rod would lose his motivation to be employed, and there will be no joy in Mudville.

Folks, better times are coming. I am sure of it. Sure because as putrid as it was to watch the Catcher's Mitt sulk about how the Kenyan Socialist has destroyed America, I can sleep soundly at night knowing that the Mittster will soon fade from public memory faster than the New Kids on The Block.

Hasta La Vista, Romney. Na na na, hey hey, goodbye and goodnight. Sleep tight, and don't let the Vulture Capitalists bite.