DVD REVIEW
AMAZING GRACE,2007
A movie about the ending of the slave trade and the eventual ending of slavery in Britain is a worthy subject in this year of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of its abolition. One should note that this was done, unlike in the United States, by mainly democratic means rather than civil war. Would that all our victories could be won in such a manner but history is replete with many more examples of the necessity for bloody social struggles to get what we need, win or lose.
The core of this film is however a little disquieting as to its fidelity to historic facts or at least the way they are presented on the screen. In my youth I believed that Wilberforce’s parliamentary fight was the key to abolition. While it is impossible to ignore his contribution to the struggle against slavery time and more study have revealed many other factors, not the least the push from below by the working class and other oppressed strata of British society, in contributing to that result. Based solely on the film one would never get the impression that those efforts from below counted and once again we are treated to that timeworn premise that the ‘great man’ was decisive.
Commercial films are not obliged by their nature to be paragons of historical correctness. An informative article in a recent New York Review of Books (June 14, 2007) discusses in greater detail the historical problems than I wish to do here. While I encourage everyone to see this film (if for not other reason that the magnificent perform by Albert Finney) one should use that as a starting point to investigate the other details about this great struggle to end a heinous crime against blacks and against humanity.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Thursday, May 31, 2007
*GOOD BYE, CINDY SHEEHAN
Click on the title to link to an "Under The Hood" (Fort Hood G.I. Coffeehouse)Web site online article about the "Oleo Strut" Coffeehouse, an important development in the anti-Vietnam War struggle. Hats off to those bygone anti-war fighters.
COMMENTARY
THE TIME FOR PARLIAMENTARY MANEUVERING ON IRAQ IS LONG PAST OVER-BREAK WITH THE DEMOCRATS!
BUILD ANTI-WAR SOLDIERS AND SAILORS SOLIDARITY COMMITTEES NOW!
FORGET REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND GREENS! BUILD A WORKERS PARTY THAT FIGHTS FOR SOCIALISM!
A few days ago the courageous anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq, announced that she was ‘retiring’ as the most visible ‘icon’ of the anti-war struggle. The reason she gave was that the failure of the Democrat-led parliamentary struggle over the Iraq war budget left her in despair over the their inability to end the war. In the final analysis whatever personal motivations initially drove her to opposition, and they were strong, were not enough to overcome the hard reality that the Democrats collectively were not serious about ending the war. Hell, in retrospect, why would anyone in her position who looked at the numbers in January have thought that the ‘new’ Democratically-controlled Congress, even if they had wanted to, had the votes or the fortitude to override a determined Bush Administration that they still feared.
Case in point. Long time anti-war Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Michael Capuano recently was quoted, after the Democrats waved the white flag on the Iraq War budget, as saying that the anti-war parliamentary forces must reach out to the wavering Republicans in order to end the war. Now remember he is supposedly one of the good guys on the war issue. Under that ‘reach out and touch someone’ strategy our grandchildren will be fighting in Iraq. No wonder Cindy threw her hands up in despair. And there is the rub.
Call this writer cynical. Call this writer a damn know-it-all. Call this writer an ultra-left fanatic if you will. But know this- the strategy of the mainstream anti-war movement of relying on a Democrat-led parliamentary opposition to the Iraq War, an opposition moreover that conveniently hid (and still hides) behind support for the troops, if not the policy, was doomed from the start. This understanding is not the result of looking into a crystal ball but, for one thing, a look at the history of the Vietnam War anti-war movement. The Democrats never stopped voting for the war appropriations until 1975 when the North Vietnamese were starting down Highway One for Ho Chi Minh City (then Saigon). Even they knew it was over then. A careful look at that history will also show that the real anti-war movement formed outside and in opposition to the Democrats starting in the summer of 1968. In short, if you want to end this war, as an act of elementary political hygiene the first order of business- BREAK WITH THE DEMOCRATS!
Hell, breaking with the Democrats is only the beginning of political wisdom though. That is not enough of a program to end this war. Short of a revolutionary upheaval like in the Russia of 1917, which given the current political constellation in America appears unlikely, the only effective to end the war is to get to the troops who are fighting, or are about to fight, the damn thing. For over a year now I have been fighting for an orientation in that direction. This is no substitute for the long term fight for a workers party to run a workers government but every day the need to form anti-war soldiers and sailors solidarity committees to link up with the troops becomes more urgent. As I have stated before when the troops in Iraq start to support the slogan “Support the Troops-Hell, No” then we know the end of the war will be near. Cindy, are you listening?
THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES OF COMMENTARY ON THE 2006-2008 ELECTION CYCLE UNDER THE HEADLINE- FORGET THE DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS, GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
FOR MORE POLITICAL COMMENTARY AND BOOKS REVIEWS CHECK MY BLOG AT- Http://markinbookreview.blogspot.com/
COMMENTARY
THE TIME FOR PARLIAMENTARY MANEUVERING ON IRAQ IS LONG PAST OVER-BREAK WITH THE DEMOCRATS!
BUILD ANTI-WAR SOLDIERS AND SAILORS SOLIDARITY COMMITTEES NOW!
FORGET REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND GREENS! BUILD A WORKERS PARTY THAT FIGHTS FOR SOCIALISM!
A few days ago the courageous anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq, announced that she was ‘retiring’ as the most visible ‘icon’ of the anti-war struggle. The reason she gave was that the failure of the Democrat-led parliamentary struggle over the Iraq war budget left her in despair over the their inability to end the war. In the final analysis whatever personal motivations initially drove her to opposition, and they were strong, were not enough to overcome the hard reality that the Democrats collectively were not serious about ending the war. Hell, in retrospect, why would anyone in her position who looked at the numbers in January have thought that the ‘new’ Democratically-controlled Congress, even if they had wanted to, had the votes or the fortitude to override a determined Bush Administration that they still feared.
Case in point. Long time anti-war Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Michael Capuano recently was quoted, after the Democrats waved the white flag on the Iraq War budget, as saying that the anti-war parliamentary forces must reach out to the wavering Republicans in order to end the war. Now remember he is supposedly one of the good guys on the war issue. Under that ‘reach out and touch someone’ strategy our grandchildren will be fighting in Iraq. No wonder Cindy threw her hands up in despair. And there is the rub.
Call this writer cynical. Call this writer a damn know-it-all. Call this writer an ultra-left fanatic if you will. But know this- the strategy of the mainstream anti-war movement of relying on a Democrat-led parliamentary opposition to the Iraq War, an opposition moreover that conveniently hid (and still hides) behind support for the troops, if not the policy, was doomed from the start. This understanding is not the result of looking into a crystal ball but, for one thing, a look at the history of the Vietnam War anti-war movement. The Democrats never stopped voting for the war appropriations until 1975 when the North Vietnamese were starting down Highway One for Ho Chi Minh City (then Saigon). Even they knew it was over then. A careful look at that history will also show that the real anti-war movement formed outside and in opposition to the Democrats starting in the summer of 1968. In short, if you want to end this war, as an act of elementary political hygiene the first order of business- BREAK WITH THE DEMOCRATS!
Hell, breaking with the Democrats is only the beginning of political wisdom though. That is not enough of a program to end this war. Short of a revolutionary upheaval like in the Russia of 1917, which given the current political constellation in America appears unlikely, the only effective to end the war is to get to the troops who are fighting, or are about to fight, the damn thing. For over a year now I have been fighting for an orientation in that direction. This is no substitute for the long term fight for a workers party to run a workers government but every day the need to form anti-war soldiers and sailors solidarity committees to link up with the troops becomes more urgent. As I have stated before when the troops in Iraq start to support the slogan “Support the Troops-Hell, No” then we know the end of the war will be near. Cindy, are you listening?
THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES OF COMMENTARY ON THE 2006-2008 ELECTION CYCLE UNDER THE HEADLINE- FORGET THE DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS, GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
FOR MORE POLITICAL COMMENTARY AND BOOKS REVIEWS CHECK MY BLOG AT- Http://markinbookreview.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
AMERICAN DISPOSABLE
BOOK REVIEW
THE DISPOSABLE AMERICAN:LAYOFFS AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES,LOUIS UCHITELLE, VINTAGE, NEW YORK, 2006
I have just finished re-reading David Halberstam’s The Fifties as part of an attempt to better understand that period as the foundation of many social, political and economic and cultural post-war trends that continue, or have been expanded on, today. The book under review, to its credit, puts forth an analysis that undermines one critical part of the ‘myth’ of the Fifties that can be put in shorthand as the proposition that ‘a rising tide lifts all ships’. That is, given the tremendous advantage the American capitalist economy had after its World War II victory combined with a certain ameliorative changes in corporate and labor culture would insure that things would keep getting better and better. As long as one did not challenge the capitalist basis on which this system was built. Today, after the victory of that unchallenged assumption, the chickens have come home to roost. The classic case for what amounted to class collaboration was the ‘partnership between the Walter Reuther-led United Auto Workers and Detroit’s Big Three automakers in the immediate post-World War II period. The recent purchase of one of the Big Three, Chrysler, by a private equity company that will inevitably entail another massive round of layoffs was greeted without a peep by the Auto Workers Union
Thus, clearly those days of so-called ‘social contract’ derived capitalism, whether illusionary at the time or not, are over and have been for a while. The most compelling data centers on the seemingly never-ending fact that while those who manage the capitalist empire has vastly increased their wealth and position the mass of Americans has either been spinning their wheels or going under. This book is an ‘up close and personal’ look at those who did not make it for one reason or another but mainly because they were caught up in the vise of a dramatic changeover in corporate culture which can be paraphrased bluntly as the ‘survival of the fittest’.
One thing that is clear from all the interviews, unfortunately, is that few working people, and this book is really about working people, have a political clue about what has happened to them and why. Or, moreover, what to do about it. The amount of self-doubt, personal guilt and bafflement expressed in the book shows more clearly than any current theoretical Marxist treatise that I have read why this runaway capitalist system is still in place. Still, if these interviews emphasize that the task to change things may be daunting it nevertheless needs to be done. While the author offers no particular remedy for this growing economic inequality he does perform a service by laying out the problem. It is our task to break the logjam. And given the dominant corporate culture and its ruthless workings the fight will not be pretty.
THE DISPOSABLE AMERICAN:LAYOFFS AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES,LOUIS UCHITELLE, VINTAGE, NEW YORK, 2006
I have just finished re-reading David Halberstam’s The Fifties as part of an attempt to better understand that period as the foundation of many social, political and economic and cultural post-war trends that continue, or have been expanded on, today. The book under review, to its credit, puts forth an analysis that undermines one critical part of the ‘myth’ of the Fifties that can be put in shorthand as the proposition that ‘a rising tide lifts all ships’. That is, given the tremendous advantage the American capitalist economy had after its World War II victory combined with a certain ameliorative changes in corporate and labor culture would insure that things would keep getting better and better. As long as one did not challenge the capitalist basis on which this system was built. Today, after the victory of that unchallenged assumption, the chickens have come home to roost. The classic case for what amounted to class collaboration was the ‘partnership between the Walter Reuther-led United Auto Workers and Detroit’s Big Three automakers in the immediate post-World War II period. The recent purchase of one of the Big Three, Chrysler, by a private equity company that will inevitably entail another massive round of layoffs was greeted without a peep by the Auto Workers Union
Thus, clearly those days of so-called ‘social contract’ derived capitalism, whether illusionary at the time or not, are over and have been for a while. The most compelling data centers on the seemingly never-ending fact that while those who manage the capitalist empire has vastly increased their wealth and position the mass of Americans has either been spinning their wheels or going under. This book is an ‘up close and personal’ look at those who did not make it for one reason or another but mainly because they were caught up in the vise of a dramatic changeover in corporate culture which can be paraphrased bluntly as the ‘survival of the fittest’.
One thing that is clear from all the interviews, unfortunately, is that few working people, and this book is really about working people, have a political clue about what has happened to them and why. Or, moreover, what to do about it. The amount of self-doubt, personal guilt and bafflement expressed in the book shows more clearly than any current theoretical Marxist treatise that I have read why this runaway capitalist system is still in place. Still, if these interviews emphasize that the task to change things may be daunting it nevertheless needs to be done. While the author offers no particular remedy for this growing economic inequality he does perform a service by laying out the problem. It is our task to break the logjam. And given the dominant corporate culture and its ruthless workings the fight will not be pretty.
ON BEING AN IMPERIALIST STATE
BOOK REVIEW
NEMESIS:THE LAST DAYS OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC, CHALMERS JOHNSON, METROPOLITAN,2006
Over the past several years there have been a rash of books on the subject of the United States as a dominant imperialist power continuing in the tradition of the Roman and British Empires. In fact this subject has become something of a cottage industry if a google search is any indication. These inquiries have noticeably mushroomed in the wake of the presumptions about preemptive war of the current George Bush Administration, particularly concerning the quagmire in Iraq. The thrust of most of the current analysis, and this premise applies as well to the present book, has been centered on whether and to what extend American imperialism is merely a governmental policy question.
This implies that prior to the Bush debacle America was apparently not a classic imperialist power. Not so. One can clearly trace the main imperialist policy of ‘creating spheres of influence’ at least since the bloody Spanish-American War in the 1890’s. Moreover, Leninists have argued, and I agree, that the central thrust of modern imperialism is driven by the need for expanding markets under the international capitalist system. Policy, to a great extent, merely reflects those underlying demands. Notwithstanding my political and analytical differences with the author it is always good to find a solid analysis of the current state of American imperialism by a non-Marxist source. Chalmers Johnson has written such a book and all of those who seek to do something about getting rid of the imperialist system should pay attention to his arguments, if not to his “solutions”.
Johnson lays out, as befits the nature of the subject, a comparison between the current of American imperialism and the previous ‘high’ imperialist regimes in Rome and Britain. While comparison with previous imperial systems is interesting it does not distinguish enough one salient fact that makes the current situation exceptional. American imperialism makes the old Roman and British systems seem like punk bush league operations by almost every measure, militarily, economically, socially and culturally.
Johnson cogently notes the massive and deep expansion of American military presence in most of the countries of the world in the post-World War II, and particularly the post-Soviet period. This is a manifestation of the old classic idea that trade follows the flag. Mr. Johnson provides many interesting other pieces of information here and one should mass the information for further use. As for Johnson’s political conclusions they are rather timid and refer back to a classical liberal program of curbing the excesses of the imperial system rather than getting rid of it. This is in line with the by now old timeworn idea of a mythical American Republic of Virtue, a capitalist republic that is. Obviously that is where militant leftists part company with Mr. Johnson. Nevertheless this is a book one needs to read to be armed with the latest information in the struggle against American imperialism. No doubt about it.
NEMESIS:THE LAST DAYS OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC, CHALMERS JOHNSON, METROPOLITAN,2006
Over the past several years there have been a rash of books on the subject of the United States as a dominant imperialist power continuing in the tradition of the Roman and British Empires. In fact this subject has become something of a cottage industry if a google search is any indication. These inquiries have noticeably mushroomed in the wake of the presumptions about preemptive war of the current George Bush Administration, particularly concerning the quagmire in Iraq. The thrust of most of the current analysis, and this premise applies as well to the present book, has been centered on whether and to what extend American imperialism is merely a governmental policy question.
This implies that prior to the Bush debacle America was apparently not a classic imperialist power. Not so. One can clearly trace the main imperialist policy of ‘creating spheres of influence’ at least since the bloody Spanish-American War in the 1890’s. Moreover, Leninists have argued, and I agree, that the central thrust of modern imperialism is driven by the need for expanding markets under the international capitalist system. Policy, to a great extent, merely reflects those underlying demands. Notwithstanding my political and analytical differences with the author it is always good to find a solid analysis of the current state of American imperialism by a non-Marxist source. Chalmers Johnson has written such a book and all of those who seek to do something about getting rid of the imperialist system should pay attention to his arguments, if not to his “solutions”.
Johnson lays out, as befits the nature of the subject, a comparison between the current of American imperialism and the previous ‘high’ imperialist regimes in Rome and Britain. While comparison with previous imperial systems is interesting it does not distinguish enough one salient fact that makes the current situation exceptional. American imperialism makes the old Roman and British systems seem like punk bush league operations by almost every measure, militarily, economically, socially and culturally.
Johnson cogently notes the massive and deep expansion of American military presence in most of the countries of the world in the post-World War II, and particularly the post-Soviet period. This is a manifestation of the old classic idea that trade follows the flag. Mr. Johnson provides many interesting other pieces of information here and one should mass the information for further use. As for Johnson’s political conclusions they are rather timid and refer back to a classical liberal program of curbing the excesses of the imperial system rather than getting rid of it. This is in line with the by now old timeworn idea of a mythical American Republic of Virtue, a capitalist republic that is. Obviously that is where militant leftists part company with Mr. Johnson. Nevertheless this is a book one needs to read to be armed with the latest information in the struggle against American imperialism. No doubt about it.
Monday, May 28, 2007
REFLECTIONS ON MEMORIAL DAY
COMMENTARY
HONOR THE FALLEN-GET THE HELL OUT OF IRAQ-AND BREAK WITH THE DEMOCRATS
FORGET DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS AND GREENS- BUILD A WORKERS PARTY THAT FIGHTS FOR SOCIALISM!
This has not been a good week for the parliamentary anti-war forces, mainly Democrats. They, despite their bluster, have hoisted the white flag over any effective parliamentary opposition to the Bush Administration’s fervent desire to keep the Iraq War going until the end of time- George Bush’s time. There has been much gnashing of teeth over this by those in the anti-war movement, like MoveOn.org, whose whole strategy was based on hoodwinking the Democrats into ending the war by doing something serious on the question of the Iraq war budget. Those of us who understand that this fight, if it is to be successful, must ultimately be won in the streets and elsewhere now have a tiny opening to get our point of view across. In any case, on this Memorial Day when it is appropriate to honor the fallen even if we cannot honor the cause they fell for, we can reemphasize our demand. Immediate Withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan! Break with the Democrats! Build a Workers Party Now!
With that last slogan in mind it is also time to turn to the presidential election campaigns. As I have noted elsewhere the tempo of the campaigns has shifted dramatically now that most of the important primaries and caucuses are being pushed up to the early part of 2008. Usually on Memorial Day of the year before the elections we are treated to not much of anything but internal campaign maneuverings but this year the outlines of the campaign season are already becoming clear. Nothing that I see on the political horizon makes me think that we are in for anything but a brutal no-holds barred fight that will have even the most hardened political junkie screaming in his or her sleep before Christmas. To wit.
I have previously commented on the recent Republican debate in South Carolina that the field of ten (for now) did nothing to make me change my view that the 2008 presidential election is the Democrats to lose. Apparently the Republicans think so themselves as the field may get larger with the addition of ex-Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. Thompson, currently an actor on the television series Law and Order,
has been hemming and hawing but will probably test the waters. By all accounts he is a viable candidate. Jesus, when you get down to actors (remember the late, unlamented Ronald Reagan) you know your party is in trouble. And we are too.
Not to be outdone the Democrats have had some tempests in teapots themselves. A couple of “unauthorized” campaign biographies have come out on one ex-First Lady and current New York Senator Hillary Clinton. I have only read reviews on the books but seemingly they are as the Clinton campaign has argued they are- old news, or no news. The only important point to note is that it is obvious that Ms. Clinton has that same “fire in the belly” to be president that commentators, including myself, have noticed about the more successful candidates in presidential contests. Hillary is still 5/2 against the field in my book and now we are getting a better understanding of why. It is not pretty. And once again, as with the Republicans, we are in trouble.
Bourgeois candidates and their staffs tend to have short memories-and justifiably so with all the blather they put out. They are not long on the memory of past campaigns-except when they have an ax to grind. Long time Democratic “strategist” Robert Schrum is set to tell all about his role in the ill-fated 2004 Kerry campaign. Of course, he will put himself in the role of misunderstood ‘political genius’ whose advice was disregarded by Kerry and staff-to their sorrow. Let us get this straight though-this is the man who has been a key advisor and loser in eight Democratic presidential campaigns. Thus the best advice anyone could get from him is DON’T HIRE ME. If he comes to your door give him the boot. Or send him to the Whigs.
Finally, something that is really interesting in this misbegotten campaign season-a little sporting proposition. Although Hillary has the inside track I note that, like the Republicans, the Democrats have a field that does not jump out at you. One of the consequences, perhaps unintended, of the recent biographies on Ms. Clinton is that she is revealed as very much an establishment figure. I have long argued that Hillary and her parliamentary sisters stand for the proposition, despite the obvious gains of the women’s liberation movement, that bourgeois women candidates can be just as venal as the men. That said, this field is weak. And that brings up my sporting proposition. There is an elephant in the Democratic field (no pun intended). That “elephant” has a name- Al Gore. In an earlier blog I made a sporting proposition on a Jeb Bush candidacy. I now introduce one for Mr. Gore. Hell, he actually won the 2000 election. He is available. He has an Oscar. And more importantly, he (several years too late) has some kind of gravitas. As I noted above Hillary is 5/2 against the field. I would put the odds on Mr. Gore at about 15-1 against. Any takers?
THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THE 2006-2008 ELECTION CYCLE UNDER THE HEADLINE- FORGET THE DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS, GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
HONOR THE FALLEN-GET THE HELL OUT OF IRAQ-AND BREAK WITH THE DEMOCRATS
FORGET DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS AND GREENS- BUILD A WORKERS PARTY THAT FIGHTS FOR SOCIALISM!
This has not been a good week for the parliamentary anti-war forces, mainly Democrats. They, despite their bluster, have hoisted the white flag over any effective parliamentary opposition to the Bush Administration’s fervent desire to keep the Iraq War going until the end of time- George Bush’s time. There has been much gnashing of teeth over this by those in the anti-war movement, like MoveOn.org, whose whole strategy was based on hoodwinking the Democrats into ending the war by doing something serious on the question of the Iraq war budget. Those of us who understand that this fight, if it is to be successful, must ultimately be won in the streets and elsewhere now have a tiny opening to get our point of view across. In any case, on this Memorial Day when it is appropriate to honor the fallen even if we cannot honor the cause they fell for, we can reemphasize our demand. Immediate Withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan! Break with the Democrats! Build a Workers Party Now!
With that last slogan in mind it is also time to turn to the presidential election campaigns. As I have noted elsewhere the tempo of the campaigns has shifted dramatically now that most of the important primaries and caucuses are being pushed up to the early part of 2008. Usually on Memorial Day of the year before the elections we are treated to not much of anything but internal campaign maneuverings but this year the outlines of the campaign season are already becoming clear. Nothing that I see on the political horizon makes me think that we are in for anything but a brutal no-holds barred fight that will have even the most hardened political junkie screaming in his or her sleep before Christmas. To wit.
I have previously commented on the recent Republican debate in South Carolina that the field of ten (for now) did nothing to make me change my view that the 2008 presidential election is the Democrats to lose. Apparently the Republicans think so themselves as the field may get larger with the addition of ex-Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. Thompson, currently an actor on the television series Law and Order,
has been hemming and hawing but will probably test the waters. By all accounts he is a viable candidate. Jesus, when you get down to actors (remember the late, unlamented Ronald Reagan) you know your party is in trouble. And we are too.
Not to be outdone the Democrats have had some tempests in teapots themselves. A couple of “unauthorized” campaign biographies have come out on one ex-First Lady and current New York Senator Hillary Clinton. I have only read reviews on the books but seemingly they are as the Clinton campaign has argued they are- old news, or no news. The only important point to note is that it is obvious that Ms. Clinton has that same “fire in the belly” to be president that commentators, including myself, have noticed about the more successful candidates in presidential contests. Hillary is still 5/2 against the field in my book and now we are getting a better understanding of why. It is not pretty. And once again, as with the Republicans, we are in trouble.
Bourgeois candidates and their staffs tend to have short memories-and justifiably so with all the blather they put out. They are not long on the memory of past campaigns-except when they have an ax to grind. Long time Democratic “strategist” Robert Schrum is set to tell all about his role in the ill-fated 2004 Kerry campaign. Of course, he will put himself in the role of misunderstood ‘political genius’ whose advice was disregarded by Kerry and staff-to their sorrow. Let us get this straight though-this is the man who has been a key advisor and loser in eight Democratic presidential campaigns. Thus the best advice anyone could get from him is DON’T HIRE ME. If he comes to your door give him the boot. Or send him to the Whigs.
Finally, something that is really interesting in this misbegotten campaign season-a little sporting proposition. Although Hillary has the inside track I note that, like the Republicans, the Democrats have a field that does not jump out at you. One of the consequences, perhaps unintended, of the recent biographies on Ms. Clinton is that she is revealed as very much an establishment figure. I have long argued that Hillary and her parliamentary sisters stand for the proposition, despite the obvious gains of the women’s liberation movement, that bourgeois women candidates can be just as venal as the men. That said, this field is weak. And that brings up my sporting proposition. There is an elephant in the Democratic field (no pun intended). That “elephant” has a name- Al Gore. In an earlier blog I made a sporting proposition on a Jeb Bush candidacy. I now introduce one for Mr. Gore. Hell, he actually won the 2000 election. He is available. He has an Oscar. And more importantly, he (several years too late) has some kind of gravitas. As I noted above Hillary is 5/2 against the field. I would put the odds on Mr. Gore at about 15-1 against. Any takers?
THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THE 2006-2008 ELECTION CYCLE UNDER THE HEADLINE- FORGET THE DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS, GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
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