Archives for September 2003

September 29, 2003

My Evenings With Al Franken

Click on the image to see more of it.

Bestselling author and liberal hero Al Franken has been in town the last couple of days to promote his #1 book Lies And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them. My bookstore was informed that Al would be coming in to sign all our copies of the book; as evening supervisor, I gallantly accepted the assignment of hanging out with him and feeding him books, opened to the title page, for him to sign.

So that was pretty cool. We talked (let's be fair, mostly he talked) about politics and the media, and his book tour. I got to ask him which Democratic candidates he liked; he said they were all pretty good. I got him to sign a book to me; he left me an inscription I'll treasure forever. I told him my favorite SNL skit of all time was the '88 Republican Debate; he said, "Yeah, that was a good one" and left chuckling, thinking of Dan Ayckroyd's classic performance as Bob Dole. Good times.

Tonight, Al spoke at a Cambridge Forum in front of an overpacked house. He told some jokes from the book. He answered many questions, managing his usual blend of thoughtfulness and hilarity (I especially loved his new slogan, "Fox News - Wholly Without Merit"). He was even coaxed into letting Stuart Smalley field a question about Bush's bullying tactics.

The only thing about the night that pissed me off was the handling of a question about Ralph Nader. Al said that, although he respects and admires Nader, he will never forgive him for running in 2000. OK, I can respect that, if not agree. But the hissing at Nader and savage applause directed at Franken's comment? First of all, Cambridge voted harder for Ralph than anywhere else in the country. Second, let's not lose sight of the fact that Nader was one of 43 reasons why Al Gore isn't President right now - and 40 of those are direct Republican theft. But that's all I've got on that right now.

The most promising things of the night? Al outlining some of his plans for a liberal radio network. Badly needed. And a few questions about the oughtta-be major scandal involving the Diebold voting machines. Please go read that article now; this could be the last death throes of American democracy and folks should know about it.

September 27, 2003

That Is The Question

Atrios' Quote of the Day kicks off a fascinating comments thread, which comes back to the central question facing the Democrats in 2004:

How does the Progressive Left frame its position in a way that appeals viscerally and rationally to middle America, without descending to the soundbite mudslinging propaganda that the Right has so finely crafted?

Because when you think about it, the Right - particularly the Bush administration - has pulled off the unthinkable. They've united three groups (neocon hawks, slash-and-burn tax-cutters and religious wackos) that, logically, should have nothing to do with one another.

So this is the not inconsiderable challenge facing the Democrats. Somehow keep the base - the unions, the greens, the minorities, the intellectuals, the social and sexual libertarians - motivated and energized, while at the same time reaching out to the vast uneasy middle who know that America could and should be better, but somehow fell for the idea that Bush and Co. could make it happen.

Scroll down in particular to the comment by "mondo dentro" (he who coined the Quote of the Day) at 1:29 - although it got cut off by the comment software, it's a very important beginning to a conversation about how the Left ought to frame its message.

September 25, 2003

I Held A Sign For Howard

Sooz put me online at Exploit Boston!

It was a fantastic day on Tuesday - here are some excerpts from the Governor's speech. The crowd was big and energized; even on a nasty, windy day, Copley Square Park was packed.

September 22, 2003

Romulus and Remus: Ahead of their Times

This article, about many major European cities trying to live without cars downtown for a day, is interesting enough in its own right. Just the fact that they even could attempt that in Europe is telling; try that in Boston or San Francisco, even in choking traffic jams, and see how many people suddenly become activists.

But I really raised my eyebrows at the comments of bookshop owner Mario Catanzaro, on why the experiment didn't work in Rome: "As a city, Rome is constructed for cars."

Really? I've never been, but I'm amazed that Julius Caesar and the other rulers of Rome planned their city with an eye to the automobile, which wouldn't be invented for 2,000 years. Good job, guys. Even if you didn't lay out the entire highway grid in a day.

Howard Comes to Boston!

Howard Dean will be speaking in Boston tomorrow as part of his "September to Remember" tour. He'll be at Copley Square at 11:45; I expect to be there superearly to help set things up.

September 17, 2003

The Middle East

Is it just me, or does anyone else get a headache just trying to figure out what your personal position is on the Middle East?

I read about Palestinian violence, and Israeli retaliation, and Israel trying to expel Arafat and so on and on ad nauseum, and I honestly throw my hands up in despair.

Basically the arguments, to me, break down like this:

Why I should support Israel: It's the only functioning democracy in the region; it's a fairly progressive government surrounded by unfriendly, if not hostile, neighbors; it's under constant attack by civilian-targetting terrorists.

Why I should support the Palestinians: They have been treated as second-class citizens by hardline Israeli governments; the state of Israel is sort of an arbitrary creation by Western powers; Israel is expanding its presence into more and more Palestinian-held territory.

Am I missing something? What don't I get? Why shouldn't I treat the whole thing like a Jets-Dolphins game, where I'm not a big fan of either team and don't really care who wins?

And why do I get the feeling that even people who follow this for a living are stumbling around in the dark a little, too?

September 15, 2003

Hurricane

To be read aloud in your best Chris Farley voice:

"Do you remember when there was a hurricane headed for Florida? And Jerry Falwell came on TV, and he said that the hurricane was going to hit Orlando because they were having Gay Days at Disney World. And the hurricane was going to be God's punishment on the gays. But then the hurricane turned north and hit Virginia. Where Jerry Falwell was located. Do you remember that?...That was awesome."

I was reminded of that watching the premiere of K Street, HBO's new semi-fictional political series. Howard Dean was doing his impression of the great James Carville, telling an anecdote about meeting a preacher who said (I don't have the exact quote but it goes something like this),

You're going to Vermont? After they've passed a civil union bill? Strange things are going to happen in Vermont as punishment; the leaves will all change color and fall off the trees, the days will grow shorter...it will get cold...

Heh. Indeed. Anway, all kidding aside: good luck to my reader(s?) in the mid-Atlantic states. I don't know who's punishing whom for what, but it sounds like Isabel's going to give you a couple of nasty days.

September 13, 2003

Not Exactly News

According to the Are You A Neocon? quiz, I am most likely a liberal. Never hurts to check.

Parenting in the 21st Century

Three vignettes about parents, kids and cell phones. If you're like me, you'll read these and hope there are still some really corrupt nursing homes operating in about 35 years. (free registration required)

From the Republican Dictionary

Class Warfare (klas WOR-fair) (N): The moment that a guy who's getting his ass kicked decides to call attention to the fact.

Still The Man

I guess you're an official political junkie if you spend 2 hours watching Tom Harkin's Steak Fry, live on C-SPAN from Iowa. Guilty.

After the 6 Democratic candidates present (Gephardt had left, Sharpton had other commitments and Lieberman can't work on Saturdays) gave truncated versions of their stump speeches, someone came up to the stage to remind everyone (well, at least everyone in my living room) why they were Democrats in the first place. Bill Clinton.

Love him or hate him (and if you're like me, you've done more than a little of both), the man can connect. He started off with the tax cuts, asking why Bush is giving him more money while cutting schools and Americorps and forcing local governments to lay off firemen and police officers. He compared idealogues to practical people, saying "when a practical person finds himself in a hole, he stops digging".

And he systematically dissected almost every aspect of the Bush Administration without (I believe) mentioning Captain Empty Flight Suit by name once. Pretty...slick. It's nice to remember what it was like to watch a President speak without feeling like I'm watching a hostage video.

Ah hell. If it ever came to it, I might vote for Bill again. Even when he lied, it's not like it cost $87 billion and resulted in lots of dead people.

September 12, 2003

Johnny Cash

Very sad. Everyone in black today, please.

September 10, 2003

The Air Down There

Reuters: WTC Fires Spewed Toxic Gases for Weeks

On tomorrow's anniversary, think for a moment about this. And about the interview with the EPA's Nikki Tinsley where she plainly states that a White House agency influenced press releases in order to understate the danger. Think especially about this part:

We were told that a desire to reopen Wall Street and national security concerns were the reasons for changing the press releases.

Then think about the thousands of rescue workers -- generally and properly regarded among the greatest heroes anywhere -- who spent countless hours digging through the site, breathing the air. No doubt many of them would have done so even if there were demonstrable risks to their own health. But wouldn't you think the government owed them all the information they could gather?

And think of all the residents of New York City. Shocked and scarred by the events of that Tuesday morning, they gamely returned to work, and the best semblance of normalcy they could. And showed the world that their city wasn't going to fold under pressure. But wouldn't you think the government should have been honest about the health risks of going back to work?

And remember that the Bush Administration and the Republicans planned their 2004 convention specifically to dance on the graves of the September 11th victims.

I'd say that Manhattan should become one huge protest. Except, no doubt, the "free-speech zones" for protest will probably be located somewhere in Ohio. I'd say the people of New York, and their friends, should blockade the roads between Ground Zero and Madison Square Garden to keep the Republicans from zipping downtown for photo-ops. Except, of course, they seem to have no qualms about running anyone over.

Maybe the best 2004 protest is for no one to show up for work during the convention. No cafes, no hotel maid service, no cabs, no nothing. New York worked while there was one kind of poison in the air; maybe while the Republicans are all over town, they can stay home till they know it's safe.

In Which I Attend A Protest

Last time I was among this many people in downtown Boston, we were there to watch the Patriots' Superbowl parade. This time, it was a different kind of patriotism -- hundreds gathered to protest John Ashcroft's so-called Patriot Act. While Calico John spoke inside Faneuil Hall to a handpicked audience of supporters, we chanted and listened to speakers decry the so-called Patriot Act and its various evil manifestations (secret trials, gag orders, indefinite detentions -- classic East German stuff). Frank Kramer, owner of my favorite bookstore, spoke on behalf of NEBA and ABFFE and plugged my song, which got distributed, but not sung aloud. In fact, I think I caught the Raging Grannies singing a different, if inferior, version of the same tune. Oh well.

Someone was clever enough to bring speakers and play the Darth Vader march near the entrance. Many other someones brought clever signs; I liked the one that said, "HEY! Stop Being So Evil".

Afterwards we learned that there really aren't any decent places in downtown Boston to get a good breakfast. Give me liberty, or failing that some waffles, or give me death.

September 08, 2003

Here Comes My Big Moment

Tuesday morning. 8 AM. While Prince of Darkness Ashcroft pitches his Patriot Act to a collection of hand-picked law enforcement officials and agreeable acolytes, thousands (we hope) will be gathered outside Faneuil Hall.

I'll be there. Friends will be there. And they'll be handing out copies of my John Ashcroft Christmas Carol. I can't wait.

Incidentally, have I mentioned that many of the same friends and I are going to release an entire songbook of Bush Administration Christmas Carols? It will be ready in time for the holidays, and available here on this website. Keep checking for details.

September 07, 2003

Ten Years

Congratulations to Sooz, who's now been online for ten years. Being online for ten years is like saying you were there at Kitty Hawk, or once took a call from Alexander Graham Bell.

September 05, 2003

The First Debate

Quick thoughts (I wish I had time for more) on the first Democratic debate last night, and on the nine candidates in general. I'll rank the nine in reverse order, counting up to my favorite.

9. Joe Lieberman. Why is he still a Democrat? It seemed painful for him to criticize Bush, and his weak attack at Dean was swatted aside pretty easily.

8. Al Sharpton. Daily Kos said it best:

This guy's entire candidacy is based on attending candidate forums and hurling vicious barbs at Bush's direction. Missing last night's debate must've nearly killed him.

7. Bob Graham. He seems like a decent man, but there's no fire there. Even when he was delivering his money lines, he didn't get the crowd excited.

6. John Kerry. He looked confident in the debate (who wouldn't, with a face that looks like it was chiseled off a coin?), but he reminds me way too much of Al Gore; he'll say anything, anytime, to anybody, if he thinks there might be a vote in it for him.

5. Carol Moseley Braun. Calm, confident and steady, she looked really sharp in the debate. And her "Osama bin Missing" line was great.

4. John Edwards. I liked him more than I expected; he seems to have a decent approximation of Clinton's smoothness and command of the issues.

3. Dick Gephardt. Really surprised me with his fire; I can't say how much of it is genuine, but it was the angriest anti-Bush speech we saw last night. I feel like even if his candidacy doesn't survive long, his "miserable failure" line should and will.

2. Dennis Kucinich. I still like to think of myself as an idealist. But even though Kucinich makes me nod my head in agreement with most everything he says, I just can't see him actually being President. My hope is that he takes his passion, and his ideas, into a high-level position with the next Administration.

1. Howard Dean. He didn't blow the room away like I'd hoped, but he kept to his message, he deflected Lieberman's feeble shots, and he seemed to warm up as the night went on (though he still looks too uncomfortable in a small, camera-driven setting). Part of me wants him to be a little more spontaneous -- he didn't answer some of the questions directly last night, and went into more prepared statements -- but he does have to counter the (false) image that he's a loose cannon. And hell, it's not like Bush got elected* by giving nuanced, thoughful answers to debate questions.

I just wish we didn't have to wait 6 months for this all to start counting.