Bono gives powerful, edgy speech at Liberal Convention

[Screaming Lord Byron]

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031114.wbono14/BNStory/Front/

You're going to hear a lot about this speech, hopefully. Bono was invited by next Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin to speak at Martin's ascension to the Party Leadership. Bono's speech covered debt relief, poverty and AIDS in Africa. He both praised and criticized the Canadian Government for it's contribution to these issues, and set out his stand alongside Martin for overseas aid.

If Martin does one tenth of what Bono talked about, he's going to be a great Prime Minister. I wonder what's going on in the Martin camp?

[Sagan]

1. Bono can bite me...

I have not forgotten his hobnobbing with the Bushistas. What good has that done? Where is his criticism for them?

[tjdee]

2. Hobnobbing? Uh.....wha?

He went on a trip with O'Neill (who isn't there anymore) to convince the Bushies to invest in Africa. He's not their best buddy, nor does he kiss their ass.

[Nlighten1]

9. It is called diplomacy

unfortunately it fell on deaf, greedy ears.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

3. Yeah. That really bugs me too.

Still. Today's speech was great.

[AP]

4. Do you understand what he was doing?

He was getting the job done, fool.

He helped Africans by having a willingness to engage Republicans.

Would you prefer that he be an obstinate idiot who puts some stupid principle, like refusing to talk to and have his picture taken with Republicans, ahead of actually helping people?

Jeez. That's that the psychology of losers.

[eileen from OH]

6. Amen, AP

Hell, didn't he even sorta/kinda bring Jesse Helms around? Something like that.

Or did I dream that?

eileen from OH (memo to self: don't write post after 2nd beer.)

[roguevalley]

8. Yes he did, with strom. He has conviction, passion and charisma

people are alive because he WILL put up with idiots to
get relief for people's suffering. He lives his religion.

[roguevalley]

7. When Bono was asked why he was seeing bush and traveling with

the tres sec, he said, "I would hang out with the devil
if it helped with these problems."

He had a meeting with bush and apparently they screamed
at each other in disagreement.

Also, Bono said, "I wish Republicans were more cool."

SNICKER!

He would sleep with lucifer to help fix what is wrong in
this world. He's a good man and he has my complete respect.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

23. Thank You RougeValley! Sometimes you must...

be pragmatic and do things you would not want to do to get progress!

[Sagan]

12. oh, yeah?

Where's the money, then? Has anything actually been appropriated that chimpy talked about in his 2003 SOTU regarding this "help" for Africans?

Even so, the Chimpministration made that "help" primarily a marked up payoff to the drug companies, with the Africans being the middlemen. AND the Chimpministration has imposed its fundamentalist views on U.S. funded AIDS charities in Africa, what few there now are.

Bono loved his little photo ops with Helms and the Chimp. After all, it was so very whimsically contradictory, wasn't it? And the Repugs played Bono for the fool that he is, and now I don't hear a word out of him about it.

[lowfive]

17. good points

i also thought it was wonderful of bono to have on his designer blue tinted sunnies while mixing with african villagers.

[AP]

19. OK, I have a friend who knows Bono

and says he's incredibly generous. One thing he does is, when he likes you and he knows you aren't rich is he asks you to sing on his albums. You say, oh no I can't sing. He says, it's just back-up, we'll mix it down so it isn't embarassing. You say, OK. You get royalty checks on his mult-platinum album which comes out of what the band would have made.

This is the same genourous spirit which infuses what he's doing in Africa.

You all are idiots for criticizing him.

[Sagan]

20. you can keep your insults, AP

And you can shove them.

My opinions on Bono are based on my perceptions, which have every bit as much validity as yours.

I'm glad you love Bono so much, but I think he got a lot of jollies rubbing elbows with the reich-wing and giving them political cover, while providing no real progress with the supposed cause of AIDS relief in Africa.

And every U2 album since "The Unforgettable Fire" has sucked anyway.

[AP]

22. He was very generous to someone I know, so I guess I'm biased.

However, feel free to draw conclusions from pictures and ignore the fact that, by being in a few picutres, he delivered results to peole in Africa.

[AP]

18. He did get them a couple million and he raised the profile of the issue

and he will continue to build on that platform.

Of course he could have just stayed home in Dublin and done nothing at all.

Or he could have anonymously typed idiotic rants on the internet, which is almost like doing nothing at all.

Bono got some concessions and he got a LOT of publicity for these people.

[Guaranteed]

21. Mmmm confederate flag mumble mumble.....nt

[alexwcovington]

5. I dunno about Martin

He seems like Lieberman Canada.

[Spazito]

10. Far from it, but he is a centrist, that leans left...

which most of Canada is too. (Mind you, centrist in Canada may equate to left in the US)

He believes in a balanced budget so that there is money to put into social programs, at home and abroad. Can't knock that, imo.

[ConcernedCanuk]

13. Might suprize you, but I have no idea what left, right, centrist, mean

. . BUT

. . I know good decisions when I see them

. . and Chretien's refusal to participate in the Iraq Invasion was one of the best, IMO

. . and Canada staying on it's foreign policy course would be a good idea

. . and keeping our social benifits alive instead of creating a WarMachine like our neighbours to the south

It's pretty obvious how "good" it is for a country to take the attitude the USA has

I still worry about our geographical position as so close to the USA -
this is a NEW concern since the Bush Administration

and I will be VERY alarmed if our new PM gets a vist, or an "invite" from Bu$h

:scared:

[Spazito]

14. Well, if we get a "visit" I know where I will be!

Wherever Bush is, with one BIG protest sign and I suspect many will be there with me. Martin will have to make some courteous noises because we do have essential trade connections but I do not see him doing much past that.

[Maple]

11. Nope

he's his father's son....center, not right.

[Sticky]

15. A new ambassador?

Peter Mansbridge interviewing David Houltan at the White House mentioned Canada may send a new 'high profile' ambassador next year.

A high profile Canadian ....we don't have many of those.. :)

But Pamela Wallin comes to mind.

[Merlin]

16. I saw Martin for the first time on CSPAN2 tonight. He was great!

He mentioned Bono's earlier speech. The audience was predominately young people.

He eloquently layed out an ambitious liberal agenda. If he's at all true to his words, he'll be a great PM.

I sure wish some of Canada's good sense would rub off on us.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

24. So, if Bono gives edgy speeches

Does Edge give bony speeches? Sorry, couldn't resist. :evilgrin:

[Minstrel Boy]

25. lol!

you had me laughing even before I clicked on the message.
thanks! :thumbsup: