Molly Ivins: Ain't Democracy Grand?

[Dudley_DUright]

Love those Iowa results. Nothing better than a huge political scrum where the front-runner stumbles, the guy everyone wrote off for dead six weeks ago comes roaring back, an unknown emerges, an old war-horse drops out -- a wonderful scenario. Let's hear it for upset, confusion and the conventional wisdom with egg on its face. A banana cream pie right in the kisser for everyone who pretends they know how a political race will turn out. Happy days. Ain't democracy grand?

Not saying I necessarily agree with the conclusions reached by the Iowa caucus-goers, but I do love it when voters make fools of the pundits, including me. My biggest reservation about the result is John Kerry, who could take the excitement out of a soccer riot.

Democrats, in an unusual fit of unity, are trying to find someone who can beat George W. Bush, period. Our usual inability to support anyone who isn't perfect on every single issue dear to our hearts is subsumed by the profound sense that this country is not just headed in the wrong direction, but literally coming apart. Electability is the primo consideration, and I think Democrats are making the same mistake the pundits did initially.

The pundits all thought Kerry was a lead-pipe cinch when this started (until, of course, the pack turned on him and pronounced him dead meat). He looks presidential, people in Washington know him, he knows how the game is played, he's got the war record and quite a few bright people find him mega-impressive at close range. But he's got no Elvis. You can't win without Elvis.

more...

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=15070

[Rowdyboy]

1. Perfect Molly!

No excuses, no complaints. Good analysis and some WONDERFUL zingers

"The Washington press corps can do the most amazing imitation of a clique of snotty high school kids, and they were determined to find that Dean wasn't good enough for their clique from the beginning."

[MercutioATC]

2. I love Molly. She always gets right to the meat of the issue.

...and she has a great sense of satire.

[bookman]

3. Proud to be a Texan

There are some great Texans. Other than the village idiot we have some great people here. Don't count us all out.

We Love Molly.

(...and then there's Jim Hightower also.)

[Lisa]

4. And Ann Richards!

You've got a bunch of great people there. (Lest I forget Jerry Politex of Bushwatch, in Austin -- he's actually put together a bunch of folks to do a book on "how to beat Bush".)

Bush isn't a Texan. He was born in Connecticut, but carefully omits that from his Who's Who bios, as if it's something to be ashamed of. He's just riding the coattails of your great state!

[lyonn]

5. Molly Ivans, smart Texan, from an Okie

Let's face it, the media likes to lead the population in the direction they feel is right. I'm so old that I had the impression the media was supposed to report not interpret what we should think. The media used and abused Dean. Now it appears the golden boy is Kerry that is truly boring and uses many of Deans ideas, as many of the other candidates do. The more I watch the media and how they over did the Dean speech episode, appearing to me to lead us in a certain direction and showing how smart and in the know they really are and that the public needs their guidance, the more I appreciate and respect what Govenor Dean has tried to do for this country. Why did Dean get so many small donations? Did Kerry? Did Edwards, etc.? No. Dean spoke the language we were all looking for. And the media has made sure we have been silenced. Afterall, they know the real deal. We the public (and democrats) as I stated before, need their guidance. This is all so sad to me. Hey, I'm one of those voters that have voted many times for Repubs. Been fooled before in other words.

[teryang]

6. Molly is behind the curve on this

Kerry will wipe the floor with the chimp and chechny. The media pushed Dean until the polls went sour on the chimp. Now that the litany that the bushista regime is a sure thing in 2004 is coming apart at the seams, they need a democrat they can trust to be kind and merciful when he comes into office.

As for charisma, I wonder if Molly has been watching Kerry at all. His campaigning has improved a thousand percent. He has a new self deprecating attitude and an ease with himself that will make voters as well as the rich and corporate more comfortable with him in the Oval Office.

I supported Dean, yet I found Kerry's campaigning in Iowa compelling.

[stickdog]

8. Molly ain't behind any curve. She knows Kerry is the Democrats' Bob Dole.

And she knows that nominating an anti-gun, fiscally liberal politician's politician who saye he was both for and against the Iraq War will DOOM the Democrats in November.

Remember where you heard it first.

[DEM FAN]

7. It's Grand If It Works The Way It Is Supposed To.

And NOT The Other Way Around. :-(