September 20, 2007 9:54 PM
A night in Davenport
See today's newspaper story HERE.
View larger Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
One week, a theater can host a serious debate of five "next presidents of the United States." And the next week, it can host Weird Al.
What a country...
If Weird Al sees this, we'd enjoy hearing what he thinks about this odd juxtaposition from the scene outside the Democrats' AARP debate in Davenport, Iowa, on Thursday night.
* Does he endorse Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton?
* Does she endorse what he does?
We do not know. But we do know that when a person is the national frontrunner in the White House race, she can expect a funny photo from time to time. And she also can expect to get some subtle and not-so-subtle digs from her rivals at a televised debate.
That's what happened on Thursday night, when fellow Democrats took aim at Clinton's new plan for a universal health care plan.
Clinton says it builds on the lessons she learned and the "scars" she earned when she fought for a reform package as First Lady in the 1990s. Her rivals don't quibble with much of the fine print in her proposal. But in Thursday's debate, some cast doubt on her ability to get the job done, saying those "scars" from the 1990s are a sign of failed leadership and not a badge of honor.
CLICK HERE for the story in Friday morning's Rocky Mountain News -- found in the waiting rooms of many fine health care establishments.
Perhaps the most pointed comments came in the spin room after the debate, when we chatted with Sen. Chris Dodd, who is, to put it mildly, still trying to gain traction in the Democratic polls.
View image Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
During the debate, former Sen. John Edwards repeated his recent statements questioning whether Clinton could accomplish true, universal health care reform without compromising too much with special interest groups and lobbyists who contribute to her campaign.
Meanwhile, Dodd and Sen. Joe Biden questioned whether Clinton's well-known experience fighting for health care reform in the 1990s really was something she should be touting.
In the spin room after the debate, Dodd elaborated:
"Your experience shouldn't be a parable for personal growth and maturation. I say that respectfully, but if your experience only talks to a time when we failed at this for many reasons -- not the least of which was mismanagement... I was there. This was terribly mismanaged as an issue. There were other factors as well. And we're talking about leadership that can get the job done. And what you point to is a point in time where the policy failed and leadership failed. It's a little bit difficult for me to accept that that's the kind of experience you want to highlight, it seems to me..."
Dodd said the failed attempt at health care reform in the 1990s was "a dreadful thing."
"And it wasn't just the scars that people paid politically. It was the scars that millions of Americans have paid because 15 years ago we didn't get the job done because of mismanagement by the White House... It was a dreadful event, and we're paying dearly for it, economically and health wise. People would like to (hear) your experiences that succeeded."
It would have been nice to hear Clinton's direct response, although she did not make an appearance in the spin room. (Meanwhile, although she has spoken with various other Iowa reporters this week, she still hasn't spoken to the Rocky Mountain News during our more than five months in the state.)
On the campaign trail, she has said her experience -- both in the White House and in the U.S. Senate -- has given her a unique perspective on how to get the job done.
She has said she learned a great deal from the experience of the 1990s, especially how it takes someone who can build the necessary coalitions involving businesses, labor groups, average working folks and others -- including key lawmakers whose input will help shape the nitty-gritty language of the final package.
Clinton told the audience at Thursday's debate that she knows it won't be easy. And she pointed to President Bush's threat this week to veto legislation that would expand a children's health insurance program.
We'll have more in the newspaper on Friday, and in coming months, as health care plans emerge as one of the key issues -- besides Iraq -- defining the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination.
View image Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
UPDATE: Sorry about this...
September 21, 2007
1:53 PM
DSS writes:
Amen, Roni. It is so frustrating for Dems to constantly badmouth Bush and his policies without advancing their own advocacy of what they would do. We know they do not believe George's ideas work. Stop telling us you are critical of him' instead tell us what you would do if it was Jan. 21st of 2009. The Dems response after Bush's recent prime time speech was pitiful. Sen. Reed (?) did not advance one idea of his or his party--he simply ranted and raved against Bush. It is indicative of this whole drawn out wasted campaign. Just think; in the days of news by horseback campaigns lasted a few months. Today, with instant communications via the Internet, cable news, etc, campaigns last 3 or 4 times longer. The only beneficiaries of this are ME, Iowa hotels and restaurants and charter bus companies. I'll bet even ME could find useful writing opportunities on other matters if the campaign didn't start until next year.
September 21, 2007
8:15 AM
Roni Bell writes:
Still waiting for debate moderators (See Judy Woodruff) and reporters (See any - including you ME) to ask these pres contenders questions with meat. And I'm not talking "steak frys."
Thus far, while a war wages here on American soil - for American soil - we're being thrown hack entertainment instead of honest to God solutions.
No original thinker, tooled up with backbone and solutions has emerged from either party.
Funny how they all tout "I'm gonna do this," and "I'm gonna do that, for YOU, " yet the minute they get elected, they say "Gee I'm sorry, I can do anything about that. That's not my area."
ME - don't let them escape Iowa, without holding each accountable for answers to some questions of substance.
Thank you.
September 21, 2007
7:17 AM
general david ricardo writes:
Actually, I'm plain old "genuine ricardo". I'm not a general and my name isn't david. Against my stingy inclinations and lack of disposable income, i have decided to donate to moveon.org. i still don't see what was so outrageous about the petreus betrayus ad. methinks the ladies doth protest too much. upwards of a million people have been directly or indirectly killed by this american invasion. you can argue about the figures but you can't argue about the effects of what is happening on the ground. things getting better? according to whom? and all that gwb can do is call out moveon.org? and the despicable and craven democrats who voted (an actual vote!) to condemn the ad? huh?
these are crazy times. so, to get back to the central issue of the hillary/weird al synergy, no it doesn't seem unusual at all. here's where i should quote one of my favorite philosophers, humpty dumpty, but i don't have my alice books handy.