Molly Ivins Asks Texans NOT to vote for Senator Clinton From Beyond the Grave

[Dems Will Win]

CALLING ALL TEXANS! READ THIS BEFORE VOTING:

I will not support Hillary Clinton for president - Molly Ivins

January 20, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas --- I'd like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president.

Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone This is not a Dick Morris election. Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.

...


Bush, Cheney and Co. will continue to play the patriotic bully card just as long as you let them. I've said it before: War brings out the patriotic bullies. In World War I, they went around kicking dachshunds on the grounds that dachshunds were "German dogs." They did not, however, go around kicking German shepherds. The MINUTE someone impugns your patriotism for opposing this war, turn on them like a snarling dog and explain what loving your country really means. That, or you could just piss on them elegantly, as Rep. John Murtha did. Or eviscerate them with wit (look up Mark Twain on the war in the Philippines). Or point out the latest in the endless "string of bad news."

Do not sit there cowering and pretending the only way to win is as Republican-lite. If the Washington-based party can't get up and fight, we'll find someone who can.

http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/1/2006/1304

Mark Twain:

Mark Twain had been away from America for 10 years, and when he returned he was besieged by the press wanting to know his views on imperialism, for they had heard he had turned anti-imperialist. In the New York Herald article of October 15, 1900–headlined “Mark Twain Home, An Anti-Imperialist”—his change of heart was explained:

I left these shores, at Vancouver, a red-hot imperialist. I wanted the American eagle to go screaming into the Pacific. It seemed tiresome and tame for it to content itself with the Rockies. Why not spread its wings over the Philippines, I asked myself? And I thought it would be a real good thing to do.

I said to myself, here are a people who have suffered for three centuries. We can make them as free as ourselves, give them a government and country of their own, put a miniature of the American constitution afloat in the Pacific, start a brand new republic to take its place among the free nations of the world. It seemed to me a great task to which we had addressed ourselves.

But I have thought some more, since then, and I have read carefully the treaty of Paris, and I have seen that we do not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem.

We have also pledged the power of this country to maintain and protect the abominable system established in the Philippines by the Friars.

It should, it seems to me, be our pleasure and duty to make those people free, and let them deal with their own domestic questions in their own way. And so I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.

Twain also wrote: "I thought we should act as their protector -- not try to get them under our heel.... But now -- why, we have got into a mess, a quagmire from which each fresh step renders the difficulty of extrication immensely greater."

PLEASE REMEMBER TO RECOMMEND!

[TexasObserver]

1. Molly said it all 2 years ago. RIP, girl.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. OK

K&R

[LisaM]

3. Well, by that logic she's not supporting Obama either

His stance on the Iraq war has been ambiguous since he's been in the Senate, and he clearly didn't speak out against the Schiavo ridiculousness.

[PerpetuallyDazed]

5. Clearly, NEITHER candidates are Saints.

But Obama certainly ain't letting McCain impugn HIS patriotism.

[Dems Will Win]

69. kick

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. I think Molly Ivins would have a good chuckle at your post

if she could read it.

[goldcanyonaz]

13. I think she would have a better chuckle at the assumption that she would have supported Obama.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. I don't.

[Dems Will Win]

8. Obama has said Schiavo was his biggest mistake

THat he should have spoken on the floor of the Senate against it and did not.

THe flag-burning amendment was really the last straw for me.

[stillcool]

47. I don't think so...

unless she was clairvoyant. Molly died on January 31, 2007, and Obama announced his candidacy on February 10, 2007.

[VenusRising]

4. Rec for one Fiesty Texas Lady.

You are truly and sadly missed, Molly. :cry:

[texas_indy]

12. Her column was the main reason I got the Dallas Morning News, and it was a bummer

when they stopped her column. You could always count on a good read from Molly. She was what I think Ann Richards would have been if Ann have been a journalist.


Texas is Obama country! VIVA OBAMA!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fd-MVU4vtU

[VenusRising]

17. They are both heros of mine.

I wasn't old enough (by a few months x() to vote for Ann Richards for governor, but I wanted to sooooo bad. I was so jealous of my friends that got to vote for her. At least I got live under her governorship.

[goldcanyonaz]

6. How ridiculous. She wouldn't have cared for Obama either.

[Dems Will Win]

14. Did you read the entire article? Because she seems to predict Obama in this passage:

The recent death of Gene McCarthy reminded me of a lesson I spent a long, long time unlearning, so now I have to re-learn it. It's about political courage and heroes, and when a country is desperate for leadership. There are times when regular politics will not do, and this is one of those times. There are times a country is so tired of bull that only the truth can provide relief.

If no one in conventional-wisdom politics has the courage to speak up and say what needs to be said, then you go out and find some obscure junior senator from Minnesota with the guts to do it. In 1968, Gene McCarthy was the little boy who said out loud, "Look, the emperor isn't wearing any clothes." Bobby Kennedy -- rough, tough Bobby Kennedy -- didn't do it. Just this quiet man trained by Benedictines who liked to quote poetry.

[immoderate]

16. Good find. McCarty is a true hero to me.

And Bobby Kennedy is not.

--IMM

[Window]

27. Sounds like she had Obama in mind to me.

[immoderate]

15. So what do you think she would say now?

Don't vote?

--IMM

[goldcanyonaz]

20. Of course not, but I also don't assume that dead people would endorse a candidate from the grave.

[Whisp]

24. apparently Hillary thinks Ann Richards can. nt

[Window]

29. LOL!

:rofl:

[stillrockin]

60. Oh, suh-nap!

[Dems Will Win]

64. yup

[Capn Sunshine]

40. I'm certain she would see the difference in support between the candidates

Hillary: Inside the beltway, status quo, Murdoch
Obama, bottom up, grass roots, over a million individual donors

Hillary is great, but her support as indicated here by what Ivins writes,is what's killing her with a majority of the voters thus far. Obama is better in ever respect.

[Occam Bandage]

30. Unlike HRC, I don't think we should be speculating on how the dead would have voted.

[cali]

45. no kidding.

I'm so sick of people dragging corpses out of the grave and propping them up for their candidate. :puke:

[gkhouston]

9. Well, unless they planted her in Llano county, she doesn't get a vote this time around. n/t

[begin_within]

10. Then who shall us dead voters vote for?

Shall we just stick with the Republicans as usual?

[stellanoir]

11. What the heck kind of creature is on her coffee mug?

She really was one hot ticket.

I'll never forget her saying about * "Jim Hightower and I tried to warn the country about him in '00, and no one would listen."

RIP indeed.

[Dems Will Win]

18. Hightower has endorsed Obama and clearly Ivins would have too from this column

[Lisa0825]

21. I miss Molly.

I sure wish she were still around. Texas isn't quite as colorful without her.

[Zodiak]

22. Molly Ivins and Jim Hightower are my kind of Democrats

Texas populists.

And I noted her article a couple of years ago and still agree with it.

I also agree that she would most likely endorse Obama given what remains of the field, but only after a brief love affair with Edwards.

We KNOW she would exclude Hillary.

[Dems Will Win]

49. She DOES seem to endorse Obama before she died:

In December 2006, the ever-prescient columnist and best-selling author Molly Ivins was asked whether or not Barack Obama should run for president. Her answer: “Yes, he should run. He’s the only Democrat with any ‘Elvis’ to him.”

The month before, I was sitting with Molly in the Texas State Capitol listening to Obama address an early-morning crowd attending the Texas Book Fair. I did not see any “Elvis” that day. I felt the speech was lackluster, as if the young senator who had written so poetic an autobiography was marking time on his path to something else, content with platitudes.

At one point he said something about the need for decency in government. It was a simple, quiet thought but it drew mild applause. Molly scribbled a note to me that said, in effect, we were in for a new time if an old-fashioned word like decency could draw applause.

And we were in for a new time. Sitting out there in Austin, away from the Beltway bloviators, dying of cancer, Molly Ivins nailed it better than anybody.

http://blog.niemanwatchdog.org/?p=190

!!

[efhmc]

23. As to Mark Twain: It is amazing what getting out of the

country and seeing another viewpoint will do to ones thinking.

[BrklynLiberal]

25. Even back then...Imperialistic intervention led to a "QUAGMIRE"

[Dems Will Win]

28. I love this one:

And so I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.

[Window]

26. I really miss you Molly. RIP

[Captain Hilts]

31. Her standards rule out Obama too. nt

[TexasObserver]

32. Texas Womens' Hall of Fame: Ivins, Richards, Jordan, Farenthold

Barbara Jordan and Frances "Sissy" Farenthold did the groundwork in the 1970s for the success that Ann Richards would have in the second half of the 70s, the 80s, and the early 90s. Molly's writing did likewise. Giants.

[BuyingThyme]

33. kcik, kcik, kcik, kcik, kcik, kcik, kcik, kcik, kcik,

[saracat]

34. Molly would have supported Edwards .She described him as having a "populist streak that she really

liked. She said he was really going to be something one day. She would have supported the populist.And that is not Obama.

[VenusRising]

35. I think she would have endorsed Edwards before he was out.

But I can only deduce from this article that she would have endorsed Obama since Edwards is out.

[Dems Will Win]

36. There is no other way to think about it, especially her yearning for an obscure junior Senator to

become the hero, pick up the mantle of progressivism and defeat the Clinton machine with poetry.

[VenusRising]

38. I caught that Junior Senator statement, too.

She was a super-smart lady.

[saracat]

39. I do not think so. After all, Edwards hasn't and won't.

He asked today to retain his delegates.Edwards is not fond of Obama.But heck, who can know what molly would do? I sure don't. Just my opinion.

[VenusRising]

41. Retaining delegates is not the same as active campaigning.

I was all for Edwards. I cried my eyes out the day he suspended, but I've picked up and moved on. Obama is the Junior Senator in this primary that Molly wrote about, since he's the only JS actively running against Hillary.

[saracat]

43. I didn't say he was actively campaigning. I said he will not release his delgates.

He is not going to endorse.Obama or anyone else. I agree with him.

[VenusRising]

46. I don't think he should endorse anyone.

If he is keeping his delegates, there is no need for it.

But I was more specifically speaking about the article Molly wrote regarding the candidates. For all intents and purposes, Edwards is out of the race for the nomination unless there is some kind of freak occurrence. The two candidates left are Hillary and Obama. By process of elimination after reading the article, there is only one other person other than Hillary with a real shot at the nomination.

[malaise]

37. Molly was a wise lady

I miss her.

[JVS]

42. Spooky!

[GoneOffShore]

44. I miss Molly -

And I'm sure she'd be fore Obama.

HRC just doesn't do it for me - The DLC connection, Carville, Emmanuel et al.

[JackBeck]

48. I really miss her, too.

I'll never forget the moment I first discovered her.

[Avalux]

50. RIP Molly. "contemptible little dodges" -

the woman had a way with words and hit the bullseye with those. :patriot:

[Tennessee Gal]

51. Is Molly endorsing Obama from the grave?

Since Molly died over a year ago, she made her prouncement long before anyone knew that the final two contendors for the Democratic nomination would be Hillary and Barack Obama. Therefore it is disrespectful for anyone to proclaim or even insinuate what she would be thinking or publically saying right now.

This thread is an insult to her memory.

[Dems Will Win]

52. She told people NOT to vote for Hillary and Ivins just about endorsed Obama here:

In December 2006, the ever-prescient columnist and best-selling author Molly Ivins was asked whether or not Barack Obama should run for president. Her answer: “Yes, he should run. He’s the only Democrat with any ‘Elvis’ to him.”

The month before, I was sitting with Molly in the Texas State Capitol listening to Obama address an early-morning crowd attending the Texas Book Fair. I did not see any “Elvis” that day. I felt the speech was lackluster, as if the young senator who had written so poetic an autobiography was marking time on his path to something else, content with platitudes.

At one point he said something about the need for decency in government. It was a simple, quiet thought but it drew mild applause. Molly scribbled a note to me that said, in effect, we were in for a new time if an old-fashioned word like decency could draw applause.

And we were in for a new time. Sitting out there in Austin, away from the Beltway bloviators, dying of cancer, Molly Ivins nailed it better than anybody.

http://blog.niemanwatchdog.org/?p=190

Sorry if Molly thought Hillary was bad for the party and Barack was good for it.

[Tennessee Gal]

53. I already addressed this in the other thread.

Molly died before the current circumstances unfolded. For anyone to presume they know what Molly would have thought at this point in time is an insult to her memory.

[Patchuli]

54. It seems that Molly was pretty clear

on what she thought about Hillary and Obama.

[Dems Will Win]

56. You haven't convinced anyone who read what I poasted I'm afraid.

But keep trying!

[AtomicKitten]

55. I am always pleased to recommend Molly Ivins.

[Dems Will Win]

57. Molly RIP

Remember kiddies, do NOT vote for Clinton. Vote for anybody else, but NOT Clinton!

[rateyes]

58. Good Golly...

we miss you Molly.

[stillrockin]

59. I was wondering when someone would remind the world of that column.

Miss you, Miss Molly. A true patriot.

[NastyRiffraff]

61. I loved Molly but like any other opinion columnist

I don't necessarily agree with her on all things. And I think Molly would agree with that sentiment..she was always a "think for yourself" person.

[Dems Will Win]

62. So you are going to disobey Molly and vote for Clinton?

People who vote for Clinton have the blood of Iraq on their hands as well. How can you sleep in good conscience knowing that?

[NastyRiffraff]

63. Molly is not my mother

Or anyone to "disobey." I make up my own mind; I don't "obey" columnists, even those I like such as Molly. I really don't think Molly would advocate anyone "obeying" her.

And yeah, the "blood of Iraq on their hands" remark to anyone who votes for Clinton will REALLY make me support your candidate. Kind of like the post comparing the Clinton campaign to lynching makes me want to rush to Obama's camp. Good job :sarcasm:

[Dems Will Win]

65. How can you be for Edwards and then Clinton? Were you against the war in Iraq even?

I was from the beginning, even when Edwards co-sponsored it from the floor of the Senate, and said "We know Saddma has WMDS right now".

The unnecessary blood is on Edwards' hands as well, that's a fact. Plus Edwards did not say Iraq was a mistake UNTIL 2005.

[okasha]

70. Would you care to explain why one should "obey"

a journalist?

People who vote for Obama have the blood of Iraq on their hands as much as any. He's voted to fund the war every time it comes up. He refuses to renouce the use of Blackwater and other mercs. Hillary will begin to withdraw troops within 60 days of her inauguration. Obama wants to wait 16 months--by which time there will be plenty of excuses not to withdraw, and his rightwing buddies will have their endless war. Regardless of how it got started or who voted for IWR, what we need now is to get the hell out. Clinton has by far the better plan for that.

[Dems Will Win]

66. kick

[hfojvt]

67. one other thing this column/post does

Reminds people that on Jan. 20, 2006, Hillary still hadn't taken a "clear stand on Iraq". She had to pushed to an anti-war position by the voters of 2006.

[Dems Will Win]

68. kick

[DemBones DemBones]

71. If Molly were alive, she might well be supporting Clinton.

Two years ago, hell, one year ago, maybe even six months ago, I said I wouldn't vote for Clinton. I said it often at DU so it's on my permanent record which anyone can check.

But that was before Obama. Between Clinton and Obama, I'll take Clinton.

I will not vote for Obama in November, and neither will a good number of other lifetime Democrats, so you Obamaniacs better hope that all those Republicans crossover for Obama again. As if!

Get the lifeboats and Kleenex ready for the night they bring Obama down.

[Owl]

72. I seriously doubt that.