MOLLY IVINS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE: "OBAMA 'SHOULD RUN', COULD USHER IN 'NEW TIME'"!

[Dems Will Win]

Do I get a recommend for this catch??

MOLLY IVINS SAID OBAMA HAD 'ELVIS TO HIM'

IVINS SAID THAT OBAMA 'SHOULD RUN'

IVINS SAID THAT OBAMA COULD USHER IN A 'NEW TIME'

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

Thanks, Molly! RIP.

Texas! Listen to your Progressive Mama!

[Nickster]

1. Boy, that Molly sure was something. I miss her.

[VenusRising]

2. Always happy to rec Molly Ivins.

We miss you, Molly. :cry:

[yellerpup]

3. That's an endorsement worth the moon.

Yeah, I'm catching the Elvis factor in him--but decent. Damn decent. K&R!

[Gloria]

4. Did she know anything about him? Probably not as much as is known now...

"Elvis" who lies and hasn't done squat in his subcommittee wouldn't get Molly's approval now....

[Melinda]

5. Maybe not, but she sure had Hillary Clinton down... in her own words:

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.

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.

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60 percent) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) wants to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

...continued at http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/20/ivins.hillary/index.html

RIP Molly, we sure miss you out here :cry:

[anamandujano]

19. "enough not offending anyone"--She would have enjoyed Obama offending

democrats.

[TheWraith]

24. Funny, the polls don't seem to agree with you. nt

[DrZeeLit]

27. Thank you. I've been looking for that column. I love Molly and miss her.

That column began my quest for a candidate.
Began a lot of reading, reading, reading.

Molly did not suffer fools, gladly or un.

I do so miss her... yes, indeed.
She would have loved this fight, wouldn't she?
Gosh, I wish she was around to take shots at McCain.
Boy, howdy, that would be classic.

Darn.

[Melinda]

41. Me too... my heart broke when she left us...

She was certainly an original who possessed a torrid wit and magical prose unmatched by any of her peers. One of my favorites:

"So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was." :loveya:


I'll always have a spot in my heart for this great lady and true liberal. Thanks for sharing this space in rememberance of the unforgettable Molly Ivins. :hug:

[maximusveritas]

9. Sounds like she knew much more about him than you do now

You clearly underestimate Molly just as much as you do Obama. She would be able to see right through your misleading spin. I won't claim to speak for her like you do. I prefer to look at what she actually said and when you do that, there's no doubt about where she stood.

[Gloria]

30. But she's not alive now to see through Obama's misleading spin....

Because you can bet she'd be onto it as it unfolds....unless she already knew about the calls to Canada about NAFTA, which has been reconfirmed by a high up Canadian official...or refusing to pose with Newsom in San Francisco has he raised the issue of gay marriage. Or dissing the people who fought throughout the 60s and 70s. She probably would have become more neutral after she "automatically disqualified" him based on his crap.

Please, get real...Elvis is NOT in the building....

[maximusveritas]

48. Molly wasn't dumb enough to think any politician was perfect

or that they weren't all calculating to some extent. Molly didn't say he was Elvis, but that he had a little bit of Elvis in him.

And there's a difference between the calculation of voting to send our troops to war and the calculation of not taking a photo with someone or using rhetoric to appeal to a certain demographic or state.

[Bucky]

6. Wow.

Molly always could pick 'em.

[BigDDem]

38. Yep she could

like when she endorsed Nader?
How'd that work out?

:rofl:

[snappyturtle]

7. This is a momentous endorsement! K&R

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Dems Will Win]

8. I couldn't believe it when I found it!

[DogPoundPup]

10. Thanks for finding it!

Molly was so fine! And...still is!

[snappyturtle]

22. I'm so glad you did find it! Have you thought about forwarding it

to the Obama campaign? It would be HUGE here in Texas to have this endorsement by beloved Molly in the news!

[Tennessee Gal]

11. This is an insult to Molly's memory.

No one knows if Molly meant that Obama should be running this year. No one knows if Molly thought Obama was ready. No one knows if Molly was talking about Obama running at some point in the future.

I loved Molly and I would never attempt to imply what Molly meant about anything she said while she was suffering and nearing death.

Shame on those who do.

[meow mix]

12. seems pretty clear to me, your insulting her by calling it "crazy death talk"

kinda shameful..

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[KaptBunnyPants]

35. I can't believe Clinton supporters try to spin even this.

Molly, one of my favorite writers ever, was explicitly anti-Hillary, even making a near death announcement of her opposition to her campaign when she knew she wouldn't make it to the election. If you support Clinton, that's fine, but don't disrespect Molly by lying about what she believed.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for this.

[SteveM]

33. Saw Molly on the tube just before she died and she was asked ...

what she would advise Hillary Clinton about (at that time) running for president. Her answer: "Don't."

She did not support Hillary Clinton for president.

[sandnsea]

25. Well she sure knew bull when she heard it

"There are times a country is so tired of bull that only the truth can provide relief."

And since she said that of the Clintons, I'm quite sure she wouldn't have been supporting two of the biggest bullshitters this country has ever seen.

[Melinda]

39. What's insulting to Molly's memory is that you'd support Clinton over Obama

Particularly after she said this:

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.

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.

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60 percent) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) wants to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

...continued at http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/20/ivins.hillary/in...

Molly made no bones about how she felt, in life, about HRC running for President. It is disengenuous at best for you to claim you loved Molly while you insult and disrespect her memory by claiming her own words and feelings as insult to her very memory.

If there is any shame to be had, it belongs to you. For shame, for shame. :thumbsdown:

[bigbrother05]

51. Yeah, but she clearly wanted anyone but HRC

[bvar22]

14. Molly Ivins, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy,

Dennis Kucinich (in Iowa), Russ Feingold.....
Jim Hightower not only has endorsed Obama, but is campaigning for Obama in Texas.

Boy, it is easy to see who the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party supports!

[rosetta627]

15. Molly's words mean more to me than almost anyone else's

Love her/miss her.
She's a goddess.

It's good to know her thoughts on Obama. Thanks so much for posting this Dems Will Win.

[Dems Will Win]

17. I was amazed when I found it

[Mme. Defarge]

16. Well, as they say in French,

formidable!

[donheld]

18. God I miss that woman!

[MagickMuffin]

20. Molly ALWAYS seemed to have good insight

That's what made her SOOOOOOO special.

Most Texas Progressives always listen to Molly. :loveya:

I miss her Texas wit and humor. No one else could ever take her place, although some do come close.

[Dems Will Win]

21. yup

[orleans]

26. nice piece that was written. thanks for the link. n/t

[Dems Will Win]

31. sure

[walldude]

28. I just read Molly's book "Molly Ivins Can't Say That"..

It's older, from the 1990's but so much that she predicted in that book has come true, she was brilliant, not to mention hilarious..

[Prophet 451]

29. Always rec for Molly

I'm not even an Obama fan especially but Molly was one of a kind.

[NastyRiffraff]

32. I love Molly, have read most of her books, read her columns religiously

But, I make up my own mind. On another thread, some idiot took me to task for "disobeying" Molly. That goes against everything she ever wrote...the thought that everybody must obey her. I respect her, love her, sorry she's gone. But I do with anyone else, I listen to her and then make my own decision.

[idovoodoo]

34. I don't believe it and furthermore it is an insult to Molly to attribute quotes to her

that nobody can document. Bah.

[Recursion]

56. Why on earth would you not believe it? Ivins was very anti-Hillary

I mean, if this were something out of character of her, I might wonder, but we have a reporter with no particular axe to grind recounting an interview she had with Ivins. I suppose she could have faked her notes but at some point you have to kind of assume a reporter isn't doing that (unless her name is Judith Miller).

[helderheid]

36. Love you and miss you, Molly!

:cry:

[Alexander]

37. Just wait. The Shillbots will start smearing Molly Ivins next.

They'll throw anyone under the bus if they don't participate in the coronation.

[idovoodoo]

43. And the assholes will start calling people shillbots

...

[Major Hogwash]

40. Excellent post! Molly was right on the money.

Here's to her memory.
*clink*

[baghdad_bush]

42. Do you remember this from Molly Ivins? She was right on target!!

How to cure a chicken-killing dog

Do you know how to cure a chicken-killing dog? Now, you know you cannot keep a dog that kills chickens, no matter how fine a dog it is otherwise.
The way to do it is to take one of the chickens the dog has killed and wire the thing around the dog’s neck, good and strong. And leave it until that dead chicken stinks so bad that no other dog or person will even go near that poor beast.
Thing’ll smell so bad the dog won’t be able to stand itself. You leave it on there until the last little bits of flesh rots and fall s off, and that dog won’t kill chickens again.
The Bush administration is going to be wired around the neck of the American people for four more years, long enough for the stench to sicken everyone. It should cure the country of electing Republicans. And at least the Democrats won’t have to clean up after him until it is clear to everyone who made the mess.

*Molly Ivins of Creators Syndicate

It's smelling pretty bad now....almost unbearable!!

[workinclasszero]

44. Wow she had Hillary's number and Bush's too

***The Bush administration is going to be wired around the neck of the American people for four more years, long enough for the stench to sicken everyone. It should cure the country of electing Republicans.***

I'd say she was a political profit. RIP Molly

[Dems Will Win]

45. That's Prophet, not profit - DU Spelling Patrol

[workinclasszero]

46. I stand corrected (blush)

Thanks.:hi:

[Dems Will Win]

47. NP the patrol is here to serve...

[fortyfeetunder]

49. She saw potential...

Maybe that first viewing of Obama then was not polished, but Molly saw a diamond in the rough. She had a good hunch on him like she has other people.

R.I.P. Molly

[Dems Will Win]

50. TX kick!

[Lisa0825]

52. I love you Molly

We sure do miss you in Texas. :hug:

[Dems Will Win]

53. kick

[AtomicKitten]

54. Her legacy is that we heard her and are making it happen!

[Dems Will Win]

55. right!