As a rule, avoid Crossfire. Not much of substance ever comes out of the cross-current debates, and there isn’t a whole lot of surprises that are going to come out of the mouth of Carville, Carlson, Novak, or that other guy. (All apologies to “that other guy”, but I can’t think of his name.)

But, here’s a good exchange from last November anyway, where James Carville does hit on something:

CARLSON: I understand that. But I want to put up, actually, an astute observation about your party from one of its own members, Senator Zell Miller, still a Democrat, of Georgia. Here’s what he wrote yesterday in the “Wall Street Journal”. And I’d be interested to know what you think of this.

CARVILLE: Why would anybody get the idea that Dick Nixon was a liar?

……….

Senator Zell Miller, DINO and conservative Democrat (beyond “conservative Democrat”, but never mind) of Georgia, retiring this year. If you look at the AP totals of delegates, you’ll see that “Other” has one delegate pledged to them. This is a “superdelegate” (to give more weight to the insiders after McGovern and Carter, the Democrats vetted the process by giving their Congressional Caucuss votes — so that they could nominate Walter Mondale, I … guess). This is Zell Miller’s vote. He’s voting for George W. Bush in the Democratic Primary.

More on Zell Miller in a later post.

The Famous ‘Great Silent Majority’ Speech (A slam against the Lame Loud Minority, I suppose.)

In 1963 President Kennedy with his characteristic eloquence and clarity said we want to see a stable Government there, carrying on the struggle to maintain its national independence.

President Eisenhower and President Johnson expressed the same conclusion during their terms of office. 

………..

Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon all had Intelligence available to them that you didn’t!!

Got that? Good. Now shut up.

George Bush I ‘s approval ratings were never quite the same after he vomitted all over the Japanese Prime Minister. Clinton’s upsurge into his re-election campaign is said to have started with the Showdown over the Partial Government Shutdown.

Back to Bush’s ill-received State of the Union speech. Just… freeze-frame it. That’s all. (The decline in approval rating that followed Bush’s Great Stand Against Steroids does do ill to the current RNC line “Well, we have a one-sided debate going on with the Democratic Primary beating up on the President.”)

When Barry Goldwater said “Extermism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue” in his 1964 Republican nomination speech, he was actually cribbing from Thomas Paine’s “A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.”

Ronald Reagan was a much more successful right-wing politico because he didn’t mess around with high-brow figures such as Paine and instead just stole from Clint Eastwood: “I have only one thing to say to tax increases: ‘Go ahead and make my day.” (Incidentally, George Bush I (*)was less successful with his watered-down bit of machismo “Read my lips…” (broke that promise during a particularly brave moment, actually.)

Howard Dean is accused by the The Nation’s Matt Talibi of having taken the rather common outsider refrain “I Want my Country Back” from past Joe Trippi – influenced campaigns: Jerry Brown and Dick Gephardt. But, I suspect it might be more deriviate of the 2000 anti-Dean gay civil unions backlash election year slogan “Take Vermont Back.”

Meanwhile, Kerry is taking Bush’s line “Bring it On”, which begs an entirely different discussion. One I’ll post later.
………….

(*) Actually in the Bush family hiearchy it would be George Bush II, with the current president being George Bush III. But, the father of Prescott Bush was never named “King”, so…

“Well, we’ve got the nomination just about wrapped up.”
“That’s good.”

“The former frontrunner challenged the media, and the media took him down. He just self-destructed, as we always suspecte he would.”
“That’s good.”

“You’re ahead by a pretty wide margin of George Bush in the polls in a hypothetical matchup, and the Democratic primary voter has taken a deep breath at their wide anger and is now looking straight at ‘electibility’. And you’re the ‘it’ boy. Just make ‘electibility’ the issue in the next round of primaries and you’re there!”
“That’s good.”

“George Bush is vulnerable on a host of issues: corporate malfeasance, intelligence brohahaus. This is doable.”
“That’s good.”

“The Democratic Party hiearchy has revamped the primary schedule practically for your success. They’re so tired of losing that they wanted to get the insider the major mojo… and that’s you.”
“That’s good.”

“You inspire confidence. Steady experience. Sure, you’re a bit boring, but the people want a steady hand at the wheel — just keep it moderate and you’ll be fine.”
“That’s good.”

“You may have some trouble in the south, but your military record should help you out there. Why, a photo-op or two will go a long way!”
“That’s good.”

“Next January, we’ll be calling you ‘President Dukakis.'”
“That’s good.”

(What? You were expecting a new punchline?)