speech from the "American President" should be Kerry's rallying cry

[NMDemDist2]

just change "Bob" to "George" and "Rumson" to "Bush"

For the last couple of months, Senator Rumson has suggested that being President of this country was, to a certain extent, about character. And although I've not been willing to engage in his attacks on me, I've been here three years and three days, and I can tell you without hesitation being President of this country is entirely about character.

For the record, yes, I am a card carrying member of the ACLU, but the more important question is "Why aren't you, Bob?" Now this is an organization whose sole purpose is to defend the Bill of Rights, so it naturally begs the question, why would a senator, his party's most powerful spokesman and a candidate for President, choose to reject upholding the constitution? Now if you can answer that question, folks, then you're smarter that I am, because I didn't understand it until a few hours ago.

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours." You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of it's citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.


snip

We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle age, middle class, middle income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family, and American values and character,...and you scream about patriotism -- you tell them she's to blame for their lot in life

[Sydnie]

1. God I do love that scene and that movie.

Think I'll have to go watch it again.

[luaneryder]

2. I was thinking about this

last week when I watched the movie again. A great speech.

[Maccagirl]

3. Do you believe Kerry could get away with a speech

like that in the real world? Total fantasy.

Sorry for being in such a pissy mood-I've been watching way too much cable news today. Must. Turn. It. Off.

:cry:

[unblock]

4. indeed. the headline would be, "kerry endorses flag-burning"

sometimes i think presidential candidates should avoid public appearances entirely, except for a single scheduled event each day at which they go up to the mike, utter that day's 3-second sound bite, and leave.

at least that way they have a harder time picking the worst possible spin.

[doni_georgia]

5. Was watching this today and thought the same thing

In fact, I was screaming at the TV - "Hope someone from the Kerry campaign is watching this!!" Kerry needs to take off the gloves. You can't hold the high ground when your opponent is pulling the voters down into the gutter with him.

[DURHAM D]

6. Forget this old speech, just hire Aaron Sorkin as a speech writer.

[NMDemDist2]

7. good point n/t

[Chichiri]

8. Amen to that! (n/t)

[Gloria]

9. I've always thought this was the quintessential Dem speech...

I've transcribed it, taped it, replayed, reposted it....it is always there when I need it!!! It's in your face but dignified....I love it.