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Edited on Thu May-06-04 02:39 AM by calimary
I know this, just from my own somewhat limited experience.
Tuesday, in another one of those moods, I used that trusty TOLL FREE number to Capitol Hill and called LOTS of people. My three (Feinstein, Boxer, Waxman) and then a whole host of others, from Ted Kennedy and Carl Levin to John Warner, Pat Roberts, Chuck Hagel, John McCain, and a handful of congressmembers. With ALL of the republi-CONS I said the same thing, and the same reaction happened:
I pointed out that we have NO accountability, NOBODY who's taking responsibility, a "president" who refuses to apologize or even admit he's done anything wrong or that he has made any mistakes. And now this. I said - I am unfortunately forced to appeal to YOU REPUBLICANS, because YOU GUYS have the majority everywhere and YOU are the ones in control. And I further said - YOU guys came in, in late 2000, telling us all that the adults were back in charge, and you were bringing honor and integrity back to the White House. THEN, I said - you guys are making leadership a big issue in this campaign season, and as a voter, I'm seeing NO LEADERSHIP WHATSOEVER! As a voter, all I'm seeing is stonewalling and deflecting blame and keeping secrets and making excuses.
The reaction was interesting. For a change, not ONE staffer in any of these offices (of republi-CONS) dared to argue with me, or try to get in my face about it, or offer a vigorous defense of anything or anybody, or try to criticize or blame Clinton. NONE of them. Nobody even tried to slough off the blame by saying "well, DEMOCRATS voted for this too (neener, neener, neener!)," as some have done with me in the past. I have encountered MANY young snotnoses in some of these republi-CON offices (who probably fancy themselves the next ralph reed or newt gingrich or sean hannity) who try to talk up the wonderful, saintly, always-correct republi-CON agenda while demonizing Dems in general, or Clinton, or both. Or they've just wanted to pick a fight with me or argue with me or get in my face - maybe to run up my phone bill (they THINK!) out of spite - a junior-grade dirty trick maybe they just thought up.
Guys, there was absolutely, startlingly, NONE of this. ACROSS THE BOARD. They were very quiet and sounded almost chastened. Nobody was insolent. No attitude. No in-yer-face, fuck-you, WE'VE got the power just deal with it and you're wrong anyway, NOTHING. Just a subdued, courteous, "I'll pass your comments along to the senator/congressman/woman." NOBODY is combative anymore. At least nobody I encountered, and I must have made 20 calls to different people. I think they're feeling a VERY cold wind blowing through their previously comfy digs. I think they're starting to realize that their days on the A-team are numbered. I think some of them have begun to notice that there's handwriting on the wall.
It's just something telling that I noticed. And for all the times that I've called congress (TOLL FREE, Capitol Hill Switchboard), and gotten into it with some pipsqueak in some republi-CON's office, I know pretty much what to expect when I venture into enemy territory. They're subdued now. They know they're in trouble. They know this is truly bad, and unescapable. They know. The uncomfortable truth just can't be plowed over anymore, and the lipstick just won't stay put on that pig.
The times are changing.
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