Handshake Line

Even though I have spent a great deal of my life on stage in full view of people. In a social setting I can be a complete doofus. I'm just not much of a pal around hand slap kind of person. Some of it comes from being around my Apache relatives growing up (Apaches are notoriously silent folks), some of it comes from spending as much time as I have to spend alone practicing. Anyway, if you want to depend on somebody to carry the ball socially, I'll help you look.

I went to a fund raiser for Jim Pederson who is running against the vile John Kyl (I can't resist a line that both rhymes and insults) here in Arizona. The main reason I attended was to see and hear Wes Clark. It was a standard pretend "town meeting" set up. The questions were softballed and scripted. Which is fine with me, this is an event that is set up to extract some more money from the faithful, it must be done in today's world.

Had I been asking questions I would have asked something like "Why aren't you talking about how John Kyl is supporting the administration on Iraq and allowing them to establish torture as an American policy?"

Pederson is in favor of rethinking policy, to return the focus to Afghanistan and catching bin Laden. Fair enough. I think that's a very good idea too. I just think that after seeing how well people like Ned Lamont are doing when they take it straight to the party in power for their failures. Bill Clinton did that, even while admitting his own failures, his admitting them was a reminder that the asshole in the White House doesn't even think he's made a mistake yet. For me, it's the most important issue. I already knew Mr. Pederson's stand on it, I just was wondering why it hasn't been more prominent. The fact that the Republican Congress and the Bush White House have fucked things up so badly is the main thing that has gotten me out of the house and out into the street. A candidate that says "I will not allow a course this wrong to be "stayed" has me. Say it Jim. Just say it.

Also, for the last two weeks the bulk of the Pederson advertising has been negative stuff on Kyl. I wish he would change the tone now that we are only a few weeks away from the election. It's time to do more coming out and establishing your positions clearly. Pederson is about 11 points down in the polls and that's about the number of undecided voters. That's a crowd that is easier to talk into voting for someone than against someone. Although it is fun to watch Kyl whine about dirty attack ads when all Pederson is doing is listing Kyl's voting record.

Wes Clark was doing his level best to keep this event about Pederson and I respect that. The idea that a major political player is able to go to an event like this and make sure that the lights and focus stay on someone else speaks highly to me of his character.

I hope Clark decides to run for President. I am so there.

Now, to the handshake line. I'm going through the line thing and I say "Hello" and shake hands with Jim Pederson, then it's time for Clark. I'm wearing a lapel pin from one of the decorations I received in the service. It's small and unobstrusive. If you don't know what it is, well, you don't know what it is. General Clark sees it and asks "Where did you get that?" I said "Dong Ap Bai." He shakes his head a little and says "Pretty woolly there?" I said "Charlie had teeth."

Then the line moves on and so do I.

UPDATE
While making my coffee this morning I saw two ads for Pederson. One was an upbeat "This is who I am and what I believe in" ad. The very next ad was Iraq. Iraq as a mess and Kyl standing right next to Bush saying "stay the course." Damn, it was a nice thing to see over coffee. Good on ya' Jim.

Cross Posted at Big Brass Ones