Revolt of the Elders: GOP stalwart returns

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/24/06 at 6:13pm

I heard a fantastic interview with Pete McCloskey on the radio this afternoon. For those who weren't born much before RENT opened, he was a Republican congressman from 1967-1982. In other words, for a pretty big chunk of the run of the original Fantastiks.

Anyhoo, so much of what he said resonated for me. His discussion was pretty much based on a rejection of simplistic labels that are easily applied and then dismissed, you know, like "liberal" or "Democrat" or "Republican." In fact, he ran for Congress against fellow Republican Shirley Temple (Black) who was urging expansion of the Viet Nam War back in the late '60s. There were no swift boat veterans from Korea to concoct a bogus story and belittle the two Purple Hearts he earned there, and, imagine this, the opinions of a soldier were heard AND respected.

He talked about being absolutely repulsed by the corruption in Washington today and was particularly vehement about the fact that the ruling party is so entrenched with the fundamentalist Christian extremists like Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell. "The American Taliban," he called them.

But what hit home for me was his discussing being An American, not an l-word or a c-word or an R-word or a D-word, but in truly believing in the American Experiment. You know, government for the people, by the people, and all that stuff that gets REAL patriots misty eyed.

He finds himself delighted, at 78 years old, to find so many people in their 60s-80s still interested in politics and feels dismay at the younger generations that seem not to care.

This is a man who truly knew everybody, and once even considered Dick Cheney a good friend and fishing buddy (though Cheney avoids him now). Truly, it was like listening to the wisdom of the elders...

Here's an interview I came home and found...
Revolt of the Elders

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 9/24/06 at 6:20pm

It reminds me of the Goldwater film on HBO--this is NOT the conservative or Republican party our great grandparents and grandparents believed in.

And, I love the idea of enough with the labels. We're all Americans and we need to start working together in spite of our differences. Too many people have turned this into a freaking sporting event and black and white absolutions. ENOUGH!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/24/06 at 6:24pm

Yeah, there's one goose-stepper on this site (and really, just one) whom I'd like to hear denounce corruption in ALL parties and to offer any ORIGINAL thoughts on participatory democracy. For example, voter suppression. It's an awful thing when any party does it. That would seem to be pretty common ground. A thinking person would think.