Last night my wife inspired me (this is not an uncommon occurrence). On her way home from work, she heard the cheesy Darryl Worley song, "Have You Forgotten?" on the radio. She's a country music fan and was initially moved quite a bit to that genre's response to 9/11. But the world has changed in the last seven years; she and other disaffected Bush supporters are not as easily swayed by propaganda as they were back when Bush's approval ratings were in the positive digits upwards of 80-90% in the days after than horrible tragedy.
"You know," she told me, "this would make a good campaign song for Obama. They should ask the Republicans, 'have you forgotten?'" Forgetting for a moment that Darryl Worley would probably be just as upset as Heart was when the McCain camp started using "Barracuda," she does have a point. Have they forgotten? Have they forgotten who attacked us on that fateful day? Have they forgotten about the opportunity they had to rally behind the bipartisan feelings of pain and then pride that we all felt? Have they forgotten that they have wasted billions of dollars, thousands of American lives, and the goodwill and respect of the rest of the world in their shameful quest to acquire power?
I'd like to share a couple of videos I found for her on YouTube. The first one is near what she was envisioning above, the Darryl Worley song played to a slideshow of Bush and 9/11. WARNING: Contains what some might consider excessive use of 9/11 images (also excessive use of Bush images, but I suppose that's slightly less offensive). After the RNC war-porn video last week, I was hesitant to post this here, but I'm not promoting a campaign and I'm trying not to politicize 9/11 itself, I'm only trying to ridicule and mock this administration's backwards response to the events of that day.
If you choose not to watch, that's fine with me; here's a transcript of some of the quotes used in the video:
INTRO TEXT: "George Bush and the republican (sic) party have used the terror attacks of 9/11 to justify the invasion of Iraq and the erosion of our rights. It's about time we asked the q[u]estion, Have you forgotten?"
BUSH: "The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." - 9/13/01
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(Audio from a 2004 Bush/Kerry debate):
KERRY: "When the President had an opportunity to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, he took his focus off of him. [He] outsourced the job to Afghan warlords, and Osama bin Laden escaped. Six months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or alive, this President was asked, 'Where is Osama bin Laden,' and he said, 'I don't know, I don't really think about him very much, I'm not that concerned.' We need a president who stays deadly focused on the real war on terror."
MODERATOR: "Mr. President."
BUSH: "Uhh, honestly I don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden, that's kinda one of those ex-agg-er-ations."
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BUSH: "I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority. - 3/12/02
BUSH: "I am truly not that concerned about [bin Laden]." - 3/13/02
TEXT: "It's time to put adults back in the White House. Vote Democratic!"
The second video I sent her is Keith Olbermann's Special Comment from 9/12/06. On the fifth anniversary of 9/11, more eloquently than I ever could, he blasts Bush's inept response to the attacks of five years previous also fumes at the lack of a tribute to the victims of that day. I read an article today on CNN.com about the Pentagon memorial and how Bloomberg is now making excuses on why there is no memorial construction in New York. Keith had it right -- while there is still a hole in the ground, the terrorists are winning.
KEITH: Who has left this hole in the ground? We have not forgotten, Mr. President. You have. May this country forgive you.
While I am more involved in this race than I ever have been in any other, I've still been too much of an introvert to volunteer for canvassing or phone-banking. I've donated more money than I have donated time. That needs to change soon. It's not hyperbole to say that there's less than two months left before the future track of this world is decided. And whether she knows it or not, my wife is slowly becoming way more politically active, way more motivated, and way more influential (to me and to others) than she ever has been before.