Molly Ivins: 2 Years After Her Death, People Who Knew Her Are Putting Words into Her Mouth (Are They Holding Seances?)

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

Molly Ivins

(Courtesy Wikipedia)

Tomorrow, January 31, will mark the second anniversary of Molly Ivins’ death from breast cancer.

At the time of her death, a lovely tribute was composed by her editor and friend of many years, Anthony Zurcher.  In his moving tribute, he wrote:

Goodbye, Molly I.

Molly Ivins is gone, and her words will never grace these pages again — for this, we will mourn. But Molly wasn’t the type of woman who would want us to grieve. More likely, she’d say something like, “Hang in there, keep fightin’ for freedom, raise more hell, and don’t forget to laugh, too.”

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But while she was here, her heart never failed to see clear and true — and for that, we can all be grateful.

Almost exactly one year before she passed away, Molly Ivins announced:

Molly Ivins: Not. backing. Hillary.

Friday, January 20, 2006; Posted: 9:18 a.m. EST (14:18 GMT)

AUSTIN, Texas (Creators Syndicate) — I’d like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president.

Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone.  This is not a Dick Morris election. Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.

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I listen to people like Rahm Emanuel superciliously explaining elementary politics to us clueless naifs outside the Beltway (“First, you have to win elections”). Can’t you even read the damn polls?

Here’s a prize example by someone named Barry Casselman, who writes, “There is an invisible civil war in the Democratic Party, and it is between those who are attempting to satisfy the defeatist and pacifist left base of the party and those who are attempting to prepare the party for successful elections in 2006 and 2008.”

This supposedly pits Howard Dean, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, emboldened by “a string of bad new from the Middle East … into calling for premature retreat from Iraq,” versus those pragmatic folk like Steny Hoyer, Rahm Emmanuel, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Joe Lieberman.

Oh come on, people — get a grip on the concept of leadership. Look at this war — from the lies that led us into it, to the lies they continue to dump on us daily.

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I can understand what Molly wrote back in 2006 because, to be honest, I was thinking much the same thing.

Well, now we fast forward to 2009 and Molly’s former assistant, Betsy Moon, described as “FORMER ASSISTANT AND “CHIEF OF STUFF” FROM 2001 to 2007,” has decided to commemorate Molly’s death by being a mind reader.

What Would Molly Think?

Betsy Moon

AUSTIN, Texas — The question I have been asked most often during the last two years is, “What would Molly think about this?” Molly Ivins would have loved this election. She would have loved the beautiful sight of “We the People” finally stepping up to become the real deciders. She would have loved the drama, the comedy and the characters.

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In fact, we know how she would have felt, because she was as prescient about this election before her death two years ago as she was about all the other tragedies of the Bush years. Carlton Carl, CEO/publisher at Molly’s beloved Texas Observer, recalls her saying after Obama’s 2004 speech at the Democratic convention, “You know … that young man could be president someday.”

Before Barack Obama announced his candidacy, Chicago Magazine asked a number of luminaries if they thought he should run. Opinions varied. Molly was succinct and direct, and with her usual wit and certainty said: “Yes, he should run. He’s the only Democrat with any Elvis to him.”

And, in her column on Jan. 20, 2006, she said: “It’s about political courage and heroes, and when a country is desperate for leadership.

If no one in conventional-wisdom politics has the courage to speak up and say what needs to be said, then you go out and find some obscure junior senator … with the guts to do it.” She was speaking about Gene McCarthy then, but it might as well have been Barack Obama.

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She’d love that Barack Obama began his community organizing knowing that power lies in all of us united and that he continues to remind us that we are the deciders.

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Ken Bunting, an old friend of Molly’s who’s now associate publisher of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, said of Molly on Election Day, “I’m not much of a believer, but I think our friend is looking down and smiling right along with Barack’s grandma.” You know, I think he is right.

Where do I begin? First of all, I think it’s a bit presumptuous for anyone to speak for a person who can’t speak for themselves. What, did Moon and Bunting conduct a seance?

Secondly, just because Molly didn’t like Hillary Clinton and had some good words for Obama’s “Elvis factor” back in 2006, doesn’t mean she would feel the same way today.  Furthermore, for Moon to state that Obama shares the same qualities of “guts” with Eugene McCarthy is a reach, isn’t it? I still have my McCarthy bumper sticker from back then…somehow, I don’t see Obama as having the same courage of Eugene McCarthy!!

Then there’s the matter of what Molly thought, not only of Clinton, but also about Rahm Emanuel and Joe Biden, both now hanging around the Obama Administration. Emanuel, of course, is in a very powerful position as Chief of Staff, while Biden is posing as VP.  And Clinton is rattling around at the State Department.

So, what would Molly Ivins be thinking now? I DON’T KNOW, but if she were staying “clear and true” I think she MIGHT be throwing some caustic comments out there into the ether, particularly with regard to the “stimulus package” and some of the little games played by Obama over the last couple of days aimed at attracting GOP support (and winning ZIP with the House vote). And would she really think that we were “the deciders”??

As for Moon and Bunting–is seems that they are transferring their OWN fascination with Obama into a dream of  what they would WANT Molly Ivins to think.

OK, Molly, give us a sign.  I sure would like to know what you’ve been REALLY thinking about  all that’s happened over the last year…

But I sure have MY opinion…Molly, have you been listening?

Hillary Clinton’s 2012 Domain Buy: A “Flow Chart” of Scenarios That Cross the Mind (With BIG UPDATE 1X re: PUMA/HRC DEBT); Update 2X

At least they’ve been crossing my mind…

OK, so we see reports like the one in the LA Times on July 19th about how Hillary Clinton has moved to buy a web domain with an interesting year attached to it (Hillary Clinton’s revealing purchase: A website called HRC2012). And, she had the “audacity of hope” to buy it on June 8th, the day after she suspended her campaign and spoke in support of Barack Obama.

In 2012 she can choose to run for the Senate again or run for President. Or she can run for both,  like Joe Lieberman did when he was running as Gore’s VP. (Bob Dole, who was Senate Majority Leader in 1996, is the only presidential contender who actually resigned his Senate seat after winning the primaries.) In Hillary Clinton’s case, you can expect hysteria if she chooses to run for Senate and President at the same time.  Good girls don’t do that sort of thing…

So, according to the pundits, it now seems that Clinton supporters can hold out hope for a Presidential run in 2012,

But is that the whole story?  My mind immediately created a “flow chart” of the possibilities that the buy conjures up.  Here goes:

1) The obvious. Clinton’s buy signals that she aims to keep a power base apart from Obama. See Nos. 3-6.

2) The timing is interesting. Not only was the buy made immediately after “surrendering” to Obama and the Party, it was followed by new Clinton Foundation initiative to cut the costs of malaria medications, with many stories in the media reminding the reader of Bill Clinton’s 2002 deal to slash the cost of HIV/AIDS meds…and the news of the domain buy was revealed just before Obama went off on this foreign adventure to APPEAR like a leader. Nothing like de-lurking at just the right time…

3) If HIllary that assumes McCain is going to win: His hint that he might be a one-term President, if it actually comes to pass,  opens up the race without an incumbent, so she can run against McCain’s VP or an upstart, where she could have a big advantage with her greater Senate experience and previous campaign dry-run.

• Risk in this scenario–McCain picks either Carly Fiorini or Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate. If McCain doesn’t complete his term, Hillary loses the chance to be the first woman President and, more importantly, the media revolts at the thought of having two women compete for the Presidency. Guess who will get tossed again to the bottom-feeding media?  Hillary Clinton, who may be forced to choose NOT to run if there is a woman VP already in the Oval Office.

4) If she assumes Obama is going to win and that he will be a lousy President: She is going on notice that she could run against HIM in 2012.  Then watch the cries of “She’s DIVISIVE” start again.  However, If Obama is a lousy President and people get fed up with him, she may get a lot of support for a move to bounce him back to Chicago.

5) If Obama’s past catches up with him: Rezko, Auchi, and any other ties to people who are or have been in trouble with the law may be brought to the fore–perhaps there will be a move by Republicans to impeach Obama, or, more likely, a constant effort to sully him for four years.  (Or maybe the FBI will drag him out of the White House in handcuffs! One can dream….) If he runs again, this may create an opening for a Clinton primary challenge

6) Or, perhaps something erupts before the Democratic Convention: Super delegates get even more wary, polls drop, money starts getting harder to find…well, the web buy makes sure that party poobahs know that Clinton is still interested in planning for the future and hasn’t gone off to redecorate her Senate office. And PUMA roars and shows up to make its case in person in Denver…

7) If a last minute switch doesn’t occur: Hillary uses her seat in the Senate to maintain and enhance her high profile. Perhaps she begins to outshine the flaccid Harry Reid, who reportedly doesn’t want her to ever to be Senate Majority Leader.  If that route is blocked perhaps she vies for a chairmanship of one of those high-profile committees she sits on.  Or, as either McCain or Obama send programs to Congress, she emerges as the new “maverick” or as the “voice of the people.”  Wouldn’t that be interesting to see her play that role against Obama and his butt-kissing of Republicans?  One thing to watch will be any debate on Social Security.  Bill Clinton rejected wholesale privatization of Social Security, preferring to have the system invest in the stock market, not individuals.  And, of course, there’s always healthcare to debate.  Any differences Hillary Clinton may have with Obama on these issues would provide a golden opportunity to show her leadership.

7) NEW ADDITION–If her debt is PAID OFF, then…who knows??  See below for UPDATE!

So, that’s where my mind’s wandering have taken me.  For some inexplicable reason, the thought of Obama being a GOOD President really hasn’t crossed my mind, not for once second.

If anybody has any other thoughts, please add them to the list!

PS–Irony of ironies….As I was finishing up this post and heading to the kitchen for dinner, I got a call from an older woman who was calling on behalf of…guess!  I politely stopped her immediately and informed her that she needn’t waste her energy and time because I wasn’t voting for Obama.  She said, “OH,” and got off the line.  I wonder if they are under orders not to bother trying to launch into their usual script, because she didn’t even attempt to bring up any issues that might be on a voter’s mind…dangerous territory for the caller, I guess, with a PUMA on the other end of the line!

UPDATE VIA EDGE OF FOREVER July 21, 2008

Email from Will Bowers

This kinda complicated, but here goes!

First, it looks as if we’ll only be given the June figures on July 20th (or July 21st). We won’t get the solid figures for July 1-4 until August 20th or so.

Secondly, different outfits are choosing to assess the debt differently. Some are counting only the campaign debt, and some are counting the campaign debt *plus* Hillary’s *personal* debt. It looks as if we’ll have definitely paid down the former, but it is unclear as to the latter.

There are those who want us to report her debt as still being high, so that they can continue to fundraise. And there are those who want us to know that her debt is almost paid off, to show that she is still a strong candidate for Convention.

As *I* see it (from what our sources have told us), her *campaign* debt should be in the black as of now. Even if it isn’t, the *good* news is that we’ve brought the DNC’s strong arm tactics into public light and scrutiny… so that they will now be hard pressed to use her debt against her in their attempt to keep her name from being placed into nomination.

I hope this helps better explain things, even as complicated as it may sound. If there are any other questions I can ask, please let me know.

Thanks!

Will

http://pumaparty.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1130&p=5894#p5894

UPDATE #2

I just unearthed a recent mailing of a “survey” from the DNC…(sent back with appropriate comments just now!)  I noticed, that while Obama’s operation is based in Chicago, the money is still going to Washington, D.C.  At least someone has had the good sense not to hand over the cash to a bank in Chicago, close to the Obama crowd…