Fahrenheit 9/11, Gore and the Black Caucus

[Michael Costello]

In F911, Moore talks about how the Democratic leaders didn't really fight for Gore as hard as the Republicans fought for Bush, which I believe, and in terms of effort I think the gap was not small but wide. The bit that got me, which I didn't even know about (much like the Republican pre-election efforts to kick blacks off the Florida rolls, which I had heard a little bit about, but only got a full picture of when I read Moore's book) was how Gore presided over the approval of Bush as president over the Congressional Black Caucus's objection. They couldn't get one senator to sign their proposal. The film has it go on minute after minute. You can't even read much about it online, CNN's transcripts of it are editted in a manner which it seems to me puts them in a bad light and tries to portray it all as legitimate.

It makes you feel really betrayed by Gore, Daschle and so forth. And these are the people we're told to vote for as they swing the Democratic party to the right. Shut down Nader, shut down people talking about single payer health care, overturning Taft-Hartley, withdrawing from Iraq, get him off the ballot, do away with the choice and sign on with the wimpy DLC Democratic leadership as they veer the party to the right.

The last time the Democrats really put up a fight was when Bush-supporting millionaire Gavin Newsom ran for mayor of San Francisco recently against a Green. The election was close, so Bill Clinton, Gore and every big name Democrat in the country ran to San Francisco to try to beat this millionaire Bush-supporting Democrat against the progressive Green. I can't remember the last time I saw the Democratic leadership fight so hard against a Republican.

[malatesta1137]

1. if Clinton or Hillary had been

more outspoken about the Florida theft, the Bush Crime Family and the mobsters on the Supreme Court would not have been able to steal the election so blatantly.

9/11 would've been stopped and thousands and thousands of innocent lives in Iraq and Afghanistan would have been spared.

[teryang]

2. That was a low point for the Senate

The racial aspect of it was so blatant.

[Skittles]

6. it was a low point for America

I will never forget the courage of the Black Caucus and the utter shame I felt that no one stood with them. Spineless bastards; we are all paying for that lack of courage now.

[Bunny]

15. Weren't they fantastic?

I wanted to loudly cheer them, but I was afraid I'd somehow get confused for a freeper disruptor, and be thrown out of the theater!

[noiretextatique]

8. african-americans are used to struggle

against seemingly insurmountable odds. i could say more about this (the CBC as the conscience of the american political establishment) but i won't.

[montanacowboy]

3. Exactly!

Gore and his loser VP were out in front to "let the system work". I knew about the CBC thing, it broke my heart then, and seeing it again in Moore's film brought it all back again. Not one stinking Senator would rise to sign their petition - Gore and the Democrats did it to themselves, being Mr. Nice Guys, selling OUR democracy down the river - what right did they have?

I will not forget it - ever.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Beyond disappointing, but I wish Senators and Reps

from both sides of the aisle had howled over the recount mess.

[Bandit]

14. Why do you blame Gore? ~ He had no vote

He could only cast a tie breaking vote.

[keithyboy]

4. Didn't Hillary have a chance to sign onto this and didn't?

Not one Senator, not even Byrd. shame on them.

[LibDemAlways]

11. Not even Kennedy,

a very senior Senator with nothing to lose. It was a travesty that not one of them had the integrity to stand up to this fraud.

[keithyboy]

21. I think that more of us should at least show gratitude to the Black Caucus

for standing up for our democracy. These people are true patriots. After what they have been through in this country and are still going through, they seem to love this country more than most and they seem to always want to fight for the good of America. And yet, they are marginalized by both parties and a lot of us don't seem to care about their plight. Thanks to Moore, I will feel that gratitude toward the black members of Congress always.

[FloridaPat]

5. I had not heard of it either until today. I was shocked!

There was a lot the Democrats could have done. Some days I have to wonder whose side they are on.

In Florida, they could have demanded the military votes that had no postage on them be discounted. It was always that way. They were always thrown out.

Another things was the court hearing where the judge OK the republicans act of filling in the blanks for republican mail-in ballots but threw away Democratic ones. The Democrats should have insisted they be taken from the trash can and added to the voting count.

Then there is still the 90,000 disenfranchised people on that felon list. Not a peep from the Democrats.

I've been saying for decades now "Whose side are the Democrats on?"

[Gman]

9. Fighting Nader and fighting the GOP is fighting the Right Wing

Nader apparently is a ferocious closet RW'er. I think Nader's anti-immigration stance would amount to crimes against humanity. I'm shocked and appalled that Nader, who is the liberal's liberal, would align his self with and adopt the same anti-immigration stance as the radical wingers getting sigs for him in AZ. I'm just glad the Democratic Party woke up and realized that when it fights the Green Party and Nader its the same fight against right wing fascism.

The RW is coming at us from two different directions, Nader and the GOP. Keep swinging.

[askew]

10. This part of Michael Moore's movie pissed me off the most.

Just watching all of the CBC walk-up and state that the Senate was "missing". It had to be one of the most shameful moments of the Democratic Party. Where was Kennedy, Kerry, Lieberman, etc.?

[Neecy]

12. better yet...

Of all the Senators, I would have thought that Boxer and/or Wellstone would have at least allowed the CBC to have their say.

Rev. Al is right - the Democrats now need to EARN some trust within the African-American community (and with ALL OF US).

This wasn't petty griping. This was clear, documented voter disenfranchisement. And the Senate let them get away with it.

[Democat]

13. Daschle is sad in Moore's movie

He's been a terrible Democratic leader since 9/11!

[malachibk]

16. This, too, shocked me the most

Where the fuck was Graham? Where was (though not from FLA) Kennedy, for chrissake?

Of the new info (and there wasn't too much) I learned watching F911, this floored me the hardest.

[lightbulb]

17. This was a perfect opening scene for the film

It primes your gut with a certain outraged nausea that the remainder of the film tempers into anger -- and the urge to become active. All our 'leaders' failed us, and every single one of them still needs to answer for it.

[bbmykel]

18. I thought Daschle had struck a "deal" with the Republicans

They would not acknowledge the caucus complaint in return for proportional committee representation during the incoming Congress.

I don't believe there was anything Al Gore could do at that point.

The "conventional wisdom" at that point was that Bush would be a crippled President and by necessity a centrist. I didn't believe that for a moment...

Mike

PS We are seeing the movie on Sunday so I don't know what information Moore is putting forward on this. Clearly the Dems don't know how to fight using everything but the kitchen sink like the Republicans do.

[Kenneth ken]

19. thank you for posting this

that was the thing that struck me most also. Like you, I wasn't aware the CBC had needed at least one senator to support their objection in order for it to have any validity.

M I S S I N G !

The Democrats in the US Senate. I guess most of these people would be "The haves" that Bush speaks of later in the film - if not the "have mores."

It's always good to be reminded the war is not left-right, but a class war the haves (and have mores) vs the rest of us.

Our presumptive nominee and "hero" John Kerry - MISSING when needed.

[lanparty]

20. Dirty little political secret ...

Some Democrats engage in the same "vote spoiling" racket as the Florida Republicans. In fact, it's Daily's machine in Chicago that spoils the most black ballots in an effort to keep the party from swinging too far to the left.

Chicago is really a political throwback. There aren't two parties in Chicago. There is THE party. They just happen to call it Democratic. It's really the DALEY party. And they don't EVER want to see another Harold Washington in that town.

[burrowowl]

22. That not 1 Senator

signed .....
It was the only part of the movie where my tears welled up .... I hope this was not the death of the Nation.
I didn't cry at any of the rest, I was just wondering at how the Bu$hCo propaganda worked so well and I was angry and trying to keep my BP down.