Organizing for America

What's My Name

Unfit to Lead

February 6, 1967.  October 7, 2008. 

So much has changed.  So much remains the same...

On February 6, 1967, Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali faced Ernie Terrell in a boxing ring in Houston, TX.  Almost three years earlier, on March 6, 1964, Ali had joined the Nation of Islam and renounced his birth name, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.  Unfortunately, America was not at a point where self-determination and a right to basic respect was something that was freely available to all people, regardless of their religion or the color of their skin or how they wished to be addressed.  Ernie Terrell chose to show his disdain for Muhammad Ali by repeatedly referring to him by his birth name, a deliberate act of disrespect.  Some in the sporting media chose that same measure of disrespect.  And on February 6, 1967, Muhammad Ali gave Ernie Terrell the beating of his life over 15 rounds, refusing to knock him out, and repeatedly shouting, "What's my name?" during the fight.  A lesson was learned.  Afterward, Terrell acknowledged that he had been defeated by Muhammad Ali.  And people stopped calling the man Cassius Clay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DefCmUsCPs 

On October 7, 2008, U.S. Senator and Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama faced U.S. Senator and Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain in a townhall-style debate in Nashville, TN.  During their first debate, Senator McCain couldn't even look Barack Obama in the eye.  He never addressed him directly as the format was designed.  He spent most of the night dripping with disdain and condescension.  In Nashville, Senator McCain managed eye-contact, but not much more in the way of respectful, mature behavior.  And then, in the midst of a discussion on energy policy, Senator McCain dismissively referred to Senator Obama as "That One."  (I've included the video below.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNzA9LfMlmU 

There is less than a month to go in the 2008 Presidential Campaign.  The polls look bad for John McCain and for his party, as well they should.  Given the erratic nature of his campaign, the contradictory statements, the incompetent, incomprehensible running mate, the outright lies, and the lurching and desperation of the first few days of October, I'm sure we'll see worse from Senator McCain than "That One".  But if you can't look a fellow man, a fellow American, and a Senate colleague in the eye, if you can't hide your disdain enough to call someone by name, how are you supposed to convince me that you're capable of leading this nation in troubled times?  Senator McCain and Governor Sarah Palin have been running a campaign that is disgusting in its cowardice and mendacity.  I don't want them to lead, I want them to leave.

Republican rule has put the global economy in turmoil.  Regular folks like you and me are bearing the brunt of the Bush-McCain tax cuts.  John McCain's chief economic advisor, former Senator Phil Gramm, instituted a series of deregulations that have helped to cripple the financial sector, and I think we can count on that being John McCain's idea of "reform" if he's elected President. 

Despite how folks in the GOP camp have been behaving recently, it's not 1967.  John McCain is not Ernie Terrell.  Barack Obama is not Muhammad Ali.  And the beating won't take place until November 4th.  But if you're as disgusted with the McCain Campaign as I am, the time to make your feelings heard is right now.  Barack Obama has run a campaign consistent with the basic philosophy that the people matter in a democracy.  I know times are tough.  Can you spare 5 or 10 bucks to make sure that the rest of this race is run with the American people's needs and values at the forefront rather than lies and smears?  Will you stand with me in honoring Barack and helping to make sure that on November 4th, Senator McCain knows which name to say in his concession speech? 

I've set a modest fundraising goal for the campaign, which you can see in the thermometer to the right.  Will you click the thermometer to make a donation and help me reach my goal?  We're so close...  There is still so much work to be done...