We Stand For... Uh, Give Me a Minute

Someone wandered off message, it seems. Speaking at a weekend fundraiser, Illinois Senator Barak Obama and Florida Senator Bill Nelson let the following slip:

"I see a Democratic Party afraid to say they're Democrats, who voted for the war in Iraq and voted for tax cuts for the wealthy," said Glenn Anderson of Orlando. "Why should I remain a Democrat?"

It was a tough question. But Nelson and Obama tried to answer it.

"The Democrats at times have lost their way," conceded Obama. "We are trying to decide what our core values are."

The criterion for judging the party isn't whether it's to the left or right, "but are we true to our core values," he said. Nobody defined core values.

Exactly. There are two major wings of the Democratic Party fighting for control right now. One can sorta define itself, the other is pure, childish "No!" Until the struggle resolves itself and the victor lays out a plan, the Democrats will flounder.

Republicans have a different problem. They can clearly articulate their principles, they just have set them aside for now as they pig out first in the trough they promised to drain. Bush has also turned a blind eye to one core principle (borders) and no one else will step up to call him on it.

There was also these quotes from the story:

About 500 people rose to their feet in a standing ovation worthy of a rock star as U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., hit the stage... The charismatic black politician from Chicago, who at 43 has achieved almost icon status since his wildly popular speech... Dozens of cell-phone cameras in the audience framed the lanky Obama... [Nelson called him] 'a rock star who carries himself with dignity and humility and is so smart.'"

Harold Ford, Jr. must be so envious right now at being upstaged.