The “Saccharin” Assembly Turned Bittersweet
By Debbie Daniel (07/28/04)
Artificial sweeteners were to be the “staple” at the Fleet Center in Boston for the opening night of the Democratic National Convention. Everyone was warned to be nice and “put on your happy face.”
“No Bush-Bashing; keep it positive, upbeat, let’s be compassionate” . . . that had been the message of the day. “And if you can’t help yourself, just don’t call him (George Bush) by name.” And they didn’t.
The first night of the convention just ended and I turned off my TV to stare at a blackened screen until my own reflection was quite vivid. And there I came face to face with the reality of what I’d been thinking for a long time.
I finally got it.
How soon we forget. We don’t stop long enough to remember anything, do we? And in the quiet of these moments -- as I reflected on what I had just seen – all I could think was, “Thank God Bill Clinton didn’t give this speech four years ago for Al Gore.”
And then I remembered . . . that wouldn’t have been possible. Those two men were barely speaking to one another, and only forced to do so when the public was watching.
There was a ferocious anger brewing between them, but the love for Bill Clinton was still so strong; no one knew what to do . . . thus began the unraveling of the infamous 2000 Campaign for the Democrats.
And then it hit me . . . Al Gore must be somewhere in that arena seething at the thought that Bill Clinton just “set the table” for John Kerry, but wouldn’t help wash a single “dirty dish” for him.
The stain on Bill Clinton was not just on that “blue dress.” It was a “scar” that can’t be described. The whole Democratic party was confused, but rather than get mad at their hero, they thrust all their anger, disgust and hate on the “ignorant” Texan who they absolutely underestimated.
Their hero had fallen, but if they ignored it long enough, they could find a scapegoat for all those pent-up frustrations . . . and there he was in the person of George W. Bush.
I remember it all now. There was a hushed silence . . . the air was thick in Democrat circles during that campaign.
It made all the sense in the world. They couldn’t take their anger out on Bill Clinton . . . he’s the one they loved.
So these Democrats have been running around “hating” a man for four years who didn’t do one thing to them. What should have been directed at Bill Clinton was “fired” at Republicans everywhere. It’s all too clear.
While all these Democrats were scraping “chads” off the floors of polling booths in Florida, they should have been muttering epithets at Bill Clinton -- not George Bush.
They were mad at George for just putting his name in the hat for President. We hadn’t even had three buildings knocked down – yet the battle had already begun – and it was destined to be George Bush’s fault no matter what. And I could never figure it out.
And now look at Bill Clinton. He just gave the speech of his life out there tonight. Why, if the man could run again, the Democrats would have “anointed” him king right on the spot. Delegates would have left the arena saying, “John Who?”
During Clinton’s entire “rabble-rousing” speech given on behalf of John Kerry, I thought . . . it’s not George Bush they hate. It was Bill Clinton who let them down.
They simply adored the man. But no one . . . not one single Democrat could ever say anything against their hero.
So it became a “blame George” game.
That’s all I could think of while Mr. Clinton spoke this evening . . . where was that speech when Al Gore was desperately hanging on . . . trying to show us how much he loved his wife.
The only single comment of question that George Bush made during the 2000 campaign was that he wanted to bring honor and dignity back to the presidency, and you would have thought he had unleashed arrows of poison on their dearly beloved Bill.
The whole world knew what Bill Clinton had done. He’s the one that betrayed you, he’s the one that had the lackadaisical approach to terrorists; he’s the one that lied; he’s the one that was in the back room with his girlfriend while we had soldiers in harm’s way.
Bill Clinton’s the master at lying; Bill Clinton’s the great deceiver; Bill Clinton’s the one who pointed his finger and misled you . . . but if he can say it’s George Bush, and say it enough times where people believe it . . . then Bill Clinton walks free.
I’m sorry, dear friends, but you’ve hated the wrong man. You’ve sent the wrong man out to die. You’ve accused the wrong man of lying; you’ve accused the wrong man of being a moral coward with twisted values.
You’ve called George Bush all these things, but the gloves fit on Bill Clinton’s hands.
Your man was standing right before you tonight using his artificial sweetener to once again charm you. It’s a “saccharin” that leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.
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