The second and final part of Al Franken's remarks:
....The truth is, if we don't fix the system most of us are gonna lose the health care because we're simply not gonna be able to afford the health care. [applause] And at the Minnesota state fair that's the question everybody was asking, Democrats and Republicans. But right now in Congress Democrats seem to be the only ones asking it. Republicans are busy asking Washington questions. They're asking, "How do we break President Obama? How do we make sure he fails?" That's what they're asking.
Tom referred to Jim DeMint of South Carolina, our esteemed colleague who is, is close friends with, well, both of us. [laughter] Good, good friend. [laughter] And Senator DeMint said this, I'm gonna quote what he said, "If we're able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo." Well I don't think this debate should be about President Obama. [applause] [cheers] It should be, it should be about the people who are going bankrupt because of the cost of health care, [applause] even when they have insurance. [applause] The number one cause, the number one cause of bankruptcy, of personal bankruptcy in this country are health care crises. More than half of the personal bankruptcies in this country are caused by health care crisis. And more than two thirds of those people who go bankrupt because of a health care crisis have health insurance....
[applause][cheers] Thank you. Thank you. Sit down, sit down. Hold, hold it, hold it for the end. [laughter] [voice: "Give 'em hell, Al."] [voice: "Yay, Al!"] [voice: "What about Rush?"] Tom, Ruth, thank you for inviting me. I, you know, this is great on a non-presidential year, it's nice and intimate here. It's just you and you're closest two thousand friends, right? [laughter] Governor Culver, let me, let me say something about your dad, your dad. I think all of us saw a lot of the Kennedy memorials and testaments to him and the funeral and there were a lot of tears. But there was also a lot of laughs. And your dad gave kind of a testimonial that was just hilarious and, and it went viral. I don't know how many of you have seen it, it's just. [applause] So here's my advice to you, Governor. If you have even half the sense of humor that your, your dad has [laughter] do not let people see it until you retire. [laughter] Just don't, it'll just get you in trouble. [laughter] I should know. [laughter]....
Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Mark Twain
That quote came to mind immediately - and often - yesterday. I kept getting tweets and messages coming across my phone wailing about the death of the public option - but I was in the company of Senators Tom Harkin and Al Franken - both members of the Health, Education, Labor and Welfare Committee in the Senate - and the pugnacious Harkin is now the chairman, stepping into the large void left by the death of Senator Kennedy.
Personally, after yesterday, I can't think of a better man for the job.
If the public option is on it's deathbed, no one told him, that's for sure. Here he is in pretty much his own words, after taking the podium to thunderous cheers and applause...
The first thing he did was thank his beloved wife of 41 years - and the first Harkin ever elected to public office - for her introduction. "Thank you very much. Ruth, thank you so much for those very kind words, and thank you for 41 years of love and encouragement. Thank you," he said as he took the podium. The audience again clapped for Ruth, a member of the state Board of Regents (Iowa has great schools and colleges). Iowa Democrats love Ruth as much as Tom does.
He then thanked the volunteers and told the assembled crowd that this wonderful yearly event only happens because of them. "We couldn't do this without the volunteers. Thank you all. You've just done a great job, all of you. " He then thanked a long list of accomplished Iowa Democrats, both elected and behind the scenes - from the state Governor and Attorney General, right down to the County Chair and the sign language interpreter who has been with them for the entire 32 years the Steak Fry has been THE event for Iowa Democrats.
He then singled out Governor Culver and thanked him for a long list of accomplishments and examples of solid, competent leadership., especially his leadership during the flood disasters of last year. He also thanked him for his leadership in education, renewable energy, and thanked him for the jobs that have been created across the state in wind energy and biofuels. "Governor, you have been there for us, you have been there for Iowa, and next year we're going to be there for you, Iowa will be there for you, and there will be another four years of the Culver-Judge team leading the state of Iowa!" He went on to proclaim that Iowa Democrats would increase their margins in both chambers of the General Assembly, because "the Iowa Democratic Party is strong, and progressive, and fortunate to count a good number of bright, committed young men and women to provide the future leadership to make Iowa the best it can be," and he beamed as he said he couldn't be more proud of them. Then he launched into his speech.
"So let me just start by saying, this is my kind of town hall meeting! Don't have any of those republicans standing up and yelling 'Keep your government hands off my Medicare!'" The crowd responded to this with loud laughter and applause. "Or shoutin' about those "Death Panels" , how we want to pull the plug on Grandma! I said 'Nonsense! I'm married to a Grandma, and a pretty darn nice one, too!' and the crowd responded with even more raucous laughter.
Then he adopted a serious tone. "Well, of course, not all of the nuttiness has been funny. It was Sarah Palin who came up with that shameful nonsense about "Death Panels" and shame on anyone who repeats it, anywhere in this country," and he paused when a several members of the audience repeated "Grass-ley! Grass-ley!" in a sing-song voice. Going on, he said that "The time for the shouting and the demagoging is over. Now it's time for the truth, and for action, and fighting back, and it started Wednesday night when President Obama addressed the Congress," and he paused for the crowd to applaud and cheer. "That was a great speech, wasn't it?" and the crowd cheered some more.
Resuming the serious tone, he remembered Ted Kennedy and how he was privileged to speak with him in June, and how even as sick as he was, Senator Kennedy was up to speed on where we stood in the fight to reform healthcare in this county. "We lost a great friend. We lost a great progressive. We lost a great leader on so many issues that go to the heart of what kind of nation we are. What kind of people we are. How we extend a helping hand to those in the shadows of life. Well, as has been said..." and he was interrupted by a jet overhead that was approaching the airport at Des Moines, about 20 miles away. While he waited for the noise to abate he made an on-the-spot joke to Al Franken about a flyover by the Minnesota National Guard, and the crowd reacted like there were two professional comedians on the stage. When the noise from the crowd (the jet was long gone) subsided, he resumed his speech. "Well, as you have heard, as has been said, after 22 years on this committee, and working very closely with our leader, Senator Kennedy, it now falls to me to pick up the torch and Chair the Kennedy Committee." He then added that Senator Franken will also have a seat on the HELP committee, and the crowd greeted this information, that the Chairman would have at least one true progressive ally who will fight for the public option, with robust enthusiasm.
He went on "No one - No one - can take Ted Kennedy's place, but I will tell you this - I'm ready for this fight, I'm ready to lead this committee, I'm ready to take charge of it, I'm ready to carry on his work, and I'm ready to get a health reform bill passed and to President Obama before Christmas time!" The crowd came to its feet, and stayed there and got louder when he thundered "And you might as well stay standing because that strong health reform bill - mark my word, I'm the chairman, it's gonna have a STRONG PUBLIC OPTION!
"Well, as we saw at the town halls, there are people out there who oppose any health reform. Now some of these folks simply want to bring down Barack Obama." At this, the crowd said "Grassley" as if the name itself were bitter to the tongue, but Senator Harkin had Jim DeMint in his sights. "And some folks simply hate what we stand for as progressives. So friends, we have got to have the courage of our convictions. We've got a tough battle ahead of us, but we have to stand strong. We've gotta stand united."
He praised the president for taking the lead, addressing congress and going out into the country to address the debate head on and present the case to America, like he did in Minneapolis on Saturday, then he reiterated his intent to see a strong public option as part of the final bill, and thanked Senator Franken for his help in the fight ahead.
"We have got to have the courage of Franklin Roosevelt when he was running for reelection in 1936. In a speech in Madison Square Garden, he talked about those who were attacking him for passing Social Security, he said, and I quote, "We had to struggle with all the old enemies. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against a President as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me. And I welcome their hatred." He went on to recap seventy years of republican opposition to every single program and law that has made people's lives better, from Social Security to overtime pay to the ADA - which is Harkin's law - and every other piece of progressive legislation in between. All those things have come to pass because progressive Democrats have fought tooth and nail for them and never stopped fighting until the American people - all of them, not just Democrats - won - and never had it been
He finished the serious part of his speech, before introducing the guest of honor, Senator Franken, by imploring the activists in attendance to get to work because the time was now to "fight the lies and distortions." Talk to your friends and neighbors and coworkers who buy into the nonsense and know the facts and set the record straight...because we need a health system in this country that works "not just for the healthy and the wealthy, but for all Americans."
Now, I was there. And I heard him. I talked to him in the press gaggle before the speech and I listened to him as he answered every single question. I have been around the political block a time or two. I can usually tell when I am being led down the garden path - support for Mark Funkhouser, my personal Bay of Pigs, notwithstanding - here's my take: When Tom Harkin tells the party faithful in his home town that he is going to deliver a strong public option, and the people who know him best and who bust their asses every election to get him and other Democrats elected in Iowa, and they believe him with enthusiasm, well, let's just put it this way...I slept real fucking good last night.
Senators Al Franken and Tom Harkin in Indianola, Iowa.
Both Senator Tom Harkin (D), Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, and Senator Al Franken (D) a member of the Senate HELP Committee stated to the press and in their speeches at the Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa today that health care reform legislation coming out of the committee would have a strong public option.
There were approximately 1500 to 2000 people in attendance at the Warren County fairgrounds. A tiny group of teabaggers picketed one of the main entrances to the event along Highway 92. They received some encouraging horn honking along with a few single finger salutes.
The crowd of Democratic Party and progressive activists and supporters heard speeches from Iowa politicians, Tom Harkin, and Al Franken. This was a very supportive audience - they liked what they were hearing.
Next Sunday we'll be heading out to Indianola, Iowa to cover the 32nd Annual Harkin Steak Fry, one of the most fun large scale outdoor Democratic events in the Midwest.
September 2003 - rain and mud and orange t-shirts. photo: Bob Yates
Senator Harkin's Steak Fry is always one of the most highly anticipated, time-honored Iowa political traditions. Every year thousands of Iowans gather in Tom's home county, and this year we are pleased to announce Senator Al Franken as the special guest!
Please join us at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Indianola, Iowa on Sunday, September 13, 2009.
The Steak Fry will be from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Gates open at 12:30 p.m. (Warren County Fairgrounds are located 1 mile west of the intersection of Highways 65/69 and 92)
September 2007 - sun and a band and 12,000 other people.
This won't be quite the same as 2003 or 2007 - presidential campaign years - but Senator Al Franken (D-Minnesota) is the featured speaker. That alone will be worth the four and a half hour drive.
A look behind the curtain at the Show Me Progress corporate headquarters: we're well aware of it when our posts generate traffic.
Over a year ago, on September 16, 2007, I covered the Harkin Steak Fry - a gathering of Democratic presidential candidates held in a balloon field in Indianola, Iowa. A year ago today (a little over a month after the first post), I wrote about the tempest in the right wingnut teapot over Barack Obama and "The Star Spangled Banner" arising out of videos and still photos from the event.
While traffic on the original story had been steady, over the last week or so I noticed an increase of site traffic on the story.
A graph of site traffic over the last month to the Show Me Progress story "Barack Obama and 'The Star Spangled Banner'" which was posted on October 24, 2007.
A screen shot of search results. Show Me Progress is No. 2.
Obviously this presidential election and the memes circulated about Barack Obama are driving people to Internet search engines. I wonder where it's coming from? Since the interest appears to be here, it might be of some utility to repeat the punch line. It bears repeating:
...Symbols of State often convey political ideas just as religious symbols come to convey theological ones. Associated with many of these symbols are appropriate gestures of acceptance or respect: a salute, a bowed or bared head, a bended knee. A person gets from a [319 U.S. 624, 633] symbol the meaning he puts into it, and what is one man's comfort and inspiration is another's jest and scorn....
Joe Biden and Barack Obama at the "photo-op", Harkin Steak Fry, Indianola Iowa, September 16, 2007.
Almost a year ago I scored my first press credential to cover the Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa for Show Me Progress. Looking back through those stories and photos recently I was reminded of a brief encounter between Barack Obama and Joe Biden as their photo-ops overlapped:
...I made my way back to the public grounds. I see Joe Biden. There are three people around him. I take a few photos.
I spot a swirling crowd. It's Obama - he's surrounded by a swarm of media and supporters. I join in and and start taking pictures. The mass of humanity makes its way to the photo op-area. After Obama walks into the fenced area those of us with press passes follow.
Obama is engaged in a lengthy conversation with a grill volunteer. He listens intently.
Joe Biden makes his way into the photo-op area. He and Obama are simultaneously greeting the people in the area. They see each other and shake hands...
The Raw Story
...Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama is again facing questions about his patriotism from some conservative blogs -- this time for apparently failing to put his hand over his heart during a rendition of the national anthem at an Iowa campaign event....
In 1943, at a time when we were at war, the United States Supreme Court had a thing or two to say about "required" displays of patriotism.
...Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama is again facing questions about his patriotism from some conservative blogs -- this time for apparently failing to put his hand over his heart during a rendition of the national anthem at an Iowa campaign event....
...A singer performed the national anthem with pre-recorded accompaniment. Her rendition was heartfelt and definitely unique. Most people would have had difficulty singing along with her. I noticed that all of the candidates except Obama held their hands over their hearts. Obama held his hands folded in front of him throughout [This is not criticism - the "hand over the heart" looked awkward on the stage - I was standing in the same fashion as Obama]...
Barack Obama stood respectfully for the "Star Spangled Banner" and paid respectful attention to the singer.
On Sunday, September 16th the 30th Harkin Steak Fry will take place at the balloon field in Indianola, Iowa. Democratic Presidential candidates Senator Joe Biden, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator John Edwards, Senator Barack Obama, and Governor Bill Richardson will be in attendance (and speak to the crowd).
I plan on attending this year.
On September 12th in 2003 I received a phone call from a friend the day before the Harkin Steak Fry. He asked me, "Do you want to go?" It'd been ages since I'd taken a road trip - I agreed to go. So, we drove the 4 1/2 hours to stand in a muddy balloon field and listen to Democratic presidential candidates. We had the time of our lives.
