!CAUTION!
YOU ARE IN A "VERBAL SHRAPNEL" RICH DOMAIN
29 July 2008
The Butter-Cutter On The Campaign Of “Change”
The presumptive Democratic candidate for president of the United States, Senator Barak Obama, has made “change” the theme of his campaign. In an effort to learn the substance of that theme, I sought out The Butter-Cutter on the left side of the Chow Line in the virtual Mess Hall.
“That's right! The Brother gonna change,” The Butter-Cutter declared without prompting.
“Well, early on, Senator Obama pledged to stick to public financing. Now with his coffers full of cash, he has withdrawn from that commitment. Is changing his mind what the Senator means by 'change,' ” I asked.
“Look, man, this way, he buy more. So, he change his mind. Man, the Brother ain't dumb!"
“At one time, the Senator also pledged to get rid of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, by taking 'the hammer' to Canada and Mexico and threatened to cancel it unilaterally. Now, he calls those statements 'overheated.' . . .“
“That's right! Change, man, change! Ya know what I'm sayin'?“
“He also declared that he would filibuster any bill that included retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies. Later, the Senator said that he would vote for the new FISA bill, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which gives blanket immunity for post-9/11 eavesdropping. Is this more of the kind of change the Senator intends to bring to the presidency?” I asked further of The Butter-Cutter.
“Yeah! Yeah! He change like he say, man. Hey, man, don't he talk sweet? Ya see the Brother talk ta all them people in Philly back in March? Man, that be sweet! Not like that McCain. He can't talk wertashit, man . . . not wertashit! 'n', he only talk ta people face-ta-face in little groups. He not be like the brother who talk ta thousands atta time!”
“Senator Obama refused to wear a U.S. flag pin because, as he said, it had become a substitute for true patriotism; then, he started wearing it. Why do you think he made that change?” I queried The Butter-Cutter.
“Oh, man, a bunch o' them little-town people who pray, keep guns, 'n' are afraid o' everythin' trash-talk him. So, he put on one o' them little pins 'n' they stop. Ya know what I'm sayin'?”
In 2006 and 2007, he called for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. Forces from Iraq, even threatening to cute off all funding for them. Later, he changed that to a promise to withdraw all U.S. combat forces in 16 months. His 14 July article in the New York Times contained yet another change. He now agrees to a residual force in Iraq with three missions: pursue Al Qaeda, protect American service members, and train Iraqi security forces. What do you make of those changes?” I asked.
“Hey, man, what be wrong with ya? Yeah, he change like that: We be winnin'! Right? Ta get the votes ta be prezeedant, the Brother's gotta be on the right side o' the fence. So, he change! Ya know what I'm sayin'?”
“In March, Senator Obama said that he could not 'disown' the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, his spiritual mentor and friend for over 20 years. Then in April, he changed his mind and publically dumped him. What does that say about his loyalty to friends?” I asked The Butter-Cutter.
“Oh, man, that don't mean nuttin'. The Rev say the Brother gotta say that shit because he wanna be prezeedant. It be jest a little 'jive-talk.' Ya know what I'm sayin'?”
Last week, he was scheduled to visit wounded U.S. soldiers in a military hospital in Germany. When told he could not bring members of the media and campaign officials with him, he changed his mind and cancelled the visit. Is that conduct befitting someone who aspires to be the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States?”
“Man, he be busy over there meetin' with prezeedants 'n' talkin' ta thousands o' people. Ya hear him talk there? Man, he talk sweet, sweet, man! That McCain talk ta ordinary people 'n' only a few atta time like he wanna be personal 'n' friends er somethin'.”
As we have seen, Senator Obama has changed his mind on campaign financing, NAFTA, FISA, wearing of a U.S. flag pin, keeping U.S. Forces in Iraq, the Reverend Wright, and visiting wounded soldiers. His demonstrated performance suggests that the substance of his campaign theme of 'change' and how he will conduct himself as president, if elected, is--change whenever it is politically expedient!”
“Oh, man, listen! When he be prezeedant, the Brother gonna talk sweet 'n' change. He ain't like that McCain dude who don't talk wertashit! The Brother, now, the Brother talk sweet! Ya know what I'm sayin'? He talk sweet 'n' change. That be what he gonna do when he be prezeedant! Ya know what I'm sayin? Hey, man! YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'?”
“I know!” I said emphatically and then turned and walked away from The Butter-Cutter on the left side of the virtual Chow Line.
Semper Knowing The Difference Between “Talk Sweet” and “Jive-Talk,"
Anthony F. Milavic
Major USMC (Ret.)
