LETTERS FROM THE RANGE

The Rifleman Opens His Mailbag

Rifleman,

I have a question for you, rather the Obama campaign-- when are they gonna release the hounds?!? john mccain was in the keating 5 for fucks sake!

Respectfully,

T-Bone
Ballard, WA


Dear T-Bone,

Thank you for your letter. That graceful note of collegial esteem in your salutation is something I always appreciate. You're obviously a straight shooter, and your question is a good one, as it begs for a common sense approach to politics. I've got some bad news for you, mi amigo. You can beg all you want, but there is little common sense to be found in politics...especially when your politics are those of the Democratic Party.

Barack Obama has a lot of things going for him. He's young. He's a brilliant speaker. He has a good head on his shoulders. He has plans for the FUTURE of this country. A lot of people have taken him to task recently for jockeying toward the center on a lot of issues. His position shifts should come as no surprise. McCain's gdoing the same damn thing. This is the natural course of a Presidential race. As soon as the candidates are announced, they both pander to score the maximum number of votes. Common sense, right? Can you imagine any Democrat dumb enough to jockey hard left before a general election?* Unfortunately for America, this mad dash to the center is where common sense ends for the Democrats.

As you probably know if you've taken to writing me, I'm no fan of candidate McCain. But the old buzzard is doing it by the GOP book (I believe the title is The Necroneocon). He appears to be getting results. Comparing Barack Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears may seem desperate and out of touch to you, me, and anyone else who's learned to read...but the polls don't lie (any more than they are designed to), and if you believe that hype, Johnny Mac is gaining ground.

Now common sense should dictate the course of action from the Obama camp. They should hit back...HARD. If you're a "long-time" reader of my dispatches, you'll remember that I advocated a take-no-prisoners approach early in the primary season. Same is true today. I think Team Obama should cut together their own advertisement that shows McCain to be the slobbering, doddering, ill-tempered, money-grubbing, war-prolonging, big oil-fucking, graft-abiding, old-crow party-pol that he most certainly is - in every way, shape, and form the WRONG choice for President at this crucial crossroads in our Nation's history. It wouldn't be hard to do. Any 16-year-old with a laptop could find enough Youtube clips to bury the undead Senator a thousand times over.

But is Obama willing to beat the Republicans at their own game? I think HE is. But don't overestimate that stubborn blue ass to which he’s hitched his wagon. The Democratic Party has, of late, bolstered the masochistic "grin and bear it" philosophy to counter the Rove Republican’s "slash and burn" strategy. The result - Dem candidates stand stoic as Michaelangelo's Pieta while Republicans pull a Laszlo Toth trip all over them.

Obama only stands to loose by standing idle. Flip-Flop Kerry stood idle. Nation-Builder Gore stood idle. Willy Horton Dukakis stood idle. My advice to Barack Obama is my advice to you:

Take Aim. Shoot Straight.

The Rifleman

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*Remember, Kucinich didn't get the nod.