Shorter RNC Day Three: "Death To Community Organizers!"

You know, one of my great fears about John McCain's approach to national security is that he shows nary a whit of interest in busting out the ol' Google Map to find out the quickest route to the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, where our terrorist enemies dwell and flourish, unharmed and unmolested. But after tonight, it appears all but certain that there is one group of people who McCain truly will chase all the way to the Gates of Hell: community organizers.

That's right. Tonight at the RNC, the McCain campaign made their feelings about community organizers abundantly clear. Defeated primary opponents spit on their name. Conventioneers loudly mocked their existence. Sarah Palin told not one, but two jokes about them, which is certainly a comedy foul, because everyone knows you are supposed to use the Rule Of Three.

Tonight, community organizers were made to feel the brunt of the Republicans' smarmy derision. And for what? You know, one overworked conservative trope from tonight was that the American people should not expect the government to solve all of their problems. You know who would agree with that? Community organizers. These men and women serve a public duty, taking care of those who do fall through the cracks of government largesse, motivating citizens to give their time and sweat to serve society's needs without making an unnecessary dip in the taxpayer till.

Community organizers mobilize volunteers that are young and old. They work from churches and community centers. They go to work in small towns and big cities. They assist people of all ages, and all walks of life. They tutor children, care for the infirm, spend time with the elderly, get food to the hungry, clothes to the needy. They expand opportunities and improve lives.

Why, if I'm not mistaken, they even make sure that voters can get to the polls on those odd Tuesdays in November.

It was a little surprising to see the good work of community organizers subjected to such jeers tonight. Was I dreaming when I saw all those people in the hall holding placards that read, "Service?" No, they were in fact carrying such signs, but they were doing so Tuesday, when there was a possibility that a hurricane in the Gulf Coast mattered, and when Hookers And Blow weren't playing the big lobbyist bacchanal. Tonight, they were carrying signs that read "Prosperity," which I suppose is shorthand for, "Don't hope for a better tomorrow, let Cindy McCain buy it for you wholesale."

Here's a little bit of delicious irony. It's been pointed out to me tonight that on September 11, Senators McCain and Obama will appear in New York City, participating in a forum for Service Nation. The topic? Community service and volunteerism. I imagine that many of you might have come out of tonight's RNC festivities with great concerns about the future welfare of our nations' community organizers. You might share your concerns with the event's organizers, by contacting them here. With any luck, this forum could get quite awkward for one of these candidates!

Comments

[tiredinTN]

My wife and I have both put in long hours over the last dozen years trying to make our community better. We've built houses for Habitat, bagged food at the local food pantry, brought meals to shut-in seniors, created a fitness class for a local afterschool program, and have been advocates for women escaping domestic violence. We've done this so the government didn't have to do it. Yet the Republican's pick for Vice President stands up there on stage deriding our good works and the good works of millions of Americans.

I have an unkind word for Ms. Palin, something like a dog with lipstick. But saying it might get my account suspended and won't elevate the dialogue here.

I want to know, Ms. Palin. I really want to know. You cut government funds for abused teen shelters. You don't think government has much business helping people who help their communities.

What the heck have you volunteered? What service have you done for your community outside your role as mayor and later governor? And if you even stepped foot in a food kitchen, community center, or habitat site, did you do so without Alaskan media in tow?

[Kay3]

I agree with you tiredinTN. My hubby and I also do "community service" and have taken part in community organization and used our own funds to start it. I don't know about Palin but I have personally worked with Grassroots organizations and volunteered my time. We do have responsibilities. I don't care who the comment came from but it was ignorant. Everyone keeps talking about only the Obama supporters were upset by the comment. But what people don't realize is that there are other people in America that are not Dem or Rep and they are community leaders, organizers, etc. So there are Americans who tool particular offense to Palins' attack on community organizers, because it was OFFENSIVE not because of who they support.

It was a stupid comment, she was trying to be smart and sarcastic and came across looking stupid and ignorant.

[mymic1]

how does one become an elitist from a community organizer?
wouldn't it be elitist to belittle the job of the community organizer?
what do you call a community organizer who's community is bigger than the town you served as mayor?

[Kay3]

Totally right. I was thinking the same thing. Me and my community organizers who don't have any responsibilities.

[Kwatier]

The even bigger irony is that 80% of all local disaster recovery work is coordinated by community organizers - who match local nonprofit need to the flood of volunteers who appear at a disaster area. Those same community organizers also make sure that the volunteers have food, shelter, and are safely deployed to help with disaster recovery work. Without community organizers, the Gulf States would be in even worse shape than they are today. The feds stay to put the lights back on, but who do people think actually help local citizens put their lives back together? Volunteers and community organizers...

[Wolfithius]

I believe that a "community organizer," especially in chicago, is a person who puts together groups of people to get things done, and it is a very political and, frankly, dirty job of power brokering.

[beggs909]

Sarah Palin didn't "dish"community organizers at all. She merely pointed out that we wouldn't elevate every community organizer as the next president of the United States. Also, that Sen. Obama was able to pen two books, but not able to write legislation for the US Senate. And, that the President cannot merely vote "present" when impending peril is surrounding our nation. He has lofty words and "pie in the sky"ideas, but has never implemented one thing, never reached across party lines to get legislation passed. His record in the Illinois legislature is abominal...voting present!! What does that mean? Obviously, he was contemplating running for the Presidency and thought it was far better to have no record than show what he really stood for.

[Brando1]

I hate to be rude, but people are such morons. It's difficult in some cases to tie together intent with a specific comment, especially coming from a politician. In this case, it is painfully obvious that she did not intend to demean "community organizers". It is also painfully obvious that she intended to make the point that an individual who really only has "community organizer" experience is not qualified to be the president of the United States of America. And please get off this kick that somehow his experience as a senator ( I don't care how long officially; all that matters is that the total sum of his senatorial experience is less than 6 months. Remember, he's been on the campaign trail the majority of his tenure in office. And no, he does not get credit for "executive experience" because he "governs" his own campaign. How ridiculous does that sound?) somehow qualifies him to be president.

[jellomold]

If NObama has all this executive experience managing his campaign I would love the job of his CAMPAIGN MANAGER, getting paid to do nothing. Obama does it all.

[waryway]

(Associated Press)

PALIN: "There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state senate."

THE FACTS: Compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.

[RAB101]

sounds like he was trying to get in the political spotlight "working" with the GOP to pass a bill that the majority of congress was for anyway. Now Lugars accomplishment was had much more controversy, and to be compared to Obama is just ridiculous. BTW to all the confused community organizers out there, get over it. you didnt hear small town mayors crying from the Dems statments about Palin, which were much more explicit in demeaning the role of small town mayors.

[Kay3]

The point is the comment was stupid, ignorant and not accurate. As stated previously in other posts I'm neither Dem or Rep but what Palin said was offensive. She didn't think about it because she was trying to take a sting at Obama, but if she was smart, she wouldn't have said it at all because she would've seen that it would offend people who are community organizers.

[beggs909]

The point was not stupid, ignorant or inaccurate. Barach Obama lists community organizer as one of his job qualifications to become president of the US. Sarah Palin like many other people living in middle American took great offense at Barach Obama's comments about "small town"people clinging to guns and religion. Holding up Obama's resume of accomplishments next to John McCain's illustrates that we have no other choice in these perilous times than to vote for McCain/Palin in November. One only needs to harken back to the Jimmy Carter days of gas lines, double digit inflation and American hostages in Iran to consider the consequences of giving over the power of the White House to a person that is not qualified to stand up to the job. Obama is an intelligent man, and should continue in the Senate racking up some true leadership experiences by authoring legislation, reaching across the aisle to get laws passed, and serving on committees that have an effect on foreign policy matters. Sarah Palin spoke the truth saying "The Emperor has no clothes on." Be honest with yourself and weigh the qualifications and credibility of each of the candidates.

[wvdude]

Sarah Palin was not "poking fun" at community organizers. She was comparing her work experience to that of Obama. I also am active at the community level and realize that her comments were against the claim of her "inexperience" and was directed at the Obama camp not at individual community volunteers, which by the way is how Palin started her service. Please use common sense when running off at the mouth just to be a Obama fan.

[AlindaFaye2000]

Excuse me. Just like Republicans to try to twist things. Like I said before the Republicans have a I-got-mine-now-yours attitude. Since you are a community organizer, you of all people should know that this administration has not been kind to those who cannot help themselves.

[RAB101]

everyone that can breath can help themselves, its people like you who give them reason to choose not to.

[EvilPoet]

So much for running a respectable campaign! Just goes to show you, the only thing you can really count on is that a politician will end up talking out of both sides of his or her mouth. They want everyone to shut up about everything so they don’t have to be held accountable. SSDD. The MSM is always giving them a free pass so they had no reason to think they wouldn’t get one this time.

[UrsaMajority]

We have just learned the shelf life of the Republicans' current "compassionate conservatism". Two days.

On Monday, the Republicans (through Cindy McCain) said it was "time to take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats", and to donate to relief for victims of Gustav, and they (along with Obama donors) did so. But on Wednesday, Giuliani and Palin derided Obama for being a community organizer, as though the work done by millions of volunteers around this country to help those who've been victimized by disasters or economic dislocation or lack of opportunity is to be not just devalued, but laughed at. Volunteers who took their vacation time at the Gulf Coast after Katrina to re-build where the government didn't are, I guess, just dreamy idealists. Americans who rushed to support Mayor Giuliani's city after 9/11 are starry-eyed saps, in his eyes; thanks for the help, suckers.

So, good luck to Gustav victims -- if you haven't received federal or Republican assistance by now, you're outta luck. Your moment has come and gone.

President George H.W. Bush, who ironically was given a tribute at the RNC, once called for volunteerism and "a thousand points of light". JFK ask for Americans to "ask what they could do for their country" and join the Peace Corps. Republicans offer Gustav assistance for two days while the cameras are rolling, and then replace their American with Republican hats. Democrats keep their American hats on for 365 days a year.

[bigeugene]

Yep, the 2 digs on community service were gratuitious and unnecessary. It also set up the juxtaposition that PTA=good experience, Community Service=meaningless experience. Considering many Republicans and Independents, many of them like my grandmother through their church, volunteer their time to help better their communities, I don't think this comment helped. They should have just kept it out. But, thankfully, Rove's disciples, in their extreme arrogance could not pass this slam up (twice, no less). It simply points out that they are just as guilty of elitism as they confess Obama to be.

Yes, bashing millions of Americans who do good works, will help you!

[RAB101]

Palin dosent have PTA on her VP resume, unlike Obama who has community organizer on his Pres. resume. which is the point she was making. Obviously you cannot hear english words when they are spoken by a member of the GOP, not once did see "bash" "community volunteers" in fact if you listened to hear speech she praised the hard working americans. like myself, who contribute to there towns and commuinties. But it wasnt Obama speaking of unkown change and how crappy this country is, so you didnt hear what was said.

[AlindaFaye2000]

You are just full of it. She said that unlike community organizers, mayors have actual responsiblities. But also, he can't add beauty queen to his resume, either. But, he does have civil rights attorney and taught Constitutional Law to add to his resume.

[cap57]

Apparently in Wasilla there are no community organizers, her bashing against community organizers was a slap in the face to all the people who work their heart's out to help their communities, she's saying that they are worthless and have no place in this big america, try telling that to Roland Martain's
parent's.
She must have forgotten that it will be community organizers who help people to get to the polls to vote, so she is telling the organizers DON'T BRING THEM TO THE POLLS JOHN AND I DON'T NEED THEM. because people like you are UNIMPORTANT.
Last night she just wrote a check that came back stamped INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.
Jeff said the magic words last night she is no longer a VICTIM but a TARGET.
To the many republican community organizer's your candidate just SLAP YOUR FACE AND GAVE YOU TTHE BOOT.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08

[RAB101]

she said nothing demeaning about community organizers, she simply contrasted her work of a mayor to Obamas work. You really must hate republicans to take so much hate out of somthing that, on the surface and in depth in no way alienated the community oraganizer.

[Nia1999]

Oh I get it, Taxation without Representation. What was I thinking?

[HeidiEight]

What was Palin doing back in 1989 when George H.W. Bush said in his inaugural address:
I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led, rewarding.

What has this party come to?

[Nia1999]

Question: What is The Bridge to Nowhere about? I think I remember something about it. My son had an art class and I think there was a painting about it.

[BLinCincinnati]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravina_Island_Bridge

The Gravina Island Bridge (also known as The Bridge to Nowhere) was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects Ketchikan, Alaska, to the Ketchikan International Airport on Gravina Island. The bridge was projected to cost $398 million. All so that the city's 7,368 inhabitants wouldn't have to take a $5 ferry ride that runs every 15 or 30 minutes if they happened to want to go to the airport.

EVERY SINGLE PERSON in that city could have taken that ferry every single day for 25 YEARS and not reached that level of money.

Meanwhile we have a 45 year old bridge here in Cincinnati that we can't get funding for, the I-75/71 bridge going over the Ohio river, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Spence_Bridgee) that is overwhelmed with traffic, and is one of the most dangerous sections of highway in the United States. It is currently over-trafficked by 30,000 cars per day. It was also designated "functionally obsolete."

[JStraight]

This morning, a reporter on a PBS radio station in my area stated that Palin first said yes to the bridge and actually received the millions of dollars from congress to build it, but when the anti-earmarkers (McCain included) made a fuss, she decided not to build the bridge. And the money? Did she return it? NO, she KEPT THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS that were earmarked for the bridge!!!!

[ATL78]

I am the leader of a Girl Scout Troop and the Reps may want to check our new Journey program out! This year's theme is "Chage Agent" and the entire program is designed to teach our girls to be effective community organizers. We will teach them that real change starts in the COMMUNITY.

[Nia1999]

(Correction posting)

I do community service for the United Way program doing tutoring and a reading book club after-school. I was totally offended at Sarah Palins attack on our efforts and children we serve. We love our program and the kids have fun. It provides activities for those students whose parents work past 3:00 (which is the time most kids get in trouble). It also reassures the parents that their kids are in a safe environment and receiving the needed help with their studies until they get home. SHAME ON YOU SARAH PALIN - HOW DARE YOU ATTACK OUR CHILDREN'S CHANCE AT ACHIEVEMENT.

[DrDave951]

We know how Sarah Palin's oldest daughter was spending her after-school time... and it WASN'T reading!