Burned Up and Burned Out by Politics

President Bush almost killed me. It's true, and I have the scars to prove it -- multiple scars that are part of the public record -- you saw them in magazines and on my show, and you can see them on my blog frequently -- no twelve year wait required.

It was 2000, and the Republican National Convention was on television. The whole affair felt something like a home invasion, with a chronically smirking and arrogant George W. Bush as ringleader. Not wishing to be robbed of my optimism and hope at the time -- or to tumble into depression and despair -- I shut off the TV and decided to go fishing.

I needed gear, so I went to the store and bought a few things, including a knife, which I used to cut the price tags off of the fishing poles.

Now, I could have stabbed myself 100 times in the hand and not managed to do the damage I did with that one poke to the inside of my middle finger. I went all out, though, and got everything -- skin, ligaments, tendons, nerves. Maximum impact, including a particularly nasty staph infection that almost left me dead.

That's my personal war story from the demoralizing Bush years, and probably a minor one, considering the 935 documented lies told by the Bush administration that thrust us into an unjust war, killing thousands of Iraqi civilians and nearly 4000 Americans. One near-death experience probably pales in comparison to the $9 trillion dollar debt heaped upon the collective back of America, or the gross war profiteering by corporate friends of Cheney and Bush, or even the $10 billion dollar third-quarter profit Exxon recently reported.

Still, it hurt like hell, and the scars and swelling are there as a reminder. I was right to feel repulsed by Bush. Nearly everything his administration has done or stood for in the years since has been tainted by lies and corruption.

I've stuck mostly to newspapers and internet news sites since Bush took office. It's less painful to read Bush's stumbling, dishonest commentary in print than it is to see it live and in color -- with all that cocky, cowboy arrogance -- the kind that declared "Mission Accomplished" in 2003 knowing full well that the "mission" was based on lies, and that the "accomplishment" would leave American troops in Iraq for years to come cleaning up the mess.

It's a new season, with an election on the horizon, but like many others I have felt burned up and burned out by politics. While I've never tripped over to the apathetic side, I have been leery of politicians in general, particularly those who claim they have what it takes to clean up the catastrophic mess that will be Bush's enduring legacy, and America's decades-long burden. I just don't want to be stabbed again, literally or figuratively.

Tentatively, I've begun to watch politics on television again, For the most part, outside of some very unfortunate and unnecessary mudslinging, I find the Democratic candidates surprisingly easy on the eyes. When they break away from the sick political disease of backbiting, their optimistic messages of real change, relief, and hope resonate more clearly.

Hillary Clinton is not light on political experience or plans. Her deep knowledge, assured confidence, and personal strength shines through her speeches. While some would deride her for her background, few can argue that it hasn't been substantial enough, or encompassing enough, to qualify her for the presidency, which is an argument that has been used against her chief opponent, Barack Obama.

Obama is invigorating. A silken-tongued master of hope-filled speech, an eloquent narrator of the American dream. "Yes we can," he says, and the cheering crowd, inspired, rises to its feet. His background is more eclectic, and his roots more exotic than Clinton's, but only two of his eleven years in politics were in the U.S. Senate. Is it enough? His proponents say it is, and even call his relative inexperience an asset -- there's no politics as usual if you take out the usual kind of politicians.

It's still early yet, but so far I find both candidates believable. They are different, with a different mix of talents to bring to the political table, but they both seem to have the passion, plans, drive, and intelligence I want in my next president.

Could a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket be our future? I hope so. I think America would benefit from the strengths of either individual, but if those strengths were combined, we might just have the Democratic powerhouse the country needs to turn itself around, and back into peace, prosperity and opportunity.

May they both release the desire to receive for oneself alone -- and save the world together.

www.rosie.com

Comments

[independentrepublicrat]

I'm personally getting very bored with Hillary...­very lobbyBOTish. Substance HILLARY is what we need.

CLINTON v. OBAMA on LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE:

Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term (6yrs.), and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law, (20) twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years including the following:

1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.

2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.

3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.

5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.

6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea.

7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.

8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.

9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.

10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.

These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress www.thomas.loc.govv).

Now, I would post those of Obama's, but the list is too substantive, so I'll mainly categorize.

During the first (8) eight months of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced

233 regarding healthcare reform,

125 on poverty and public assistance,

112 crime fighting bills,

97 economic bills,

60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,

21 ethics reform bills,

15 gun control,

6 veterans affairs and many others.

His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included the following:

**the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law),

**The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law),

**The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate,

**The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law),

**The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee), and many more.

In all since he entered the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096. An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no legislative record.

[BGraham]

Margaret Cho just so copied you. :-)

Or, great minds think alike.

[LAWTON]

Rosie did you know that millions of voters cast their ballots for the candidates who actions and beliefs are opposite to their ideals, economically and politically? Its always there for them to see before they throw the switch but they do it anyway!
Is our country masochistic or do it's hordes possibly feel so much guilt that they must make atonement? What happened in their past or developmental years that makes them vote for the politician that will cause the most misery and discourse in their lives?
This is fact proven again and again. The downtrodden and dispirited will consistently vote for and elect the very people that deepen their despair even further. Why?

[coop]

I'm glad to hear people being optimistic about the future again.

I'd also like to say to all you people thinking if you vote for Hillary, you'll get both, It's NOT gonna happen!

There will not be a Clinton and Obama ticket.

Just vote for who you want and stop trying to use that as an excuse not to vote for Obama.

[cadbury]

Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton in 2008!!!

[ming099]

.......I have never been a fan of Rosie.....­except when she did stand-up and had legitimate 'jokes' to tell...but I cant find anything in this post to disagree with ...except maybe that she didnt villify the Republicans enough....­.still wont be a fan but she does make valid points....­.KUDOS....

[hardrain77]

Rosie, this is Ron Paul

Ron Paul, this is Rosie.

(shake hands)

Nice to meet you. Hey, we share the same basic beliefs, go figure!

Ron Paul 2008.

[LloydG]

It is obvious that a Republican President will not be tolerated. How on Earth could we as Americans have let the Office of The President Of The United States get "Enronized"? Is there a "sickness" amongst the culture of powerful people in this country? Unfortunately, human beings are slow to change even in the face of possible obliteration as a race. Think George Bush, global warming, gas crises (plural, did we not learn?...S­UV's?????)­. There are so many critical issues facing us in the near term that Rosie is 100% correct in saying that we need a "pooling" of the available talent. Could these candidates roll up their sleeves together as a team and get going on fixing America? i sure hope so, cause what worked for us in the past does not seem to be enough, and the past 20 years have taken their too, and it is now time to "pay the Piper". i hope he will be easy on us. All one has to do is examine the goings-on at Enron to give a road map to what is going on in greater society. Exxon/Mobil made 10 billion in profits??? Corporate greed is one of the biggest problems facing society today, and could potentially alter the way our society lives and evolves. People over profits? I hope so, although..­.

[kylie]

First, miss your show-you were great!

2000 was the beginning of a black cloud over our country and everyone became cynical.

A full-fledged terrorist attack, Enron's slice into our once healthy economy, a war based on lies that became endless, another election where Diebolds, voter fraud made us look third-world, fear and paranoia reigned supreme with the help of the Bush regime.

The failure to come to a timely rescue of Katrina survivors demoralized and rightfully angered Americans. Ineptness, corruption and, war-profiteering by Bush and his Republican businesses and friends, added another blow to our country's economy and moral decay.

I am excited and hopeful once, again, with Obama and his surge into the political limelight.

I respect the Clintons(the scandals were Republican­-hyped)and­, I cast my vote for Obama-and I am proud of it.

Democrats, liberals, moderates, conservatives have had enough of the Republican attempt to dominate, politically, and put a deaf ear to the voice of the people. Their interests were money, power, and corporate control.

Truth, hope, economic soundness, intelligence, good leadership qualities, unity, representing all of America is most sought after-I think Obama will help us find our soul, again, as a nation!

[CultureWarriorNPetriDish]

Obama Clinton, what a landslide

[win]

Rosie - you must check out Ron Paul.

[OhPlease2007]

Rosie, I certainly do not agree with *everything* you express, but ... I am a very strong proponent of 1st Amendment rights, so, having expressed this, your blog post's *will* add to richly diverse opinions here at HuffPost, and that *IS* a good thing; welcome aboard! -God Bless. :)

[7NoTrumpXX]

Hi Rosie,

I love you. Your post was so well-written and so true. After 7 years of tyrannical rule, any Democrat would be welcome, but I believe Hillary is, truly, by far, the best candidate and has the best chance of being elected. She has it all. That woman can not only speak, every word out of her mouth makes sense. And it's Her Time. I would support a Cllinton-Obama ticket wholeheartedly. After 8 years as Vice-President, it would be Obama's Time, and I would wholeheartedly support him in 2016. A Clinton-Obama ticket could well mean 16 years of Democratic "rule." (as long as we can keep the Republicans from literally stealing the elections again).

One other word of advice to Democratic readers: If you want a Democratic President, Quit Knocking Hillary. Quit Knocking Obama. They are not our opponents. If you want to knock anyone, start knocking the Republians and the pundits who unfairly knock our candidates.

[Moanna]

Rosie, I feel exactly the same way except I didn't stab myself first. I wish Hillary and Barack could form a team and start tomorrow.

[SaulGood]

imagine the day when you can be proud of your nation again. the day when you actually have hope of a good future for your children, grandchildren even. and the day when metaphors, irony, and humor are not only understood, but welcomed.

i would have liked to have seen dennis kucinich's name on your blog at least once....al­as, i am forever grateful that you have at least woken me up and made me aware (there was a reason for the view, for you - and for our country. you really did accomplish quite a feat, getting more women involved and/or at least paying attention.­) although, sometimes ignorance really is bliss. (hence the situation we are in right now!)