- sounding Presidential (if he can weather the burgeoning smear campaign of the chickenhawks and the Tribulations - and raise 100s of millions) on NPR, natch.

Some highlights (CC don't seem to do transcripts yet. Still)

Explains who gets the Tax Cut, what is happening to the States - a necessary State Tax raise in 2003. Mentions ~ $100B deficits for all the states - 1/4 of that in California.

"If the Fed Govt can raise billions of dollars for a Coalition of the Coerced and the Bribed.. why not for the States?" "Federal mandates (like Homeland Security) on the states are unfunded - violating the spirit of Commonwealth. Fed. Govt has given many pledges since 9/11: last week the $400M promised to Calif for assistance with costs of Homeland Security - arrived. It was for $45M."

US - the only industrial country not to provide basic health coverage for its citizens. "Instead, this admin - literally - proposes to cut funds for health care.. as the costs rise."

"Clear and present danger which CA understands" - re being held hostage to foreign oil; "it's very simple: God only gave us 3% of the world's oil. In Jimmy Carter's time we were 35% dependent on foreign oil; today it is 60%. We cannot drill our way out of this predicament - we have to invent our way out."

Comments on renewable energy resources, Silly Valley possible contributions, energy independence etc. "Today $1.8B is spent on oil/gas development research; $24M for alternatives."

"We should not have to send young Americans anywhere in the world die to support America's gluttony"

Q & A:

(JohnKerry.com)

re war: "I don't regret my vote (on early Iraq permission)" ... then explains why he believes we've seen the weakest diplomacy in the history of the US. All said without the delicious epithets we love to toss around here.

"We should go to war because we have to go to war". ie Not - [what we got]

Various ideas re reversing the [depression]; suitably acid re-review of the Taxcut for The Rich, augmenting earlier remarks.

{sigh} Good political speaker, a few excellent quips and similes. Nothing stupid said (imagine..hearing speeches like that, again!) Would like to see him focus upon a few key issues and augment his skeletal remarks; I guess he realizes that.

He spent some time in SF during early '70s; knew the Fillmore - war stories about playing rock on boat's loudspeakers in 'Nam etc. Bronze Star, Silver Star, 4 Purple Hearts! Watch the chickenhawk Repos attempt to portray him as some kind of shirker! - an almost guaranteed tactic. (I mean, when you don't understand irony..)

He helped form VVAW in '70ish (I didn't know that). ie he helped get us out of that mess, rather than just bitching about it.



Who knows? If we have an election - maybe he can be a contender.
Ashton