Authentic Frontier Gibberish

Gabby Johnson: "I wash born here, an I wash raished here, and dad gum it, I am gonna die here, an no sidewindin' bushwackin', hornswagglin' cracker croaker is gonna rouin me bishen cutter."

Olsen Johnson: [after Gabby Johnson's speech] "Now who can argue with that? I think we're all indebt to Gabby Johnson for stating what needed to be said. I am particulary glad that these lovely children are here today to hear that speech. Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, it expressed the courage little seen in this day and age. "

Quotes from one of my all-time favorite movies, Blazing Saddles.

What was it that turned people away from President Obama? Was it the Tarp, that President Bush and his brethren put into to place, but the President modified so that we got virtually all of it back? Was it the Stimulus that helped prevent a worldwide depression, even though it was weakened by almost half going to ineffective tax cuts that he had to put in in order to mollycoddle Republicans and Blue dogs? Was it the way he cut and run in Afghanistan - wait - I'm sorry - he hasn't done that. Was it bailing out GM, a plan that worked, saving a million plus jobs? Was it that monstrous health care reform, which - how awful - will give millions greater access to the health care market, protect you from being cut off because of job loss or preexisting conditions, extending insurance coverage to your children up to 26 AND cutting at least $138 billion from the deficit?

I believe it wasn't any of these things. I believe it was the Blazing Saddles moment. To wit, please indulge in one more quote from the movie. and be prepared - it will be offensive.

[Gabby Johnson sees the sheriff riding into town] Gabby Johnson: Hey! The sheriff's a nig... [Clock bell chimes] Harriet Johnson: What did he say? Dr. Sam Johnson: He said the sheriff's near. Gabby Johnson: No, gone blame it dang blammit! The sheriff is a nig...

Yes, that's right. The moment that I believe that President Obama descended in the polls, mid to late summer 2009, had nothing to do with public policy. It had to do with independent white voters getting their Blazing Saddles moment, when they suddenly realized that the sheriff riding into town was a ...ni...

They always knew he was African American, but that didn't bother them. After all, one of the most popular figures in the country was Colin Powell. No it was the waking up to what they THOUGHT that meant was what changed things. And that moment was...THE BEER SUMMIT.

At the tail end of a press conference meant to highlight the urgency of passing health care reform, President Obama brought the wrongness in a Cambridge cop losing his cool and arresting a distinguished African American Harvard Professor, Someone President Obama knew and respected. He clearly thought, in what he considered moderate tones, that the policeman over-reacted. And clearly, by all objective measures, he had. But that's not what white America heard. What they heard was....Gabby Johnson.

After that, it didn't matter what President Obama did. A man who had so assiduously avoided racial issues had suddenly, if you'll please forgive, fallen into the Briar patch. And the Beer Summit, instead of patching it up, only highlighted even more to that small but electorally determinative batch of independent white voters.

So, something that I consider a minor incident has now helped determined the fate of the entire world, as the one man who could pull us out of this mess is looked down upon simply for this awakening moment.

Please indulge me in one more quote.

Jim: [consoling Bart] "What did you expect? "Welcome, sonny"? "Make yourself at home"? "Marry my daughter"? You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons."