Good post gwn. Here's a little demo grandstanding for you. I think Daschle wants people to think he rescued the miners.
"RESCUE US FROM THE ‘LESSONS'
Tue Jul 30, 5:34 AM ET
Wishing that politicians would put politics aside is like asking a skunk not to . . . well, you get the idea: Nature is as nature does.
Fast forward to the scramble by pols to draw "broader lessons" from the dramatic rescue - and near-disaster - in Pennsylvania over the weekend.
It was a wonderful story - perhaps the most inspiring since the rescue of little Jessica McClure 15 years ago.
With the nation captivated and heartened by the rescue, President Bush ( news - web sites) - in a low-key fashion - appropriately called Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker and offered his best wishes.
Democrats, of course, had to go a bit further.
Addressing the Democratic Leadership Council's "National Conversation" here in New York yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle declared, "[I]t took more than a miracle to save those men and get them home to their families. It took local, state and federal rescue workers - and people from the private sector - working together around the clock for three days."
Daschle's message is clear, even if he did nod to the private sector: The rescue was a triumph of government.
Even if that were so, Daschle doesn't understand that most frequent critics of government don't hate government.
They just realize that it has an appropriate role.
Such a role is for true emergency situations like the rescue mission.
Or - locally - controlling and preventing crime.
Or - nationally - keeping the country safe from external threats.
But the simple fact is, the people working to save the miners weren't thinking of themselves as "local," "state" or "federal" workers.
They were there to help out in a life-and-death situation.
Miraculously, they succeeded.
That's all that really need be said. |
