MR. GIBSON: So I hope we have time to get to some of that. But before we get to it, talking about domestic policy, I want to get to the concept of change.
The word “change” was uttered 74 times in the New Hampshire Democratic debate on Saturday. A total of 42 of these came during the segment in which Charlie Gibson asked the candidates to say the word “change”.
Like many battles, this one began quietly. Sen. Clinton tried to meet Charlie’s challenge by uttering the word “change” a mere four times.
SEN. CLINTON: Well, let me say first that I think we’re all advocating for change. We all want to change the status quo, which is George W. Bush and the Republican domination of Washington for so many years. And we all are putting forth ideas about how best to deliver that change.
But I don’t think you make change by, you know, calling for it or by demanding it. I think it is a result of very hard work, bringing people together, stating clearly what your goals are, what your principles are, and then achieving them.
But that wasn’t going to do! Edwards explained things to her . . .
Mr. Edwards: Thank you. Thank you. No, you’re welcome. You’re more than welcome.
Let me just say a quick word about this. You know, Senator Obama and I have differences. We do. We have a difference about health care, which he and I have talked about before. We have a fundamental difference about the way you bring about change. But both of us are powerful voices for change.
And I might add, we finished first and second in the Iowa caucus, I think in part as a result of that.
Now, what I would say is this: Any time you speak out powerfully for change, the forces of status quo attack. That’s exactly what happens. It’s fine to have a disagreement about health care. To say that Senator Obama is having a debate with himself from some Associated Press story, I think is just not — that’s not the kind of discussion we should be having. I think that every time this happens — what will occur every time he speaks out for change, every time I fight for change, the forces of status quo are going to attack. Every single time. And what we have to remember — and this is the overarching issue here — because what we really need in New Hampshire and in future state primaries is we need an unfiltered debate between the agents of change, about how we bring about that change, because we have differences about that. But the — the one thing I do not argue with him about is he believes deeply in change and I believe deeply in change. And anytime you’re fighting for that, I mean, I didn’t hear these kinds of attacks from Senator Clinton when she was ahead. Now that she’s not, we hear them. And anytime you speak out — anytime you speak out for change, this is what happens.
Edwards took Clinton’s four “changes” and fired back ten! Clearly, he was having none of this “four” bullshit.
The tension mounted . . .
Now Sen. Clinton understood! This was a take-no-prisoners game of “change” . . .
MR. GIBSON: With apologies —
SEN. CLINTON: Well, making change — making —
MR. GIBSON: With apologies to Governor Richardson, I think we —
SEN. CLINTON: Wait a minute now, wait a minute. I’m going to respond to this because obviously — making change is not about what you believe. It’s not about a speech you make. It is about working hard. There are 7,000 kids in New Hampshire who have health care because I helped to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program. There’s 2,700 National Guard and Reserve members who have access to health care, because on a bipartisan basis, I pushed legislation through over the objection of the Pentagon, over the threat of a veto from President Bush.
I want to make change, but I’ve already made change. I will continue to make change. I’m not just running on a promise of change, I’m running on 35 years of change. I’m running on having taken on the drug companies and the health insurance companies, taking on the oil companies.
So, you know, I think it is clear that what we need is somebody who can deliver change. And we don’t need to be raising the false hopes of our country about what can be delivered. The best way to know what change I will produce is to look at the changes that I’ve already made.
Ten! Clinton fires back at Edwards shot-for-shot!
Gov. Richardson tried to get into the fight. He tried to claim that it was only important to say “change” when you had some idea what you were talking about. Richardson essentially argued that “change” is an empty word, when left by itself.
But since he only uttered “change” six times during this explanation, he really didn’t stand a chance . . .
GOV. RICHARDSON: Well, I’ve been in hostage negotiations that are a lot more civil than this. (Laughter, applause.) And — no, I — (chuckles). You know, I think one of the things that we need to remember — I’m going to say this again, because I said it in a previous debate. Let’s stay positive. You know? There will be plenty of time to get negative with the Republicans. You heard them earlier. (Laughter.)
Let us talk about how we’re going to make sure that we deliver health care for the American people, how we change America’s foreign policy, how we make schools better and pay teachers better and get rid of No Child Left Behind.
Look, what we need is change, there’s no question.
But you know, what ever happened to experience? Is experience kind of a leper? (Laughter.) What is wrong with — you know, what is wrong with having — (scattered applause) — what is wrong with having been like myself — 14 years in the Congress, two Cabinet positions? I mean, I’ve gone head to head with the North Koreans. We got the remains of soldiers back. We persuaded them to reduce their nuclear weapons. What is wrong with being a governor and going to a state and giving health care to kids under 12 and creating jobs and balancing budgets? What is wrong with being a secretary of Energy who has made America or tried to make America a land of clean energy or as a governor — my point is this: We want to change this country, but you have to have — you have to know how to do it, and there’s nothing wrong with having experience.
So you know, I love change, we all are for change. But the question is examine the record of those that in the past have produced change, and that has taken responsibilities. We need somebody that has been tested.
Sen. Obama, who invented change, stayed above the fray in this fight, uttering “change” a mere three times in the entire segment.
It isn’t clear who won this melee, except for the vowels “a” and “e”, and the consonants “c”, “h”, “n”, and “g” . . . but all in all it was a great lesson in what democracy is all about.
(. . . which is Change.)
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Last night, a dear friend of mine was so irritated with the intoning of the word change in the debate that he wished to strike it from the lexicon altogether!
Interesting that Obama only used the word three times. Is that because his rhetorical efforts have paid off and he now just is the sign of change without even having to use the word? He’s got everyone else saying it, and now every time they do it’s an unconscious affirmation of Obama.
Waits.
Small change got rained on with his own .38
And nobody flinched down by the arcade
And the marquise weren’t weeping
They went stark-raving mad
And the cabbies were the only ones
That really had it made
And his cold trousers were twisted
And the sirens high and shrill
And crumpled in his fist was a five-dollar bill
And the naked mannikins with their
Cheshire grins
And the raconteurs
And roustabouts said buddy
Come on in
Cause, cause the dreams ain’t broken down here now
Now, they’re walking with a limp
Now that small change got rained on with his own .38
And nobody flinched down by the arcade
And the burglar alarm’s been disconnected
And the newsmen start to rattle
And the cops are tellin’ jokes
About some whore house in Seattle
And the fire hydrants plead the 5th Amendment
And the furniture’s bargains galore
But the blood is by the jukebox
On an old linoleum floor
And what a hot rain on 42nd Street
And now the umbrellas ain’t got a chance
And the newsboy’s a lunatic
With stains on his pants
Cause, cause small change got rained on with his own .38
And no one’s gone over to close his eyes
And there’s a racing form in his pocket
Circled “Blue Boots” in the 3rd
And the cashier at the clothing store
He didn’t say a word as the
Siren tears the night in half
And someone lost his wallet
Well it’s surveillance of assailants
If that’s whatchawannacallit
And the whores hike up their skirts
And fish for drug-store prophylactics
With their mouths cut just like
Razor blades and their eyes are like stilettos
And her radiator’s steaming
And her teeth are in a wreck
Now she won’t let you kiss her
But what the hell do you expect
And the Gypsies are tragic and if you
Wanna to buy perfume, well
They’ll bark you down like
Carneys… sell you Christmas cards in June
But, but small change got rained on with his own .38
And his headstone’s
A gumball machine
No more chewing gum
Or baseball cards or
overcoats or dreams and
someone is hosing down the sidewalk
and he’s only in his teens
Cause, cause small change got rained on with his own .38
And a fistful of dollars can’t change that
And someone copped his watch fob
And someone got his ring
And the newsboy got his porkpie Stetson hat
And the tuberculosis old men
At the Nelson wheeze and cough
And someone will head south
Until this whole thing cools off cause
Small change got rained on with his own .38
Yea small change got rained on with his own .38
Maybe we will have to introduce a new word like “renewal” or some other perky phrase because if I have to hear “change” a million times before the actual election it might lose appeal.
Actually the whole debate was a needed laugh. I did like Edwards ‘changes’ the best, Hillary’s were surreal and made me laugh the hardest, hard to turn 35 years into change.
If they have to say, say say it most likely it ain’t so.
Certainly not from any of the “mainstream” candidates so talked about by corpo-media.
I find it more interesting to ponder the introduction of nanotech into the Frankenfood food chain.
Or, how many times can a cop tazer a handcuffed woman.
How about global companies building a seed vault in the Arctic.
And those youtubes of all the mainstreamers caught running away from 911 truth questions, the look in their faces is priceless.
2008? A repeat of 2006, no doubt.
change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change change
I WIN!