This Is Too Good Not To Reprint. Get Your Change Here

29 July 2008

The Butter-Cutter On The Campaign Of “Change”

By: Maj. Anthony F. Milavic, USMC (Ret.)

The presumptive Democratic candidate for president of the United States, Sen. Barak Obama, has made “change” the theme of his campaign. In an effort to learn the substance of that theme, I changed and sought out the Butter-Cutter on the left side of the Chow Line in the virtual Mess Hall.

“That's right! The brother's gonna change.” the Butter-Cutter declared without prompting.

“Well, early on, Sen. Obama pledged to stick to public financing. Now with his coffers full of cash, he has withdrawn from that commitment. Is changing his mind what the Senator means by 'change,' ” I asked.

“Look, man, this way, he can do more than with public money. So, he changed his mind. Man, he ain't dumb!"

“At one time, the Senator also pledged to get rid of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, by taking 'the hammer' to Canada and Mexico and threatened to cancel it unilaterally. Now, he calls those statements 'overheated.' . . .“

“That's right! Change, man, change! Ya know what I'm sayin'?“

“He also declared that he would filibuster any bill that included retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies. Later, the Senator said that he would vote for the new FISA bill, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which gives blanket immunity for post-9/11 eavesdropping. Is this more of the kind of change the Senator intends to bring to the presidency?” I asked further of the Butter-Cutter.

“Yeah! Yeah! He changed like he said, man. Hey, man, don't he talk sweet? Ya see the brother talk ta all them people in Philly back in March? Man, that was sweet! Not like that McCain. He can't talk wertashit, man . . . not wertashit! An', he only talks ta people face-ta-face in little groups. He's not like the brother who talks ta thousands at one time!”

“Senator Obama refused to wear a U.S. flag pin because, as he said, it had become a substitute for true patriotism; then he started wearing it. Why do you think he made that change?” I queried the Butter-Cutter.

“Oh, man, a bunch o' them small-town people who pray, keep guns, 'n' are afraid of everything trash-talked him. So, he put on one o' them little pins 'n' they stopped. Ya know what I'm sayin'?”

In 2006 and 2007, he called for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. Forces from Iraq, even threatening to cute off all funding for them. Later, he changed that to a promise to withdraw all U.S. combat forces in 16 months. His 14 July article in the New York Times contained yet another change. He now agrees to a residual force in Iraq with three missions: pursue Al Qaeda, protect American service members, and train Iraqi security forces. What do you make of those changes?” I asked.

“Hey, man, what's wrong with ya? Yeah, he changed like that: we're winnin'! Right? Ta get the votes to be prezidant, the brother's gotta be on the right side o' the fence. So, he changed! Ya know what I'm sayin'?”

“In March, Senator Obama said that he could not 'disown' the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his spiritual mentor and friend for over 20 years. Then in April, he changed his mind and publically dumped him. What does that say about his loyalty to friends?” I asked the Butter-Cutter.

“Oh, man, that don't mean nuttin'. The Rev said the brother had ta say that shit because he wanna be prezidant. It was all just a little shuckin' 'n' jivin'. Ya know what I'm sayin'?”

Last week, he was scheduled to visit wounded U.S. soldiers in a military hospital in Germany. When told he could not bring members of the media and campaign officials with him, he changed his mind and cancelled the visit. Is that conduct befitting someone who aspires to be the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States?”

“Man, he was busy over there meetin' with prezidants 'n' talkin' ta thousands of people. Ya hear him talk there? Man, he talk sweet, sweet, man! That McCain talks ta ordinary people 'n' only a few atta time like he wanna be personal 'n' friends er somethin'.”

As we have seen, Senator Obama has changed his mind on campaign financing, NAFTA, FISA, wearing of a U.S. flag pin, keeping U.S. Forces in Iraq, the Rev. Wright, and visiting wounded soldiers. His demonstrated performance suggests that the substance of his campaign theme of 'change' and how he will conduct himself as president if elected is--change whenever it is politically expedient!”

“Ah, man, listen! When he be prezidant, the brother gonna talk sweet 'n' change. He ain't like that McCain dude who don't talk wertashit! The brother, now, the brother talk sweet! Ya know what I'm sayin'? He talk sweet 'n' change. That's what he's gonna do when he be prezidant! Ya know what I'm sayin? Hey, man! YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'?”

“I know!” I said emphatically and then turned and walked away from the Butter-Cutter on the left side of the virtual Chow Line.

Semper Knowing "Shuckin' 'n' Jivin',"