Studs Terkel is interviewed by the Onion. He says some wonderful things about Dennis. I love this guy. :)
link"Chicago fixture Louis "Studs" Terkel has worked as an activist, a civil servant, a labor organizer, an ad writer, a television actor, and a radio DJ, among many other occupations. But since the 1960s, he's been particularly well-known as a world-class interviewer, a writer and radio personality who draws celebrities and, far more often, average citizens into sharing their oral histories and revealing the complex commonalities and differences that define human existence. In a series of celebrated books, stretching from 1967's Division Street: America to the upcoming Hope Dies Last, Terkel interviews dozens of people, drawing out their thoughts and personal experiences on specific topics: the Great Depression (Hard Times), WWII (the Pulitzer Prize winner The Good War), their jobs (Working), America's racial divide (Race), and death (Will The Circle Be Unbroken?), among others. Hope Dies Last, due for release on Nov. 1, addresses hope, particularly through the lens of activism, and the attempt to change society for the better. In his introduction, Terkel writes, "As we enter the new millennium, hope appears to be an American attribute that has vanished for many, no matter what their class or condition in life. The official word has never been more arrogantly imposed. Passivity, in the face of such a bold, unabashed show of power from above, appears to be the order of the day. But it ain't necessarily so." At 91, Terkel himself continues to illustrate that point by remaining politically active and maintaining his own sense of hope. He recently spoke to The Onion A.V. Club about Hope Dies Last, activism, interviewing, George W. Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the man he believes is best qualified to become president in 2004.<...>
Am I sanguine about the future? Hell, no, I'm worried stiff. But I think the American people basically are decent. This I know. And also, they have a native intelligence, this I know. But do they have the information? Of course not. So Schwarzenegger gets elected because they know who he is. But they've never heard of a guy named Dennis Kucinich. You know who Dennis Kucinich is, don't you? He's the least known of the nine candidates for the presidential Democratic ticket.
He's the one you don't know. He's by far the most qualified guy. Boy mayor of Cleveland. He fought corporate power and he won. He's the chairman of the Progressive Caucus of the Democratic Party. He's the one who first told Bush "Go to hell!" when it came to the pre-emptive strike. He said "No!" The first one to do it. He's the one who said "No!" when it came to sanctions, hurting, killing kids, you don't hurt the brute Saddam at all. He's the one who said "No!" to tax cuts that would just benefit a few. But people don't know who he is. He's never mentioned in the news—just a throwaway phrase, "The ninth candidate." And he's the closest thing there is to the answer. People looking for a guy with guts, with principles, here he is. And one in a thousand Americans knows his name. You've heard of Al Sharpton, you've heard of a million of those other guys, you've heard of that clown Joe Lieberman, who would be a perfect running mate for George W. Bush. Because we misuse our language. We speak of "winnability," meaning, of course, being more moderate, which means, of course, being more centrist, which means, of course, going closer and closer and closer to the right. That's what it means. We pervert our language, as well. I want him to be known, so he can make a speech at the Democratic convention, so he can get a little clout. In any event, I don't mean to talk so much about him. I was talking about the American people. So they don't... We know who runs the media, let's face it. Fox is owned by the Australian Neanderthal, Rupert Murdoch. You know the people on it. These are powerful people, and Americans hear that day after day. And there's a muscle-headed muscleman named Schwarzenegger, and most of the white women voted for him, despite what his record seems to have been. Doesn't matter: known. You've got Oprah Winfrey, the Teflon girl. She had him on for a whole hour. Did she have any opponent on? Most astonishing thing in the world. No one has ever challenged her. She says, "We didn't talk about politics." But if it's not political advertising, what the hell is? And no one ever thinks of saying, "Hey, why aren't others on?" She's got millions of women listeners, doesn't she? And it's white women who voted tremendously for this clown. So I use him as a grotesque case in point. Contrast him with Dennis Kucinich, who nobody knows. So we got a lopsided... The assault going on is an assault on our intelligence, an assault on our decency."
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