John Nichols: Galloway's frankness invigorates, shocks Americans

[norml]

John Nichols: Galloway's frankness invigorates, shocks Americans

By John Nichols
September 17, 2005



British parliamentarian George Galloway testifies before a U.S. Senate subcommittee in May. (AP photo)


Americans who are familiar only with the almost always empty words - and often empty heads - of this country's political leaders can be a little shocked by George Galloway's pronouncements.


The British parliamentarian, who came of age in the brawling political landscape of his native Scotland, where a quick wit and a savage debating style are prerequisites for electoral success, does not mince words in the manner that most American pols do.

Consider Galloway's statement in response to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath:

"The scenes from the stricken city almost defy belief. Many, many thousands of people left to die in what is the richest, most powerful country on Earth. This obscenity is as far from a natural disaster as George Bush and the U.S. elite are from the suffering masses of New Orleans. The images of Bush luxuriating at his ranch and of his secretary of state shopping for $7,000 shoes while disaster swamped the U.S. Gulf Coast will haunt this administration.

"In the most terrible way imaginable they show to the whole world that it is not only the lives of people in Baghdad, Fallujah and Palestine that Bush holds cheap. It is also his own citizens - the black and poor people left behind with no food, water or shelter. This is not simply manslaughter through incompetence, though the White House's incompetence abounds. It is murder - for Bush was warned four years ago of the threat to New Orleans, as surely as he was warned of the disaster that would come of his war on Iraq. ...


snip


http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion//index.php?ntid=54505&ntpid=14

[TheDonkey]

1. LOL WOW. That man is spot on.

Galloway for president. ;)

[opihimoimoi]

2. Dat chap doesn't mince words. He tell it as it is.....His contempt of Bush

is eloquent in its seriousness.

[lateo]

3. "You are a drink-soaked popinjay"

I will never forget this quote.

[realFedUp]

4. well, when "frankness" hasn't been used in awhile in the U.S.

truth is like cold clean water to the thirsty.

[magnolia]

5. I happened to see him...

...on O'Reilly last night. O'Reilly tried his best to make him look foolish by asking ridiculous yes or no questions...but he couldn't do it. Galloway held strong and stood his ground without waivering! He made so much sense it just couldn't be disputed and refused to answer with yes or no. O'Reilly actually looked defeated.

[xchrom]

6. kick

[Raiden]

7. Wow! I love that statement on Katrina!

GG is brilliant