Dr. Justin Frank (author of "B*sh on the Couch"): "What Obama Should Have Said"

[npincus]

Dr. Frank blogs on Huffpo the closing statement he wished Obama had said after last Wednesday night's debate:



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-frank/what-obama-should-have-sa_b_97377.html

My fellow Americans, particularly those who will vote in Pennsylvania next Tuesday, this past week has been one of the most difficult of our campaign. A week ago, in confidential comments to my supporters and behind closed doors I made several remarks about the difficult if not desperate state of many in small town America. These comments were secretly recorded and without my permission illegitimately transferred to my opponent. As most of you know, using these remarks, Mrs. Clinton has directed days of savage attacks against me and our campaign. I have done my best to make it clear what I actually said. Not only have I shown every word of what I said on my web site but I have reprinted how this confidential talk was reported by Time magazine. Still, to many people it is not clear what I said but it is clear to everyone what Mrs. Clinton has said. I think it is important to emphasize that her remarks need no interpretation; they did not need to be stolen from her confidential talk to her staff or supporters. They were a transparent effort to destroy me and my campaign. She and I have agreed, on many occasions in public, that we stand for the same things in this campaign: a safe and rapid exit from Iraq, support for jobs and health care, an economy that works for all those who work not just those privileged few who now enjoy the fruits of the work of others. What differs between us is our approach. Mrs. Clinton would destroy anyone who gets in her way including me. What she is overlooking is that no matter which of us becomes president that person will need the strong support of the other to advance the objectives we both share. The destruction Mrs. Clinton is now seeking for me, my campaign and on the Democratic Party is by no means the first time she has done this. Setting aside all the fluff about Bosnia, and about foreign experience, Mrs. Clinton had only one major responsibility when she was in the White House with her husband: to get a good health care reform bill passed. Then, as now, she could not cooperate. She kept her plan secret and sought to destroy those who stood in her way. It was more her style than the content of the proposals that doomed decent health care in this country for decades. My fellow Americans, in Pennsylvania and across this great land, if you think that deceit and destruction will serve your interests in this democracy of ours then your choice is simple. If you believe openness, hopes for the future, decency to others, collaboration and genuine respect for your opponents is the way to go your choice is equally simple.

[lisa58]

1. She doesn't cooperate...

...I hadn't thought about it in those terms before - but it's true.

I met her once and I really, really wanted to like her, but didn't. I was really disappointed because I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was I didn't like. She wasn't authentic and she didn't trust anyone, but I figured anyone in public office would be careful.

It's that she doesn't even want to cooperate. You don't feel like you're in it together.

Obama's appeal is that he says we, not me.

[liberalla]

2. Very wise words. I like this Dr. Frank , from when I've seen him on

TV, or heard him on the radio. I hope this message gets picked up and used.

[npincus]

3. he's not a hardcore Obama partisan, either

if you read his prior posts on Huffpo. He voted for Obama in the primary, his wife voted for Hillary. He gave a reasoned explanation for hwy he did so, but has said either Democrat would be far better than McCain.