rickegee, I've no doubt that I'd "connect with an audience" if I had the blind faith of a hand-picked conservative Christian zombie crowd, too.

Obama's main appeal to me is that the guy is actually thoughtful, which pretty much makes him the anti-Bush.

Disclaimer: I was never really impressed with the Dixie Chicks. Easy-listening country just isn't my thing, to be fair.

It's important to keep in mind that the Dixie Chicks didn't alienate many of their fans simply by speaking out. They did this by blatantly pandering.

The Dixie Chicks were apolitical in the US, but threw out anti-Bush remarks during concerts in the UK. When news of this got to American fans and a backlash started, Maines publically apologized for the remarks - but when they started getting sympathetic coverage, the band began to posture that they were bravely standing up for their beliefs.

It was effective marketing, but it really was rather transparent to many people.

Finally, an intelligent response.

"Liberals just happen to think we should also strive to do better socially, not just economically. It doesn't mean "Bush-hating" or "hating America first" (two signs of a real intelligent debator), it just means expecting us to live up to the expectations of our Constitution, not simply compare ourselves to the rest of the world."

What part of this speech was about doing better socially?

The liberal adgenda is higher taxes, unrestricted abortion, gay marrige, the erosion of personal stanards, political correctness and appesement of those who would attack us. But they can't get up in front of a crowd and say it. There was a democratic political ad posted by you two weeks ago about "A new direction for america." The problem with the ad is that it won't tell you what that direction is. Every fundraising speech they give, Howard Dean will tell you that they have a "new comprehensive plan" for _-insert issue here-_ but they won't tell you what that plan is. They'll toss out a few vague generalities at leave it at that.

But this speech doesn't talk about any of that. The title says it all. It's an "Anti-Bush" protest. They all get together and talk about how much we hate Bush, how much we hate America and for all of his chanting about the truth, I will submit to you that Rocky Anderson would not know the truth if it landed on his head. More importantly in his entire speech, Anderson does not offer a single solution, he has no answers, he doesn't know how to protect America from another attack and he's not going to tell you what he is going to do to fix things. When he looks out over the global-political landscape, he sees Bush's America as the enemy, as the oppressor. He doesn't want to talk about the groups and countries who have stated as their goal to see America torn down and destroyed; paging Islamic Fascist.

As the city's mayor, his term is up, once he's done, he's out. He is not staking anything on this protest, he's not risking his job. This man does not have the spine that you think he does.

No doubt. I'm saying that these speeches would never be heard outside TV Land. They are too precious and stagey, juries are more jaded looking, the judge wouldn't take counsel's sitting in the witness chair and let the attorney talk over him, etc.

The prosecuting attorney wouldn't be so neocon, and the defense attorney would give a long antiwar, anti-Bush rant--both are too polarizing for a mixed jury. Defense was enjoyable and cathartic for me, but totally made for TV.

It's great to see some actual truth on network TV though.

Wait no anti-Bush statements whats up with that????

Okay, this has been here for some days but maybe you´re still interested in my two cents about anti-bush VS anti-us:

All you american guys should always remember that most of the people in the world really DO have a problem with your president and his fellows, but i think 99% of them don´t have anything bad to say about the american people themselves. i think i speak for a lot of my fellow people here in germany when i say we all think america is a great country and you are a great people, but you´re president and his buddies are all nuts :-)

although this video was put together a little sloppy and needed a bit more tact, i thought it was pretty good. yes, the whole hitler-bush thing is a little old, but maybe it persists for a reason. i think anything that calls your attention to what the government does is a good thing. just take what you see and form your own opinion. do a little research.

wumpus, i'd say anti-bush, yes... anti-u.s.? not at all. anti-government even, yes. (thus the rage track used)

regardless, i am an american. so i feel it is my right, and my duty, to question the ethics of our own government and how it will affect me as a citizen.

No, quite the opposite. As soon as I see people's faces with insults splashed across them, especially when the author can only call people "whore", "douche", "clueless", " senile", along with the tired old Bush=Hitler comparison, and half-truths...it pretty much loses all credibility. It's an anti-Bush, anti-U.S. piece plain and simple. I don't vote for videos that just persuade you to hate.