I just saw this in the Christian Science Monitor and I confess it brought tears to my eyes:
During a Huntsman campaign stop outside Marie’s Bakery in Henniker, N.H., Monday morning, patrons chanted his words: “Country first! Country first!”
“This is a turning point,” says Wayne Lesperance, a political scientist at New England College in Henniker, who was present at the event and confirms that the chanters were not campaign staff or even typically involved in politics.
The phrase "Country First" entered the campaign this week as Mr. Huntsman responded to a jibe from Mitt Romney during a debate. Here's a replay put together by Huntsman's campaign:
When I first heard about this moment in the debate, I was immediately reminded of Scott Brown's debate comment in the Massachusetts Senate race two years ago:
"With all due respect, it's not the Kennedy's seat, it's not the Democrats' seat, it's the people's seat."
I am a registered Independent. I'm not a rabid Huntsman or Brown supporter. Instead, what moves me about the mental image of ordinary Americans chanting "Country first! Country first!" is the conviction that this is what we need. I suspect I'm not alone in yearning for a candidate to become viable by bringing this nation together- not setting themselves apart as "the Purest" in some extreme doctrine.
The bitter truth is that all sides of the debate can bring something valuable to the table. The genius of this country is not some trumped-up notion of "Purity" or political pedigree. Historically, generation after generation, the strength and genius of the United States has been its ability to hybridize, to weave together different points of view and create visionary solutions to all sorts of problems. In these dangerous and discouraging times, we need to remember that.
Maybe we even need to climb up on our chairs and chant a little, just to remind ourselves:
It's not the Democrat's seat or the Republican's seat- it's the people's seat.
Because the country still belongs to us- all of us. As long as we're willing to work together and fight for it.
Country First!!!!!!!!!!!
Comments