Let’s Talk Clinton: Henry Louis Gates Jr.

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. . . next luminary . . .

The first thing Clinton should do is enumerate a vision and stick to it. Even people who hated Reagan miss his consistency. You knew where he stood. You never know where Clinton stands and he doesn’t seem loyal to his own vision.

With the exception of Haiti, Clinton has failed to find the American role in a new world order. But I suspect that his Haiti policy augurs a new day in his positioning himself as a force for democracy around the world.

I’d like to see President Clinton go to Cuba. I can’t believe Castro isn’t looking for a graceful way out. He knows Cuba is dead under him. Let him save face with a democratic election.

On the domestic front the health plan is important, but Clinton promised universal coverage. Let him say, “This is what I ran on, and I believe in it, and, if necessary, I’ll go down with it.” When he ran and even a few months after he was elected, I knew what he stood for, but now I don’t and it’s too bad. He’s a good guy and smart, and he has good instincts, but apparently wants to be loved.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

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