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John Nichols: Donahue! Hightower! Bob Fest too!

John Nichols  —  8/31/2008 7:25 am

DENVER -- Jim Hightower and I shared the stage at the big rally organized by Progressive Democrats of America and other groups on the eve of the Democratic National Convention here. And, of course, we talked about the historic events that would unfold over the course of the week in which, for the first time in American history, a major party would nominate an African-American candidate for president.

For progressives, who have struggled to open not just the Democratic Party but the whole of American politics to all citizens, it was a time for celebration.

And that celebration will continue this coming Saturday, when Hightower joins Phil Donahue, Doris "Granny D" Haddock, Scott Ritter, Bill McKibben, Gwen Moore, Tammy Baldwin and others on the stage at Fighting Bob Fest, which Hightower and I reminded folks in Denver is the most dynamic gathering of progressives in the country.

There will be much to celebrate at this year's Bob Fest.

Big changes, fundamental changes, are taking place in American politics.

Democrats have nominated an African-American man for president.

Republicans this week will nominate a woman for vice president.

Struggles in which progressives have engaged not for decades but for centuries are coming to fruition.

Bob La Follette, the man who defined progressivism, would be pleased.

He campaigned at the side of his wife, Belle, on behalf of women's suffrage and civil rights before either of those commitments was fashionable.

But La Follette would counsel against being satisfied with the progress of either of what he referred to as "the old parties."

La Follette would counsel, as he did 95 years ago, "While much has been accomplished, there is still a world of problems yet to be solved; we have just begun; there is hard fighting, and a chance for the highest patriotism, still ahead of us. The fundamental problem as to which shall rule, men or property, is still unsettled; it will require the highest qualities of heroism, the profoundest devotion to duty in this and in the coming generation, to reconstruct our institutions to meet the requirements of a new age. May such brave and true leaders develop that the people will not be led astray."

The brave and true leaders will be at Fighting Bob Fest.

Join us as we meet the requirements of a new age:

Friday, Sept. 5, at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison at 7:30 p.m. for a screening of "Body of War," as we kick-start the Bob Fest weekend with special guests Phil Donahue and Jim Hightower.

Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Sauk County Fairgrounds, starting at 8:30 a.m., with Donahue, Hightower and more than a dozen other progressive leaders -- as well as 10,000 people who refuse to be led astray.

John Nichols is associate editor of The Capital Times, Wisconsin's progressive daily online news source, where his column appears regularly.

John Nichols  —  8/31/2008 7:25 am