INTERIOR/OFFICE
CARROL ROONEY SITTING AT CLUTTERED DESK, BOOKS STACKED UNEVENLY, A BUST OF MARX TO ONE SIDE. HE FINISHES JOTTING SOMETHING DOWN ON PAPER, THEN LOOKS UP TO CAMERA.
CARROL: Ever notice how reactionary Democrats are? Even the "well meaning" ones? They just get in the way of a true and lasting people's movement. Y'know, as Marx might've put it (RUBS HEAD OF BUST), the Democrats serve as an opiate to dull the natural revolutionary senses of the working class. And the way they dress! What, did Robert Hall die and go to Washington? Memo to Al Gore: Just because you claim to save the Earth, doesn't mean you look good in earth tones. Save that for the next Corporate Jackals Posing As Environmentalists con-fab. And Nancy Pelosi -- listen, you may soon be Speaker of the House, so dress as though you get out of the house from time to time. We all know you exist to serve capital's interest at the legislative level, but while you're robbing the workers blind, can you at least find an outfit that didn't come out of June Cleaver's Salvation Army pile? Finally, to John Kerry: lose the yacht-club-navy-blue-jacket-with-the-open-collar look. We get it, already -- you're a blue blood New England/JFK wannabe. For the love of Lenin, stick to crew neck sweaters and leave the Camelot stylings to Robert Goulet. And if you can forge another position on Iraq before lunchtime, let us know.
Look, the objective conditions for a real and lasting socialist transformation of society just don't exist right now. The Democrats will continue to police the left end of the political spectrum for some time to come. If we must live in a corporate cage, is it too much to ask of our jailers to be visually appealing? Ol' Karl here (PATS BUST) was no fashion plate himself, but the man had style. On that front alone, I give the guy high "Marx." Right, old friend? (WINKS AT BUST, THEN FALLS FLAT ON HIS FACE).
FADE