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Mix a rich ersatz cowboy and politics and you might get George Bush. Use a real cowboy who’s not so rich and you might get Jim Hightower, one of the nation’s leading progressive political commentators, and a real Texas cowboy in his own right. 

Hightower came through Berkeley Sunday to speak at an event sponsored by the East Bay chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), leaving the cheering crowd of almost 600 rolling in their seats as he delivered a call to action well laced with political humor. 

Wearing his trademark ten-gallon topper and speaking with his Texas drawl, Hightower lashed out at Bush and his administration’s approach to America’s civil liberties—issues of real importance to a crowd heavily sprinkled with card-carrying ACLU members. 

“It makes me happier than a flea at a dog show to see you Ashcroft arrogance busters here,” he said as he took the mike. 

Hightower—whose latest book, “Thieves in High Places: They’ve Stolen Our Country and It’s Time to Take it Back,” just recently made the New York Times bestseller list—is a true Texas grassroots organizer who got his start as an aide to Sen. Ralph Yarborough of Texas. 

Co-founder of the Agribusiness Accountability Project, a public interest project that organized around corporate power in the food economy, Hightower went on to serve two terms as the Texas Agricultural Commissioner. 

Defeated for reelection in a campaign masterminded by Bush political advisor Karl Rove, Hightower now has his own radio show, a column in The Nation magazine, and runs a newsletter that is the fastest growing political publication in the country. 

All of his work, according to a statement on his Web site, is part of his commitment to “battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be—consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.” 

Barbara Macnab, the chair of the East Bay ACLU, said that she invited Hightower to speak not only because he represents many of the issues that are important to the chapter but also because of his “ability to galvanize the ACLU forces.” 

“He has spontaneous energy and it really helps when just day-to-day living takes all your energy,” Macnab said. “In a war, you need leaders.” 

One example of Hightower effectiveness came during the question and answer session following his talk when audience member Leonard Slape rose to thank Hightower for his commitment to everyday working people. 

A furloughed United Airlines mechanic, Slape said he has been battling the company who he says is siphoning money out of his retirement plan to pay for their own business problems. When the company started going after his Social Security, Slape said he approached a number of local representatives including Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, and Nancy Pelosi—of whom only Boxer responded, with a “thank you for your concern” letter. 

Hightower’s office did respond, he said, leaving him with some hope that his fight will succeed. 

“[Hightower] is the only person who is willing to pick up a baseball bat and swing it for me,” said Slope. 

Another person at the meeting who drew applause was Representative Barbara Lee. Like Hightower, she was praised for standing up for California’s working people. 

Lee addressed a number of issues including health care, education, the recall and Proposition 54. She left the podium encouraging the audience to “to take back the White House and the government in the name of the people of the United States.”  

Hightower laced his talked with one-liners and wisecracks that kept the event energized and upbeat.  

He concluded with a plea for involvement, asking the audience to follow the slogan developed by a his favorite local Texas moving company: “If we can get it loose, we can move it.” 

The crowd also left him with a plea, asking when he was going to run for president. Hightower chuckled, answering, “I’m going to keep running my mouth instead of running for president.”