Years ago I first became interested in politics by watching David Brinkley every Sunday morning. I was saddened when he retired thinking that Sunday mornings wouldn't be the same. Yet I soon found another monitor and even though Tim Russert on Meet the Press couldn’t replace David Brinkley, as he was one of a kind, over the years I grew to admire and enjoy Tim Russert for his own originality.
So to hear of his death today was shocking as he was so young and it was so unexpected. Political junkies such as me will sorely miss his insight, wit and vast political knowledge which he shared with us every Sunday morning. He will be particularly missed this fall when we will all fondly recall Russert’s white board through which he showed more political wisdom than everyone else with their multi colored computerized high tech charts. And unlike most journalists Tim Russert truly seemed impartial, except, of course, when it came to his beloved Buffalo Bills.
In addition to neither leaning to far to the left or right, another reason that Tim Russert was so good at what he did was because he never allowed himself to become the story. Be it on Meet the Press or in-depth interviews or even moderating a presidential debate, Russert was old school, believing that the spotlight should be on the news or newsmaker but never on him. Today it seems as if most journalists make the story be about them. They are no longer content to stay behind the microphone and are instead coming around to the other side where they become the story.
This is why the coverage of his demise bothers me. It seems that whenever I turned on the TV every cable news channel had continuous coverage of the death of Tim Russert. I didn’t know the man other than what we all have seen on TV but I have a feeling he would have not only been embarrassed but he would have hated it. After being one of the few remaining journalists who never made the story about himself it is almost a disgrace that they are now turning him into the news after his death.
Yes Tim Russert’s death is sad, yes it is shocking, yes he will be missed but he would have wanted a brief mention and then on with the real news. And as for Sunday mornings, just as he couldn’t replace David Brinkley but instead brought his own uniqueness to Meet the Press then neither can Tim Russert now be replaced. Instead, down the road someone else will come along. And yet Tim Russert’s memory will live on as long as there are elections and white boards and Florida, Florida, Florida.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Goodbye Jim McKay and the Triple Crown
Did you see the horse race yesterday? I switched over after watching Hillary’s speech. The sportscasters spent hours and hours saying how great Big Brown was and how this horse will most likely win the race and therefore be the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years. They focused on everyone surrounding this horse until you began to believe that Big Brown would be running the race by himself. That is what his owner thought when he told the world that of course Big Brown was going to win. Of course.
In the middle of the media attention over Big Brown there was one sad note. Jim McKay had died. He was the ultimate sportscaster that generations grew up listening. He made the Olympics real to us and then there was that line, you know the one I mean, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” I forget most of the stuff I learned when I was in fifth grade but I remember that line and that poor skier.
Then back to Belmont and Big Brown’s run for the Triple Crown. Having previously listened to Hillary’s speech I found an odd kind of connection to the Democratic primary when at one point a sportscaster remarked that the only horse that gave any kind of competition to Big Brown was the filly, Eight Belles, in the Kentucky Derby. And you might recall that after coming in a strong second the big filly had given all she could and collapsed, never to get up again.
After three hours we knew everything about Big Brown. That he had a small crack in his hoof that they repaired but they didn’t see that as a problem. It was also known that in the Derby and Preakness, Big Brown had been dosed with drugs, which is legal in horse racing. Perhaps because of this horse, these drugs will be illegal next year but for now they could be used. However the owner wanted to prove that his horse could win on his own and so he did not inject Big Brown for this race. And after hearing the sob stories regarding the owners and jockeys children, more than tired of the braggadocio of the winner, after all the excitement leading up to finally having a Triple Crown winner, we were more than ready for the race.
By now you know once again there wasn’t a Triple Crown winner. It wasn’t so much that Big Brown was beaten as it was that the favorite horse lost. Coming down the final stretch Big Brown just deflated while Da’Tara who led from the start was still in the lead and crossed the finish line in first place. Meanwhile Big Brown just didn’t have it in him to compete much less win. And so his jockey pulled him up and Big Brown leisurely galloped in at last place. The audience was stunned – once again they were denied seeing a Triple Crown winner while the other owners, trainers and jockeys were secretly pleased that the boasting and annoying owner of Big Brown was denied the ultimate horse racing prize.
Of course now came the analysis to find out what exactly happened. Many say it was that crack in Big Brown’s hoof which caused him to miss some training on the days leading up to the race. Luckily the vets who checked him out after the race found nothing physically wrong with him. I think, as do many others, that the horse didn’t act right because of the missed drug injections. And if that is true then I am glad he didn’t win for perhaps like in baseball Big Brown might have had an asterisk next to his name indicating that he was on drugs when he won. Better to deny him the Triple Crown then to have a Barry Bonds type controversy. And then again, maybe it really was a tiny hang nail type crack in his hoof that brought the huge horse down. And so in one last nod to Jim McKay and childhood silliness perhaps it was “the agony of de-feet”.
In the middle of the media attention over Big Brown there was one sad note. Jim McKay had died. He was the ultimate sportscaster that generations grew up listening. He made the Olympics real to us and then there was that line, you know the one I mean, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” I forget most of the stuff I learned when I was in fifth grade but I remember that line and that poor skier.
Then back to Belmont and Big Brown’s run for the Triple Crown. Having previously listened to Hillary’s speech I found an odd kind of connection to the Democratic primary when at one point a sportscaster remarked that the only horse that gave any kind of competition to Big Brown was the filly, Eight Belles, in the Kentucky Derby. And you might recall that after coming in a strong second the big filly had given all she could and collapsed, never to get up again.
After three hours we knew everything about Big Brown. That he had a small crack in his hoof that they repaired but they didn’t see that as a problem. It was also known that in the Derby and Preakness, Big Brown had been dosed with drugs, which is legal in horse racing. Perhaps because of this horse, these drugs will be illegal next year but for now they could be used. However the owner wanted to prove that his horse could win on his own and so he did not inject Big Brown for this race. And after hearing the sob stories regarding the owners and jockeys children, more than tired of the braggadocio of the winner, after all the excitement leading up to finally having a Triple Crown winner, we were more than ready for the race.
By now you know once again there wasn’t a Triple Crown winner. It wasn’t so much that Big Brown was beaten as it was that the favorite horse lost. Coming down the final stretch Big Brown just deflated while Da’Tara who led from the start was still in the lead and crossed the finish line in first place. Meanwhile Big Brown just didn’t have it in him to compete much less win. And so his jockey pulled him up and Big Brown leisurely galloped in at last place. The audience was stunned – once again they were denied seeing a Triple Crown winner while the other owners, trainers and jockeys were secretly pleased that the boasting and annoying owner of Big Brown was denied the ultimate horse racing prize.
Of course now came the analysis to find out what exactly happened. Many say it was that crack in Big Brown’s hoof which caused him to miss some training on the days leading up to the race. Luckily the vets who checked him out after the race found nothing physically wrong with him. I think, as do many others, that the horse didn’t act right because of the missed drug injections. And if that is true then I am glad he didn’t win for perhaps like in baseball Big Brown might have had an asterisk next to his name indicating that he was on drugs when he won. Better to deny him the Triple Crown then to have a Barry Bonds type controversy. And then again, maybe it really was a tiny hang nail type crack in his hoof that brought the huge horse down. And so in one last nod to Jim McKay and childhood silliness perhaps it was “the agony of de-feet”.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Gay Divorcee
This may anger some of my very conservative friends but I am in favor of marriages for gays. I think it is awful that a gay or lesbian partner is not allowed to visit their “spouse” in the hospital since they are not considered to be family. Nor can they share health packages or any number of benefits that are available to male – female marriages.
I also get angry when the religious right argue that the primary reason for marriage is “to be fruitful and multiply” as the Bible would put it. Well guess what. Since I can’t have children nor did I want them anyway, then based on the above argument I would be unable to get married, too. Not to mention the big business in contraceptives which would also defy that argument. If you don’t want gays or lesbians to be married in your church, then that is your right. But they should be allowed to marry elsewhere.
I think that whether you like it or not this country is moving towards allowing gay marriages. To appease the religious right they may call it civil unions instead of marriage but over the next few years it will be available in more and more states. As so often happens in this country, what was shocking or unthinkable five years ago will be mundane and commonplace within the next five years.
So this brings me to main point. As night follows day, where there are marriages then there will be divorces. If I were a young law student there are two new areas I would look into: internet law and gay divorce law. Just think about all the new legal questions a gay marriage and divorce would create. If Rosie O should marry her partner and then later divorce, which one would get custody of their children as they are both the “Mothers”. What about alimony? If one man makes more money then the other would he have to pay support until the lower earning male finds another partner? There would also be more demand for prenups as many of these couples are older, more established and have a greater need for a prenup. (I sure don’t see Elton John getting caught without a prenup after what just happened to fellow singer Paul McCartney.) Then there are the Private Investigators to be hired when one thinks their partner is cheating on them.
As the country moves slowly but surely towards civil unions for same sex marriages I wonder if anyone has thought about this. Then again, all those hungry lawyers and PI’s who see a huge new market have probably already figured out how they can make the most money for themselves. So even though gays and lesbians might win the right to get married it seems as if, once again, the biggest winners will be the lawyers.
I also get angry when the religious right argue that the primary reason for marriage is “to be fruitful and multiply” as the Bible would put it. Well guess what. Since I can’t have children nor did I want them anyway, then based on the above argument I would be unable to get married, too. Not to mention the big business in contraceptives which would also defy that argument. If you don’t want gays or lesbians to be married in your church, then that is your right. But they should be allowed to marry elsewhere.
I think that whether you like it or not this country is moving towards allowing gay marriages. To appease the religious right they may call it civil unions instead of marriage but over the next few years it will be available in more and more states. As so often happens in this country, what was shocking or unthinkable five years ago will be mundane and commonplace within the next five years.
So this brings me to main point. As night follows day, where there are marriages then there will be divorces. If I were a young law student there are two new areas I would look into: internet law and gay divorce law. Just think about all the new legal questions a gay marriage and divorce would create. If Rosie O should marry her partner and then later divorce, which one would get custody of their children as they are both the “Mothers”. What about alimony? If one man makes more money then the other would he have to pay support until the lower earning male finds another partner? There would also be more demand for prenups as many of these couples are older, more established and have a greater need for a prenup. (I sure don’t see Elton John getting caught without a prenup after what just happened to fellow singer Paul McCartney.) Then there are the Private Investigators to be hired when one thinks their partner is cheating on them.
As the country moves slowly but surely towards civil unions for same sex marriages I wonder if anyone has thought about this. Then again, all those hungry lawyers and PI’s who see a huge new market have probably already figured out how they can make the most money for themselves. So even though gays and lesbians might win the right to get married it seems as if, once again, the biggest winners will be the lawyers.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
My VP Choice for Obama
The news should only be about Barack Obama tonight . He came from nowhere, defeated the “inevitable” Hillary Clinton and oh yeah, he just happens to be our first black candidate for President. And yet thanks to Hillary, this just isn’t that big of news. Even though the numbers were against her she stayed until the last primary, thereby dragging out the truly inevitable outcome until people became numb to Barack’s winning. Then on the afternoon when he finally has enough delegates, Hillary again tries to trump this with news of her own. Will she be second on the ticket or not?
I can’t see that happening. Think about it. You have to have a pretty big ego to think you are the best person to run the US of A. Having two large egos together as President and VP is looking for trouble. Now add in another ex-President plus a strong willed and opinionated President’s wife and you really have trouble. So I just don’t think Obama would be crazy enough to even try it.
Instead I have the perfect Vice President for Obama. For if he doesn’t go with Hillary he needs to pick a person who trumps her in terms of name, prestige and voter appeal. There is only one name that is a bigger draw in the Democratic Party than Clinton and with the highest prestige. Of the choices of people with this name there is one that really stands out.
This person was also a Lt. Governor thus showing some voter draw in a southern state. This candidate is also the President of Operation Respect a nationwide character education program. That’s a two-for-one deal; great topic that appeals to conservatives plus shows business experience. And in answer to Obama’s continuing church problems this same person wrote a book called “Failing America’s Faithful: How Today’s Churches are Mixing God and Politics and Losing their Way". (I didn’t even know about this book before I was researching this name but you couldn't find a more appropriate topic for Obama's running mate!)
And who is this paragon of a VP? Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Enough said.
I can’t see that happening. Think about it. You have to have a pretty big ego to think you are the best person to run the US of A. Having two large egos together as President and VP is looking for trouble. Now add in another ex-President plus a strong willed and opinionated President’s wife and you really have trouble. So I just don’t think Obama would be crazy enough to even try it.
Instead I have the perfect Vice President for Obama. For if he doesn’t go with Hillary he needs to pick a person who trumps her in terms of name, prestige and voter appeal. There is only one name that is a bigger draw in the Democratic Party than Clinton and with the highest prestige. Of the choices of people with this name there is one that really stands out.
This person was also a Lt. Governor thus showing some voter draw in a southern state. This candidate is also the President of Operation Respect a nationwide character education program. That’s a two-for-one deal; great topic that appeals to conservatives plus shows business experience. And in answer to Obama’s continuing church problems this same person wrote a book called “Failing America’s Faithful: How Today’s Churches are Mixing God and Politics and Losing their Way". (I didn’t even know about this book before I was researching this name but you couldn't find a more appropriate topic for Obama's running mate!)
And who is this paragon of a VP? Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Enough said.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Game, Set and Match
My neck hurts more than usual. It is a good thing I am scheduled for some treatment later this week because it sure had a work-out over the weekend. On one hand I was swiveling my head back and forth watching the French Open tennis tournament. At the same time I was flipping channels Saturday to watch the verbal battle in the DNC meeting as they debated what to do with Michigan and Florida.
As the men and women of the tennis matches returned volley after volley with speed, determination and skill so did the two sides at the DNC Committee meeting. Although there was no “scoreboard” in the jam packed board room, everyone was keeping track of the ebb and flow of the delegate count.
Ironically, neither the tennis match nor the committee’s finding were beneficial to American women. The most famous current women tennis players were defeated early on in the French Open. As both Serena and Venus Williams were beaten in the third round so was Hillary in Saturday’s rulings. The biggest blow was in the Michigan ruling where Clinton hoped to walk away with more delegates than what was given to her.
What next? Hilary’s supporters hinted that they might take it to the convention as the small crowd of middle aged white women cheered in the background. But no matter what they do, the odds are slim and none that she will eventually win.
Perhaps the greatest result of the meeting is it marked the beginning of the end for the Clinton dominance and control of the DNC. By nearly a 2-1 vote the committee members showed that it is now an Obama party. You could say that Obama and his supporters kept serving ace after ace which Hillary could never return.
How will an Obama controlled DNC act during the upcoming national election? That is the biggest unknown out there. Barack is an untested, inexperienced politician who so far is playing this game brilliantly. He continuously has beaten anyone who goes up against him in spite of being an “unranked” newcomer. How has he done this against some of the biggest names in the Democratic party? Maybe he is just that good at the game and yet….
Newsmakers are just now beginning to come out of their trance over this young man to dig into his history. On Saturedy he left his controversial church but who knows what else may be out there about him? Hillary’s complaint that Obama is unvetted may prove to be prophetic. All we can do now is watch the game unfold between Obama and McCain and see what happens over the next six months.
As for my aching neck, it got one more workout on Saturday. Late in the afternoon I finally got up off my couch and walked outside. And in the beautiful sun drenched Florida afternoon I lifted my head up to the blue sky. Looking to the east I saw the familiar sign of a large white puffy spiral climbing towards the heavens. Another successful space shuttle launched. No matter how many times I have seen this, it is still an awesome sight. And maybe in the political games we all could use an occasional time-out not only to rest but to remind us of what they are fighting for and the high stakes that will go to the winner.
As the men and women of the tennis matches returned volley after volley with speed, determination and skill so did the two sides at the DNC Committee meeting. Although there was no “scoreboard” in the jam packed board room, everyone was keeping track of the ebb and flow of the delegate count.
Ironically, neither the tennis match nor the committee’s finding were beneficial to American women. The most famous current women tennis players were defeated early on in the French Open. As both Serena and Venus Williams were beaten in the third round so was Hillary in Saturday’s rulings. The biggest blow was in the Michigan ruling where Clinton hoped to walk away with more delegates than what was given to her.
What next? Hilary’s supporters hinted that they might take it to the convention as the small crowd of middle aged white women cheered in the background. But no matter what they do, the odds are slim and none that she will eventually win.
Perhaps the greatest result of the meeting is it marked the beginning of the end for the Clinton dominance and control of the DNC. By nearly a 2-1 vote the committee members showed that it is now an Obama party. You could say that Obama and his supporters kept serving ace after ace which Hillary could never return.
How will an Obama controlled DNC act during the upcoming national election? That is the biggest unknown out there. Barack is an untested, inexperienced politician who so far is playing this game brilliantly. He continuously has beaten anyone who goes up against him in spite of being an “unranked” newcomer. How has he done this against some of the biggest names in the Democratic party? Maybe he is just that good at the game and yet….
Newsmakers are just now beginning to come out of their trance over this young man to dig into his history. On Saturedy he left his controversial church but who knows what else may be out there about him? Hillary’s complaint that Obama is unvetted may prove to be prophetic. All we can do now is watch the game unfold between Obama and McCain and see what happens over the next six months.
As for my aching neck, it got one more workout on Saturday. Late in the afternoon I finally got up off my couch and walked outside. And in the beautiful sun drenched Florida afternoon I lifted my head up to the blue sky. Looking to the east I saw the familiar sign of a large white puffy spiral climbing towards the heavens. Another successful space shuttle launched. No matter how many times I have seen this, it is still an awesome sight. And maybe in the political games we all could use an occasional time-out not only to rest but to remind us of what they are fighting for and the high stakes that will go to the winner.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Hillary’s Slip
Poor Hillary. Talk about open mouth and insert foot! Maybe I am naïve but I honestly don’t think she meant that she was staying in the race hoping that Obama might be assassinated in June as was Bobby Kennedy. I know it sounded that way and the media and pundits jumped on her but I really think it was more of a case of not being more careful of how she was saying something.
She was trying to defend why she should stay in the primaries and was simply giving examples of other primaries that were still being contested in the summer months. She said that her husband didn’t wrap up his first primaries until June and that Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June. Again, she was only trying to point out that Bobby was still campaigning in the month of June, not that she was waiting for someone to assassinate Obama.
What is interesting is how everyone immediately thought the worst of her. It says a lot about her character or at least how others perceive her character that they would even think she might be hoping her opponent was shot. And more than anything else that is why she should never be president. How could you possibly trust Hillary when you believe she is capable of doing almost anything to obtain her goals? And some would say that she has done the unthinkable before to protect herself (think Vince Foster).
Even though Hillary might not have meant she was waiting for Obama to be assassinated I am nervous that there are some who might take her up on that. God forbid, if Obama were to be shot, Hillary could not be the candidate for too many people would remember this statement and say she was the cause. One bright spot is that the majority of Hillary’s most ardent supporters are middle aged white woman. That is the least likely group to pick up a gun and go after somebody. But as they say, it only takes one crazy person and no matter what the demographics every group has at least one nut case.
On the other side, John McCain should be on his hands and knees thanking Hillary for her controversial statement. Late Friday he published his medical records and his wife’s tax returns from last year. It is a typical politician’s tactic to provide potentially damaging information on the eve of a three day weekend when most people have the TV’s turned off and aren’t paying attention to the news. Clinton’s faux pas combined with all the continuing weather related disasters and stories on the high gas prices dropped McCain’s news to the bottom of the stories being reported.
Most people, though. aren’t paying much attention to politics right now. And I must admit that I love this weekend. As a child it meant a big parade in my small town where if I wasn’t marching in my Girl Scout uniform then I could be found with my family under the big tree waving my little flag. And then regardless of how cold it still might be you just had to take a dip in the pool even if it was just a quick in and out. As an adult this was always the first big national holiday since February and I really looked forward to the much needed three day weekend.
As you enjoy your holiday here is a final fun political thought. In addition to parades, pools, beaches and cook outs, this weekend also marks the start of the summer movie season. For me, as for many others, I can’t wait to go see the new Indiana Jones movie. But keep this in mind as you watch Harrison Ford in this action packed movie – this vibrant, energetic, man is just 7 years younger than John McCain!
She was trying to defend why she should stay in the primaries and was simply giving examples of other primaries that were still being contested in the summer months. She said that her husband didn’t wrap up his first primaries until June and that Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June. Again, she was only trying to point out that Bobby was still campaigning in the month of June, not that she was waiting for someone to assassinate Obama.
What is interesting is how everyone immediately thought the worst of her. It says a lot about her character or at least how others perceive her character that they would even think she might be hoping her opponent was shot. And more than anything else that is why she should never be president. How could you possibly trust Hillary when you believe she is capable of doing almost anything to obtain her goals? And some would say that she has done the unthinkable before to protect herself (think Vince Foster).
Even though Hillary might not have meant she was waiting for Obama to be assassinated I am nervous that there are some who might take her up on that. God forbid, if Obama were to be shot, Hillary could not be the candidate for too many people would remember this statement and say she was the cause. One bright spot is that the majority of Hillary’s most ardent supporters are middle aged white woman. That is the least likely group to pick up a gun and go after somebody. But as they say, it only takes one crazy person and no matter what the demographics every group has at least one nut case.
On the other side, John McCain should be on his hands and knees thanking Hillary for her controversial statement. Late Friday he published his medical records and his wife’s tax returns from last year. It is a typical politician’s tactic to provide potentially damaging information on the eve of a three day weekend when most people have the TV’s turned off and aren’t paying attention to the news. Clinton’s faux pas combined with all the continuing weather related disasters and stories on the high gas prices dropped McCain’s news to the bottom of the stories being reported.
Most people, though. aren’t paying much attention to politics right now. And I must admit that I love this weekend. As a child it meant a big parade in my small town where if I wasn’t marching in my Girl Scout uniform then I could be found with my family under the big tree waving my little flag. And then regardless of how cold it still might be you just had to take a dip in the pool even if it was just a quick in and out. As an adult this was always the first big national holiday since February and I really looked forward to the much needed three day weekend.
As you enjoy your holiday here is a final fun political thought. In addition to parades, pools, beaches and cook outs, this weekend also marks the start of the summer movie season. For me, as for many others, I can’t wait to go see the new Indiana Jones movie. But keep this in mind as you watch Harrison Ford in this action packed movie – this vibrant, energetic, man is just 7 years younger than John McCain!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Some Little Olympic Thoughts…
When they first announced that the 2008 Olympics were to be held in China I was ambivalent about the idea. On one hand it would be a fascinating place and might help to open up the country to other cultures and ideas. On the other hand seared in my memory is the picture of the lone student facing off the column of tanks. So a part of me didn’t think China should be rewarded for their nationalistic and militaristic behavior but I hoped that maybe some good might come of it after all.
Today I am almost glad that it will be there. I think the people in China need something to boost them after the devastating earthquake that has literally and figuratively rocked their country. It will also give the rest of the world the excuse to enter the country. Perhaps now in addition to playing games they might also be able to see and help the affected areas.
I also feel some sympathy for the Olympic Committee. For the first time the running of the flame turned into a political debacle. Tibetan and human right activists protested against China wherever the flame was seen. This caused some hide and seek tactics by the keepers of the flame thereby denying people who had spent hours waiting to simply watch the flame go by.
And yet there was one place the flame was going where no one could follow and would be a public relation coup for the Olympic Committee. On May 8th a Tibetan woman held the Olympic torch at the top of Mount Everest after she and a camera crew scaled this highest peak to literally take the flame to the top of the world. Unfortunately it got lost in the headlines about the cyclone and elections and other news and that is too bad. It really could have been a much needed feel good story.
But then yesterday the Olympic Committee announced a decision that has me angry at them all over again. This time they decided that a double amputee from South Africa who is fitted with fancy mechanical legs is allowed to compete in Track and Field. Excuse me? I don't know if this is one of those politically correct, help the disabled motivated decisions but it is definitely not the right decision. What is next? Someone with a bionic arm entering the discus throwing competition? The list is endless... I do admire the man for overcoming his disability and managing to run much less walk again but he should not be allowed to compete with nonmechanically enhanced athletes. The Olympics should stay true to their original intentions of pitting those gorgeous muscular human bodies against each other in competition. Clothes optional.
Today I am almost glad that it will be there. I think the people in China need something to boost them after the devastating earthquake that has literally and figuratively rocked their country. It will also give the rest of the world the excuse to enter the country. Perhaps now in addition to playing games they might also be able to see and help the affected areas.
I also feel some sympathy for the Olympic Committee. For the first time the running of the flame turned into a political debacle. Tibetan and human right activists protested against China wherever the flame was seen. This caused some hide and seek tactics by the keepers of the flame thereby denying people who had spent hours waiting to simply watch the flame go by.
And yet there was one place the flame was going where no one could follow and would be a public relation coup for the Olympic Committee. On May 8th a Tibetan woman held the Olympic torch at the top of Mount Everest after she and a camera crew scaled this highest peak to literally take the flame to the top of the world. Unfortunately it got lost in the headlines about the cyclone and elections and other news and that is too bad. It really could have been a much needed feel good story.
But then yesterday the Olympic Committee announced a decision that has me angry at them all over again. This time they decided that a double amputee from South Africa who is fitted with fancy mechanical legs is allowed to compete in Track and Field. Excuse me? I don't know if this is one of those politically correct, help the disabled motivated decisions but it is definitely not the right decision. What is next? Someone with a bionic arm entering the discus throwing competition? The list is endless... I do admire the man for overcoming his disability and managing to run much less walk again but he should not be allowed to compete with nonmechanically enhanced athletes. The Olympics should stay true to their original intentions of pitting those gorgeous muscular human bodies against each other in competition. Clothes optional.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Florida, Florida, Florida
The delegate count is beginning to slowly build up for Obama with the magic number clearly in sight for him. Although I don’t particularly care for him I nonetheless am beginning to breathe a sigh of relief. Why? Because I live in Florida and if Obama has enough votes without Florida then Clinton can’t drag this state into a controversial fight for the Democratic nomination.
After the last two elections there were people who absolutely hated my state. Yet to those of us living here it seemed extremely unfair. That whole business of hanging shads and miscounted votes happened in South Florida. Everybody knows that Palm Beach and Miami are partly populated with Yankees; retired New Yorkers, Bostonians and other northerners. It is also a haven for immigrants, legal and otherwise, who may not have a good handle on the English language. But it definitely isn’t representative of the rest of the state.
Nonetheless, Democrats blamed Gore’s loss on Florida, regardless of where in the state you lived. And their anger and bitterness ran so deep that when my state was hit with three consecutive hurricanes in 2004 causing terrible devastation across the state they blamed it on God punishing Floridians for the past elections. Excuse me? You try being huddled in a bathtub for hours on end while not one, not two but three hurricanes come tearing across your front door. There is nothing as unnerving as to suddenly lose power right after your local weatherman announces that the eye of the hurricane was over your hometown. Then as friends and neighbors are cleaning up and making repairs to be told by some scathing Democrats that you deserved it.
They were still angry at us in the 2004 election where Florida was one of the main reasons the Democrats lost, again. If this state is that important to the Democrats you would think they might be a bit nicer to us. But noooooo. After the ’04 loss many of them couldn’t stop saying how stupid we were to vote for Bush again plus to have a Bush as governor, too. I still don’t quite get that strategy. If you want someone on your side you probably shouldn’t call them stupid.
Now here we are in the middle of election season and my state is again in the middle of the debate because Florida leaders moved up the primary date against the party’s rules. The National Republican leaders said they would only count half of the Republican delegates while the Democratic leaders said that they won’t count any of the Democratic Florida’s votes. Even though over 1.5 million Floridians voted for a Democratic candidate they were told that not one of their votes count.
OK, that makes sense. You have a state that has been pivotal in losing the past two elections and you tell them that for this primary their votes don’t even count. I can’t help but think that the National Democratic Committee is still punishing Floridians because of the past two elections. Call it revenge for 2000 and payback for 2004 but I just call it very nearsighted. They will need these votes come November, yet why should the voters turn out for them since the leadership has said they don’t count now in the primaries.
Florida appears to at least have avoided being dragged into an internal party fight for their candidate. Obama Democrats continue to say Florida doesn’t count whereas Hillary’s team wants to count her votes from this state. There were definite signs that the two Democrat groups were going to once again fight over votes from Florida. But as I said up front, luckily it appears that Barack is now in such a commanding lead that even with our votes Hillary still won’t catch up to him. Whew. I feel almost as relieved as I do when a hurricane heading my way turns course at the last minute and goes out to sea. Yet even though we may have missed this one who knows what might churn up come November? I guess we Floridians will just have to hunker down and wait and see what roll we might end up playing this fall. But if we don’t vote for the Democrat’s candidate and they lose for a third time, just call it payback for counting us out in the primary….
After the last two elections there were people who absolutely hated my state. Yet to those of us living here it seemed extremely unfair. That whole business of hanging shads and miscounted votes happened in South Florida. Everybody knows that Palm Beach and Miami are partly populated with Yankees; retired New Yorkers, Bostonians and other northerners. It is also a haven for immigrants, legal and otherwise, who may not have a good handle on the English language. But it definitely isn’t representative of the rest of the state.
Nonetheless, Democrats blamed Gore’s loss on Florida, regardless of where in the state you lived. And their anger and bitterness ran so deep that when my state was hit with three consecutive hurricanes in 2004 causing terrible devastation across the state they blamed it on God punishing Floridians for the past elections. Excuse me? You try being huddled in a bathtub for hours on end while not one, not two but three hurricanes come tearing across your front door. There is nothing as unnerving as to suddenly lose power right after your local weatherman announces that the eye of the hurricane was over your hometown. Then as friends and neighbors are cleaning up and making repairs to be told by some scathing Democrats that you deserved it.
They were still angry at us in the 2004 election where Florida was one of the main reasons the Democrats lost, again. If this state is that important to the Democrats you would think they might be a bit nicer to us. But noooooo. After the ’04 loss many of them couldn’t stop saying how stupid we were to vote for Bush again plus to have a Bush as governor, too. I still don’t quite get that strategy. If you want someone on your side you probably shouldn’t call them stupid.
Now here we are in the middle of election season and my state is again in the middle of the debate because Florida leaders moved up the primary date against the party’s rules. The National Republican leaders said they would only count half of the Republican delegates while the Democratic leaders said that they won’t count any of the Democratic Florida’s votes. Even though over 1.5 million Floridians voted for a Democratic candidate they were told that not one of their votes count.
OK, that makes sense. You have a state that has been pivotal in losing the past two elections and you tell them that for this primary their votes don’t even count. I can’t help but think that the National Democratic Committee is still punishing Floridians because of the past two elections. Call it revenge for 2000 and payback for 2004 but I just call it very nearsighted. They will need these votes come November, yet why should the voters turn out for them since the leadership has said they don’t count now in the primaries.
Florida appears to at least have avoided being dragged into an internal party fight for their candidate. Obama Democrats continue to say Florida doesn’t count whereas Hillary’s team wants to count her votes from this state. There were definite signs that the two Democrat groups were going to once again fight over votes from Florida. But as I said up front, luckily it appears that Barack is now in such a commanding lead that even with our votes Hillary still won’t catch up to him. Whew. I feel almost as relieved as I do when a hurricane heading my way turns course at the last minute and goes out to sea. Yet even though we may have missed this one who knows what might churn up come November? I guess we Floridians will just have to hunker down and wait and see what roll we might end up playing this fall. But if we don’t vote for the Democrat’s candidate and they lose for a third time, just call it payback for counting us out in the primary….
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Why Hillary Should Stay In the Race
Everywhere on the radio, TV and internet people are saying that it is time for Hillary to step aside. For once I am in agreement with Hillary and feel she should stay in the race until the convention. I don’t say this because I think she can win, she can’t. Not unless something so outside of the pale is found out about Obama that it forces him to stand aside and I definitely don’t see that happening. I also don’t think Clinton is staying in the hopes that Obama will pick her as his VP. That isn’t going to happen either.
So why should she continue to stay in the Presidential Race? If she should get out now it would look like she is admitting failure. That Obama is the winner and has beaten her. Admitting defeat or even admit the softer sounding idea of being pushed out is not something either of the Clintons can easily say. Not when she can walk out of this looking like a winner, even though Obama becomes the Democratic candidate for president.
Imagine this…. It is the convention and Clinton stands before all of the delegates, party big wigs and the whole nation via the TV coverage she would be sure to capture. Then Hillary delivers the speech of her life in which she graciously “gives” Obama all of her committed delegates. She then asks all who voted for her to help out Obama for the sake of party unity. Now instead of looking like a loser as she would if she dropped out before the convention she instead appears to be a “kingmaker”. She turns defeat into victory by giving the nation the illusion that Obama becomes the nominee only because of Hillary and her delegates.
If she did this it would totally belittle Obama’s wins. She would effectively have him cornered where he would have to now thank Hillary even though he and most of the world knows that he would have been the candidate even without her help. And if he tries to say as much or complain he would now be the one accused of tearing the party apart and even of being rude to Clinton. Plus if Hillary’s supporters who are angry at Obama end up voting for McCain this would not be Hillary’s fault for she could point to this speech and say she told them to go with Obama. It would then be Obama’s problem for not being able to keep them….
I have no idea if Hillary has envisioned this kind of end but I wouldn’t be surprised if the thought has crossed her mind. But I just don’t know if she can withstand the growing pressure from all sides to step down now. I am not fond of any of the Clintons but a part of me is rooting for her to hang in there and then go out like a winner at the convention.
So why should she continue to stay in the Presidential Race? If she should get out now it would look like she is admitting failure. That Obama is the winner and has beaten her. Admitting defeat or even admit the softer sounding idea of being pushed out is not something either of the Clintons can easily say. Not when she can walk out of this looking like a winner, even though Obama becomes the Democratic candidate for president.
Imagine this…. It is the convention and Clinton stands before all of the delegates, party big wigs and the whole nation via the TV coverage she would be sure to capture. Then Hillary delivers the speech of her life in which she graciously “gives” Obama all of her committed delegates. She then asks all who voted for her to help out Obama for the sake of party unity. Now instead of looking like a loser as she would if she dropped out before the convention she instead appears to be a “kingmaker”. She turns defeat into victory by giving the nation the illusion that Obama becomes the nominee only because of Hillary and her delegates.
If she did this it would totally belittle Obama’s wins. She would effectively have him cornered where he would have to now thank Hillary even though he and most of the world knows that he would have been the candidate even without her help. And if he tries to say as much or complain he would now be the one accused of tearing the party apart and even of being rude to Clinton. Plus if Hillary’s supporters who are angry at Obama end up voting for McCain this would not be Hillary’s fault for she could point to this speech and say she told them to go with Obama. It would then be Obama’s problem for not being able to keep them….
I have no idea if Hillary has envisioned this kind of end but I wouldn’t be surprised if the thought has crossed her mind. But I just don’t know if she can withstand the growing pressure from all sides to step down now. I am not fond of any of the Clintons but a part of me is rooting for her to hang in there and then go out like a winner at the convention.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Economy Is Just Fine
The democrats and mass media keep saying how bad the economy is but I just don’t get it. Maybe because 20+ years ago the economy really was awful. In comparison to today’s prices, gas was a bargain back then at $1.19 on average in 1980. But just two years earlier it had been fifty-nine cents. So gas doubled in price in only a couple of years and crossed the psychologically important barrier of $1.00. During the same two-year time period the unemployment rate jumped from 5.8% to 7.1% and by 1983 was at a high of 9.7%. Recently the unemployment rate has been increasing but it still has a way to go before it reaches the highs of 20 plus years ago.
The major economic indicator that I remember was the interest rate. Pretty hard to forget it when the year-end 1980 Federal Reserve interest rate was a whopping 21.50%! On the other hand, the prime rate was recently lowered to just 2.0%. That’s nearly a 20 percentage point difference. You can imagine the interest payments on houses and cars not to mention the rates on credit cards back then!
I graduated from college in 1980 just when the unemployment rate was heading toward nearly 10%, gas had doubled and my credit card company was charging me unfathomable rates. So when the politicians today get all upset over the economy I simply have to laugh.
I think that the media is making a mountain out of a molehill and handing the Democratic politicians a topic to use against the Republicans. Yes, I know that voters said that the economy was a major factor when they voted. But if you are told over and over again that the economy is tanking by people who are supposed to be reliable and trustworthy then you. too, will eventually believe that the economy is down. I just wonder how many people would say that yes the economy is bad for other people, but they are doing just fine.
The major economic indicator that I remember was the interest rate. Pretty hard to forget it when the year-end 1980 Federal Reserve interest rate was a whopping 21.50%! On the other hand, the prime rate was recently lowered to just 2.0%. That’s nearly a 20 percentage point difference. You can imagine the interest payments on houses and cars not to mention the rates on credit cards back then!
I graduated from college in 1980 just when the unemployment rate was heading toward nearly 10%, gas had doubled and my credit card company was charging me unfathomable rates. So when the politicians today get all upset over the economy I simply have to laugh.
I think that the media is making a mountain out of a molehill and handing the Democratic politicians a topic to use against the Republicans. Yes, I know that voters said that the economy was a major factor when they voted. But if you are told over and over again that the economy is tanking by people who are supposed to be reliable and trustworthy then you. too, will eventually believe that the economy is down. I just wonder how many people would say that yes the economy is bad for other people, but they are doing just fine.
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