On "Civility"

We happened across this blog by Sara Robinson, on barbarism vs. civil society. As an occasional visitor to Canada (and one who invariably meets a nice Canadian couple on vacation), I can attest to the author's depiction of Canada as a truly civil society -- one that, by the way, has liberals, conservatives, and everything in between in its politics, and manages to maintain its "nice." It's well worth reading.

"The Democrats' Reagan"

It's not often that we agree (to a great extent) with George "Where's My Powdered Wig?" Will, who one suspects was born 200 years too late. But his op/ed today gives a pretty fair picture of the Clinton campaign's "audacity of hopelessness," and, more interestingly, a brief assessment of the looming fight between Sen. McSame and Sen. Obama:

"McCain's problem might turn out to be the fact that Obama is the Democrats' Reagan...he is Reaganesque in two important senses: People like listening to him, and his manner lulls his adversaries into underestimating his sheer toughness -- the tempered steel beneath the sleek suits." [edited slightly to remove Will's requisite over-estimation of St. Ronnie R]

"Vino" Fossella

Rep. Vito "Vino" Fossella (Rethug-NY) had a bit of a run in with Alexandria, VA, police on May 1. Seems Rep. Fossella was stopped for DUI (his blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit) and running a red light. Fossella, who has a wife and 3 kids, left a DC bar and drove over to Alexandria, where he was either a) going to visit his sick daughter, or b) going to visit "friends", depending on which story he was telling police. The rest of the unseemly story is here, including which "friend" picked him up at the police station early the next morning. There must be something in the DNA of these Rethug pols (a hypocrisy gene, perhaps?) that will ultimately manifest itself. Sad for his innocent family.

(Photo: Rep. Fossella - NOT his mug shot)

The Myanmar Cyclone

Competing on the airwaves with the political news is the horrible news out of Myanmar (formerly Burma) of the incredible devastation caused by the recent cyclone. Now, reports are estimating over 100,000 people may be dead and many more without shelter, food, clean water, and medicine. This is only weeks after a devastating cyclone struck Bangladesh, killing thousands.

We have our challenges here in the U.S., but it's worth remembering that our worst days here would be the best days for so many people in the world who live in poverty and under tyranny.

Time For Them To Go?

With yesterday's primaries returns in North Carolina and Indiana, nearly all pundits and political analysts are giving Sen. Clinton no chance of winning the Democratic nomination. North Carolina (the 10th biggest state) gave Sen. Obama a 14% margin of victory, and he lost Indiana by 1%; he gained a net of 15 delegates, widening his lead and adding over 200,000 to the popular vote lead. Some in the Clinton camp see the reality of the situation, which is creating deeper rifts in the party.

That still doesn't stop them from trying to move the goalposts. To them, it's not 2025 delegates now, it's 2,209 (including the Michigan and Florida primary delegates); to them, it's some notion that they'll convince the remaining superdelegates that Obama's not electable, etc. etc. The almost fanatic drive that the Clintons are exhibiting has demonstrated to many that this is all about a second chance for them, a political "mulligan", after blowing health care reform, and after the impeachment. They seem psychologically incapable of dealing with that, and want another go at it.

When Obama is the nominee and is up against Sen. McSameold, will the Clintons and their followers sit on their hands, hoping for yet another bite of the apple in 2012 if Obama loses? We'll see.

The "Woo-wooooooo" Award Goes To...

Today marks the inauguration of an award we will give periodically to someone who has demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to distinguish between a light at the end of the tunnel and an onrushing locomotive: The "Woo-wooooooo" Award.

We were about to give it to Ken "The Rain Stays Mainly in My Brain" Spain for his brave but ludicrous analysis of this past Saturday's special election in Louisiana (see below). But, at the last minute, we have a new winner: Vice Preznit "Dead Eye" Dick Cheney. Dead Eye gets the coveted award for the following statement, made May 2 in Tulsa, OK (h/t to Daily Kos):

"And when the history is written, it'll be said that we lived in a safer country, and a more hopeful world, because George Bush was President of these United States."

Come on! Let's hear it now: Woo-wooooooo!!!

(Photo: more "Wizard of Oz" imagery for your amusement!)

"Wright and Ridiculous"

Tomorrow's Indiana and North Carolina primaries will provide some indication as to whether the amoral "glue-Obama-to-Wright" alliance between the Clinton campaign, Rethug pols, and the media is having traction among the voters. Superficial indications would seem to indicate that it is, given the incessant focus on what could be the most trivial "issue" in a major campaign since the foofaw over whether Chester A. Arthur used beeswax in his "burnsides." Sebastian Mallaby has this op/ed in today's WaPo, once more putting into perspective what the amoralist alliance would like to make this campaign about: not the economy, not Iraq, not fighting terrorism, not global climate change, not energy independence, not immigration policy, not the make-up of the Supreme Court.

As the "Wizard of Oz" said, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"

Jinxed?

Sen. Clinton made a big point of telling people at campaign events to bet on the only female horse in the Kentucky Derby, the filly Eight Belles (how clever: filly, Clinton, horse race; get it?)

Eight Belles finished second in Saturday's Derby, but very sadly it had to be euthanized after breaking both of its front legs.

(photo: The member of Clinton's staff who created the comparison between her and the horse)

Spinnin', Bayou-Style

Yesterday in a special election, Democrat Paul Cazayoux, Jr. (left) won a House seat (the 6th Congressional District) formerly held by Republicans...for the past 33 years. For perspective, Gerald Ford was President the last time a Democrat was elected in the 6th. Republican strategists were using the race as a test-run to see if pinning Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi to the Democrat would be a winning strategy for races in the fall. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken "The Rain Stays Mainly in My Brain" Spain has this extraordinary spin (try not to lol):

"When Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi were introduced into this campaign, Don Cazayoux was leading by a large margin in the polls and Republicans substantially closed that gap. This election speaks to the potential toxicity of an Obama candidacy and the possible drag he could have down-ballot this fall."

Umm, yeah, Ken. I think the "drags" seem to be the "Republican" brand and the Preznit who has helped give it its "toxicity." Someone pass Ken some more Kool-Aid.

Iraq War About Oil?

That's what John McSame seemed to suggest today in a town hall meeting in Colorado:
"I will have an energy policy. . . that will prevent us from ever having to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East."

Again? So we sent them there because of our dependence on Middle East oil, not to capture WMD or fight al Qaeda?

The Huffington Post has the full statement here.

Praise The Lord, And Pass The Petition

Think Progress reports that the United Methodist Church's governing body voted 844 to 20 (!!) to forward a petition to Southern Methodist University calling for it to reject the construction of Preznit 27%'s presidential "lie-brary". SMU's property is owned by the United Methodist Church, and the petition cites separation of church and state for its objection.

We think the Methodists are being far too harsh with Dumbya. What harm can be done with a library that contains a few copies of "My Pet Goat", and "Presidentin' For Dummies"?

(photo: Dumbya with his latest arts & crafts project)

Key Superdelegate Switches Sides

Joseph J. Andrew of Indiana, former chair of the Democratic National Committee in President Clinton's day, has switched from an HRC superdelegate to Sen. Obama. His public announcement is long but makes for interesting reading.

Quote of the Week

"Is that God up there?" -- the question asked by 5 year old Felix Fritzl when seeing the moon for the first time. He's the grandson/son of the depraved monster Josef Fritzl, who raped and imprisoned his daughter over 24 years, fathering a number of children by her, who also were imprisioned in the cellar of Fritzl's home. Absolutely heartbreaking.

"Mission Accomplished" Fifth Anniversary

Five years ago today, Dumbya donned a flight suit and had himself flown aboard the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, anchored off the coast of California, to declare the end of major military operations in Iraq. After strutting around the deck like an extra in "Top Gun," Dumbya changed into a business suit and stepped behind a podium, the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner strung behind him on the orders of Pentagon political types.

We all know how that turned out. Editor and Publisher marks the anniversary with a nice summary of how the fawning media -- from Tweety Matthews to MoDo and Brian Williams -- were shamelessly falling over themselves to shower the Presidunce in false glory. As his approval rating slips into the 20s, maybe Dumbya should make another landing on one of the carriers he's ordered off the coast of Iran, site of his next war of choice. Anything but going after al Qaeda; that's too hard.

Divorced From Reality

By now, the vast majority of Americans have written Dumbya off as either a dunce, or delusional, especially when it comes to his failed efforts to defeat al Qaeda. In Tuesday's press conference, the Presidunce's scripted message on the economy was interrupted by a question on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. Dumbya insisted that we were winning the conflict in Afghanistan, despite the recent assassination attempt on Afghan leader Hamid Karzai and stepped up attacks.

If the Presidunce only knew what his own State Department was going to say the day after his statement: their annual country report on the situation in Afghanistan saying that al Qaeda was getting stronger, had gained back some of its pre-9/11 operational effectiveness, and had greater mobility in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region.