Too Early for 2012? I hope not because...

I guess it's time to start commenting on the 2012 Presidential race. I apologize if it seems too early but these things are too important to leave to chance. As the Republican field becomes clearer, I'll comment here on the aspirations of the various aspirants. And they are various, aren't they? It'll be general at first, but when the field is winnowed to a precious few, the comments will become more analytical, I promised you. But let's begin by easily separating the "doesn't have a chance" chaff from the remaining classical chaff. (I don't think there is any "wheat" to consider, but I'll try.)


Newt Gingrich: Not a snow ball's chance. His staff used to say "Newt has enough ideas to fill a file cabinet; his good ideas would sit in a desktop pencil box with room to spare." If that's not enough to know, consider that this man is the human who started the modern bitter partisan bickering when he came to Congress and has continued to feed it every day that he draws a breath. One more thing: Has it ever occurred to you that when he walks into a room, his girth combined with his sly grin make him look like Captain Kangeroo?

Sarah Palin: If she lead the "Know Nothing Party," she might have a chance at the nomination, but she doesn't.


Michele Bachmann: Best example of reductive evolution walking around upright today. So very sad. Where was the shot heard round the world fired, Michele?


Donald Trump: He is undoubtedly an extremely smart businessman, but he is a political idiot. Regrettable that he is the only person in America who doesn't know it.


I'll let you know when I get through with the "doesn't have a chance" chaff. It may be a while.

Next time:
Mike Huckabee
Haley Barbour
Mitt Romney
Tim Pawlenty

Feeling Sorry for the GOP Today

They are flailing about looking for leadership like no other time in their history. They are desperate! Right now, they are trolling television looking for that someone with the RR charisma that includes twinkling eyes, consistently colored hair and the ability to deliver beautifully crafted sound bites in 10 seconds or less.

They thought they had that someone in Bush 43 but we all know how that turned out. The man was not even comfortable in the English language. So they took a close look at Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, until he proved in his weak attempt at a rebuttal to the State of the Union speech that he had the oratorical skills of a gnat. Next it was Sarah Palin who, by the way, continues to demonstrate daily that she is about ready to take an 8th grade history class. But with those cute legs, who cares: "Pay her the dough and let's go watch the show." Then there was Scott Brown, the Tea Party darling of Boston who won Ted Kennedy's Senate seat (through ineptness of the candidate, AG Coakley). Scott Brown has proven to be an independent thinker and the GOP can't have any of that, so scratch him off the list. And so, along comes Marco Rubio, who is about to crush Governor Charlie Crist for the GOP nomination to the Senate from Florida. Rubio hasn't even won the nomination in Florida and already the GOP is pursuing him for the national race in 2012. He is embarrassed by his party's desperation.

Here's my suggestion: Go back to Hollywood. Pick out someone like Ronald Reagan who will make you feel good even as he triples the federal debt and presides over an unemployment rate of above 10% for 10 consecutive months in 1982-83 (that's correct!!) and also watched government expand its reach exponentially during his two terms in office. And you didn't care. In fact, you idolize him for all that. He is the "morning in America" President, who watched government grow and neither you nor him cared a bit. Don't you wish you had someone like that for 2012?? Of course you do. Look, start with the tape of celebs on the Red Carpet at this year's Oscar Awards Ceremony. There's got to be a candidate there for you. Don't start with Charlton Heston. I understand he is not available anymore....but there are many who are.

You're welcome. No problem at all.

They Eat Their Young

Did you see where David Frum, former Bush speech writer was forced out of his job with the American Enterprise Institute for saying some slightly critical things about the GOP loss on health care reform? Frum says it appears some of the donors had something to do with it. Make that the GOP Pure Police. You have to be pure to be a Republican these days. If you vary from the party line, if you dare think for yourself, if you dare talk about bipartisanship, you are in deep trouble.What will happen, you say? Well, if you are a lobbyist, you lose your job; if you are a member of Congress, you get a primary opponent next time. "We will weed you out" seems to be the governing dicta of the Pure Police. "We pull all weeds."

I'm concerned. I think we should all be concerned to see that the intelligent people have been forced out of the GOP by extreme elements (tea partiers) of the GOP.

Did you see Sarah Palin introducing John McCain to a partisan crowd in Arizona today? I have never seen John McCain so uncomfortable. He kept looking at his notes (When is she going to finish), and off to the side (Where is some aide who will come to my rescue), she embraced the tea party movement entirely and said if you are supporting John McCain, you are part of the tea party movement (Help, is there no one who will get her off the stage for me). After a while you began to feel sorry for him. But that leather jacket with the zippers on it in strategic places was fetching, wasn't it. Wouldn't she make a good President?

"Politics as Usual"

Friends have asked, "So, what do you make of Sarah Palin's resignation?"

Well, I want to take her at her word so I will use what I call the "Larry Craig test of political truthiness." You remember when Larry Craig first walked to the microphones to defend himself on the charge that he had solicited sex in an airport men's room, he said very clearly in the middle of his defense, "I am not gay. I never have been gay. I have never engaged in gay activity." Now, right there, you knew he was gay.

Trust me, I have studied political non-speech for 38 years and I am sharing with you the benefit of that carefully cultivated insight.

What does this have to do with Sarah Palin? In her rambling resignation speech, she said she did not believe in politics as usual. Not three times, but five times she referenced this closely held conviction:

1. "...I promised no more politics as usual."
2. "...Trust me with this decision and know that it is no more politics as usual."
3. "...It's no more politics as usual..."
4. "...No more conventional politics as usual."
5. "...I'm not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual."

Make no mistake about it: Sarah Palin's decision was strictly politics as usual. Her ambition rules her every move. It is too bad that somewhere along the way she didn't let her brain learn some of the substance that her ambition could use today.

She will soon be free to raise the money she needs, to pick up the favors she needs, to assemble the organization she needs to make a run for President in 2012. And the voters will exercise their good judgment at the polls in 2012....and that is the best part of "politics as usual."

National Erratum

Apparently, Sarah Palin has never read the Constitution for she does not have even a fundamental grasp of the rights protected. She asserted on the campaign trail last week that media criticism of her may be a violation of her right to free speech.

Wrong, Sarah.

It is the First Amendment that protects everyone’s right to free speech, and especially the right of a free press to criticize those charged with the responsibility of upholding the US Constitution. Sarah, please read it once or at least ask someone to explain it to you. (I prefer that you not ask your husband, who has previously only demonstrated his interest in having Alaska secede from the Union.)

PS Note to founders: I’m sorry, Mr. Madison, we are not doing our best right now. Please apologize to Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Adams for us, too.

It's Bill Clinton's Fault

What is it with Republicans? Why do they hate Bill Clinton so much that they HAVE to attach every misbegotten deed that has adversely impacted the nation since he left office to something he did or didn’t do during the 8 years he was in office?

Mmmmmmmm…?

Was it his success as a President? Was it the balanced budget he submitted to Congress which Republican Presidents in recent history were want to do? Was it the enormous prosperity the country enjoyed during his presidency? Was it the record jobs created during his years of federal stewardship?

Or was it those moments of immoral behavior, moments of personal failing that have caused them to hate him so? If so, where is the Christian spirit of forgiveness they supposedly learned in church school each Sunday? Where were these “Christians” when THAT lesson was being taught?

I’ve heard Bill Clinton blamed for Osama bin Laden’s attacks on America. To hear Pat Robertson tell it, 9/11 was a direct result of Bill Clinton’s presidency. I’m sure he must have thought up that Mission Accomplished banner, too, knowing all the while the grief it would cause Bush 43.

I’ve heard him blamed for the mortgage crisis. One of the talk radio nuts said it was Bill Clinton who came up with the subprime lending scheme.

The next thing you know the Republicans will blame global warming on Bill Clinton. I guess he is to blame also for all those terrible hurricanes visited upon the Bush Administration. And surely he is to blame for those high prices at the gas pump which had us all running for Japanese hybrids.

Male pattern baldness will be next. Just ask Rush Limbaugh.

I’ll bet Bill Clinton was the one who gave John McCain the idea that Sarah Palin would be a good choice for a running mate.

Let's Move On

I'm done with Sarah Palin. You'll find no more comment here about this unfortunate woman. The GOP spent $150,000 on a new wardrobe for her and she didn't care enough about their political fortunes to find out what the US Constitution says about the duties of the Vice President. She told CNN yesterday that she would be "in charge" of the US Senate and couldn't wait to "get in there with the Senators to change policy." Uh, excuse me, Sarah, but that's not what a Vice President does...and that's made pretty clear by the US Constitution as every elementary grade student learns.

Someone should tell her to read the Constitution some day, perhaps on the plane as she and the "first dude" fly back permanently to their little moose lodge in Wasilla. She will soon have plenty of time to learn more about the three branches of our republican form of government. It shouldn't take more than a day or two for her to find the section of the Constitution that actually describes the limited duties of the "VeePee" -- as she likes to say.

Who is the most popular governor in America?

John McCain is quick to tell us his running mate is “the most popular governor in America” and that’s supposed to be a good reason we should vote for her (and him).

There is only one problem with that: Sarah Palin is NOT the most popular governor in America.

In July 2007, The Weekly Standard reported Governor Sarah Palin had “an approval rating in the 90s” and the report was based on a recent public survey in Alaska. Not your state, not mine, just Alaska.

I have no idea what her approval rating is today in Alaska…but let’s accept “the 90s” estimate of The Weekly Standard. That makes her the most popular current governor in Alaska, that’s all. Until late August, no one in the lower 48 had even heard of her.

She is the most popular governor in Alaska, to be sure, but the rest of us – 300 million of us – have never voted for her, and never rated her anything, until John McCain introduced her in Ohio in August of 2008.

It is incorrect, therefore, for John McCain to keep referring to her as the most popular governor in America. If John McCain says, “Sarah Palin has a statewide approval rating in Alaska that is higher than the approval rating of any other sitting governor in his or her state,” I can accept that.

Breaking News: Hold the phone. On October 1, 2008 Mason-Dixon Polling reported her ratings had tumbled to around 68 percent. While that is still good, there are two governors in Western states with approval ratings in the low 80s, and at least two in the 60s. Now McCain can’t say she is the most popular governor – uh, anywhere. Dang it!

She didn't blink

When Sarah Palin was asked if she hesitated for a moment when she got the call from John McCain asking her to join him on the Republican ticket this year, her response was , "No, I didn't. You don't blink when a call like that comes in. You say "yes" and you say it for your country."

That was the comment that convinced me John McCain had made a mistake.

Anyone who has even a grade school understanding of the complex problems facing this nation would have hesitated, would have been given pause by the sheer weight of the question, would have asked for time to think about it, discuss it with family, and consider whether the full scope of their public service experience and their intellect would be sufficient for the task. But no, she didn't need to do that. She didn't even blink once. Sarah Palin said, "yes." Her country was calling and she was ready to serve.

Now, John McCain surely is having second thoughts about his decision. Surely he would like to reconsider a decision he made in haste in the desperate moments after Barack Obama concluded his speech to 90,000 screaming faithful in Denver's football stadium.

Sarah thinks of herself as just another "Joe Sixpack," but even Joe would have been humbled by the question. Even good old Joe would have blinked...at least once. She didn't blink, because she was blinded by her own ambitious pursuit of the tiara they award at center stage.

Free Sarah Palin

This is Campbell Brown’s editorial comment on CNN last night on the McCain camp’s sexist treatment of Sarah Palin:

"Tonight I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment. This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong. She is tough. She is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters... Let her have a real news conference with real questions. By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chain you are binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one."

I agree with Campbell. McCain’s minion are doing her no favors and doing a disservice to the voters who have a right to hear from the number two person on the Republican side. Or can it be, she is not ready for prime time and, they fear, never will be. Whatever the case, the truth will out.

Katie Couric of CBS is set to interview Palin tomorrow (Wednesday). Let’s hope she gets more than 30 seconds of Palin’s time.

Ineligible receiver downfield!

I listened yesterday as syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer used a football metaphor to describe McCain's choice of Palin as a running mate. He said, "For McCain, it was a Hail Mary pass to the end zone -- and she caught it!" That's true, she did catch the desperation pass that had only a small chance of success.

But Krauthammer should have finished the metaphor. Here is the rest of the story that will become clear on the "instant replay" machine. The referee threw a flag, pointing out Palin was an ineligible receiver, an ineligible receiver who, before the catch, was a spectator sitting in the stands like everybody else...and just as unqualified to run out onto the playing field as the person who sits next to you and me on any given Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Forget Palin, this is between Obama and McCain.

In the end, this presidential race is about the choice between Barack Obama and John McCain. Never forget that.

Biden and Palin are window dressing. The choices for this country are between the guy who wants to change the direction of America and another guy who doesn’t.

A Republican friend called me to ask why I was so passionate about electing Barack Obama. I tried to boil it down to terms he could understand, and said:

"If you think America's treasury is not completely dry, if you think America's military is not completely impotent on the world stage, if you think America's international reputation is still in good shape, if you think global warming is a left wing myth, if you think our domestic infrastructure is still serving our people, if you think financial markets are sound, if you think government agencies the citizens of America depend on are still doing their job, by all means, vote for John McBush.

“If you think America can afford Republican stewardship of our country for another four to eight years, vote for McCain. But if you believe the country needs a new leader capable of effecting true change – not just someone talking about change for political expediency – then you should vote for Barack Obama.”

Do we need another one "just like us?"

Republicans: “Sarah Palin is one of us; isn’t that great!”

Me: “Are you kidding?”

It reminds me of another time – 1952 – when Dwight Eisenhower selected a little known guy named Richard Nixon as his running mate.

If you live long enough you will be witness to history repeating itself. Politics repeats itself altogether too often, in my view. In 1952, the GOP sold us on the unknown Nixon because he was “just like us.” On any given street in America, you could find families with a pregnant teen, professionals fudging expense reports, job applicants padding resumes, ambitious and insecure people seeking approval by firing their enemies and rewarding their friends. Yes, Nixon was just like us. So is Sarah Palin.

But is that really the person you would choose to help lead this nation?

• She is against federal earmarks – except when she needed them to help her career in Alaska.
• She was for the infamous “bridge to nowhere” – until she discovered it was a boondoggle perpetrated on the taxpayers by Sen. Ted Stevens of the US Senate Appropriations Committee.
• She believes family members ought to be off limits to the media – except when she chooses to parade them in front of the cameras for political effect.
• She believes in free speech – except when it protects books Palin doesn’t want in the local library.
• She wants to protect the reproductive rights of rapists and incest offenders by making ALL abortions off limits BUT is in favor of giving her own daughter the right to choose.
• She believes government officials ought to be held accountable to the taxpayers – except when she asks the State of Alaska to reimburse her for nights she spends in her own home, and her husband for trips he has taken on her behalf.

I repeat: America does not need someone “just like us” and especially not like Richard Nixon -- or Sarah Palin.

America needs an extraordinary individual, gifted of wisdom, judgment and intellect, possessing a vision for America that embraces the long term, a person who has made mistakes and learned from them, who will choose the best and brightest men and women to assist him regardless of party affiliation.

Barack Obama is that man; John McCain is not.

John McCain and Sarah Palin are “reformers” who will be true to the legacy of Karl Rove -- and Richard Nixon.

God bless America.

Potpourri

The GOP acceptance speech was seen by more people than watched Obama’s – 38.9 million. Actually he beat Obama by just 1%, but the stat is, nonetheless, amazing given the nation’s dissatisfaction with the Bush administration. However, the reason for the larger audience might be explained this way: Every Republican tuned in to watch McCain and a lot of Democrats, concerned about America’s future, did, too; the Obama speech was watched by every Democrat with access to a TV and a small group of Republicans – small because the rest didn’t want to run the risk of being persuaded that their team is ruining America. How else to explain it?

Palin Again –

Palin was cast as a reformer who fought the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere.” But in fact, she ran for governor in 2006 as a champion of the pork-barrel bridge and “opposed” it only after it was clear the project was dead. We were told that Palin abhors earmarks, the special congressional appropriations that Alaska politicians have used to bleed billions from the American taxpayer. But it turns out Palin fought to get earmarks both as mayor and as governor, hiring lobbyists and going to Washington herself to bring them home.

Perhaps it is a good thing that she has flown back to Alaska to hole up for a few days to read briefing books before coming back to the lower 48 to rejoin the campaign. But will she be ready....really ready?

Palin for the Last Time –

And she attended FIVE different colleges in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree! Six if you count the school she returned to twice!

Elitist?

When you hear a Republican call Obama an elitist, your response should be just these three words: “$300 thousand dollars.” You won’t have to explain it and you won’t have to say anything more. (If you don’t know what I mean by suggesting that answer, send me an e-mail.)

Beyond the Palin

Sarah Palin has a certain honest earnestness that is appealing. That can’t be denied, but beyond that, what does it say about the top of the ticket when second place creates more excitement.

Rest assured, in the end, this will be a fight between Barack Obama and John McCain. Unlike Bush 43, McCain's choice for second position will not reassure us that America will be OK.

Last night proved only that she reads well...and we knew that would be the case. After all, she is quite familiar with the teleprompter having worked intermittently as a sportscaster. And I predict John McCain will not read as well tonight because he has always been uncomfortable with the teleprompter. And this is such a superficial group of delegates that McCain should be careful that don't decide to reverse the order on the ticket.

What is the state of our selection process when a lady, little known outside her hometown of 7,000 in Alaska, can walk onto the stage 60 days prior to the election and have people saying, "Yeah, that's the one?"

Wait a minute.

This is America we're talking about, isn’t it?

We're talking about selecting the President and Vice President of our country.

Forget for a moment that she represents extreme right wing views that are contrary to those of mainstream Americans. Where is she on issues of substance that matter to you and me?

For 20 months, Sarah Palin has held the office of governor from a small state (population), and she is to be commended for her efforts to serve the needs of her people, but what can she tell us about our economy, what does she know about the threat of nuclear proliferation, what does she know about hydrogen fuel cells and alternative fuel sources. Does she believe drilling for more oil to burn is really going to improve the environment? She made that dubious connection broadly in one summary statement last night. There were many instances in her speech where one could only conclude she does not know much about the subject.

How far will that honest earnestness take her?