The Twilight Zone

One of the credos that I live by is "always beware of things out of character". As in --> "Jessica, do you trust so-and-so?" "Yes, I trust him to always do the wrong thing."

As a structural Democrat, I usually have good things to say about the blues and bad things to say about the reds (and red **IS** such an angry colour) but not today.....EEK!

It begins like any Twilight Zone episode, with a normal event. Olivia had to go to the vet, and since I correctly knew that his office would be decked out as the core Ron Paul supporter he is, I wore my cute little Obama hat. Luckily, although there for something else, it turned out that what I thought was a tick scar was actually a little cyst, now removed, and Olivia is back to fine. My vet is a brilliant holist, a great guy, and couldn't have more divergent political views than I on fundamental issues if we played the Dan Akroyd-Jane Curtain pair on the 1970's SNL. Still, in our political discussion yesterday, we have SOME common ground, which gives me some hope that America can, with the right leadership, get back to working together towards greatness.

Now -- enter the zone:

Wednesday night was the annual correspondents' dinner in DC. Dick Cheyney and Mitt Romney were FUNNY. Dick said that he asked Lynne if it bothered her that people called him Darth Vader. "No," she said, "It humanizes you." He also said that Hillary's comment on sniper fire wasn't really misspeaking -- she was just confusing it with when he took her hunting. (Come on, it's funny)

And on to Mitt. He gave his 'Top 10 Reasons for Dropping Out of the Race':

10. There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
9. I got tired of corkscrew landings under sniper fire.
8. As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of the varmint season.
7. There wasn't room for two Christian leaders.
6. I was upset that no one had bothered to search my passport files.
5. I needed an excuse to get fat, grow a beard and win the Nobel prize.
4. I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
3. I wanted to finally take off that dark suit and tie, and kick back in a light-colored suit and tie.
2. Once my wife Ann realized I couldn't win, my fundraising dried up.
1. There was a miscalculation in our theory: 'As Utah goes, so goes the nation.'

Thus ends the good things I have to say about the Republicans.

And now on to the Democrats: our target today is Howard Dean. Last night, he came out and said that the SuperDelegates should endorse "starting now." I have a message for Howard Dean: LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Because my mother reads this list, I cannot spew forth the lead-up curses to the ad hominem attack I'd like to. But gently -- if you are IN CHARGE and you want your people to DO SOMETHING -- you should do it first. Howard could set the tone of either "we know where the math is going, and I endorse Barack" -OR- "I think we should overturn the will of the people and I endorse Hillary". This is worse than the scream. Bad, bad, bad.

And then we have Bibi Netanyahu. Not a Democrat, but I'm pretty sure that Likud is more Democratic than Republican in party-type affiliation. (And I'm sure someone will correct me if I got that wrong.) Bibi said that the 9/11 attacks were good for Israel. See the quote at:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/975574.html When Ahmadinejad comes out and says that the Holocaust didn't happen, 9/11 didn't happen, I can say -- this guy is a nut job and I can launch a cursing ad hominem attack my mother would conceivably approve of.

Over the years, I've heard non-Jews confuse "Judaism" as being a "race" (which it is not) with being a religion (which it is). I always correct that misconception when I hear it. Being Jewish is different, though, than most religions -- and while not a "race", we are a "people". And Bibi, it's bad enough that Americans were killed at the Twin Towers, and in the Pennsylvania field, and at the Pentagon -- but also Jews -- YOUR PEOPLE died that day. You shouldn't look for a benefit from that tragedy. Note to MIT -- rescind this guy's diploma. SHAME ON YOU BIBI.

I'm returning now from the Twilight Zone ------

On scouring the net for tidbits and goodies, I found the following:

John McCain, that economic genius, wants to lower the gas tax for the summer. Now, I'm opposed to that on the fundamental belief that conservation is GOOD and I'm actually a fan of raising the gas tax to encourage people to buy little, gas efficient cars. But that's a latte liberal left wing position. HOWEVER I'm joined in thinking that it's a bad idea by that bastion of Republicanism, the Wall Street Journal, which reports that John's little idea could cost a bunch of jobs, and let our highways fall into even greater disrepair. (Remember, the gas tax is a USE tax). http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/04/15/mccains-gas-tax-plan-may-be-a-clunker/?mod=WSJBlog

Yesterday, I wrote about my disgust with George Stephanopoulos and Charles Gibson in handling the Republican attack they called a debate. From what I saw yesterday, mine was not an isolated response. It used to be that you watched Walter or Chet and David, and you thought you could trust the news. (For you youngsters -- look up Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley). I'm proud that, thanks to the internet, the MSM cannot get away with nonsense anymore. Note to Disney (owner of ABC) -- did you REALLY THINK that no one would notice?

Final logistic note -- tomorrow night is Passover, and I'll be tied up all weekend. So, for those of you that worry I've left the planet when I don't publish for a few days -- don't worry -- Monday's piece is called "Happiness" -- it's in the bag, and good to go. If you live in Pennsylvania, Barack will be at the Paoli train station tomorrow -- be there by noon for a good spot. In just 92.5 hours, the polls open in Pennsylvania.