Catching Up on the Garbage

Sorry, I've been away at the Consumer Electronics Show, where time stops and nothing else on earth exists. I'm only just now coming up for air and catching up on life. Random thoughts pop into mind:

George Bush Says He Has Been Misunderestimated.

Just seven more days. Oh, please, just get us through the next seven days. Dear Lord, You created the world in that time, surely holding on to it without another flood or pestilence isn't asking too much.

It's difficult to ignore this grand, last malaprop. First, getting that specific word wrong in that exact context is the very reason people thought he couldn't string two sentences together on his own. It's almost better than "strategery," because it's real. Second, for those saying, "Oh, you know what he meant" -- honestly, I don't. Did he mean "misunderstood" or "underestimate?" Those are two, totally different concepts. But third, was it meant as a joke? It doesn't matter, because we didn't misunderestimate you. That's a real, non-ending pointless war. A real recession, bordering on a depression. If there was any misunderestimating, it was in the breathtaking swath of damage you could do.

And how nice to see you finally own up to some of your mistakes. Of course, it took eight years with no time to correct them. And by the way, the one disaster that you gave yourself a pass on -- "I inherited a recession, I'm ending on a recession" -- is shameful. First, you inherited a budget surplus. You're leaving with nearly a trillion dollar debt. Second, even believing your false argument is "correct," it's pretty pathetic to think you deserve a pass for not improving the economy in two full terms But third, you are not ending on a recession, you're dancing on the edge of a depression and the total collapse of the U.S. economy. You have misunderestimated its devastating scope.

Oh, and not finding WMD's is not a "disappointment." Given that your Administration forged documents, it is a crime.

Sarah Palin Whines. Again.

There's just much too much here to deal with. Her yammering interview was painful to any sense of decency, which I suppose was asking too much. Rather than run through the whole list, I'll note the two most egregious cries that leaped out.

The first was that there was a class double-standard between how the press handled her and Caroline Kennedy. Anyway who thinks Caroline Kennedy has been void of criticism has not be reading the news. Given that this is Sarah Palin, of course, that's not necessarily a leap. But it also misses a far, far larger issue, and one you would think near-impossible for any sensible person to miss: Caroline Kennedy is hoping to be appointed just one of 100 U.S. Senators, and take a junior seat. Ms. Palin was attempting to become Vice President of the United States! A heart-beat from becoming the most powerful person in the world. If you don't think there should be a double standard in how the press covers those two jobs, you aren't trying hard.

But second, her most outlandish snivel of all is that the press was unfair in delving into her family, and not the Obamas. We know, of course, that this isn't remotely true, that the press coverage of Michelle Obama was brutal. But much more to the point -- Barack Obama kept his children out of the spotlight. You, on the other hand, used your children as circus props wherever you went. You had your pregnant daughter by your side daily, and to make it worse, almost always made sure she was carrying around your baby. (You don't think that was like, oh, begging the press to comment?!) When you went to drop a hockey puck, you brought another daughter with you on the ice, so you could both get boo'd. (Nice mothering, by the way.) Indeed, the whole theme of your campaign -- since it wasn't based on any known political proposals -- was your family, that you were a "hockey mom." So, if you want to complain that the press made an issue of your family, just know that they didn't make it half the issue that you did.

Dick Cheney Says The Bush Administration Still Has Time to Find Bin-Laden!

Well, cool, what a great way to go out! And no doubt this is High Priority for the last week, along with packing bags and shredding documents.

My goodness, even at the end, Dick Cheney can't give a straight, honest comment, but is still trying to flimflam the public about Iraq. Oh, wait, sorry, Bin-Laden has nothing to do with Iraq. I mean, "about the War on Terror." Or... well, about pretty much anything.

George Bush Calls on GOP to Be Open-Minded

I can only imagine how all those many Republicans who lost in the last election after following lock-step under orders from George Bush as he lead them off the cliff feel about this. It must have given them a warm, fuzzy feeling as probably the most divisive president in our lifetime, if not ever, told Britt Hume on Fox News:

"But it's very important for our party not to narrow its focus, not to become so inward looking that we drive people away from a philosophy that is compassionate and decent and I -- my call for our party is to be open-minded about different people's opinions. We shouldn't have litmus tests whether or not you are a Republican."

Mind you, it's great advice. But coming from the master of the litmus test, who oversaw the dismantling of the Justice Department for that very reason, it's a little like Gen. Custer rallying his troops about treating our Indian brothers with decency.

And now we're caught up. With only one week to go.

Comments

[saintsubversive]

My parents are both right wing Republicans (in their 70s) and are of the Penecostal faith (the same as Palin). In 2008, for the first time ever, neither of them voted (and this is Nevada, a normally republican-leaning swing state that went for the Obiden ticket over the McPale ticket by almost 10 points). My mom says the biggest factor in her refusal to vote was being offended by Palin's behavior, especially the way she carried her newborn around on her hip everywhere like an obvious prop. Only the most rapid Rep robots can really make themselves believe that she was even remotely qualified to be president.

It's even more pathetic that as we approach a truly historic inauguration day for this country, this nauseating and cluelessly arrogant woman apparently still hasnt been told the news: you LOST the election, dear (and I do mean YOU literally). Nobody cares about you anymore, as your 15 minutes ended months ago and you are destined to become one of the sillier footnotes in presidential history (along with Dan Quayle). You wont be the candidate in 2012 (Reps will undoubtedly prefer a chance to actually WIN if possible), so the proper thing to do now is to politely go away, and then try to elevate that IQ score up to triple digits before you grace the national stage with your presence again, k? You betcha!

[Roberto2201]

Pres. Bush said hanging the "Mission Accomplished" banner was a "mistake." No, Mr. soon-to-be­-ex-Presid­ent, on the whole continuum of mistakes your administration made, hanging the banner on the aircraft carrier was the equivalent of wearing a plaid shirt and striped pants. That's it. Starting the Iraq war UNDER FALSE PRETENSES and not finding WMDs you were certain were there (and characterized all doubters as enabling the terrorists) was a HUGE MISTAKE and not a mere "disappoin­tment."

[jcollell]

Helicopter Drivers??? OK, they are pilots! Helicopter Pilots! Weren't you in the Air National Guard or something?

http://www.youspar.com/

[strangerinthenight]

You have an obsession with Palin. I hope you attend another convention or gathering, and 'am hoping for a very long time.

Please make sure you attend.

[itwaslost]

Bush definitely said that word on purpose, it was deliberately a joke. There were plenty of other gross things in that news conference to jump on.

[TIMO08]

Like "helicopter drivers"? I always thought they were pilots.

[cckrueger]

It is time to put the Bush-bashing away. We must remember that we have two houses of congress who need to be called into account, but it is time to put that away as well. To hear many people comment, THE MESSIAH has come. It is time to expect results. It is time to see if there is more than mouth to the incoming administration. I am afraid that, come next election time, we will hear more excuses than anything else - you know - the "We inherited the problem." "It was much worse than we expected." and on, and on, and on. That is the usual response of both parties after 4 years of doing nothing. I have little confidence in President Obama, but he is the President we have elected. It is time to get behind him, to stop bashing the last President, and give the incoming administration a chance to prove its competency or fail in a lack thereof!

[Spikethedog]

What? Only seven more days of complaining about Bush?
Naw.....th­at won't stop in seven days.....o­r even seven YEARS, since by then it will be time to run against him AGAIN!