Calling it in

Here I was last week dogging on Bode Miller for blowing off his Olympic dreams and squandering the huge endorsement deals that were on the table when I realized that I had been doing the same thing. I looked at this blog and saw that instead of diligently blogging, or at least training to blog, I too had been out partying and blowing off my responsibility to the millions of readers who look to me to carry the banner for dry wit, smart ass, tongue in cheek American bloggers. So here is my public apology to Bode. Sorry, Bode, that we both lived up to the world's expectations of Americans. I wonder if it's too late to get back our endorsement deals?

You've just crossed over into...

I'm a little torn as to where to come down on Vice President Cheney's hunting accident. On one hand, who do the press think they are? How can they so be outraged that it took "almost 24 hours" for them to hear of the incident. On the other, when will Cheney, et al, learn?
My initial reaction is, if I caused injury to someone, especially an old friend it would certainly not be my first thought to call a reporter. I'd call for help, for an ambulance, for the police. I'd call the victims loved ones, my loved ones. Hell, I might even call for a pizza before I thought of the press. Now had it happened in his office, well, that's a different story. Granted, I am not the Vice President (at least you don't know if I am), but the guy was on vacation for goodness' sakes! Hunting with a buddy. Relaxing. As his old friend fell from Cheney's own hand, Cheney's first thought was probably NOT, "How can avoid political damage from this?". I don't think that's how his mind works, I don't think that's how most decent people's minds work. Not everyone plans long-term political strategy while drunk, treading water, as their car sinks with their date inside.
In regard to the second point. When will Bush, Cheney and the Republicans learn that they are not dealing with normal people here. That they have entered different realm. But not a realm of sight and sound. A realm where appearance is more important than intention. Where spin is more important than reality. Listen to the inflammatory phrases used by the press: "Cheney shoots hunting partner!", "Cheney finally breaks his silence!", "White House under the gun!", "Questions persist in Cheney shooting!", "Cheney to face charges!"! Come on, have some common sense and compassion, you would think he gunned this guy down in the street. Regardless, the Bush administration seems to be behind the learning curve when it comes to dealing with the press. They must know by now that it's imperative for them to be out in front of every story. I suspect sometimes that they are just too decent to figure out the devious, twisted thinking in Washington but, hey, that's why you hire advisers and press experts.

crazy Christians

The recent rash of fire bombings, violent protests and death threats by enraged Muslims stemming from the publication of cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb for a hat remind me of the uproar in the Christian community a few years ago after an artist showed a photograph of a crucifix submerged in urine. Remember how all those crazy Christians (mostly Catholics, I'll bet) beheaded artists and burned down museums? Remember how those out-of-control mobs took to the streets? Remember the riots? The death threats by the Pope? Remember how they wouldn't listen to reason? How they just didn't get it? How they couldn't see that it was art? That it was a commentary on our modern world? The evolution of man? Of society? Wow, crazy Christians.

There's got to be a morning after...

Three misguided Massachusetts women backed by pro-abortion groups are right now engaged in suing discount giant WalMart in a attempt to force them to reverse a corporate decision not to offer the morning after abortion pill in their pharmacy network unless it is required by law (only in Illinois). I have no idea why the normally politically correct WalMart has made this decision but I applaud them. Whatever you believe, WalMart's reasoning really doesn't matter. These women have either misread the Massachusetts law or have gotten some poor legal advice. Massachusetts' like most state's laws say that pharmacies "may" carry the pill, not "must". Regardless, no matter how big they are WalMart is a private company. There should be no way that the government, the courts or any private interest group should be able to tell a privately held business what to sell. WalMart, along with many other retailers, have also removed girlie magazines, some violent video games and other products they deemed inappropriate for their stores/customers. Should they be forced to stock those items as well? They are legal after all. Target decided a few years ago that they would no longer sell cigarettes (another legal product), should the government force them to sell that product? Of course not! The left would have you believe that this is a case about abortion rights, that the debate is about the availability of this particular drug; it's not! There will be many corporations without a conscience that will choose to sell this drug, it's WalMart's choice not to. More importantly, it is the consumer's choice where to shop! Don't like it? Vote with your feet! Isn't there a K-Mart across the street?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out what it means to me

Rev. Joseph Lowery and others remarks at Coretta King's funeral are just more egregious examples of the Left's utter inability to to comport themselves with any dignity and respect. No, I'm not talking about insulting President and Mrs. Bush, although that is bad enough on its own; I'm talking about insulting Mrs. King and her memory. Those antics would not have been appropriate if Bush had not been there. It was like a replay of the unfortunate behavior witnessed at Paul Wellstone's funeral service several years ago. That wasn't a campaign rally and neither was this, it was the funeral for the revered wife of our most important civil rights leader for goodness sakes. I know enough about how Mrs. King lived her life to confidently maintain that she would not have condoned this unseemly conduct. To both the speakers and those that were hooting, cheering and applauding I have only this to say: Shame on you!

y U b HAtin?

Why are so many liberals so full of hate for President Bush? Browse some left leaning blogs and you can't help but be struck by the anger and deep hatred that pour forth in the form of vicious insults and demeaning editorial. Why is that? I was certainly not a big fan of, for example, Jimmy Carter. I thought he was a little wishy-washy; much too weak for my taste on defense and foreign affairs and performed terribly under pressure. But, I didn't hate him! Like all of us he had his strengths and his weaknesses. He had a lot of horse sense and could keep a lot of plates spinning. He was and is a deep thinker, introspective and brutally honest with himself and with us. He believes what he believes whether you agree with him or not. I admire that.

Bill Clinton was another president that I very seldom agreed with politically. I think he governed by whatever he perceived to be popular opinion at any given time. Further, I have little or no respect for him as a man, as a (self-proclaimed) Christian, or as a husband and father. Let's just say I see him as "morally challenged". However, having said all that, I didn't hate him! He was and is a brilliant man in many ways, very likeable and very charismatic.

The bottom line here is that these men were our presidents, arguably the most powerful men in the world during their time. They deserved my respect for the office they held if not for their achievements and more often than not they got it. I will admit that sometimes during the Clinton years I did have to bite my tongue. At the very, very least any president deserves the respect that you would give to any other human being but many on the left can't even seem to conjure up that. What about all that talk about tolerance? How can these people expect to be taken seriously if the underlying premise of any political, economic or social argument is that Bush is stupid and they hate him? For all his failings, this man is our president. He didn't get there just because of his family money, Rockefeller never achieved the presidency. It couldn't have been "Big Oil", how would President Carter have been elected? If the religious right was so powerful Bill Clinton would have never had a second term. Sure good old George struggled in school but he wasn't attending State U. either. Sure he has some skeletons in his closet. So do I, don't you?

The things I like most about Bush are the qualities we all say we want in a political leader but are the same ones most ridiculed by the left. He is real. He isn't an over polished politician with an rehearsed answer at the ready for every question posed. When he is asked a question, he actually answers it; if he doesn't know, he says he doesn't know. He talks like a normal person (read: not in circles). The fact that he isn't a Mensa candidate doesn't worry me because, ala Reagan, he has the common sense and managerial skills to hire good people and let them do their job. Most of all, I like that he has the courage of his convictions. He is willing to stand up for what is right regardless of the political fallout. I've gotta believe that even if I didn't agree with Bush most of the time I could still see, acknowlege and respect his positive qualities. Why can't the tolerant, politically correct liberals?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

OK, maybe it's just time to admit it. I am and will probably always be a smoker and coffee drinker. I try and try but I just can't kick it. I guess it's not THAT bad. It just makes me feel lousy to admit it. For people like me it's hard not to accept responsibility for personal failings and behavior. It's part of us, it's who we are.
Of course maybe this is an instance that I could learn something from the other side. Maybe this is an acceptable situation for a bit of relativism. Alright, here goes. Yes, I admit it; I smoke and I drink too much coffee BUT I have never gotten drunk and drowned a girl, then lied about it for several decades. I've never endangered the lives of my boating buddies even for some really cool pictures of myself. I've never gotten a dime from Jack Abramoff . I've never had a hummer in the oval office. I've never been filmed smoking crack in a motel room with a prostitute. I've never enacted a law that applies to everyone but me. I've never sought attention or money from my hero child's death. I've never..., I've never..., Naa, forget it! This just isn't working, now where did I put those patches?