At this, the eleventh hour just one day before the United States’ official election day; if you find yourself a member of the still undecided Caucasian electorate population that has basically garnered all of the attention from both major presidential candidates this election season, perhaps this very rudimentary and candid endorsement from Chris Rock will help you to decide for whom to cast your ballot more expeditiously.
You’re Welcome.
If nothing else, this year’s Republican Presidential Debates have been chock-full of the best political entertainment that I have been fortunate enough to come across since The West Wing went off the air. With the various candidates’ religions under scrutiny, the alleged activity of their loins in question or their truths and facts in need of constant checking, the debates have shown more like a series of political soap operas than a weeding out process for the next GOP contender for the office of president.
But for all the drama that the debates have revealed, the unintentional comedy has both highlighted and exposed some of the candidates for the ill-equipped representatives that they are. Take for instance Wednesday night’s rumble in Michigan at Oakland University. It was there at the CNBC/Michigan Republican Party sponsored debate that Texas Governor Rick Perry revealed yet another similarity he shared with “Dub-yah” when he became tongue tied and forgetful while reciting the three agencies of big government that he would eliminate were he to become the 45th President. Easily recalling Education and Commerce for the masses, Perry struggled to remember that he wanted to disband the Department of Energy as well.
While clearly a “human” moment for the governor, his gaffe was so glaring that one would have to wonder how serious Perry could actually be about running for President and developing (and remembering) a variety of unique thoughts and ideas to make better the nation he seeks to serve. I mean, even Sarah Palin was serious enough about getting into the White House as the VP in 2008 that she made sure her talking points were prepared and clearly written out (on her hand).
I will say though, for all the talk about Perry’s damaging performance on Wednesday, I totally respect the dude for admitting that he simply couldn’t remember (his exact words, “…I can’t” were priceless). Oh, and the “kill me now” Oops was a classic as well! I guarantee it’ll go down in history alongside Nixon’s indignant little farewell declaration about us not having him to kick around anymore.
Clearly, pissed off and flustered Republicans produce the best sound-bites!
While I (and most of America) braced this week for the potential of an economic meltdown and our government ending up leading by example for all the “bad borrowers” out there, it seems that partisanship ultimately reigned and our representatives came grudgingly to an agreement to ensure that the country will continues to pay all its bills.
But “Sugar-Coated Satan Sandwich” notwithstanding, I do believe that the most poignant and heartwarming moment on the floor of the House this week would have to be the “surprise” appearance and yea vote of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on Monday. Since being viciously attacked at a local Arizona meet & greet where she suffered a debilitating shot to the head last January, Gifford’s colleagues and constituents (and the millions of horrified Americans who’ve sent the politician prayers and well-wishes over the past seven months) were unsure of when or if she’d be returning to Washington. Clearly, it was the call for fiscal responsibility that Gabby believed she most needed to answer, even if only in symbolic fashion.
Appearing in the House during the perfunctory undertakings of the session, Giffords brought a sort of halt to the proceedings as she was greeted by thunderous applause and (if the pictures are any indicator) a truly emotional standing ovation from both sides of the aisle as she smiled and waved.
“I strongly believe that crossing the aisle for the good of the American people is more important than party politics. I had to be here for this vote.” Giffords said in a statement.
The nod to bipartisanship was not lost on Gifford Aide C.J. Karamargin:
“The congresswoman has always been convinced that Washington can work together and find common ground when they set aside partisanship and work for the common good. She’s believed that to be true when it comes to border issues, when it comes to defense issues, and when it comes to economic issues. These are principles that she has lived by from the very beginning.”
Intentional or not, I believe that this week, Gabby Giffords has been the poster child for political symbolism. Not only were she and her colleagues forced to work together to make some tough decisions for the good of the American people, but her return to D.C. also affected a sort of rousing sentiment amongst political adversaries that proved that beneath the wheeling and dealing, there is still a sense of compassion and humanity in the hearts of our representatives.
Just when we thought they’d secured VIP seating on the Bullet Train to Hell, they go and show us a softer, more responsible side…however short-lived that may be.
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It is never my intention to torture The Pack Faithful with my daily observations and posts, but I swear…I am, and remain on a daily basis, completely baffled by the obtuse musings and largely droll (though passed off as legitimate) analysis that Sarah Palin will duct tape together and dispense at any given time as some sort of strategic quasi-counter move against the Democrats (although she seems to take perverse pleasure in targeting the POTUS specifically) to elicit some sort of intrinsic call-to-arms response from all of the real Americans in this here country. As real Americans yourselves, do not her oftentimes derisive and divisive comments perplex you too, as well and make you wonder what “America” Sarah Palin hopes to take back (and from whom) and what kind of American values she is passing on to Trig and ‘dem?
I’ve said it many times before, but Mrs. Palin is a scary individual. The fact that she has proven to be contentedly and blissfully ignorant about SO much, yet has the ear of The Earl Grey Uprising and many other uber-conservatives who fancy frameless eyewear, highlighted up do’s and who simply cannot be bothered with fact-checking, is an utterly terrifying reality. I mean, from her erroneous boasts of being a geography aficionado to her false claims of stellar word-smithery, how in the caribou is anyone still taking Mrs. I-Can-See-Russia-From-My-Back-Yard seriously?
And wouldn’t you know it; seems as though Alaska’s former governor can now add foreign language authority and part-time presidential anatomy expert (seeing as how she has nothing else to do with her life) to her resume of randomness and inaccuracy. In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” this past weekend, Palin stated frankly that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer had the cojones that President Obama did not have to properly tackle the nation’s illegal immigration issue.
Now, we can’t be mad at Sarah for conjuring up brownie points with the Republican base and her (former) political peers with her recent criticism of the president; that’s sort of the nature of the beast when you toe the political line. Also, as an American citizen she does have the right to critique her president if she believes that he is being craven on issues that she is passionate about. Unfortunately for Palin, far too often she comes off as uninformed, nonsensical and nit-picky when she chooses to show-up to do battle against a man whom she is ill-equipped to contend with in any facet of life; politically, cerebrally or otherwise.
But hey, perhaps I am being far too critical of Mama Grizzly (oh, that’s right *snaps fingers*, she is also a covert member of the subspecies Ursus arctos). It could be that exhibiting her mastery of the language of America’s largest immigrant population (although done to crudely emphasize the president’s supposed ineffectiveness on immigration reform) is Mrs. Palin’s first-step in proactively tackling immigration reform herself…yeah, no.
Realistically, what I would challenge Sarah from Wasilla to proactively tackle would be more quality time with her family. I’d imagine that if she spent as much time catering to the needs of her children as she does taking pot shots at the president, then perhaps her PR people wouldn’t have spent so much time trying to circumvent the imagery of her daughter as a teen mother statistic throughout the 2008 campaign and she wouldn’t constantly be fielding questions now about Bristol and Levi’s on again/off again/on again/we stopped keeping count/engagement.
Perhaps what Sarah truly needs is the cojones to admit that she could learn something useful by taking a page from her favorite whipping boy’s parenting book!
Let me first begin by saying that the ever elusive and mischievous little gremlin living in my house, who I’m convinced has stolen my remote control (as I’ve not been able to find it for the better part of three months now) must have turned my television to Faux News while I wasn’t looking, since I have no other feasible explanation as to why The O’Reilly Factor made such an unwelcome intrusion into my normally serene abode last week. But it wasn’t Billy Boy’s usually grating existence that rendered me speechless and caused my total system failure, but instead his position on Sarah Palin’s political views. After my honey splashed a pitcher of water in my face, and I picked myself up from off the floor (not really, but my awareness was tantamount to this experience), I came to the startling realization that I might actually be in agreement with the pompous politico.
Granted, while the jury is still out on which of these characters falls into the “lesser” category of the two evils, I have to say that I find Mrs. Palin to be a more dangerous political presence in America as of late, because she is content with her blissfully ignorant platform and promotes the kind of uninformed and malevolent philosophy that is primarily fallacious, wholly misguided and is simply stupefying to anyone with even remotely functioning cognitive abilities. This could not be any more evident than in Sarah’s interview on the O’Reilly Factor last week where her un(under)developed views on Immigration Law and Reform highlighted her continually deficient knowledge on political subject matter. Not surprisingly, it’s been Palin’s unwavering position that her cluelessness makes her “authentic” in the eyes of her base supporters however, that is not only embarrassing to a party that nurtured and emboldened her presidential aspirations but also to women in politics (heck, women in general) who are doctrinally savvy in the ways of government and are looked at (in many instances by misogynist pundits like O’Reilly) as inferior thinkers and strategists.
This whole exchange has to make you wonder though; has the Republican Party shied away from Caribou Barbie and her special brand of frozen tundra foolery? Just think, when in 2008 it was revealed that she was not the most knowledgeable Vice-Presidential candidate in the now infamous Katie Couric interview, The Right was all up in arms about liberal media spin, and Palin being painted as kind of daft as a way to undermine the McCain-Palin ticket. Has Bill O’Reilly since been given the green light to seek and destroy because it is now painfully obvious that palm piloting, gimmicks and other miscues from the half-term governor will only strengthen the Democrats’ position in 2012 should Palin somehow squeak through the Primaries and become the party’s candidate of choice?
And if Sarah Sawed-Off can’t (won’t…again, to me she comes off as totally unstudied and unprepared here) hold her own against a blowhard that we all know goes for the jugular, how in the world does she expect anyone to believe that she can go toe to toe with a more versed political adversary, or lead a nation that regardless of what she or her Tea Party friends believe, is far from homogenous or perfect “as is”? If you ask me, I believe this interview played out just as “the powers that be” designed it. This was a subtle (maybe even “not so” subtle as I was able to see right through it) attempt to weed Palin out of all presidential conversations come 2012, by exposing her as an ignoramus to the conservatives by a conservative.
Hey, it could be just me, but I highly doubt it. Take a gander at Bill and Sarah squaring off for yourself and then I’m sure you will concede that:
1) She is one of the most ridiculous politicians that has ever lived.
2) My nine-year-old has a better grasp of Immigration Reform Initiatives.
3) Although he led her with every question that he asked (re: lifeline), O’Reilly makes such short work of her shortsighted “taking-America-back” views and “stump rhetoric” that you can’t help but think that her people have set her up for failure. Again.
Nope, I’m not talking about a new and virile young daredevil, nor am I discussing a bustling city in Tennessee. This post is about what happens when the people of Alabama get fed up with their Representatives in Washington. Now that you are thoroughly confused…
In a country where accurate representation for The People and a formidable voice on their behalf is so important, I just can’t figure out why the good folks of Alabama would want to quit their beloved Parker Griffith. Oh yeah (snaps fingers), he betrayed 52% of the voting population with a monstrous Houdini-type switcharoo.
For those not familiar with Rep. Griffith and his froggy antics, he began his career as an accomplished and benevolent Oncologist (he founded the Huntsville Cancer Treatment Center, where he provided discounted and sometimes free care to uninsured patients) before winning Alabama’s 5th District Seat in the House of Representatives in 2008. But it wasn’t his compassionate nature or his efforts to “ride the wave of change” to Washington that has Alabamians up in arms. It was instead his “gotcha” last December when he announced that he would be switching his allegiances from the Democratic to the Republican Party that threw everyone for a loop.
Although a mostly conservative-leaning politician on many issues, Griffith explained to his constituency and the rest of the American people that discord with Democrats over matters like the health care bill, offshore drilling, fiscal policy and others led to the calculated party change. It’s just too bad that old Parker didn’t think about the fact that campaigning under a Democratic banner in order to win his seat, only to abscond little more than a year later would be met with harsh, resolute and unyielding criticism from those same folks who sent him to Washington in the first place!
In probably one of the more crude but still humorous politician bashing commercials ever, the people of Alabama have not only taken to venting about their once beloved-turned-Benedict Griffith, but continue to roast him like a Sunday brisket. After this very embarrassing public kick in the groin, I wonder if come election time, the Freshman Congressman will return home in time to fundraise and kiss babies outside the Piggly Wiggly as penance.
Gotta love American Politics!
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