It looks like the New York Times just cleaned up my piece on Jeb and made it a little more respectable. It says all the same things without being overtly hostile to the Bush family.
On another note, the new CNN debate rules favor Carly Fiorina and relegate New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to the kiddie table. Since the new rules take a more recent sampling of polling, it’s hard to argue that this is some kind of injustice. I also note that Lindsey Graham is getting a Flounder: 0 point 0 in the average of polls. Considering how much more often he appears on television than George Pataki or Rick Santorum or Rick Perry, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that his ambiguously single status has something to do with his inability to find a Republican who will support him pretty much anywhere in the country. His other problem is that he’s basically John McCain’s mini-me and, defying the expectations of the Washington press, John McCain is about as popular with Republicans as an unruptured boil. Going on television and complaining about the wacko birds, it turns out, is not a recipe for popularity among the wacko birds.
It’s a good thing for House Clinton that Hillary started off in such a commanding position because she’s fallen a very long way and still has a commanding position. I’m seeing some irrational exuberance from Camp Bernie but he could hardly have hoped for quicker and more meaningful progress. It’s the trend lines that look horrible for Clinton, but she’s still in good shape today.
Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland came out this morning in favor of the deal with Iran which gives the president an effective block on any attempt to override his veto. This is checkmate, and the deal will go through. There’s no upside now to waiting any longer or in taking the losing side, so I expect the undecideds to spill over and maybe even provide the 40 votes needed to filibuster the GOP’s bad faith effort to torpedo the international deal. Obama wins again, and here’s a big tall glass of Joe Lieberman’s tears for you to imbibe. Oh, and John Kerry can begin preparing his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Nice work, gentlemen.
I believe today is also the 10-year anniversary of George W. Bush telling his Arabian horse lobbyist that he was doing a heckuva job letting the people of New Orleans drown. I’ve known you folks for a long time. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure.
Oh man these Lieberman tears taste great. Great job by Kerry. Kiss my ass Netanyahu you sadist and thief. Cheers everyone!
There is nothing sweeter.
Notably Mikulski is retiring next year so she has nothing to lose. Instead, this could mean the other senators are free to vote their hearts/pocketbooks/prejudices and go against it. Could go either way.
Cheers, Booman! Keep on rockin, man!
The standard is Gore Bradley and whether Bernie can make a more competitive race than that Bradley.
Still not sure he can. He has made good progress, though, and has a clearer rationale than Bradley did.
Martin, it has also been a privilege and a pleasure to be a part of this little group. This place has been my oasis and refuge in the political wasteland for quite a few years. The observations and comments from the residents here have saved my sanity and refocused my perspective more times than I could ever count. It is a great place to be.
No more premature Nobels for anyone in the Oh admin, until they’ve finished their terms at least.
The Iran agreement is an important step forward, but it will count for little if Kerry can’t persuade Oh, and his point man Biden, to back off in their neoliberal pursuit of making Ukraine an American colony.
And even more worrisome, with the Iran deal, a stellar example of patient, dogged diplomacy largely going against the grain of Establishment wishes, Oh, the great balancing centrist, might be even more determined to show toughness by continuing along his disastrous aggressive path vs Russia. After all, he just showed his dual-faced nature with the recent talk of getting tougher on climate change while at the same time green lighting drilling in the Arctic.
As for Hillary, maybe the recent stock market dip has me a bit Nervous Nellie, or maybe it’s how I’ve noticed her hawkish FP attitude hasn’t adjusted leftward as her DP has, but I’m about ready to withdraw my 65% tepid support and go into the Undecided category. The unforced email controversy also is a drag.
Still not convinced Satch Sanders can win in the fall. The others — Walter O’Malley, Link Appleyard and Jimmy Webb — have no chance.
A long way though till IA, and more table setting could occur to make an Eliz Warren candidacy a reality. Meanwhile …
I’m feeling bad about America. I’m feeling bad about me.
Seeing as Obama already has the Nobel how about a campaign to repeal the 22nd amendment?