Hillary skips town

She hustled off to Nashville, leaving Bill in SC to console the faithful. I view this as spitting at Obama's impressive win there. If she becomes president is this how she will behave when faced with results she dislikes, leave it up to Bill. This is just what voters are figuring might be the case. The loyal must feel abandoned unless they are so dim that they grovel at having the ex-Prez murmuring post election nothings in their ears.

It is also telling that she is not going to abide by the rules regarding Florida - rules the DNC set - not that I agree with their (DNC) decision but if the other two candidates are not going to Florida and she does- then I see that too as predictive of future behavior if she would get the office. She wants to fool the voters that are vulnerable to being fooled. I hope Edwards and Obama are gutsy enough to make some comments about this.

These actions are demonstrative of the "dynasty" effect that I see and that I do not think is good for the country. An ex-president campaigning for his spouse is NOT equivalent to Obama's or Edward's wives campaigning for them..........and it is just smoke and mirrors to suggest otherwise.


graysmoke

Who' s Loaning the Money?

I'm not employed nor do I have enough income to pay taxes on it so I am not going to be on the list for money that is intended to goose the economy out of the ICU. The money that the federal government is going to print and distribute isn't real. Our government does not have that money so the securities that will be created with that magic wand that covers up realities, will most likely be sold to Dubai, Saudia Arabia, China, India etc. and that is where the stimulus might occur.

The man in the White House is following his M.O. -- max out Uncle Sam's credit card and then steal yours and max it out then to cover up his inadequacies, he smooches off his pals until he can unload the problems he created. That is exactly what he did in his personal financial actions and that is what he has done as president.

The deficit and debt has handcuffed this country........and he cannot recognize that this compromises the national security that he has touted as an achievement because there has not been another "terrorist" attack.

Ladies and gentlemen you have been hornswoggled by a masterful hornswoggler, Texas size.


And he had a gang of other hornwogglers (SWINDLERS).....many of whom have exited because they don't want to be on board when the ship sinks.


graysmoke

The Fight Goes On

Verbally by the candidates that is.........and this round must go to the Democrats for drama. The CNN broadcast of the triune turned into a vocal brawl and in my opinion the lowest blows came out of Hillary's mouth.

Far less of a contest by the Republicans. Thompson finally read the writing on the wall, in my opinion he was never viable, but rather a scrap thrown in the direction of the RR contingent of movers and shakers, that aren't critical now in the Rove/Bush machine that is sputtering out.

There is probably more attrition coming after the Florida primaries. Guliani certainly showing signs of rejection by the voters.........his supporters aren't large enough in numbers for it to matter much who gets them, same with Thompson.

John Edwards is another story......hard to call and if he persists until May perhaps it will be then clearer who he would throw his weight behind. I don't think he will be offered the V/P spot again. I'm thinking Clinton might choose General Wesley Clark for that spot.


I am leaning more toward Obama after my choice of the best qualified of any, Bill Ricardson dropped out.

Clinton will bring in old blood........and right now a total transfusion is badly needed in all branches to try to save the patient (all of us). And I do think it will be refreshing to see more diversity.


graysmoke

CounterInsurgency and Cultural Anthropology

If you missed the 12/24/07 Charlie Rose broadcast - or in some times zones it may have been aired on the 23rd due to time zone differences - I suggest you use this link and watch the video of it.

http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2007/12/24/2/a-discussion-about-counterinsurgency

Two women, Sarah Sewall and Montgomery McFate, deserve a lot of the credit for why there has been some quieting of the Iraq conflict and it has little to do with troop surge, more to do with smarter troops.

graysmoke

No Longer Tagged

My "awaiting" ended.......my goodness, there really is hope in the air.



Imagine I can shoot my mouth off and be outspoken!!!! Thank goodness that hasn't yet been totally destroyed.



I was beginning to think that was only the province of the pundits, especially Chris Matthews.



Now I am not a Hillary fan, I do not want another Clinton presidency and it only has to do with not letting the office be seen as a possession of certain families or their relatives. But this stuff Chris is spewing is over the top as are most of his "shows" on which he seems to strive for establishing a provactive gut reaction as opposed to listening to competing views.



http://mediamatters.org/





I'd like to see him boycotted by all the candidates. He has had McCain as a guest frequently. But I've never heard him bring up the facts on Cindy McCain, her history as a drug addict nor her wealth status ( remember how Kerry was attacked for having a wealthy wife).



Does Matthews have a "kingmaker" obsession.



My observation when he was co-hosting the NH coverage with Keith Olberman, that Keith let him have enough rope to hang himself then took him down a few notches several times.......hooray for KO.





graysmoke

Chewing the Cud

As a test of elitism I put this following response on YDN (http://yaledailynews.com/blogs/yaleonthetrail/06/from-boston-five-quick-reactions-to-the-dem-debate/#more-129. .......see the last sentence. My guess is that you must be an alum or former/present student........yet I imagine they subscribe to the theory of free speech......

Jan 7, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Re Barack’s comment to Hillary.

Why don’t you ask a group of women how they read Obama’s remark and a corresponding group of men………that would be interesting. I have been amused at the different “takes” verbalized by the media pundits.None of which come near how I read it.
Maybe do one of those psych tests where you show the clip to them all and give them multiple choices to select, keep those confidential but then have a verbal exchange/dialogue live.
-Maybe he was bolstering her feminine self -esteem saying she didn’t deserve her spouse’s infidelity. No?

Or maybe just throwing a life tube to a damsel in faked distress?

Don’t mind me, I am eighty years old and have lots more experience to draw from in analyzing male/female behavior.

Would you believe I also blog? Might blow some stereotypes of “senior citizens” eh?
http://viewsfromthedistaffside.blogspot.com/

And a Facebook profile….abandoned the MySpace site tho……..
no kidding…….I’m authentic.



Your comment is awaiting moderation.


###########

The "awaiting" may be perpetual......we'll see.


graysmoke

REHASH

It is not morning in America. It is the day after. ( In reference to the ABC candidate fair)

Did the TV pundits watch the same broadcasts I did?

Must be the beltway bubble affliction that puts blinders on them.

This can't be jet lag I am feeling, but it reminds me of that.......what shall I call it.........forum fatigue.....nah .......maybe, candidate overdosing.........can't decide.......just gonna hang in there until mid February. I am certain of one thing....there is not any shortage of "words" ---rather wish there were.

Thanks again to Bill Richardson (he's my guy).....for tossing in some levity.....

commented that the exchanges between the other three were more hostile than negotiations with terrorists (paraphrased).

And then also interjected - asking whether the experience he has had made him a leper.

Good for Bill.....his qualifications and actual involvement in such variety of situations that will require the attention of the next presudent, are so superior to any of the others.......I hope voters can put aside superficial considerations and make him the nominee.......(Now that is a Obama sized hope!!!).


graysmoke

Resolution 2008

Lately I have not entered enough political opinion posts......this year I plan to try to remedy that.

It is not that I don't have opinions, in fact, there are regular blizzards of them. But they are elusive. It is like trying to catch a snowflake ...... melting away while hundreds of others continue to fall.

For instance, the Iraq lull......is it real.....or a managed/manipulated public relations ploy to claim the surge "worked"? Why do I wonder about that? Because nowhere can I find information as to the chicken/egg aspect.....like what reduction in daily ground operations has resulted in comparison with times prior to the lull? And if there is a huge difference, was it a result or an enabling factor?

Then the economy. Does anyone really have a handle on where this is all going to stabilize? The oil price, the interest rates, the dollar valuation, the price of gold........ whew! lots of G-forces in the rise of these common indicators of ------ well in earlier days these would be warning signals that all was not well......... and I am overwhelmed with just the increased prices of bread and milk.........HELP!!!!!!!!


And my snailmail box today had a notice from my communications supplier that there would be a monthly increase in my bundled services, phone, broadband and cable......this is on top of increases in my homeowner's association fee, my medicare premium, my medigap policy premium, in real property taxes, and on and on.......the increase in income just won't match up.

And the promise that the Federal Reserve is going to drop interest rates multiple times in the near future to try to control the recession, warding off a (sshhh) depression ...... further exacerbates the problem if one has moved to being a saver instead of an investor.....punishment indeed. It means whenever I rollover T-bills or notes, or CD's I will generate less and less income ........ who said being an octogenarian is fun.......I made that category in 2007. So being long doesn't have a lot of appeal either ....... I won't be share shopping when the prices drop to tempting levels. Let's see....there was a song of long ago.....titled
"I'll Get By"...... guess I'll learn the lyrics.


graysmoke

YAWN--glad it's over (Iowa)

Insomnia reigns.........maybe overstimulated from viewing too much coverage of the Iowa caucuses.........so anxious for the end of the W administration........ whetted my curiosity so that I was watching the television broadcast on C-Span and also C-Span 2 on the 'puter. One was coverage of a Democratic caucus--- Precinct 33--- being held at a high school, and a Republican caucus, really just a straw vote though, on the other ......my candidate, Bill Richardson did well, but not well enough to make the top three....however I am hoping the result will be encouraging enough that he will continue the quest to be the nominee. But I could live with an Obama/Richardson ticket.

graysmoke