Monday, August 25, 2008

Keeping August Simple

Iraq and Afghanistan, the Olympics, political conventions, running mate selection talk/text, NFL pre-season games, Russia/Georgia two-step.

All important stuff for the late summer days we are in.

Thankfully, there were the Little League World Championship playoffs to watch – little boys doing big things and having fun doing it. Sure there was some stress, some tears and the process of overcoming fears. Much of the latter quickly dissipated as they returned to their selves, their age and onto the next steps in growing up.

Never mind who won it all, it was just nice to watch kids give their all for something, good or bad, that they could share together.

It was nice to see a competition where everyone didn’t get a trophy, letting the motivational teaching message to be sent that losing doesn’t feel good and that winning it all does.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The Inevitable Collapse

To read the latest campaign email revelations about the failure of the Clinton campaign to secure the presidential nomination that are currently being listed on the Atlantic Magazine website (http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200809/hillary-clinton-campaign ) is to wonder how the “inevitable” nominee – Hillary – could have even set the alarm clock for 3 AM, much less answer it.

The circular firing squad that was formed by her senior campaign staff and spouse, Bill, gave her decidedly different ways to deal with a novice, first term senator with the funny name.

The Mark Penn/Bill Clinton wing wanted to go ugly early and often – lay out the negatives and keep ‘em coming. The Wolfson / Ickes side wanted to deal with Hillary’s high negatives and show her positives.

And what did Hillary want? She never decided. The would-be president couldn’t decide in broad daylight, never mind at 3 AM, on how to deal with Obama during a political campaign. She just let it fester, giving no clear path for HER staff to follow.

How can that be?

Look around the world today and think about that type of decision process being applied to it.

If she had been successful and did become president, one would expect that many of these campaign “advisors” would have found themselves working for her in the White House.

How would they have dealt with the current Russian incursion into Georgia? What would they have advised Hillary to do? Call John Edward’s at his girlfriend’s house and ask him about the newly founded 2 Russias?

Read the emails, read ‘em and weep – this could’ve been in the White House.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

War Peace And The Homefront

So we watched as the world came together in China and a war broke out between the Soviets & Georgians.

U.N. forces that were located in Georgia were asked to leave the area and when they did, the bombing began.

Foreigners were invited to China and 2 Americans were attacked, with one killed.

War and peace, Putin & Bush together in Bejing and have dueling press conferences against a backdrop of gushing reports about the greatness of the opening ceremonies.

Throw in the adulterous affair of a former presidential candidate and the angst of another loser in the primary about whether she should have her named placed into nomination process and it makes you sit back and shake your head. This is especially true when a video from Paris Hilton seems to be the sanest thing out there.

You see, this year unlike others, there are more people paying attention during these dog days of August – all of those who have been forced by the lack of money in our pockets to take a “Staycation”.

Now comes all of the passing of municipal budgets and their increases, further underlining the need for not going on a relaxing foray.

Yeah, we’re home and we’re watching.