©2008 Stacy Taylor | Spikeorama Web

Too bad the Democrats are busy devouring their own young and missing the big picture as baseball’s Opening Day augers the start of a summer and the “silly season” that comprises most of today’s “blood sport” of national politics. How can it be both bloody and silly? Just witness that past few weeks events, starting with Preachergate, running through Bosniagate and now into WTF?gate. I’ve said enough already about Jeremiah Wright and what a ridiculous waste of time that was, consuming valuable campaign clock while the cadaverous McCain strutted through the streets of Bagdad all but declaring the end of combat (again).

It was instructive to hear  Obama  putting a fine point on his overarching socio-economic theme that it is class, not racial, desperation that’s at the heart of our discontent, but most of it was lost outside the university quad or the half-filled pews of Unitarian churches. All most will remember was some clip of some angry black preacher god damning America and saying the CIA invented HIV. Luckily for Barack, along came Hillary to the rescue with her faulty recollection of sniper bullets whizzing past her head while she and comic Sinbad cracked wise on the tarmac in Bosnia a few years back. Forget for a moment that fewer people could locate Bosnia on a map than their ass with both hands, what will be remembered is Hillary Lied (just like that stinking horndog hillbilly husband of hers)!!!!

Much can be said about the origin of the HIV virus and the U.S.’s nefarious bio-weapons program and much could be said about the concept of “peace keeping” in Eastern Europe under the bunting of the United Nations, but in a soundbite world it ain’t gonna happen. Actually it’s to Obama’s credit that the Youtube version of his thoughtful dissertation on race and class became an indie hit.

And, oh by the way, why is the only solution to Democratic fratricide Hillary dropping out of the race? Again, the key is to attack McCain here not below-the-belt shots at each other.

Of course it depends on the nature of the anti-McCain attacks. Libs pounced all over Johnny’s misstatements about Iran supporting Al Qaeda in Iraq (Shiites supporting Sunnis? Hahahahaha!!) but, again, this is an issue for the cyber-wonk cognoscenti, not the Great American Public.

And why did it take Republican Chuck Hagel to call Cheney out on his cavalier reply “So?” when asked about the gross unpopularity of the occupation of Iraq? Dems too busy playing he-said/she-said?

Today my email box and the blogosphere is filled with links to a video purporting to show Bush being booed at the Washington Nationals baseball home opener Sunday night. Forget the fact that it sounded very much to me like he was being loudly cheered (with a smattering of boos), the issue should not be AHA! The President is Unpopular! See? See? See?, it should be “why isn’t this cretin behind bars?”. Grow up, Dems.

BIG PICTURE, people!!

Brothers and Sisters.

First of all my humble appreciation to those of you trying to keep the tenor of this board above that of an elementary school playground taunt.

Now down to biz. (someone please cue up the old James Darrin classic “Goodbye Cruel World I’m off to Join the Circus”).

We have just witnessed, in just one short week, a microcosm of the Democratic Party in action. Those great avatars of “change” and “hope” have managed to plunge the discourse finally and forever into that of race and gender. No playing anymore. No hinting around. No wink wink nod nod. And, here’s the fun part: if you squint good and hard and stare right through the smoke of this recent train wreck, you can see silver haired, forked tongued John McCain striding in this direction, all flushed and grinning. And…Oh My God!!!…he’s wearing that damned flight suit!

Needless to say, I’m talking about Preacher Gate, the guilt-by-association toxic landfill that Obama now find himself in the middle of. The senator has rejected, repudiated, denounced, folded, spindled, and mutilated his preacher’s “inflammatory” utterances, and in so doing he has kept the story alive, while trying very hard to make it go away.

The only thing America, at least white America, would find more distasteful than a “national dialogue on Race” would be, let’s see, maybe a “national dialogue on HIV”? Us white folks don’t like to talk about race. Makes us feel uncomfortable. Brings out the liberal guilt…or the bigotry, depending on which side of the cultural divide you stand.

Of course, the real issue here is the paper thin support many reluctant “independents” were showing for Obama. I’m convinced many of them tried very hard to pretend he wasn’t really a black guy, sort of like Bill Cosby or Ed Bradley. They will be reminded during the general election campaign if Obama makes it that far. Forget Bill Cosby. He’ll be H. Rap Brown when the Swift Boaters get a hold of him.

Hmmmm. A hundred more years of War in the Middle East. Torture. Corporate Greed. Big Oil. Big Pharm. McCain….I suppose I could adjust.

Forgive me if you’ve heard this before, but this is a written version of the one hour rant I delivered during Tuesday’s radio broadcast. It was prompted by the obligatory series of emails I recieved concerning the Eliot Spitzer scandal, specifically what a trivial distraction it all was.

The premeditated targeting of a powerful Democratic on the ascent is by it’s very nature not a distraction. It goes to the root of the corruption that is rampant in modern politics. First of all, Spitzer presented himself as a goody-two-shoes, the gold standard for all that is right and just and true. “Mr. Clean”. So when the high minded crusader, who as New York Attorney General once busted with great self-satisfaction a high-priced  call girl ring, is brought down in a sex-for-hire scandal ($6000 per hour???!! Talk about inflation!!), it’s a story not a distraction.

Furthermore, it appears that Spitzer was singled out by the feds. The original story that broke in the New York Times was that Spitzer was accidentally snared by wiretaps that were targeting the call girl operation. The next day, ABC quoted law enforcement sources as saying that it was unusual bank transactions that put the spotlight on the Governor, essentially that they thought he was on the take and was trying to move money around to various off-shore accounts. My take is that the Feds recieved a tip about client #9 and were ready to pounce. Heard much about clients 1 through 8? Didn’t think so.

The so-called Gonzo-gate of a few years back that exposed the politicalization of the Bush Justice Department, specifically the removal of various of Federal Attorneys for their alleged even-handedness, should have blown the lid off the vicious lynch mob mentality of the Chimp In Chief and his cronies, but instead Attorney General Alberto Gonzales reluctantly fell on his sword (or was pushed) and the much vaunted investigation has gone nowhere since. Since the rhinestone cowboy stole his way into the White House, the so-called Public Integrity unit of the Federal Justice Department has investigated nearly 6 Democrats for every one Republican. Think that’s a coincidence?

As far as the Spitzer affair being a distraction for the great teeming masses out there who have now taken their collective eyes off the big picture, specifically the Occupation of Iraq and the impending doomsday scenario with Iran (see “Cent Com Commander William “Fox” Iran-invasion-not-on-my-watch” Fallon’s forced retirement), those yokels took their eyes off those balls a long time ago. The hordes of everyday Americans demanding Justice and Peace are so distracted already by on-line poker tournaments, American Idol, and the fate of Roger Clemens, they’re not even aware of Eliot Spitzer, much less Bush’s murderous foreign policy. I saw recently that 80% of American adults did not so much as read a book in the last calander year.

The Great Distraction Myth is a cop-out, a convenient excuse for why Americans don’t give a shit about big issues. And corruption works both sides of the political aisle. But there is hope on the horizon. With our $12,000 tax rebate checks in the mail, we can all (at least us guys) get distracted Spitzer-style, if only for two hours.

Some of the comments posted to my latest entry here highlight the problem facing this country, namely blind partisanship married to false hopes that anyone with a (D) following their name will lead this country from the gaping jaws of national disaster. “Know your brand!”? Ridiculous. This isn’t Levi versus Wrangler or Ford versus Chevy. “Cry in your beer.”? Forgive me for expressing an opinion that strays beyond the little white picket fence surrounding the Thomas Kincaid Democratic cottage on the green. A candidate is to be judged on their potential value to the United States, its citizens, and the constitution, not to his or her fealty to a party orthodoxy. And if they can’t be held accountable before they assume the highest office in the land, what can we expect once they occupy that office?

The Santa Ana’s are blowing huge today so feel free to dismiss the following to positive ions and seratonin depletion, but the more I learn about the Democratic presidential candidates, and their acolytes, the less enthralled I am.

First off, again, is this issue of “identity politics” , a moldy expression left over from the 60’s, connoting an attraction to a politician or candidate based not on shared principle or belief, but on shared race, gender, or ethnicity. Perhaps I’m just jealous that the only 2 white guys still standing in this race are the loathsome, war mongering McCain and the affable-yet-insane Huckabee, but I’m repulsed by the idea that some imagined shared history based on skin pigmentation or genitalia would drive huge numbers of people to vote for and support Obama and Clinton. But that’s unfortunately how it’s shaking out. Blacks and men are disproportionate in their support for Obama and women in their support for Hillary.

Additionally, a creepy resentment has apparently set in amongst some “feminists” because, after all, it was Hillary’s turn, damn it! So far, this anger hasn’t been specifically directed at Obama but, if it becomes so, the word “uppity” will be just below the surface. 

Meanwhile, the Rezko scandal continues to dog Barack and promises to really heat up in the general election should he get the nod. After all, it was a real estate transaction that brought down the Dukester, and this deal between Obama and Rezko looks a little slimy. So far there is no indication of any “consideration” in return for the lot purchase, but if anything comes out, however minor, watch out. Remember it was an appointment to a hospital board that landed the Alabama governor in federal prison, fairly or not.

I know what you’re thinking. “What does all this have to do with Change!, Ending the War!, Holding the Bush Crime Empire Accountable!, etc?” Well, I just get a sinking feeling as I watch the 2 Dems wonkishly and laboriously debate the nuances of their largely identical, unfunded health care plans, or listen to Hillary declare that she would call for an “examination” of NAFTA, or read about Obama’s groveling before the Israeli Lobby, that not a whole lot of Big Changes are in store anytime soon should one of those 2 win the election.

And of course we know that there will be big changes in store should McCain get the nod. We’ll all be dead or bankrupt helping to fight the lunatic’s 1000 Year War. This was no time for the Democrats to hoist up the 2 iffyist presidential candidates in my or anybody else’s lifetime. This was no time to experiment. The stakes were too high.

Jesus, “Finger”, just f***ing stop with your phoney contrarian b.s. This board is not about you insinuating yourself on a bunch of folks who actually have a clue. You are the heckler that is escorted from the concert hall. Get a clue. I hesitate banning you from this sight, but I could. My belief in non-censorship and democracy is the only reason you’re tolerated. Consider this a warning. I don’t mind people disagreeing with me and, in fact, benefit from it. But your constant hectoring of others who post here is a goddamn irritation. If you have something constructive to add to this forum, feel FREE. If not, crawl back under the rock I inadvertantly flipped.