Friday 2/11/11
How big a weasel is John McCain?
The former straight-talker has announced that he won't be endorsing any candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination
in 2012. That's right, friends: if Ronald Reagan himself were to somehow come back and run, The Gipper wouldn't get John McCain's
support. McCain claims he just wants to stay out of things this time around. Tired, you know.
Of
course the real reason is that McCain is terrified that Sarah Palin might run. After inflicting Palin on the nation in 2008,
insisting that Mama Grizzly was qualified to be a heartbeat from the most powerful office in the world, McCain is now afraid
he might be asked to endorse her candidacy. If he doesn't, it would be tantamount to admitting he blew it by choosing her
in the first place. After all, if she was qualified for the job in 2008, why not support her in 2012? Does she know even less
now than she did then? Apparently McCain has just enough self-respect left to want to duck that question.
I used to admire the guy. Sad what a shell he's become.
Monday 2/7/11
Here's a modest suggestion: How about we go back to pre-recorded National Anthems before sports events,
at least the biggies like the Super Bowl?
This
thought came to me (and not for the first time) as Christina Aguilera assaulted The Star-Spangled
Banner before Sunday's game, messing up one verse and warbling like a crazed cuckoo through all the high parts. Ouch.
If the idea is really "to honor America" and not just to see some pop star playing "hey-look-at-me-sing",
a recorded Banner would serve just fine. Besides, having some Grammy Winning Recording Artist sing the anthem just
makes it part of the show, like the cheerleaders' pom-poms or the crazy haircuts on the players, and that doesn't seem
right.
While I'm on the subject...I think it's
time for a new National Anthem, one without all that stuff about rockets and bombs. For one thing, the words were written
to commemorate a battle with the Brits during the War of 1812, and we're friends now, right? Suppose "God Save The
Queen" was all about how they kicked our ass at White Plains in 1776, or burned down the White House in 1814? Would that
be very friendly? I don't think so.
I'm gonna go with "America The Beautiful"
instead. It's a stirring, anthem-like song and not as hard to sing as TSSB. Yes it does mention God, and I suppose some people
will take exception to that, but He already gets a mention on the dollar bill and in the Pledge of Allegiance, so you could
say He's got a foot in the door.
By the way, the Packers won. Hope you had them in the office pool.
