(AKA why it’s silly to ask politicians about things other than what they’d do in office and other slice of life BS).

From Peter Gammons

We have been led to cynically believe that many politicians are disingenuous and generally phony, but few will ever beat Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. This man, who changed his middle initial to be JFK and at an anti-Vietnam rally threw someone else’s medals into the water, made a self-promotion appearance with Boston talk-show maven Eddie Andelman and claimed he was a big Red Sox fan from his days growing up in Groton, Mass. And at the promotion he said Eddie Yost was his favorite player.

The problem with that is just the simple fact that Eddie Yost never played for the Red Sox.

Yost in a double dose of irony, played for the Washington Senators (Ha #1), who eventually became the Texas Rangers (double Ha). Yost also retired in 1962, when Kerry would have been about 12, from The Los Angeles/California/Anahiem Angels. I’m sure I’ve touched on this, but sports talk radio up here makes Limbaugh look like a pansy.

Honestly, I couldn’t be more impressed with Jami Attenberg’s writing. She just posted a wonderful story about trying to find play dates with the friends she’s made on her “summer retreat”. Jami’s left the familiarity of NYC for a summer in the wine country of North Cali. She’s been taking pictures and writing small pieces that cause me some measure of angst about having the same job for 10+ years without a total get-away-from-it-all vacation. Anyway, you’ve gotta read it.

Bernie and I are in the park, trolling for playdates. She’s spotted a couple sitting and talking about French history, while their three children play nearby in a pile of mud. Isa has joined them. She and the oldest girl are scooping piles of mud and applying them to playground equipment. The girl runs back sometimes and talks to her parents, says something to her mother in French. Isa comes and tells us breathlessly, “They just moved here!”

“That’s perfect,” says Bernie, after Isa leaves. “They’re new. They don’t know anyone yet either.”

Even I have to agree they are good candidates. Children who aren’t afraid to get dirty but know two languages? That’s who I’d want my kid spending time with at the park.

Have you guys seen this article? Apparently, the Justice and Homeland Security Departments (i.e., the Executive Branch) are interested in assuming the power to suspend elections in the event of a terrorist attack.

Talk about unconstitutional. I know that there is a legitimate concern regarding the ramifications of a massive attack on, or immediately before, election day. But the last person I would ever give the power to suspend elections is the president (any president), followed closely by congress. If someone needs to have the power to do this, it should be those 9 crazies in the robes, and even then only for a very short period of time (30 days).

I saw John Stewart talking about this, and he made a funny reference to Ceaser. That got me thinking. I never took a classical history class, so I really don’t know anything about the fall of the Roman Republic. Does anyone on the porch know much about that? Was Ceaser allowed to take control because of a percieved security threat? Are there any analogies a paranoid like me could cite? Lemme know.

Since it’s summer, put on your Kery Flip Flops®

I will not lie: I as well stole these from another site (But I’m at least giving credit):

Flip-Flopped On 1991 Iraq War Coalition

At The Time, Kerry Questioned Strength Of 1991 Coalition. “I keep hearing from people, ‘Well, the coalition is fragile, it won’t stay together,’ and my response to that is, if the coalition is so fragile, then what are the vital interests and what is it that compels us to risk our young American’s lives if the others aren’t willing to stay the … course of peace? … I voted against the president, I’m convinced we’re doing this the wrong way …” (CBS’ “This Morning,” 1/16/91)

Now Kerry Has Nothing But Praise For 1991 Coalition. SEN. JOHN KERRY: “In my speech on the floor of the Senate I made it clear, you are strongest when you act with other nations. All presidents, historically, his father, George Herbert Walker Bush, did a brilliant job of building a legitimate coalition and even got other people to help pay for the war.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 1/11/04)

Flip-Flopped On View Of War On Terror

Kerry Said War On Terror Is “Basically A Manhunt.” “Kerry was asked about Bush’s weekend appearance on ‘Meet the Press’ when he called himself a ‘war president.’ The senator, who watched the session, remarked: ‘The war on terrorism is a very different war from the way the president is trying to sell it to us. It’s a serious challenge, and it is a war of sorts, but it is not the kind of war they’re trying to market to America.’ Kerry characterized the war on terror as predominantly an intelligence-gathering and law enforcement operation. ‘It’s basically a manhunt,’ he said. ‘You gotta know who they are, where they are, what they’re planning, and you gotta be able to go get ‘em before they get us.’” (Katherine M. Skiba, “Bush, Kerry Turn Focus To Each Other,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/13/04)

Two Weeks Later, Kerry Flip-Flopped, Saying War On Terror Is More Than “A Manhunt”. “This war isn’t just a manhunt – a checklist of names from a deck of cards. In it, we do not face just one man or one terrorist group. We face a global jihadist movement of many groups, from different sources, with separate agendas, but all committed to assaulting the United States and free and open societies around the globe.” (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks At University Of California At Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 2/27/04)

Flip-Flopped On Tapping Strategic Petroleum Reserve

In February 2000, Kerry Said Release Of Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Would Not Be “Relevant.” “Without being specific, Kerry, a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, suggested the US could retaliate economically in other trade areas. He also said he does not want a release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. A release ‘is not relevant. It would take months for the oil to get to the market,’ he said.” (Cathy Landry, “US Energy Chief Warns Of Gasoline Crisis,” Platt’s Oilgram News, 2/17/00)

Now, In March 2004, Kerry Called For Stop In Filling Strategic Petroleum Reserve To Reduce Prices. “Kerry would pressure oil-producing nations to increase production and temporarily suspend filling the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, according to campaign documents. … ‘The Bush administration has put the SPR fill program on automatic pilot without regard to the short-term effect on the US market,’ the campaign documents said. ‘The program needs better management … Kerry would temporarily suspend filling SPR until oil prices return to normal levels.’” (Patricia Wilson, “Kerry To Offer Plan To Reduce Record Gasoline Prices,” Reuters, 3/29/04)

Today’s reason: Bush Waffles©.

I cannot tell a lie. I stole these from another site.

1. Social Security Surplus

BUSH PLEDGES NOT TO TOUCH SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS…“We’re going to keep the promise of Social Security and keep the government from raiding the Social Security surplus.” [President Bush, 3/3/01]

…BUSH SPENDS SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS The New York Times reported that “the president’s new budget uses Social Security surpluses to pay for other programs every year through 2013, ultimately diverting more than $1.4 trillion in Social Security funds to other purposes.” [The New York Times, 2/6/02]

2. Patient’s Right to Sue

GOVERNOR BUSH VETOES PATIENTS’ RIGHT TO SUE… “Despite his campaign rhetoric in favor of a patients’ bill of rights, Bush fought such a bill tooth and nail as Texas governor, vetoing a bill coauthored by Republican state Rep. John Smithee in 1995. He… constantly opposed a patient’s right to sue an HMO over coverage denied that resulted in adverse health effects.” [Salon, 2/7/01]

…CANDIDATE BUSH PRAISES TEXAS PATIENTS’ RIGHT TO SUE… “We’re one of the first states that said you can sue an HMO for denying you proper coverage… It’s time for our nation to come together and do what’s right for the people. And I think this is right for the people. You know, I support a national patients’ bill of rights, Mr. Vice President. And I want all people covered. I don’t want the law to supersede good law like we’ve got in Texas.” [Governor Bush, 10/17/00]

…PRESIDENT BUSH’S ADMINISTRATION ARGUES AGAINST RIGHT TO SUE “To let two Texas consumers, Juan Davila and Ruby R. Calad, sue their managed-care companies for wrongful denials of medical benefits ‘would be to completely undermine’ federal law regulating employee benefits, Assistant Solicitor General James A. Feldman said at oral argument March 23. Moreover, the administration’s brief attacked the policy rationale for Texas’s law, which is similar to statutes on the books in nine other states.” [Washington Post, 4/5/04]

Uh oh y’all. This sounds serious.

Apparently there have been some Satanic cult murders in New Haven and this map proves that Skull and Bones is behind them.

Proof that Skull and Bones is a Satanic cult could really hurt Bush’s support among evangelical Christians. Sure Kerry is involved too, but he wasn’t getting any fundy votes anyway and he’ll probably pick up even more of the Satanist vote as a result.

It’s going to be an interesting election.