Pure Presidential Bigotry

Okay, upfront confession - I'm one who always thought America the Beautiful should be our national anthem. The Star Spangled Banner can be inspiring on the rare occasion it is sung well, but it says little about our country. I think asserting we're proud, free, and brave is about as far as it goes.

Having said that, I am proud that anyone would honor our anthem by translating it (even loosely) into their native tongue. A vulgar or obscene version notwithstanding, for me it is nothing short of bigotry to think a foreign language rendition of it is offensive.

Free expression means free expression, and George Bush yesterday went a step further in voicing his authoritarian feelings. Why in the world should the national anthem be sung only in English? It was written at a time when we were at war with the English, but I think that fact may support the contrary argument.

I ordinarily don't like name calling, but I feel compelled to say Bush is an ethnocentric bigot.

Note to intelligence agencies: Please apologize to 'Dub' for my tendency to use big words. I have security issues of another kind.

Oh, No! Limbaugh is Right!

This administration may actually know what way it is heading, but it isn't the American way. I know this because yesterday I found myself in agreement with Rush Limbaugh. He called Dr. Wang Wenyi, the woman who spoke out to Hu Jintao at the White House, a freedom fighter.

Rush, also like me, wondered out loud why the media in America was not highlighting the fact that the President apologized to the Chinese communist dictator because someone in America excercised the freedom to speak openly to the powerful.

Not only was Dr. Wang hauled away by the Secret Service, now she has been charged seemingly with everything the law could find on the books.

I was discussing with acquaintances the obvious hypocrisy of Bush speaking about the need for China to improve its human rights position - mentioning freedom of speech and of religion specifically; then, permitting someone to be physically dragged from his presence for daring to speak. One friend, I think facetiously, mentioned he thought it was probably a left-wing conspiracy. I agree.

There is a conspiracy afoot to introduce freedom into our capitalism. I hope and pray it isn't too late.

Still with me, Rush...Rush...Ru...

The Dumbing Down of Network News

Just when you (okay, I) think the corporate media is at the bottom. When some in media finally hear the Bush bandwagon so out of tune they are beginning to take a newly objective look at the world around them.

CBS confirms the awful rumor.

Katie will be anchoring the network news - in the evening - during the week. I can't count, at least not on my hands alone, the number of women more qualified to host than Couric.

Yes, she is still attractive. She's even reasonably articulate. I have watched her for years, though, and can't imagine why she wants the job. She has never seemed really interested in world affairs. Social issues and entertainment events, sure, she has taste and a certain dated style, but national politics and international messiness have never seemed to have an appeal for her.

She can't tell the difference between a political talking point and a substantive position statement. She demonstrated as much in a recent interview with Howard Dean when she wanted to insist that Democrats in congress had taken money from the Abramoff lobbying machine. This because the Republican talking point for the issue has been that Abramoff's tribal clients had donated to Dems, and she bought it. Equating the clients he victimized with the crimes of the lobbying firm was base if she knew she was doing it; otherwise, she was just plain ignorant.

That's just one example of her lack of depth and substance. She has talent and personality, but she is not what the American public needs on what should be one of the bulwarks of history's first draft, The Evening News.

No Longer Boss, DeLay Quits!

I've heard he quit to 'save the majority' for Republicans in the House. Former Congresswoman Susan Molinari just insisted on Hardball that there is no other reason.

I've heard he's worried about pending charges in Texas.

I've heard he's worried about the spillover from criminal operations run from his Congressional office.

I've heard he saw a tough re-election campaign ahead with no certainty of winning.

What I haven't heard is why I think he quit. He is not in charge anymore. Plain and simple, DeLay cannot stand seeing someone else in his leadership post with no immediate prospect of returning to power. That's why he won't finish out his term and retire.

He's just going to take his ball go somewhere to try and be in charge of something.

Poor wittle Tommy...sniff...sniff.