Hillary Clinton lost forever the support of virtually everyone to the right of center in 1992 when she made her infamous statement about not having stayed at home and baked cookies. Now, Michelle Obama finds herself with a similar quandry about her husband's campaign being the first time in her adult life she's proud to be an American.
It's one thing if you say you haven't been proud since Nov. 7, 2000, but this is another thing entirely. Carol Marin writes an excellent commentary in the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/803267,CST-NWS-marin20.article
Incidentally, Newsweek has a profile of Mrs. Obama that I've just started to read; among other things, it says she's inclined to speak her mind. What will she say now?
*Threading the needle?
Sen. John McCain seems to be trying to have it all ways on a bill that would bar waterboarding:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-McCain-Torture.html
However, I do like what he says at the end about signing statements, which President Bush has used and abused: "If I disagree with a law that's passed, I'll veto it." Amen.
*Flake frosted by GOP
U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. has some problems with his own party leadership over his efforts to cut the budget fat:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0221/p02s01-uspo.html
Nice to know he doesn't only see things in shades of red and blue (By the way, he's also supported free trade with Cuba for a long time; I wonder how the post-Fidel era will shake down, and whether Flake will get any credit for it if relations open up.)
*International journalism under cover
You know, CNN, the president is involved in foreign matters, too:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/international_hour_still_off_cnn_us_air_77917.asp
Why don't these news executives seem to get that people ARE interested in overseas news?
*Journalists under fire
Journalists are under attack for doing their jobs in the anthrax case:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080220/a_locy20.art.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Meanwhile, why hasn't the federal government made any progress in solving these cases? If Hatfill is not involved, the government should say so, officially. By the way, the media does hold responsibility for not following up on these cases. Too busy chasing you-know-who (rhymes with "beers")? Five people died in those attacks, and many others had to take preventive measures. Many others lost their jobs. That's more important than one singer's mental problems.
*Live from New York.....
After a most frustrating three months, it's Saturday Night:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20080220/d_strip20_snl.art.htm
*Not live from New York....
NBC is changing its tradition of unveiling programs.....
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/business/media/20adco.html?_r=1&ref=television&pagewanted=print
I don't know that it's the way to go. I think a lot of the audience loss the networks have been undergoing in recent years is connected to the crazy schedules the shows have been on.
CBS shows have been most consistently at or near the top of the ratings, with the most consistent scheduling. People like to know when their programs are coming on, even if they do like new technology.
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