Not another one!

I'm blogging for my course on international reporting at vox.com (a terrible blog site, fraught with unnecessary complications and glitches, which I do not recommend to anyone and am being forced to use for class).

It's a different subject each week, which means even more variable quality than what you're used to. If you do find it necessary to subject yourself to more of my trash, click here.

In other news: If I like you at all, I probably miss you, as I'm too busy to interact with the human race. So, take care of yourself, and I'll see you after graduation.

More Like a Whirlwhip

Holy bovine, I've been crazy busy. I'm writing my thesis and finishing my last semester of classes. I'm also working as the site editor at ChicagoTalks and I'm still working three days a week at BuzzFlash!

Apropos of nothing, is anyone else ridiculously excited about the fact that Halloween is on a Friday this year? I've already started planning the party. Notice to all out-of-town friends: let me know if you're going to be in Chicago this Halloween. Because you should really be partying at my place.

I promise I'll start blogging more after my heart attack.

Heir Show

Hello, all. Wanted to apologize for nearly abandoning my post (no pun intended) when it comes to blogging lately. However, if my news writing is not going to satisfy that burning desire you have to read my stuff, I wrote a blog-like piece for the Last Chance Democracy Cafe yesterday. Maybe you'd like to read it?

It's all about meeeee!

I try to avoid advertising my news writing on this blog too much, but I got a story up on BuzzFlash that I really like. You can read it here, if you wish.

I'm still posting stuff for them daily, though, so stay tuned to the site if you're interested.

Thanks for reading!

I feel so... um... what's the word?

Oh, yeah: validated.

Merriam-Webster included "pescatarian" in its list of new words this year (centuplicate that for a conception of how many nascent utterances with which the esteemed lexicographers supplement their weighty linguistic catalog annually).

Now when I get funny looks while attempting to explain my diet, I need only say, "Look it up, you benighted mooncalf."

I'm calling a Time Out for Sheboygan

I read a really lame review of Sheboygan, WI today in Time Out Chicago. Not that the review was negative; it was just plain shoddy and superficial. As I began to bitch, I realized it was written by the editor-in-chief, Frank Sennett. Well, this guy should know better. So I wrote my first letter disapproving of a review:

Jesus Christ, man. If you're going to do a review, you might have to actually get out of your car/condo and do something. You made Sheboygan sound like the most boring little town ever. And it is, but in a really weird, interesting way. I don't usually send letters like this, but it makes me sad when a fellow journalist falls down on the job. And such a simple job it was! Were you hungover or something? Next time, hand the job to a hungry intern or newbie. They would probably love to get a free vacation to a funky, albeit dusty little Midwestern town. Thanks for once again reminding me why I'm not renewing my subscription to your lazy and increasingly elitist mag.

Meg White

P.S. In case you were wondering, I'm not from, nor have I ever lived in, Wisconsin or small-town America.

I'm mostly just posting this because I know this one won't make it into "Letters to the Editor."

More House

I talked to Rep. Robert Wexler today for a preview of former press secretary Scott McClellan's testimony on what Bush & Co. knew and when. Read the article here and watch the testimony tomorrow here.

Meg infiltrates House

This morning I had the opportunity to interview Rep. Dennis Kucinich on his insistence upon bringing articles of impeachment to bear against the president. Read the article here.

Kucinich came off as a polite, funny and impassioned man. Other than impeachment, I asked him if about endorsing Obama. He seemed to think his "kind of" endorsement in Iowa was enough.

He said he'd rather stay in the House than be a part of the new cabinet in 2009 (the thought around the office was that he might want to head up a possible Department of Peace, but apparently that's not in the cards?) He's gonna do all he can to get the Ohio Democrats out to vote this November, but he wants to have a chat with Obama about a couple policy issues.

Sen. Obama, sir? Have your people call his people. I know you guys don't want this impeachment albatross hanging around your campaign's proverbial neck, but we need Ohio.

More me

I'm almost done with my first week of work and I still love it. I even got to do an opinion piece today! Check it out.

Tomorrow morning I have an interview with a former 2008 presidential candidate. No, it's not her, but I'm nonetheless excited. Don't worry, I'll keep you in the loop with more shameless self-promotion...

News of the Meg

After weeks of fretting over obtaining a summer job, I landed a paid writing gig. I'm writing political news for buzzflash.org. I had my first day today, and I love it. The writing and editing staff is smart, funny and nurturing...and did I mention I'm getting paid to write?? My first article is posted. Bookmark the site; I should have new stuff up daily.

Endless thanks to all of you who believed in me when I didn't. You know who you are.

Get your kicks...

What CTA denizen dares to complain about transit these days? I like to call it cheap entertainment.

Scene: Clinton/Lake CTA stop, on the Green Line toward the loop. 12:30 p.m.
A grey-haired, lightly-bearded suit boards the train and, finding no one he'd like to sit next to, stands on the other side of the doorway. No, he hasn't heard if the Red Line northbound is re-routed today, but he wouldn't be surprised.
"The things I do to save gas," he says, shaking his head. He wishes me good luck, and gets off at the very next stop.

Scene: State/Lake Red Line Subway Station. 12:45 p.m.
A short, middle-aged man in dark slacks, a button-down and a vest stands next to a small boom box.
"Good afternoon, Chicago!" he says to lunchtime commuters on the platform. "I had to unbutton my vest, because I'm ready to fight!" He smiles so widely that no one looks like they believe a violent, headline-grabbing episode is about to unfold. Plus, a Chicago police officer and her K-9 are looking on.
He starts up the boom box, which plays "Eye of the Tiger." Just like his muse Sly in Rocky III, the man punches fiercely, connecting with the air on every beat, each hit accompanied by a spirited "Uh!"

Scene: Devon & Lakewood bus stop, WB. 5:40 p.m.
The green and white quilt with the stuffing coming out of one end looks strangely familiar. Not the blanket itself, mind you. I recognized the form it took at one end of the bus stop bench, like my quilt looks at the foot of my bed after being rudely awakened by an alarm clock. At least it's warm out now.

Indy rock: A review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

After seeing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I was torn. The anthropologist in me said, "no," but the Karen Allen look-alike in me said, "yes, yes, yes!"

It was certainly more National Geographic than Indiana Jones that enticed me to get my bachelors in anthropology, but I did grow up loving the unlikely romance of action adventure and lost cultures I found in the trilogy. Sure, the less-than-soothing bedtime story of the ignoble savage irked me some, but I've always been a sucker for ruins and a good rickshaw chase.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a workable update of the last three movies in the Indy saga. Much is familiar to fans (evil fascists who want to use ancient knowledge for personal gain, protective native peoples, improbable but entertaining whip maneuvers) but something else leapt out as I watched the movie. Steven Spielberg was ripping off a nut job from the sixties.

Erich Von Daniken wrote "Chariots of the Gods?: Unsolved Mysteries of the Past" in 1968 to prove, using misunderstood artifacts from ancient times, that aliens sparked human development. One of his ideas gets top billing, that the Nazca Lines, pictograms created on valley floors in Peru which can only be appreciated from the sky, were veritable landing strips for alien visitors. His theories have been widely debunked, but he still makes appearances for wacko groups like the Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association who no doubt want to be on the right side of the coming alien invasion.

The problem with Von Daniken is not that he's a crazy writer and pseudo-soft scientist. It's the implication of his theories. He maintains that Mesoamericans weren't smart enough to have accomplished all that they did, and must have mated with aliens to gain their current human status.

I'm not saying Spielberg is necessarily culpable for revisiting Von Daniken's skewed view. Spielberg dutifully leaves intergalactic sex out of the equation and makes a point to say his funny green men are from "another dimension" and not outer space, no doubt to distance himself from Von Daniken's overt racism and Area 51 fanatics alike.

Would it have made for a better movie if the writing team included that fact that Mesoamericans bound the skulls of royal babies so that they would grow in an elongated, alien-looking way? I mean, I find that stuff fascinating, but I don't suffer under the illusion that erudition translates to box-office bucks.

Putting aside the fact that she's the only celebrity anyone has ever said I resembled, Karen Allen conjured a charmingly believable older version on Marion (if only I were 56 and had a dimple on my chin! Sigh). The rest of the acting in the film was charmingly unimpressive (Harrison Ford looks tired, Cate Blanchette's accent was a disappointment, etc.).

The writing was paltry, but above average for an action film. The writers shone brightest when mocking Cold War ethos and nukes.

The special effects varied widely. An exceedingly cheesy scene where Shia LaBeouf swings through the jungle with anthropomorphic monkeys is immediately followed by a gut-wrenching fire ant scene which left me curled up in my seat, brushing away imaginary insects.

Overall I enjoyed the newest edition to the Indy family of films. Go see it. Just be sure to bring popcorn, and leave your BA and sense of indignation at home.

Countdown to cancellation

I've tried to cancel my Sun-Times subscription several times, but those darn call center people are so persuasive. So, in preparation for my phone conversation tomorrow, I thought I'd organize my thoughts (don't think this means I'm switching to the Chicago Tribune, either. The New York Times will have to do, at least for the summer).


Top ten reasons I'm canceling my Sun-Times subscription:

10. Pointless pictures of other people's pets.

9. Commuter newspaper for some reason obsessed with cars (pothole patrol, Autotimes, continual gas price coverage).

8. Richard Roeper pretending he's better than Michael Sneed. Really they're separated by Roeper's use of complete sentences. Stick to the movies, bucko.

7. Mary Mitchell disguising her prejudices by exposing other peoples' prejudices.

6. Talk Back: the section for readers who are too crazy/illiterate to handle writing a letter or email.

5. Robert Novak's mere presence.

4. Paper only makes it to my door 57% of the time, though I pay for daily delivery. Funny, the delivery problems started occurring after the Sun-Times farmed out the service to Tribune Co. Coincidence?

3. Michael Sneed's overuse of "to wit," "translation," and "Obama drama."

2. The new "How I'm Saving Money" segment: a pandering distraction from a deeply troubled economy which goes largely uncovered.

1. Drew Peterson and R. Kelly's rotating front-page coverage.


...to The Watchdogs, Mark Brown and Abdon Pallasch: check you online, homies.

Don't Bush it, buddy.

Ariana Huffington recently reported John McCain told her that he did not vote for Bush in the 2000 election and that he only nominally supported his run out of obligation to the GOP.

While McCain quickly denied the story, it was confirmed by several sources at the party, including, get this: two cast members from the presidential drama The West Wing. Jed Bartlet for president!

Even without confirmation, I don't know that I would've denied the story so quickly. Bush's campaign made some shockingly nasty attacks on McCain and his family in the run-up to that election including accusing him of being crazy and fathering an illegitimate black child. Talk about putting swiftboaters into context!

With Bush's approval ratings falling to historic lows, rejecting the current administration may be McCain's only chance.

There's a lot of talk lately that Clinton's supporters will shun the polls if she doesn't get the nomination and vice versa. Can John "McGain" from the animosity?

Let's say Clinton is Democratic nominee. How can McCain capture disaffected black voters? Well, his association with Bush isn't going to help.

"You would have to get a really finely tuned GPS to find any African Americans who approve of Bush," David Bositis, a senior research associate at the Joint Center for Economic Studies, told me.

In fact, the headline of a recent Gallup poll says it all: "Bush May Be as Harmful to McCain as Wright is to Obama."

And what about the more likely alternative of Obama being the blue candidate?

Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization of Women wrote in a recent "Below the Belt" column:
"What if we end up with a Bush sequel that looks frighteningly like the last eight years? If Sen. John McCain becomes the next president of the United States, he will carry on Bush's tradition."

Considering she refers to the Bush administration as the "Conservative Misinformation Network," it's safe to say she'll make it to the polls for the Dems even if Clinton isn't the nominee.

It may turn out to be impossible for McCain to remove himself from the Bush hook.

"The Democrats have no intention of letting him put any distance between himself and Bush," said Bositis. Not only that, Bush lovers may be McCain's only chance. "If he doesn't have their support, he doesn't have any at all."

However, this alliance may a "what have you done for me lately?" case.

As I've written previously, the "campaign finance candidate" is in a fair amount of campaign finance trouble. Not the Clinton kind of trouble, mind you. Quite the opposite, McCain might have too much money. The FEC is due to rule on whether McCain can eschew the public funds he asked for when his campaign was desperate for money.
The FEC hasn't been able to rule on it, however, because they didn't have enough members to reach a quorum. McCain appealed to Bush to restock the FEC so that the matter can be resolved. Bush complied, with a cherry on top: he dumped chairman David Mason, who had indicated he didn't see things the way McCain would like.

If Bush can't get McCain any votes in the electoral college, perhaps the FEC is the next best thing?

Well, let's just say the FEC is no Florida.

"This election is going to be about a referendum on George Bush and Bushism," said Bositis. "And it's going to be a negative verdict."

Wither Channel

After an early Easter and only our second year of a bumped-up daylight savings time tricked the Midwest into thinking spring was right around the corner, the extended winter felt especially cruel. But Chicago hit the 70-degree mark for the first time since October 21, 2007 yesterday, and you know what that means...

Yes, folks, it's officially that time of year when you don't have to listen to me bitching about the weather.

Some of you might be saying, "C'mon, now. As soon as it hits 95 degrees in the big city you'll be complaining along with the rest of us."

You must not be aware of the public service pact into which I entered two years ago. I came to a collective agreement with everyone I might come into contact with never to complain about the heat, no matter how much the outdoors might resemble the depths of Hades.

Some were skeptical. And I'll admit that it does get tough, especially when you hail from Minnesota. That's not just because we're hard-wired to yap endlessly about the weather, either. Say I'm in an elevator with some sassy old woman who's telling off the weather gods. It's all I can do to keep from adding a "Yeah, and how 'bout that humidity, eh?" As if elevators weren't uncomfortable enough.

But I've managed to stick to my pledge for two years running now. And really, it's the least I can do: you all have been so patient.

For the Nina Totenberg in you

There's a whole slew of code phrases put out by presidential candidates to hint at their potential impact on the long form institution of the Supreme Court: litmus tests, constructionist judges, legislating from the bench, etc. McCain, in his search for a base, however, doesn't mince words.

He's said he believes in "judges who enforce, and not make, our laws; the social values that are our true source of our strength; and, generally, the steadfast defense of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which I have defended my entire career as God-given to the born and the unborn."

Also, the "Maverick" seems content to tow the party line when it comes to approving whomever Republican presidents nominate for the court. He even went so far as to vote in favor of the doomed nominee Robert Bork.

However, McCain made somewhat of a surprising announcement about his judicial views on Monday. Maybe it was just because he was addressing journalists at the annual Associated Press luncheon, but he offered tentative support for a federal shield law protecting journalists and the right to maintain confidential sources. He said that, though he's had a "hard time deciding," he "would vote yes" if the proposal reaches a vote in the Senate because it has a provision for national security.

"This is why judicial appointments are so important," McCain said.

Well, that's why journalists think judicial appointments are important. I'd bet Gloria Steinem and Pat Robertson would say there's a more important judicial issue...

Anyway, McCain didn't seem to feel like he was overstepping his bounds in legislating to judges, saying he thought the bill "gives them the guidance most judges would like to have."

His support puts him at odds with the President, who threatened to veto the bi-partisan legislation. I guess that's what distinguishes a senatorial candidate for president from a gubernatorial one. McCain seems happier to hand down legislation to "guide" judges that he is to pick out the actual judges himself.

Speaking of senatorial candidates for president, Obama and Clinton are already sponsoring the bill. So, no matter who makes it to the White House next January, us journalists at least have some lip service coming our way. I wonder if that's contingent on us behaving ourselves during the rest of the election cycle?

Flogette

What if I were a Meghan whose dad was running for president? What would my blog look like if I had a professional photographer and producer working on it? What if, instead of a career in journalism, I was hoping to create my own line of couture fashion?

Me, my blog and I might look a little more like John McCain's daughter, Meghan and her online venture.

Even though we have the same first name (hey, most people spell it Megan!) she and her blogettes declined to answer my request for an interview. Or even an email. Here are my impressions anyway:

I could live without her music recommendations. There are too many photos and her captions leave much to be desired ("Zack Pack has the best name ever" or "We ate Chick-fil-A for lunch (My fav!)" or "I've always loved swings at a playground").

On March 10th, Meghan's post started like this:

"As you may have noticed, I seldom use the Blogette as a medium to discuss social or political issues unless I feel particularly compelled to do so. This is one of those times."

OMG!! What is she going to talk about? Maybe she's going to talk about an actual issue like abortion or the war or immigration or something besides fashion and make-up tips? Is she finally gonna call out the New York Times for what they said about her dad?

[the night the NYT story broke she wrote, "Having grown up in politics, I know it's an industry that, for all intents and purposes, is known for being dirty and cruel," and did not mention the story specifically...unlike me]

No. She was upset about people on the campaign trail criticizing her weight. The last straw was someone handing her a business card for a liposuction professional. Honestly, I agree that such behavior is disturbing. Kudos to her pride in her curves. I just wish she hadn’t announced it with such gravity. Her self image is not a “social or political issue;” it’s a personal one.

Politics is a cruel "industry." And if you don't give people something substantive to criticize, like your policy views, people start making fun of your pantsuits.

McMarketing

This past Sunday, I was listening to the Tavis Smiley Show and his first guest was none other than Sen. John McCain (via telephone).

They talked about the economy, the war, media coverage...then McCain brought up the African American community, asking if Smiley minded if he switched gears.

Well, we all knew Tavis was going there, and the host said as much himself. "But go ahead," he told the Republican candidate.

"I'm a realist. I know I'm not going to get a majority of the African American vote," McCain conceded. "But I'm going to go all around this country...I'm gonna fight for their votes."

Smiley acknowledged that McCain has been on the right side of several issues of concern to the Black community, mentioning his support of the MLK holiday in Arizona and his views on immigration reform. But Smiley made a thinly-veiled reference to McCain's willingness to switch sides.

"I've said before, if this John McCain shows up...he has something to say to Black America," Smiley told McCain.

"There really isn't much that Sen. John McCain can do to convince Black voters to vote for him," said Frances Rice, chairman of the National Black Republican Association. "The Democratic Party has spent the past 40 years convincing them Republicans are the racist party, when really it's the exact opposite."

Though she says her organization doesn't endorse specific candidates, she told me they support all Republicans and that they might even change their stance this year and endorse McCain.

"We may decide that this is a good year," she said.

...if the "right" McCain makes an appearance? I have a feeling her idea of the right McCain and Smiley's might differ. Now, if Bush's McCain shows up...

How about some electoral history?

Bush got 11 percent of the Black vote in 2004 and 9 percent in 2000. And this is the guy who ignored the country's premier civil rights organization until 2006!

Going back to the B.W. ("before Dubya") era, Republicans scored 12 percent in 1996 and 10 percent in 1992. But these numbers are even more shocking when you consider America's "first Black president" only got 83 and 84 percent in those two elections, significantly less than both Gore and Kerry (Perot stole a good share of the African American vote both years-7 and 4 percent, respectively). I am really more surprised by George W.'s success with the Black vote than Clinton's failure, however. Not that I'm an identity voter, but it would piss me off if a male candidate that only goes to church every once in a while was billed as America's first woman or agnostic president...

In all, I think Tavis got it right. Support the right issues and you'll get the votes you deserve. Identity politics is so out of style. Or if it's not yet, it will be by the time we get to November.

Short attention span? You too can save the planet!

My new favorite eco-fad? Let's call it sixty minutes in the closet with Chicago.

Earth Hour, organized by the World Wildlife Fund, is this Saturday at 8 pm central, and I couldn't be more excited about something as mundane as flipping a switch. Yeah, that's all it is. Turn off your lights for an hour; feel morally superior. And prettier.

Though there are only a few cities officially participating (my hometown not being one of them, *ahem*) I don't see any reason why everyone can't participate. Or, is this event only for cities with ridiculously useless recycling programs?

I don't know how much energy Earth Hour really saves, but frankly, I don't care. I just want to play some self-righteous flashlight tag. Yeah!

Rezko Schmezko

The lobby of the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago has a little cordoned-off area for cameramen hoping to catch a balding Syrian man on trial for soliciting kickbacks, supposedly on behalf of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

For those who don't know, Rezko is accused of gathering illicit funds from companies seeking government contracts and individuals wanting to be appointed by the Gov. to state boards. The Feds caught on to his pal Stu Levine's rampant drug use and questionable "private behavior," so they wired the guy up and sent him after Rezko in exchange for a reduced 5-year sentence. My out of state pals may know him as "that guy giving fodder to Clinton and other anti-Obamans," as he has been described as a friend of our IL senator-cum-presidential candidate.

I've been in court watching the proceedings thrice since the trial began late last month and I have to say I've enjoyed myself. Since I'm new to Chicago, this whole corruption thing hasn't gotten old yet.

I thought I'd share some of my scribblings from the past few weeks for all those judicial junkies out there. First, to orient you, here's the newspaper-y piece I did on Thomas Beck's testimony on March 12:

"Friends in high places"

Jurors in the Antoin "Tony" Rezko case got to hear Stuart Levine's stammering voice for the first time Wednesday, though the prosecution's chief witness wasn't in the court room.

During the testimony of Thomas Beck, former Cook County comptroller and chair of the Illinois State Health Facility Planning Board, a recording of an FBI wiretap between him and Levine was played in court. Beck, now a consultant in Glenview, testified under immunity.

Though the jury was riveted by the playback of the conversation, Beck's testimony was more illustrative of the way Rezko was able to control the inner workings of planning healthcare in Illinois. Rezko is a politically connected former fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

According to Beck, everything from his board appointment to the opening of new hospitals went through Rezko. Though Beck had originally been appointed to the board by Gov. Jim Edgar in the 1990s and retained by Gov. George Ryan, he told prosecutors that when he wanted to be reappointed after Gov. Rod Blagojevich's 2003 shake-up of the board, he called Rezko.

"The newspapers and the word on the street was that Tony was close to the governor," Beck testified. "I thought he could be helpful to me."

He said he made an appointment with Rezko and brought a $1,000 check made out to Friends of Blagojevich. Soon after, Rezko asked him to serve as chair of the Health Facility Planning Board.

Beck identified three newly appointed doctors whom, in addition to Levine, Rezko could count upon to vote the way the governor wanted: Glenview pathologist Imad Almanaseer, Kankakee neurosurgeon Michel Malek and Winnetka podiatrist Fortunee Massuda. Beck described introducing himself to them at the board orientation in 2003.

"[I told them] 'I believe we have a mutual friend in Tony Rezko,' and they said, 'Oh, yes, he's our friend," Beck testified.

The "mutual friends" of Rezko were also Friends of Blagojevich. Dr. Malek donated $25,000 to Blagojevich on July 25, 2003, the same day that Foot & Ankle Clinics of America (based in Chicago and run by Dr. Massuda at the time) contributed an identical amount. The contributions were received just weeks before Gov. Blagojevich named the two doctors to the board. Levine donated $1,900 to Friends of Blagojevich in 2003.

Beck said he always met with Levine before the board's monthly meetings because Levine "never read anything he had received" regarding the agenda.

"[Levine] wanted to know what Tony wanted him to do," Beck testified.

Beck's communication with the three doctors was more complex. He said he wrote instructions on index cards for each of them.

"I would give one to each of the doctors [and say] 'these are of interest to our friend,'" Beck said.

The conversation played in court was taped by the FBI April 19, 2003, two days before a scheduled board meeting. Beck and Levine talked about a Mercy Health System proposal to build a new hospital in McHenry County. The proposal had been denied six months before the April meeting and needed to be reconsidered soon, per board rules.

At the time of the meeting, the Mercy application was unacceptable to the board. Beck testified that he told this to Rezko, but was told to pass it anyway.

"I got my marching orders," Beck told Levine. "Our boy wants some help."

Beck detailed a way to make the board seem like it was being fair to all three hospitals being considered at that meeting. He told Levine to tell Mercy's lawyer that the board would formulate new questions for each hospital to answer, necessitating extending the board's six month deadline for resubmitting a proposal.

Mercy's $81 million proposal was ultimately approved and the hospital continues to operate in Crystal Lake.

###

Here's what it's like for all the reporters who show up late to Judge Amy St. Eve's courtroom to cover the proceedings and get shuttled to the overflow room:

Despite the black velvet curtain around the big screen TV in the overflow room for the Tony Rezko trial, observers there were less than solemn.

Stuart Levine, the prosecution's key witness, continued his testimony from yesterday in a packed courtroom today. In the overflow room, reporters laughed over Levine's flippant answers to objections filed by the defense over the specificity of the location of meetings between Levine and Rezko.

Besides that, the testimony was rather dull.

Levine's answers to the prosecution's questions about his relationship with Rezko were blunt, but not surprising.

"I felt that Mr. Rezko and I could make a lot of money together," he said, referring to "illegal deals" he said he could bring regarding the two boards he served on: the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System and the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.

Observers could be seen doodling, yawning and playing hangman. Empty Dunkin' Donuts cups littered the courtroom tables. The door was never closed for more than a minute or two; people kept coming and going. One guy passed time picking his nose.

The view might be shitty (the camera shot catches the least interesting part of the courtroom, leaving out the evidence projection and the witness stand. And, I don't know about everyone else, but I am plain sick of looking at Tony's bald spot), but at least you can't be found in contempt of court.

During the morning break, one reporter said the former fundraiser "thought he was the next Gary Hart," referring to Levine's testimony that Rezko believed Gov. Blagojevich was going to run for president.

Other, less confident reporters checked quotes against their neighbors notes during the break. Someone went to go get more coffee. Judge Amy will never know.

How about a war on inanity?

This is old news for Chicagoans, but I've been bitching about it so constantly that one friend finally said, "just blog about it so we don't have to have this conversation again."

Maybe I miss Wednesdays at city hall. But this new indication of legislative applesauce gave me an eye-rolling strain.

Alds. Bob Fioretti and Ed Smith (aldermen I usually agree with)recently championed banning the sale of little ziploc baggies in Chicago in an attempt to curb illegal drug sales.

Lt. Kevin Navarro, commanding officer of the Chicago Police Department's Narcotics and Gang Unit, addressed the Health Committee that moved the measure forward earlier this month. He said the baggies are important because buyers can use the baggie names as code so that they don't have to say the drug's actual name.

Sorry, Navarro, but when is the last time you heard a user request "twenty dollars worth of methamphetamine?"

And I'm sure dealers would absolutely balk at putting a dime in a regular-sized baggie:

"Hey! That's for sandwiches, man."

I'm also positive there's no way dealers would stop in Evanston on their way back from Canada or Evergreen Park on their way from Mexico to pick up some "marketing supplies."

Can I be done now?

Ok, I am clearly sick of my duty to blog about McCain every week, but my whining has left little impression on my professor. I'm so sick of it that I wasn't even going to post this week's episode due to its hack-y nature. But I've decided to operate under the internet code of quantity over quality and post it anyway. As a way of making it up to you all, I should have some juicy Rezko trial stuff for you all tomorrow.

Thank you for your patience,
-m

There were no primaries this week and my "favorite candidate" was out of town visiting friends in the Mideast. Not that he was campaigning, no-o...

Good thing he wasn't, because otherwise the Dems and the media might have noticed that he doesn't know the difference between Shiites and Sunnis. Luckily, Sen. Lieberman whispered a correction in McCain's ear. That may be the closest we get to bi-partisanship: conservative Democrats picking up liberal Republicans after they slip on the banana that is tribal conflict.

Because of his trip, McCain missed the fallout from the Bear-Stearns debacle this weekend. I had spent the weekend studiously avoiding newspapers after a trip to Springfield left me legislatively exhausted. I came home, fired up the ol' computron and a friend of mine immediately bombarded me with news of financial calamity.

Here's some of the apocalyptic talk I got as I was trying to wind down:

"I recommend investing in bottled water, ammunition and antibiotics…"

"Duct tape. Buy duct tape."

"Just want everyone to get through the dust bowl okay, what with the inevitable descent into anarchy."

Let's be real though; it's not all hyperbole:
$3.5 billion company + $1.2 billion worth of office space + "risk" covered by the Federal Reserve Bank = $236 million.

McCain supported the Fed bailout, but said he hoped it wouldn't be necessary: "After the savings and loan crisis (of the 1980s), I think we all knew the government had to act. But we wasted billions."

This seems familiar…oh, right. Because I just blogged about it last month. Try this exercise. Google "mccain" + "savings and loan crisis"

I'll tell you right now, you will not get the above quote first, though it's newsy. In fact, that quote won't appear anywhere on the first page of your results. You'll get this first.

On the up side of financial integrity, McCain's campaign contributions from both Bear Stearns and JPMorgan since January 2006 have been much less than many other candidates (math mine, data FEC's):

JPMorgan:
Guiliani- $64,800
Romney- $46,200
Thompson- $24,600
The RNC- $13,051
The DNC- $10,500
Obama- $10,450
McCain- $8,900


Bear Stearns:
Dodd- $183,600
Clinton- $125,085
Guiliani- $138,991
McCain- $45,150

Too bad Bear Stearns owned more McCain stock than JPMorgan. However, much as McCain takes over the coffers of the RNC, JPMorgan will absorb the risk, profit and political influence of Bear Stearns.

Bleeding ears

I was reading the New York Times editorials yesterday and saw an interesting section where readers wrote in with what they wanted to hear the Democratic presidential hopefuls say (as opposed to the current vitriol being spewed).

I especially liked the advice from George Waldstein to Obama's speech writers:

“My fellow Americans: I hope to become the Democratic nominee in this election. But if Senator Clinton becomes the nominee, I will enthusiastically support her, and she will be an excellent president and will undo the wide damage caused by the Bush administration and its chief enabler, John McCain..."

Apparently, Obama's been reading the NYT, too. Here's what he told CNN after his Mississippi victory:

"I've been careful to say that I think Senator Clinton is a capable person and that should she win the nomination, obviously, I would support her. I'm not sure we've been getting that same approach from the Clinton campaign."

Ok, so a little extra snark in there for good measure, but it's better than sicking famous campaign staffers with racial innuendos on one's opponent.

Former vice presidential candidate and Clinton consultant Geraldine Ferraro says Obama's victory is unfair:

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

Yeah. I'm sure we can all agree being a black man in America means you got it easy. Not that being a woman in America is any easier, but whining about it will get us nowhere. That's how feminism became a dirty word, remember?

Instead of chastising Ferraro, Clinton stood behind her.

Maybe Clinton should be reading the NYT. Or at least listening to what Americans want to hear.

What's up, doc?

I was in a doctor's waiting room today when a couple came in inquiring about adoption counseling. I watched from behind a newspaper as they got a serious run-around and ended up leaving in frustration.

I thought about when I was sixteen, just having seen that awful video in health class of the woman giving birth. I got totally grossed out and vowed never to get pregnant. My health teacher was glad to hear it, I'm sure, but asked me what would happen if I wanted children later in life. I said I could always adopt. And the reply was, "no, you can't always adopt."

While any idiot can get pregnant, adoptive parents have to endure a battery of tests and monitoring by health professionals of every stripe in order to "have" a baby.

Being a parent is an important job, to be sure.

However, being president is arguably the most important job in the country, and the only test is whether you're approved of by the American people. Don't get me wrong, I dig representative democracy and all its wacky implications. And I don't mean to imply that any idiot can become president. But I do think the American people should be given more tools with which to judge the suitability of their future president and I'm not the first to suggest it.

McCain, if elected would be the oldest person to be inaugurated as president. He hasn't released medical records since 1999, the last time he ran for president. I'd imagine even the healthiest septuagenarian's health could change quickly, and anyone's bound to be a quite different person after more than eight years of political life.

Also, McCain's been treated for skin cancer and takes medications for high blood pressure, heart attack prevention and allergies.

In an interview on 60 Minutes McCain said he'll release his medical records within the next two months. Why the wait? He's already the nominee. He's already been to the doctor; why can't his campaign release the results now?

Not surprisingly, the McCain campaign didn't respond to my two press requests for information on the subject. Too busy redacting?

Another note: yes, I want to see Hillary's tax returns, too. But what about her medical records? And how about the less and less transparent Sen. Obama? He could explain his friendship with "T.R." at the same time and save us all a truckload of speculation.

post primary addendum

Shortly after I posted my most recent blog, McCain won Vermont, Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island and Mike Huckabee bowed out of the race, endorsing his former rival (as if he had a lot of choices).

Continuing the goodwill religiosity tour I started yesterday, let me posit that Jesus would be happy his children are getting along so well.

With all four March 4 contests under his belt, McCain has secured the nomination. Will he get the Catholics too? Apparently, Catholics are the new swing voters. Bush lost them to Gore, but won them against Kerry. My prediction? Though the Hagee endorsement won't sit too well with them, Catholics who voted for Bush will transfer nicely to McCain, as long as he remains pro-life. One thing is for sure, with endorsements from Huckabee and Hagee, McCain’s got the evangelicals locked up, or at least what’s left of the once powerful bloc.

WWJVF?

This week, John McCain accepted the endorsement of San Antonio televangelist John Hagee.

The president of The Catholic League said Hagee has "waged an unrelenting war" on the Catholic Church. That may seem a little extreme, but Hagee did call the church a whore and a cult and associates it with both Hitler and the anti-Christ. McCain said, while he doesn't endorse Hagee's views, he'll take the endorsement. This is a marked departure from Obama rejecting Farrakhan's help.


I was raised Catholic and made it (begrudgingly) to confirmation. I'm admittedly non-practicing. But I wondered, if things were different, would the Catholic Church have the answer to this burning question: who would Jesus vote for?

I called The Catholic League and they told me they don't endorse candidates for president. Knights of Columbus has the same policy.

In the Priests for Life Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics, they advise voters to "avoid to the greatest extent possible voting for candidates who endorse or promote intrinsically evil policies."


Ok, no evil. That's good to know.

I called the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and they said that while they do not endorse particular candidates, they publish guides leading voters to the "right" candidate. This year's guide doesn't mention any candidate by name. However, Catholic Online insisted that Mike Huckabee fits the Bishops' description best, expressing surprise that the "best Catholic running for the highest office in the land seems to be the best Evangelical too."


See, there? We can all get along! Until Huckabee drops out, that is.

I grew up in a family of Democrats, but recently all my aunts, uncles and cousins have switched allegiances to the Bush/Cheney machine. I was going to call them up for a quick poll, but I have a feeling it's easier to get an answer from The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. At least they don't have my church attendance record on file. And they haven't been at the table for Christmas dinner. They also have never called me a devil-worshipping communist. Thankfully, my immediately family is still quite liberal and I don't hold grudges.

Thanks to poorly-staffed watchdogs and short attention spans...

I'll be the first to admit it: I am prone to tirades.

My last blog could be fairly described as a rant against the New York Times. One of my objections was their sordid accusations against McCain for his supposedly inappropriate relationship with a female lobbyist. It seems I'm not alone in my criticism of the Gray Lady.

It also seems the accusations have largely rolled off the Maverick's back, even with the specter of a lawsuit looming.

I called up David Morrison at the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform to see what he thought of all this.

"If he has dirty laundry, now is the best time for the story to appear," Morrison said. McCain is mostly secure in his nomination and the Democratic nomination has certainly not been sewn up, so the general election campaigning hasn't yet begun.

Once it does, Morrison said McCain will have a ready response if anyone tries to bring up this story again:

"We've dealt with that; this is old news."

Okay, then. What about this buzz about McCain vs. the FEC? That can't be good...

It seems McCain may have promised to use public funds to get a loan back when he was short on campaign cash. He said if he did poorly in New Hampshire, he would accept public funding (along with the requisite spending limitations) to pay back the loan.

Well, guess what? McCain didn't fail the New Hampshire test. And now everyone wants to give him money! Fantastic!

Except that the FEC might want to hold him to his earlier intentions. However, the FEC can do little except yell at McCain. It seems they don't have enough board members to reach a quorum on the matter.

The esoteric nature of this current bind could go either way for McCain's public image. A protracted, public fight with the FEC sure doesn't look good, even if the commission can't rule one way or the other. But the weirdness of the FEC's inability to answer their own question might mean that most Americans turn off before the issue is resolved.

The Gray Lady turns yellowish

Let me just first acknowledge that I subscribe to two newspapers. Not that those are the only ones that I read, but they are (supposed to be...) on my doorstep every morning. The Chicago Sun-Times, with its cultivated populism gives me the local gossip. I balance my beloved Chicago rag with the generally venerable New York Times. This week, however, I have been distinctly disappointed with its campaign coverage.

First, the NYT reported Obama's "plagiarism" of his pal Gov. Deval Patrick's speech.

In fact, the senator had disclosed the provenience of those remarks previously, but not every time he appropriated them. Gov. Patrick backed up Barack. Personally, I blame Obama's chief strategist David Axelrod, who worked on Patrick's campaign, too. Axelrod should know better, though, being a former newsman and long-time politico.

Then, Sen. Clinton, feeling like she looked a bit petty for attacking Obama, said it was the NYT, not her campaign who exposed the so-called plagiarism. Which is, in a word, a lie(thanks, Mr. Skoglund, for the link).

A lie I would've liked to have read in the NYT. And, let me just offer that I prefer someone who borrows rhetoric instead of just making shit up. At least when were talking about, oh I donno...the leader of the free world?

But it gets worse. Today's front page insinuated the John McCain had a sordid, extra-marital affair with Vicki Iseman, a lobbyist more than 30 years his junior.

First of all: ewwwww. Lobbyists are icky.

Second of all: you needed four reporters to write a muckraking story and you couldn't even get one untainted source to go on record about Iseman?

Third of all: at least four-fifths of the article was about his role in the Keating Five scandal. McCain did his political time for that already, and I'd hope anyone considering voting for him already knows about it. His participation in a decades-old scandal does not make him more likely to sleep with a skeletal blond living in Bud Paxson's pocket.

A NYT editor defended the article saying the information was "nailed down to the New York Times' satisfaction." Well, I'm glad someone's satisfied.

I, however, am not. And I will not be until the Gray Lady goes after her own with the same tenacity with which she is attacking the opposition. Hillary needs a minor miracle or serious political collusion to get the nomination at this point, NYT, and neither one should be coming from you.

Newsflash: New Yorkers not actually that tough

AP reported two subway workers went looking for a lost kitten by scouring "the area making 'meow' sounds." Add New York municipal employees to the list of things that aren't what they used to be. At least librarians are still predominantly cat people.

McCanoodling

Love is in the air. This Valentine's Day saw a hallmark moment with Mitt Romney snuggling up to his former rival John McCain with a big, sloppy endorsement. Smack!

Will this new union gestate into a Republican White House nine months from now? It's surely too soon to tell.

Romney had simply suspended his campaign after Super Tuesday, but now he has officially released his delegates and pushed them over to McCain's side. Some say Romney is hoping to mend fences with the Republican Party so he can make another run for president.

That may be. He's certainly not going to get the vice presidential spot. McCain's going to need to make his own peace with the party after he gets the nomination, and he'll surely do so by picking a more conservative running mate than Romney. Or at least a more consistent one.

Romney has been accused of being a flip-flopper during the campaign (incidentally, a political insult I've hated since it was attached to former candidate John Kerry. Since when are we not allowed to change our minds? I have this sneaking suspicion our country might be better off if certain leaders could learn to say oops, sorry
and I changed my mind). So, I guess his most recent change of heart shouldn't surprise me. But I can't help myself...

Romney on McCain before:
He's disingenuous!
He's Nixon!
He's a dirty trickster!
He's a liar!
He's a liberal!

The silliest part of all this is when Romney endorsed McCain, he said "the character of [McCain] was apparent" throughout the campaign. Apparent to everyone but Mitt, apparently.

"I really love attending Medill School of Journalism, copyright 2008"

Kudos to David Spett, senior at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern for calling out j-school dean John Lavine for fabricating quotes. Aaaand, for making the rest of us Chicago j-schoolers a little less jealous of the local fame Medillers are privy to. Hah. No, but seriously, folks...

Much has been made of the fact that journalism profs are constantly cautioning against even listening to off-the-record comments, much less publishing them. Really, they should be reserved for life-or-death situations (and for staffers on presidential campaigns, apparently. We'll sell our first-born for a decent Obama leak!).

Levine protests that this isn't that kind of journalism (the "article" appeared in an alumni mag), so he shouldn't be held to the same standards. I guess that's what I find so repulsive about the whole thing. Not only was the "article" written to promote his shameless marriage between journalism and marketing classes, but the "article" is nothing but an advertisement itself!

Gross. This is why I hang up on my alma mater when they call me for money. Not that I was cool enough to attend Northwestern...

financial exorcism via telephone

So, the other night my dad called me to say Elevations Credit Union had left two messages for me on his answering machine. I haven't lived with my dad for years, mind you. However, Elevations was my bank when I was slogging through undergrad in Colorado, so I assumed they were hoping I'd donate some of my massive monetary reserves to CU's coffers. Hah.

But they had called twice, and to get them off my poor father's back, I called them yesterday after class.

"Well, it seems this is about your car loan," the woman said, looking at my account.

I've never had a car loan. I don't own a car currently and I've never owned a car that would merit one. I did however, in a moment of weakness, co-sign on my boyfriend's car when we were living in Boulder. I told this to the nice lady.

Apparently, my ex (let's call him Craig) recently sent in his last car payment. Congratulations, Craig! Unfortunately, he sent in a check for less than the total amount owed.

I broke up with Craig after moving back to Minneapolis, when certain late-breaking news was revealed about our relationship, but we remained friends for a time. Later, Craig and I had a falling out which culminated in activities such as me not answering my apartment door unless I was expecting someone and being summarily ejected from several friends' parties at Craig's request.

Now that we live in different states, however, I'd put this all behind me. But, not surprisingly, I had erased Craig's number from my phone and thus could not help out the nice credit union lady. The two of us mulled over it for a second. Then, in a classic display of bill collector logic, she came up with a solution.

"Wouldn't it be easier if you just paid off the balance?" she asked.

For a moment, I balked.

Then she continued: "It's only two dollars and fifty cents."

I did the math, Mastercard style:

2001 Mitsubishi Gallant: $2.50
Cutting financial ties with both Craig and Elevations Credit Union: priceless.

So, in a few weeks I should be receiving the title for a car which cost me less than a latte. All I can say is that everyone's lucky that I've become less vindictive in my old age.

The king-unmaker continues...as does punditry

Continuing the tradition I pointed out last week, Sen. John McCain unmade the kingdom of Mitt this week. After a poor showing on Super Tuesday, Romney suspended his campaign. The news bolstered the media, who have been calling McCain the Republican frontrunner as of late. I'm sure the pundits are pleased about being right this time, after sounding the death knell for his campaign last summer.

National Public Radio's "political junkie" Ken Rudin went so far as to compare the Senator to Ed Muskie! Sure, there are a lot of parallels between the 1972 race and this one, but now McCain looks a lot more like McGovern than anyone else.

But that's all behind us. And among those looking to the future are the top two Democratic candidates. McCain was mentioned in both Clinton and Obama's speeches following primaries in Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington state and the U.S. Virgin Islands this Saturday.

However, just because the media and the Democrats say "front runner" doesn't make it so. Voters in two southern states seem to disagree; it was not a particularly good weekend for McCain.

David Espo wrote for Associated Press that "McCain flunked his first ballot test since becoming the Republican nominee-in-waiting, losing the Kansas caucuses on Saturday to Mike Huckabee." That's heavy criticism from the usually bland AP. McCain also lost Louisiana to the former minister and only squeaked out a win in Washington state.

Up next are Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia on Feb. 12.

McCain still has almost 500 delegates over Huckabee, though, so his nomination is all but assured. However, that doesn't mean that he (or Huckabee) is going to slow down, that the news media will put down its collective crystal ball or that I'm going to stop watching.

The McKing-unmaker

Now that Sen. John McCain has been anointed the Republican frontrunner by the media, everyone seems to be falling in line behind him. Giuliani dropped out and endorsed him, but with the former mayor's liberal leanings and lack of delegates, he's unlikely to be much of a king-maker. Same goes for the independent Republican Governator of California's McCain endorsement.

In fact, McCain himself is somewhat of a king-unmaker. His success is draining the life out of rumors of a presidential bid by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It appears that McCain has filled the moderate Republican hole convincingly enough.

Either way, with the conventions looming, there is no doubt that McCain's surge is having an effect on general election projections.

A friend of mine is an active Obama supporter in Minneapolis and frequently indulges my inner political junkie via Gmail's chat function. He recently told me he's concerned about this turn of events.

"I hate Hillary. I hate Romney. I fear McCain," he typed.

McCain has been criticized for being too liberal by almost every right-winger who counts in this country. He is too centrist, they say.

Which is why my friend fears him, instead of hating him. McCain has the ability to draw independents that Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee do not. In fact, Romney has been calling for Huckabee to drop out and stop splitting the right-wing vote. Huckabee counters that Romney should do the same, albeit less convincingly so.

The only threat to McCain's middle ground would be if Ron Paul decides to run as a Libertarian. Or whatever he is these days.

With all these left-leaning Republicans in the limelight, whither the hard-core right wing? If McCain is nominated, will they stay home? Watch Super Tuesday carefully, kiddies. It'll be the beginning of the beginning or the beginning of the end.