raging hypotheticals from the lady in a box

There is no Honor Here: What Rambo Taught us About Afghanistan

2010-05-17T15:51:00.000-05:00

BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Meg White

If I could add one war movie to the White House movie theater collection, it'd be Rambo: First Blood Part III.

Over the weekend, my boyfriend and I spent 102 minutes of our lives watching the final installment in the Rambo trilogy. Instead of what I expected -- an adrenaline-soaked, action spectacular from my embarrassingly short-sighted but thoroughly patriotic countrymen -- I got an incredibly prescient lesson in power and terror.

At the time of its release in 1988, Rambo III was widely panned. Not only is it pretty corny, but audiences must have thought that the way Russians were portrayed -- like stupid, sadistic drones -- seemed anachronistic by the late 1980s. Perestroika was already in place and the film was released some 17 months before the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. Back then, the film must have looked like an artifact of a bygone era. Watching it now, it seems like a bizarre back-to-the-future exercise.

The plot is basically this: Vietnam vet John Rambo -- after fighting to restore his good name against a fascist small-town cop in First Blood and saving stranded American veterans from the Viet Cong years after the police action there ended in Rambo: First Blood Part II -- has settled into the life of a handyman/weekend warrior in a Thai monastery. He's approached by his former commanding officer, Colonel Trautman, and asked if he wants to go to Afghanistan and help the freedom fighters (or mujahideen) fend off the Russian invasion there. Rambo refuses, but after Trautman is captured, Rambo volunteers to go save his former mentor from the Russians.

All of the sudden, Rambo is fighting Charlie Wilson's war. Perhaps the most instructive piece of this movie comes when viewed as part of a trilogy. The first two Rambo movies operate with a subtext that is a mixture of American shame and defensiveness in the wake of the war in Vietnam. Rambo twice plays the part of an abandoned killing machine, eventually redeeming himself and allowing the soldier (and by extension, his country) to return to the realm of humanity.

By the time Rambo III rolls around, we're lording our newly rediscovered humanity over the godless Russians. "Someday you'll understand," we say to them, shaking our heads and half smiling. But, as my boyfriend glumly quipped during our screening this weekend, "We are the Russians now."

Along the way, Rambo learns the bare minimum about Afghan culture, which is to say enough to know that the Russians were incredibly foolish to invade the country. His first lesson comes from his contact in the country, known as Mousa. As the two approach the mountainous Afghan border on horseback, Mousa gestures with a wide sweep and begins the lesson:

Mousa: This is Afghanistan. Alexander the Great tried to conquer this country. Then Genghis Khan. Then the British. Now the Russians. But Afghan people fight hard. They never be defeated. Ancient enemy make prayer about these people. You wish to hear?

Rambo: Uh-hm.

Mousa: Very good. It says, "May God deliver us from the venom of the cobra, the teeth of the tiger and the vengeance of the Afghan." You understand what this means?

Rambo: That you guys don't take any shit?

Lesson learned. But the Russians need a little help understanding their fate. In a scene just prior to Rambo's education on the futility of a war against the Afghan people, Trautman is trying to explain to his captor, Russian Colonel Zaysen, that his country is repeating the mistakes of the American military in East Asia (emphasis mine):

Trautman: The Kremlin's got a hell of a sense of humor.

Zaysen: Please explain.

Trautman:& You talk peace and disarmament to the world. Yet here you are, wiping out a race of people.

Zaysen: We are wiping out no one. I think you are too intelligent to believe such absurd propaganda...

Trautman: You expect sympathy? You started this damn war; now you have to deal with it.

Zaysen: And we will. It is just a matter of time before we achieve complete victory.

Trautman: You know there won't be a victory. Every day your war machines lose ground to a bunch of poorly-armed, poorly-equipped freedom fighters. The fact is that you underestimated your competition. If you'd studied your history you'd know that these people never given up to anyone. They'd rather die than be slaves to an invading army. You can't defeat a people like that. We tried. We already had our Vietnam. Now you're gonna have yours.

Just go back and reread that with U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Gen. Stanley McChrystal subbing in for the Zaysen character, and I think you'll get why Rambo III is somehow more painful than The Hurt Locker.

As if to underscore the similarities, Zaysen orders Trautman to be tortured, that they might determine just where those pesky stinger missiles are. Of course, torture only works to strengthen Trautman's resolve (and sharpen his sense of humor, as he tells Zaysen the missiles can be found in the Russian commander's behind. Hilarious).

The similarities even play out in language, in a way only American cinema can achieve. At one point, Zaysen asks of Rambo, "Who is this terrorist?" Little did the otherwise clunky screenwriters know that the Bush Administration would turn the tables on Rambo and his mujahideen friends some 15 years later.

The concept of inequity of military strength is displayed when a Soviet fighter helicopter chases down Rambo and an Afghan fighter while they're on horseback. It's a sneak attack of sorts, and demonstrates the lack of sportsmanship on the part of the Soviets. Afterward, Masoud, whose character represents a mujahideen leader, says this to Rambo:

Now you see how it is here. Somewhere in a war there's supposed to be honor. Where's the honor here? Where?

I wouldn't be surprised if the same conversation could be heard today from Afghans and Pakistanis wondering about the honor of unmanned drone attacks.

Of course in the end, the Rambo terrorists -- I mean rebels -- win. Though movie-goers at the time saw Rambo and Trautman drive off into the sunset together, giggling about how they're too old for this crap, there was an alternate ending available to me as a DVD viewer. In it, Rambo decides to stay with his freedom fighter friends.

"Does that mean Rambo joined up with the Taliban to fight us?" mused my boyfriend.

Both versions of the ending of Rambo III feature script that reads: "This film is dedicated to the gallant people of Afghanistan."

Gallant they are. But if the filmmakers were really looking out for the future of Afghanistan, they should have dedicated the movie to the future leaders of the United States.

BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Originally published 2010-05-17

The Democratic Party Comes Clean With its Misogyny in its Latest Betrayal of Women and the Progressive Movement

2010-05-14T16:00:00.000-05:00

BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Meg White

You'd think I'd have already learned my lesson during the healthcare debate. You know, the lesson that the Democratic Party will throw women's rights overboard at every opportunity?

Meet Connie Saltonstall, the woman who broke the camel's back for me. Or perhaps you remember her? She was responsible for getting the reprehensible Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) out of our hair by challenging his reelection from the left, until she was taken out by an increasingly misogynist Democratic Party.

She recently dropped out of the primary race, and did not mince words in explaining why:

...the Michigan Democratic Party has preemptively anointed Gary McDowell as their Democratic candidate. They are replacing Bart Stupak with another Upper Peninsula, Anti-Choice, Anti-Women’s healthcare rights candidate.

...I cannot support a party that endorses candidates who vote to restrict women’s legal rights and access to healthcare. It is time for Democrats to stop compromising on this issue.

The Michigan Democratic Party ignored the amazing response to Saltonstall's candidacy -- her proven and rapid ability to raise huge amounts of money and gain major endorsements -- and began grooming this McDowell character for Stupak's seat.

NARAL Pro-Choice America points out that McDowell showed his incredible hostility toward women when he "voted to ban a safe abortion method, without exceptions — even in the cases of rape, incest, or to protect the woman’s health." And Rh Reality Check asks this important question of the party:

McDowell, according to the Michigan Messenger, has been endorsed by the anti-choice organization, Right to Life, an extreme, conservative group. Which begs the question -- just where does the Michigan Democratic Party draw the line? They now support candidates who are not only extremely anti-choice but clearly extremely opposed to women's rights and autonomy.

Back when I posed a question about Stupak's retirement and the Saltonstall challenge, BuzzFlash readers from all over the country were excited about the prospect of a real progressive running under the Democratic Party banner. After all, Stupak was basically hated on all sides, from conservatives who saw nothing but his ultimate compromise on healthcare to liberals who took in his continual assault on the women's health and the reform bill in general with growing disdain.

Re-reading the comments on that piece now that Saltonstall has been forced out, it's easy to be depressed about the prospects of the progressive movement. One comment from BuzzFlash friend Ray Beckerman stings particularly badly:

It's great news, sends an important lesson to the other Blue Dogs. The progressives are beginning to fight back; we are going to take back the Democratic party.

In view of Stupak's leadership of antichoice anti-hcr Blue Dogs, it was especially important to make him pay a steep political price.

Ray Beckerman

Now that "price" remains unpaid and the Blue Dogs' "lessons" unlearned. Furthermore, the promise of real change fades so much as to be indistinguishable from the rest of the bull being peddled by Democrats today.

I had a personal philosophy that buoyed me through the idea that the Democrats are going to lose a fair number of seats in this coming election. I figured that many of the most vulnerable Democrats were Blue Dogs, in trouble for the same reasons I highlighted above in my discussion of Stupak's viability as a candidate. So what if we lose the purple or red districts? Most of those positions are held by Democrats-in-name-only anyway.

But the ouster of Saltonstall just illustrates that the Democratic Party is intent on abandoning almost all of the values I hold dear, in a doomed attempt to hold on to their congressional power. Even if they did hold onto the basic majorities that they now have, it's not like they'd do anything progressive with that power.

I used to think women's rights were a secondary issue for Democrats. Now it appears that they aren't an issue for the party at all. I'm not the only one who's dismayed at this turn of events. At Salon's smart column on women's issues, Broadsheet, Anna Clark notes that this action bodes poorly for 2010 and the future of the party (emphasis mine):

...what is frightening is that Democratic leadership isn't even trying. We should be able to see in Stupak's legacy that the stakes are costly for putting up Democratic candidates who don’t support abortion as part of a spectrum of reproductive rights. Instead, party leadership has handed over the game to conservatives, presuming pro-choicers will vote Democrat anyway and that nobody who is not a Democrat thinks the right to privacy is a good idea. Such tactics smack of desperation: It seems that the Democratic Party wants to win just so it doesn’t lose, rather than because there is something worth fighting for.

I admit, I'm at something of a loss over what to conclude about this turn of events. As Saltonstall points out, this is part of "an aggressive movement across the country" and is far from an isolated action of political expediency.

So I guess I'll leave you with the final words from Saltonstall's withdrawal announcement and hope that this isn't the last we hear from her or the hundreds of progressives out there being quashed by the Democratic Party at every turn:

We were first in the race, raised more money than any other Democratic candidate to date, collected over 1500 petition signatures, put together a professional campaign team and a path to victory. Without the interference of the democratic leadership, we might just have won the election!

BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Joe Lieberman Should be Disbarred for His Disregard for the American Justice System (He's Lucky He Gets to Keep His Citizenship)

2010-05-07T16:46:00.000-05:00

BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Meg White

Quick. Someone strip Joe Lieberman of his citizenship before he causes actual damage to the country. Oh, wait. I forgot; we don't engage in that kind of Orwellian nonsense in this country.

Yet.

You probably heard about the latest idea from the "independent" senator from Connecticut (who seems to be independent of nothing more than reality) to strip citizenship from people who are accused of having ties to terrorism. Somehow this incredibly stupid idea got codified into an actual bill, which was introduced yesterday. The fact that this knee-jerk response is now present in the Congressional Record is an anathema to our justice system.

Countless questions have been raised about this ridiculous notion advanced by Lieberman. Like, for one: "Why?"

After all, what good does this actually accomplish? The ability to try someone in a military tribunal comes easier when the accused is not a U.S. citizen, but then again, what's the problem with criminal court? And apparently the Miranda rights argument advanced by Lieberman is erroneous as well.

So why would a graduate of Yale Law, who should know better, introduce such a legally fraught, Draconian law?

Oh, of course! I should have known. Thanks for spelling this one out, Rep. Charlie Dent:

Stripping U.S. citizenship from terror suspects is not only the moral thing to do - it will make it easier to kill them, legislators argued Thursday.

"I suspect it would be easier to launch a Hellfire missile at a noncitizen than a citizen," said Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.). He rolled out a proposal with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and others giving the State Department power to yank the citizenship of Yanks who join up with Al Qaeda or similar groups.

Yeah, just killing U.S. citizens whom the State Department suspects of having terrorist ties would be wrong. Instead, we should strip them of their citizenship then bomb them to smithereens. Neat and tidy.

But here's another nagging question: What if they're wrongfully accused? After all, it's happened before. Richard Jewell, anyone?

Of course, Lieberman probably has no interest in stripping citizenship from white Christians accused of terrorism. You didn't see Lieberman all over FOX News suggesting that the Hutaree militants -- who were recently arrested under the suspicion of planning to wage war on this country from within -- be stripped of their citizenship or denied their Miranda rights or tried in a military tribunal.

Nope. It took fellahs with scary names such as Faisal Shahzad, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and Khalid Sheik Mohammed to arouse such despotic ire in Lieberman.

The scariest part is that Lieberman has bipartisan support for the measure, and by "bipartisan" I don't mean independent Lieberman plus the GOP. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA) is introducing companion legislation in the House with the aforementioned Pennsylvanian who likes bombing people. And Greg Sargent is predicting that there are more spineless Democrats "than you might think" who are afraid to deny the State Department the right to deny you your citizenship. Awesome.

I can't wait to hear psychopath-at-large Glenn Beck try to rationalize this to his Big Gubmint-fearing audience.

Not only is this proposal downright offensive to the very idea of American citizenship, it is also downright frightening that people with the grave responsibility of holding national elective office would propose or support it. And that is why we need to act to stem this sudden rush of fascism.

But since we are lawful U.S. citizens who have faith in the American system of justice, I'm not proposing that we strip Lieberman of his citizenship, or toss him in jail or even bug his phone line.

Instead, let's get him disbarred. He clearly has forgotten everything he learned about American justice while in law school. Any Yalies out there who can help me out with this one?

BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Sweet Beginnings

2010-05-05T16:04:00.001-05:00

GREEN IS GOOD
by Meg White

Economic indicators may be up, but the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago is not one of those places where you can see the recession receding.

Beeline from BuzzFlash on Vimeo.

"You know, we have a crack house right here," said Brenda Palms Barber, pointing to a house with a brown door across the alley. "People go back in there and get high all the time. It's crazy what I see in this alley."

Barber, the founder of the social enterprise Sweet Beginnings, is giving me a sort of tour through the single window of her small office.

"This gas station is the highest crime area in North Lawndale, one of the highest, because of the drug traffic that goes on on the highway," she continues. Her finger moves to the barrier between Sweet Beginnings' back yard and the gas station. "You see the different colors of fences? That's how many times it's been knocked down, driven through, rammed through..."

You wouldn't guess that such a troubled area is also home to a 28-beehive apiary. The honeybees don't seem to mind the crime or the drone of highway 290. Then again, they draw their inspiration from what grows in North Lawndale, as opposed to what is merely waiting to be torn down.

The bees tell a different version of this community's story. They help people get out this alley and back on their feet. These are the honeybees of Sweet Beginnings, a nonprofit social enterprise venture on the West Side of Chicago that helps people who have spent time in prison transition into the work world through beekeeping.

"In the case of men and women who have been incarcerated, it is too seductive -- it's almost too easy to go back to a life of crime if you can't attach to the labor market in a legal way," Barber said. "People can turn their lives around. But they have to have the opportunity to do so."

Barber explained that often many barriers -- from lack of education to the stigma of incarceration -- make this a huge challenge. And it's a major problem in North Lawndale, where 57 percent of adults have been involved in the criminal justice system.

I was lucky enough to meet some of Barber's budding beekeepers in a visit to Sweet Beginnings on a breezy but sunny day in late April. BuzzFlash sells Sweet Beginnings honey as well as their "beeline" honey-derived beauty products in our Progressive Marketplace. Sweet Beginnings opened their busy doors to me so I could paint a picture of a day of urban renewal via honey for BuzzFlash readers.

The apiary looks like it was once a daycare play lot. The walkway surrounding the dandelion-choked yard has playground equipment sunk into the concrete; a turtle, a pony and what appeared to be Donald Duck were each set on coiled springs, waiting for a kid who needed a ride.

Beekeepers-in-training LaMorris Patrick and Orieal Williams are carefully pulling slats of honeycombs out of the hives, which resemble 28 little nightstands, each humming with hundreds of bees building up the comb so their queen can lay her eggs.

Williams, a quiet young woman with short-cropped hair in a hoodie and jeans, shows me how to tell how old the pupae are and which ones are going to grow up to be drones and which ones will be worker bees.

John R. Hansen, a professor and beekeeper who oversees the apiary, teaches classes at both Sweet Beginnings and at Wilbur Wright College, where Sweet Beginnings installed six more beehives last year. Using a "smoker" full of burning wood chips to calm the bees, he goes on teaching his two students new material, automatically raising his soft voice a little whenever the train or a semi truck rumbles by.

Back in the classroom, Hansen goes over some of the parasite problems common to bees. Unlike industrial beekeepers, Sweet Beginnings doesn't use antibiotics or chemicals to keep their bees healthy.

"If we do see a problem, we're going to address it, but we're not going to address it with chemicals," Hansen reminds his students. Beside where he stood in the small room sits a shelf packed with 20-some different jars of honey, ranging from off-white to dark amber in color.

The classroom is also where employees make the many skin care products sold by Sweet Beginnings. They also learn sales and demonstration techniques that they can take to the local farmers market or Whole Foods, in order to get the word out about their products.

Unlike typical employment available to economically marginalized workers, Sweet Beginnings gives its employees more than just training and work experience. The sense of pride evident in everyone working there made an immediate impression on me.

Sweet Beginnings team leader Tiffany Chinn told me that it's not too difficult to get people to clear out of the busy classroom/kitchen/production center once you explain that you're sterilizing the area in order to make beeline products.

"It's really how you say it... no one really gets offended," Chinn told me. "There's almost a sense of community ownership."

And that sense of ownership extends outside the doors of Sweet Beginnings as well. After all, when bees collect nectar from a certain area, they are also collecting the floral profile of an entire community.

"One of the few farmers markets that we do now is here in North Lawndale, because we want people to see that something called honey was made in our community. And they're like, 'This was made here?'" Barber recalls. "I love that sense of pride. That's what I love most, is that you see their faces and they're like, 'Wow.' And that sense of pride comes from, yes, working with the bees. But oh my gosh -- go to a Whole Foods Store and let them see the little hanging tag that says 'Made in North Lawndale.' It's awesome."

Recidivism rates for participants in Sweet Beginnings are almost unbelievably low: Less than 4 percent wind up back in jail, while the national recidivism rate hovers around 60 percent. Barber said that pride also plays into the program's impressive success rates.

"I think it's a person regaining a sense of self-worth. I think that when you've done bad things, and when you live with stigma and then you're able to connect with a program and a work that is of high quality, where you feel respected... and see that people are buying a product that you have something to do with, something that you helped to contribute to, I think it does something to restore one's sense of self and their self-worth," she explained.

Holley Blackwell, Sweet Beginnings' general manager, agreed. When I asked her about their low recidivism rate and their 70 percent employment rate for program alumni, she said the sense of pride and purpose were important.

"I think the success comes from getting back into the habit of going to work, finding value in something that is positive and meaningful and creative and exciting, finding value in having a productive day," Blackwell said.

"It's a mind set," Patrick added. "I think [the program] sets the ground rules again, because somewhere along the line I lost the focus and the basic things that I already know."

Sweet Beginnings may sound like it's step number one, but the true new beginning comes from an older program called U-Turn Permitted. Barber established the training program in August 2000 within the larger nonprofit North Lawndale Employment Network to transition people from prison life to the work world. Participants get personal development coaches and work on issues such as anger management and strengthening communication skills.

"The development coach was very powerful. He made you want to do better for yourself. So many times people just tell you that this is what you should do," Chinn said of her experience with U-Turn Permitted. "That makes you want to transition from the U-Turn program."

Participation in U-Turn Permitted isn't required to apply for a job at Sweet Beginnings, but it helps.

"We also found empirical data that showed that people who did not go through U-Turn Permitted and came to Sweet Beginnings were not as successful as those who did U-Turn," Blackwell said. "I've never been through U-Turn Permitted, but I'm jealous. It sounds like a good place to really do some introspective thinking and to look inside and say 'OK, what am I doing?' It's valuable."

The poetic resonance of worker bees getting economically marginalized people back into the work world was pitch perfect to me, but it certainly was never a foregone conclusion. After she established U-Turn Permitted, Barber started thinking about what kind of work she could help her alumni to obtain. She toyed with starting a temp agency, a landscaping business, a delivery service... but nothing seemed to fit.

"We enrolled folks in the program, and then I felt very frustrated and very disappointed that after people had done all the right things, we still couldn't really get them the kind of employment opportunities that they needed. And I thought, 'My gosh, I'm letting these people down,'" Barber said. She began to get a little desperate. When a friend mentioned that the art of beekeeping is something that gets passed down by word of mouth and mentorship, she thought she'd investigate. "So, next thing I know, I'm meeting with a group of beekeepers!"

Still, not everyone was immediately sold on the whole "urban honey" notion.

"I was facing a lot of criticism for this idea," Barber said. So she decided to bounce the plan off of Paula Wolff, a friend and influential Chicago policymaker, over breakfast. "I explained it to her. And she paused, and then she said, 'What a sweet beginning for those people.' And I still get chills every time I think about it, because then I knew I had a name. There was a name for what this was going to be. We were going to create sweet beginnings for men and women who needed second chances."

The Sweet Beginnings program itself is only temporary -- employees work Monday through Friday for three months, or until they find another job, whichever comes first -- but the hope is that permanent change can come of it.

Chinn told me that besides the skills she's acquired in beekeeping and marketing since being hired, the green ethos of Sweet Beginnings got her to start thinking more about the environment around her.

"That whole green thing, and knowing that it's giving back to Mother Earth -- it's not depleting her -- it makes me feel good," she said. "Now I'm trying to get into the whole recycling thing, so this goes hand in hand with that."

Though Barber's priority is workforce development, she says there's no reason to think you can't do that and be green at the same time. Besides, she said it's better for the bees and the honey anyway.

"We don't use pesticides. We use natural approaches to taking care of the hive and our bees. We're very respectful of the colony, if you will, and -- like most beekeepers -- we only extract about 50 percent of the honey that is made, so that they can actually live and thrive on the honey that they're making. I think that's important," Barber said. "I think that one of the reasons we weren't struck with CCD -- colony collapse disorder -- was because of our old-fashioned approach to beekeeping. I think that some of the commercial beekeepers probably ran into more of a problem because sometimes they use a sugar derivative [to feed their bees]."

The whole operation comes down to a group of people with a great respect for bees.

"I respect bees for many, many reasons," Barber said. But, perhaps most of all she noted that "they don't distinguish their floral source from a flower or a weed. They just don't. They go, 'There's another flower source; there's another pollen source or nectar source for me.' And so, what I love is that they take something good out of what people see as weeds and make honey with it. Oh, come on. It doesn't get better than that."

Just then I noticed the vacant lot behind Barber's office window boasted a bright bolt of yellow flowers that surely no one had planted there, yet which were destined to become urban honey.

Doesn't get much sweeter than that.

GREEN IS GOOD

You can learn more about Sweet Beginnings, U-Turn Permitted and other North Lawndale Employment Network programs here. And don't forget to check out the many beeline products for sale at the BuzzFlash Progressive Marketplace.

Hot Flashes? Seriously?

2009-01-14T18:58:00.004-06:00

For anyone I haven't already spilled the beans to yet, I am now officially a salaried writer at BuzzFlash. I even have health insurance for the first time in years!

Anyway, I wrote this essay as part of an application for a writing job awhile back, so I thought I'd share it with you all. The assignment was to write 500 words about hot flashes, believe it or not. I mostly just applied because I like writing challenges... So, here it is for your non-commercial enjoyment:

I've changed quite a bit over my 26 years on this earth. But the one thing that has remained constant is my hatred of winter.

Although my last move technically was southward, I wouldn't say it's much of a weather improvement. In fact, I remember saying as a teen that I'd never move to Chicago, because it was too windy for my tastes. The gusty downtown corridors made me feel even tinier than I already was. Add that to the big shoulders, and you get a "Hey, no thanks."

Yet, here I am. And if I've learned anything about Chicago, it's this: rather than the Land of Lincoln, it's the realm of sideways frozen rain.

You may wonder why I don't just haul off to warmer climes. Well, I tried, but I found that I like what this weather does to the size of both insects and arachnids. I also look terrible in shorts. Furthermore, I don't think I could give up on the amiable Midwestern personality that surrounds me here, fostered by mutual suffering.

I saw an ad for clothes with little built-in heaters on the El the other day, and considered the innovation for a moment. But wearing a battery seems silly, and might interfere with my pacemaker, should I ever decide to get one.

Then, I remembered talking to this middle-aged woman at a chiropractic clinic at which I used to work. She was cranky about her hot flashes, especially because of the 90 degree weather we were currently enduring and her broken car air conditioner.

Then, the epiphany. Of course! Hot flashes are the answer. They're totally natural, carbon neutral and above all, good and toasty.

According to a recent study by the University of Illinois at Chicago, hot flashes do have the drawback of decreases in memory performance. But I'm sure I'll forget all about that in time. Also, hot flashes have the side effect of producing sweat, but that may be my solution to dry winter skin. Some women complain that hot flashes cause insomnia, but I find that sleep often interferes with both my work and play schedules, so that might be a hidden benefit for me as well. And who doesn't love rosy cheeks?

Now the problem of procurement. The average age of menopause is 51, so I've got two decades and some change to go. Hot flashes are thought to be exacerbated by hot drinks and food, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol and spicy food, all products I've been known to enjoy. On the other hand, soy products are thought to reduce the chances a woman will get hot flashes, and I'm not giving up my Tofutti.

Ah well. All good things come to those who wait. So, whether it be springtime or menopause, I'll just have to keep wearing long underwear and ski masks until it arrives.

Thank you for riding the CTA

2009-01-05T18:46:00.003-06:00

It was my first day back to work in about two weeks today, and what I really missed is rush hour. Thankfully, the CTA spiced it up for me by increasing both incompetence and fares while I was away.

My morning ride was pretty uneventful, other than a delayed Red Line train and a strangely unidentifiable smell in the Jackson tunnel (usually the stench is unmercifully familiar).

My evening commute was really a treat, however. In transferring to the Red Line from the Blue Line, I noted the tell-tale sign of another delayed train: the platform was so crowded as to be nearly impassable. Then, the overhead speakers sounded a note much like a phone ringing. An effeminate man's voice came over the loudspeakers:

"Attention CTA riders: At this time, all trains are running on time. We thank you for your business."

OK, not only is that statement a near impossibility with the sheer number of rush hour trains running coupled with the ineffectiveness of the CTA in general, but from the exasperation issued from the platform crowd, clearly not true.

When the train finally arrived, I was lucky to squish in. The frustrated young woman running my particular train kept screaming to the would-be passengers trying to squeeze onto the crowded cars that "there is an immediate follower," something that clearly contradicted the vaguely homosexual voice that issued from the stations assuring us that all trains were running on time.

There were a few other unexplained delays, a blackout at Sheridan and an equipment failure at Berwyn. A woman behind me questioned the fare increase, saying to no one in particular, "We paid $2.50 for this??"

That, however, is the wrong question to ask. If the CTA's problems magically disappeared after a fair increase, we Chicagoans would surely be a happier bunch. For that day, at least. But six months or a year later, when Ron Huberman comes shuffling down the aisle asking for another fare increase, we would be incredulous. If only by their ineptitude, the CTA proves it needs our money.

I did not share this with the woman, as she did not seem interested in what she did not pay $2.50 for. Were I interested in engaging in conversation with strangers on public transportation, I might have said this:

"Do what the signs say, lady. Stand clear of the doors and thank your lucky stars they completed the 3-track operation. It could, and probably will, be worse."

Not another one!

2008-09-30T18:58:00.003-05:00

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

2008-09-10T21:13:00.004-05:00

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

2008-08-15T15:45:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-07-14T22:43:00.003-05:00

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?

2008-07-09T20:19:00.003-05:00

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

2008-06-26T19:47:00.005-05:00

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

2008-06-19T19:01:00.002-05:00

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

2008-06-13T18:00:00.005-05:00

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

2008-06-12T19:09:00.004-05:00

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

2008-06-09T19:22:00.004-05:00

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...

2008-06-04T18:29:00.006-05:00

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

2008-05-29T12:24:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-22T20:53:00.004-05:00

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.

2008-05-13T15:55:00.005-05:00

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

2008-04-17T15:35:00.004-05:00

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

2008-04-16T21:21:00.005-05:00

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

2008-04-08T19:04:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-03T23:06:00.005-05:00

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!

2008-03-27T18:10:00.004-05:00

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

2008-03-22T16:16:00.003-05:00

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?

2008-03-21T17:31:00.006-05:00

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?

2008-03-19T21:36:00.003-05:00

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

2008-03-12T08:42:00.004-05:00

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?

2008-03-11T17:28:00.004-05:00

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

2008-03-05T08:30:00.004-06:00

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?

2008-03-04T11:58:00.004-06:00

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...

2008-02-26T16:52:00.005-06:00

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

2008-02-21T14:42:00.005-06:00

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

2008-02-18T11:35:00.002-06:00

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

2008-02-16T18:02:00.005-06:00

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.

2008-02-14T17:33:00.003-06:00

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

2008-02-12T13:18:00.000-06:00

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

2008-02-10T17:48:00.000-06:00

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

2008-02-10T15:50:00.000-06:00

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.

raging hypotheticals from the lady in a box

There is no Honor Here: What Rambo Taught us About Afghanistan

The Democratic Party Comes Clean With its Misogyny in its Latest Betrayal of Women and the Progressive Movement

Joe Lieberman Should be Disbarred for His Disregard for the American Justice System (He's Lucky He Gets to Keep His Citizenship)

Sweet Beginnings

Hot Flashes? Seriously?

Thank you for riding the CTA

Not another one!

More Like a Whirlwhip

Heir Show

It's all about meeeee!

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

I'm calling a Time Out for Sheboygan

More House

Meg infiltrates House

More me

News of the Meg

Get your kicks...

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

Countdown to cancellation

Don't Bush it, buddy.

Wither Channel

For the Nina Totenberg in you

Flogette

McMarketing

Short attention span? You too can save the planet!

Rezko Schmezko

How about a war on inanity?

Can I be done now?

Bleeding ears

What's up, doc?

post primary addendum

WWJVF?

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

The Gray Lady turns yellowish

Newsflash: New Yorkers not actually that tough

McCanoodling

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

financial exorcism via telephone

The king-unmaker continues...as does punditry

The McKing-unmaker