Michael Jackson

There's enough on the web about Jackson ... so I'll just post, again, his electrifying performance on the Motown 25th anniversary special in 1983. I was among the 47 million people watching live -- Super Bowl-like numbers. The Jackson Five performed, and then the brothers left the stage, and Michael Jackson took over. Literally.

Where is MY governor?

Since I don't live in South Carolina any more, I ought to be concerned with where MY governor is. He's Tim Kaine. And even The Washington Post can't seem to locate him.

I'm pretty sure the Virginia governor isn't in Argentina, or along the Appalachian Trail. But why won't he release the DNC part of his schedule? I don't buy the excuses.

I'm actually OK with him being chairman of the DNC if he wants. He just ought to disclose where he's going.

I Stand By What I Said

I still do not think Mark Sanford treats his staff with respect, though clearly yesterday's jaw-dropping news conference changes the picture a little bit about what is going on in his world.

The only other thing I can think is that the job of governor does not belong to him, and shouldn't be more important than how to repair his relationship with his wife and his sons. Someone else can be governor. But for the Sanford boys, there's only one Dad.

How You Treat Other People Shows Who You Are

At a Republican Governors Association gathering after his 2002 election victory, Mark Sanford asked me a few questions about how to set up his communications and press shop. What struck me most is that he told me he was hoping to give speech writing and media relations duties to one person, and hoping he could do it as cheaply as possible.

The tale of his recent vacation to Argentina -- after his staff told reporters he went on the Appalachian Trial -- reminded me of that encounter.

What it told me then was that South Carolina's incoming governor didn't think much of the roles anyone will play to help him accomplish the job.

And he still doesn't think much of them. He put them in the untenable position of lying for him -- they would have been better off saying they didn't know for sure -- and so far it's not clear he cares.

Gov. Sanford is entitled to a vacation, even a vacation away from everyone. And he doesn't have to give even his staff the minute details of a trip. But he runs a multi-billion corporation known as the state of South Carolina, and someone should have an idea of where he is. And they shouldn't be put in a position to have to lie for him.

Yet another chapter in the book of stories about people who think the axis of the Earth runs through their head.

Stupid is as Stupid Does

Returning to blog world out of frustration....

If conservatives ever want to win the politics of health care, they might want to start by actually trying to persuade some people. But most of the time it seems like we would rather yell at them, like some disturbed man in the park. That's what I thought of when I saw the ad in this Politico story.

Why did they call themselves "Conservatives for Patients Rights?" Do they think people who don't think about their own political ideology will be won over by that? And then half the ad is some guy in a suit and tie telling us what he thinks? Where's a doctor? Where's a woman trying to figure out what's best for treating her children?

Small business owners and working families everywhere have had to grapple with ever-increasing health care costs and an inefficient system, and all conservatives have to point to so far is some ego-driven ad filled with sophomoric talking points.

No wonder the "'free' health care for everyone" crowd is winning. It's clear that the liberals love this, as now they will attempt to pain any substantive argument against their plans as the rantings of an out-of-touch minority. SIGH. What a waste.

It sure is an annoying world when I'm forced to agree with Ezra Klein. But he's right. If I'm on the left, I sure like these enemies. Not only do they not try to win, they seem to help the other side.

Tales of Voter Targeting

Just our own experience:

This is the first election for us in our current home in Northern Virginia. For weeks, we’ve received e-mail from the DCCC and the campaign of Democrat Gerry Connolly (running to replace GOP Rep. Tom Davis), even though we actually live in Jim Moran’s district (not exactly happy about that, but oh well). The Connolly support mail was nearly all about how “extreme” his Republican opponent was on abortion. Seems like the wrong kind of mail to direct to a home with a McCain-Palin yard sign, housing two attendees of McLean Bible Church, donors to Mike Huckabee, and subscribers to Christianity Today. But whatever, I mean people can make mistakes, right?

So I check the home voicemail today from work after we’ve voted. There’s a robo call from McCain-Palin, reminding us that Obama will sign the Freedom of Choice Act.

So who has the better ground game, again?

Proverbs 22:7 Watch

How to avoid being a slave: Act like the people in this Business Week story.

Proverbs 22:7 watch

Heartbreaking. The borrower really is slave to the lender.



(HT: Culture 11)