Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

Riff, Raff and Other Chaff

“For your information, I would like to ask a question.”
— Samuel Goldwyn

Worried about Obama’s experience as a leader? He just ran an organization for two years that had outlets in all fifty states, took in over $600 million dollars, and successfully completed its goal, against long odds. Compare his performance to the overpaid touts on Wall Street and the dunderheads of the Big Three US auto corporations, begging for bailouts.

Latest Hot Under-the-Door Rumor: Word is, Al Gore is topping Obama’s list of nominees for the next Supreme Court vacancy. This means Big Al could be there every day, within spitting distance of three of the five justices who denied him the presidency in 2000. (Does the irony never stop?) Also supposedly on the short list: University of Chicago Professor Cass Sunstein, US District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, Georgia SC Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, fired Bush prosecutor David Iglesias, and Scooter Libby prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.

Speaking of the ‘high’ court, 88-year-old Justice John Paul Stevens is alleged to be aching to retire, as is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75, who is in poor health. Antonin Scalia is getting up there at 72, and has no intention of quitting, but his health is said to be questionable. Anthony Kennedy is also 72, but in better shape than Scalia. Obama could name as many as four new SC justices during his term.

MSNBC’s loudmouthed sometime-neocon ‘Morning’ Joe Scarborough has been consistently offending his colleagues, his viewers and his bosses. Plus his ratings are soaking in bilgewater. The ‘Countdown’ is on how long until NBC management buys out Joe’s contract and packs him on his way? (Stephanie Miller and other able portside replacements wait in the wings.)

Speaking of MSNBC, looks like Chris ‘Tweety Bird’ Matthews is going to bring his Hardballs to Pennsylvania, challenging ancient GOP vampire Arlen ‘Single Silver Bullet’ Specter for his Senate seat in 2010. Although Matthews publicly denies he’s a candidate, it’s said he’s been in close contact in with some of Obama’s team about making the run. I can see the bumper stickers now, “Screamer for Senate 2010.” (Perhaps Chris divined that his career as a TV talker is coming to a close.) So, when is Pat Buchanan tossing his spiked helmet in the ring to become Lord High Chancellor of Germantown, and when will Tucker Carlson be running for Dog Catcher excuse me, Chief Executive Canine Control Consultant — of Park Avenue?

Dont waste your time on D.L. Hughley’s Saturday show on CNN, “D.L. Hughley Breaks the News.” The man’s a stand-up comic and good in his element, but this ain’t it. Hughley does his best, but he’s trying to coax laughs and knowing nods out of an audience of what appears to be mostly white undertakers who’ve huffed too much formaldehyde. (I think they pine for the cozy family jokes of Cosby’s Dr. Huxtable.) Well, it’s CNN, after all, where Lou Dobbs is just short of donning Napoleon’s bicorn hat and proclaiming himself Emperor of El Norte; Prince of Mars Dan Senor’s wife Campbell Brown has a job; Larry King calls the likes of Suze ‘Invest in Your 401K!’ Orman a ‘financial expert,’ and they have the odd notion that Sanjay Gupta is a real doctor rather than a Bollywood wannabe. (Say, CNN, Dennis the Miller’s looking for TV work)

Comedy Central, after all of its head-butting with popular star Dave Chapelle, may have a chance to resolve the conflict Chapelle supposedly wants to do a political satire show, a combination of Bill Maher’s Reel Time and The Daily Show, but less ‘safe.’ Fewer skits, lots of bleeped talk, and a panel of guests, handpicked by Dave. Will CC go for it, especially with David Allan Grier’s “Chocolate News” already in progress?

Well, it’s three days after Thanksgiving and Hillary Clinton has still not been named as Obama’s Secretary of State. I just don’t think it’s going to happen.

By OEN

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Ken Carman
Admin
15 years ago

Well, if believe a certain Yahoo, it will on Monday. If I were her, I too would have reservations due to independence issues… as I would have if I were any Senator.

“Al Gore?” Does he have the judicial experience? I know in Tennessee he doesn’t. I like Al: a hell of a lot more than most lefties do. And I get miffed when people give Kerry a break over his election but bash Gore. For the time he at least took it about as far as it could be taken; understanding that hindsight “should haves” usually arrive out of a most downward portal. But I’d hate to see Obama distracted by yet another roar of “what experience” like W did. Despite the fact Gore qualifies a hell of a lot more than his idiotic attempt… everyone with brains knows the Right will label him less qualified than Harriet.

Chapelle? I don’t watch. Too much of a hit and miss. When he’s funny, he’s grand. When he’s not: more for for me, well; not as bad as some… but I’d rather avoid.

RS Janes
15 years ago

Ken: “Well, if believe a certain Yahoo, it will on Monday. If I were her, I too would have reservations due to independence issues… as I would have if I were any Senator.”

Yes, I’ve read that, too, but, as I’ve written, I don’t see any advantage to Hillary from this appointment. She’ll serve at Obama’s pleasure and derail any future ambitions she has for elective office, IMHO. Well, I’ve been wrong before, but it still doesn’t make any sense to me. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

Ken: “Al Gore?” Does he have the judicial experience?”

Aside from is long experience in Wasington, he studied law at Vanderbilt in 1974, although he didn’t get a degree. You don’t have to be a lawyer to be on the Supreme Court, last I checked, but that may have changed.

The All-Mighty Webmaster
Admin
15 years ago

Did you miss the rumors about Bill Clinton going for Hillary’s Senate seat?

Ken Carman
Admin
15 years ago

“Paterson has said he would prefer someone from upstate New York…”

This might be wise. There has always been a rift between Upstate and Down. Of course Downstate will always dominate due to populace and, unfortunately, the egos of those who think the NYC area is the only place to live. (They taught that meme’ in public school when I was a kid. Because my family was from the Adirondacks I knew better.) Therefore Upstaters will always feel somewhat rightfully jilted. It simply doesn’t pay politically to focus much on anything west or north of Albany, or anything up to 50 or so miles south. LI-ers on the eastern tip get it somewhat too.

Bill? Be interesting, but not sure the new Gov would want to create that much controversy after the last one left under a rather stupid media driven political cloud. (Right after he said in public that the president wasn’t being truthful with the economic numbers and we might be depression bound… paraphrased of course. Odd how this Rovian kind of stuff happens even with Rove “gone,” isn’t it? And as we know, he was proven wrong by our booming economic situation now. Wasn’t he? Damn, please tell me he was. Please?)

If I were him I’d toss one of the best bones he could to Upstate. Might help his reelection.

RS Janes
15 years ago

Ken and DJ, I’ll post something tomorrow on my incredibly wrong prediction that Hillary would not be Secretary of State, and also on Bill’s future political career.

I managed to get a friend close to the Obama camp to give me some insight on how Hillary ended up as SecState.

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