Random Political Thoughts for a Wednesday Afternoon

It’s Wednesday which means that it’s time for another rip-roaring edition of Random Political Thoughts…

Strange. THIS is more than a little unsettling… and odd. A graphic adaptation (read: comic book) of the 9/11 attacks…

What? Really? Responding to a heavy incentive package from the U.S. and Europe, Iran said it was ready for “serious negotiations” about its nuclear program. That’s all fine and good, but they still “did not agree to suspend the enrichment of uranium” by the end of August as had been demanded of them. Sort of a half-hearted victory, isnt it? who will blink first, the West or Iran. It’s a scary game of chicken…

Stagnant. Bush’s approval rating, unchanged from a week ago, is still at 36% according to a New York Times/CBS poll with 51% of respondents seeing “no link between the war in Iraq and the broader anti-terror effor.” Sigh… what more can be said about his stale and stagnant numbers that haven’t already been said?

Scary. What’s scarier than Iran with nukes? Osama bin Laden’s crush on Whitney Houston. According to Kola Boof, a Sudanese poet who allegedly had a tryst with bin Laden, “he (bin Laden) had a paramount desire for Houston” (All together now; eeeeeeewwwwwww….)

Broadening. In an attempt to expand the Democratic party's nominating process, Democratic leaders voted to add Nevada & South Carolina to the opening rounds of the 2008 presidential contest hoping that it would introduce “new voices and issues” into the race for the White House.

Fueling. Throwing fuel on the fire of speculation in regards to the identity of Bob “I’ve fallen a long ways since Watergate” Woodward’s source on Valerie Plame the AP has gotten hold of an official State Department calendar that shows former Deputy Secretary of State Richard “Dick” Armitage held a one-hour meeting (marked “private appointment”) with Woodward on June 13, 2003. (Aha… the plot thickens…)

Warming Trend. 74% of Americans are “more convinced” that global warming is a reality now than they were two years ago with the majority of those polled believing global warming has in some way influenced the summer’s heat wave (65%), severe hurricanes (68%) and other weather phenomanon.

Wayward Spending. A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis concluded that the Senate's immigration bill would boost government spending to $126 billion over the next decade with the building and maintenance of 870 miles of fencing and vehicle barriers would cost $3.3 billion alone… (Ouch… gotta love it… can’t give the working poor an increase in the minimum wage, but can dole out $3.3 billion for a fence that would make our border look like a junkyard…)

The Blame Game. Senator (and 2008 Presidential hopeful?) John McCain (R-AZ), who had loyally defended the war in Iraq has switched course now and is faulting (rightfully so in my opinion) the Bush Administration for misleading the American people. (We at TBWA have always liked Sen. McCain, but, unfortunately, this sudden change of heart seems to be an election-year mood swing egged on by the thoughts of gaining voters… of course, that’s just my opinion…)

Rapid freefall. The GOP has lost the Northeast and is in serious (and quick) danger of losing the Midwest. Naturally, a republican spokesperson is claiming that the polling numbers have a liberal bias… (Uh, sure… I don’t think it’s actually possible for an inanement object to have a bias… but it’s the GOP we’re talking about, so anything is possible…)

Illegal Ruling. In what will almost certainly become fodder for conservatives, Judge Anna Taylor Diggs, she of the federal ruling against Bush and his NSA warrantless wiretapping, is a member of the ACLU. (Awwwww, crap… )

Another one. Well surprise, surprise… republican Florida Senate candidate Katherine Harris has gone through another staffer. Political Director Rhyan Metzler is no longer with the campaign as he has been the one chosen to be thrown onto fall on the sword for last weeks hilarious “rally” (in name only) at Orlando Executive Airport.

Dubya Reading? Really? The White House has released “President” Bush’s summer reading list… (uh, yeah… okay… sure… does anyone believe this list??? Anyone? Hello??? Hellloooooooo…)

Take ‘em as you will…