The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s the middle of the week, we’re halfway there…

• Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are on Capitol Hill again today talking about the Iraq war… so if you hear droning white noise coming from the direction of Washington DC, it’s just them…
• On the day that the Olympic torch makes its only pass in North America amid protests the presidential candidates spoke about China and how they would play US relations with the communist nation… not surprisingly, there was a lot of rhetoric and little substance.
• While a handful of Senior Democratic senators were considering how well Sen. Robert Byrd can handle his position as the head of the Senate Appropriations Committee, his office was vowing that the 90-year-old lawmaker won't be stepping down any time soon. (With the advanced age of Sen. McCain, age is going to be getting a lot of attention over the next few months, and it will be interesting to see if it has any ripple-effect on Byrd or not. My guess is not. Since being sworn in January 1, 1959, Byrd has rarely followed the norm, and to think that he would be swayed to quit before he, or his body, is ready, is highly unlikely)
• Sen. Clinton doesn’t think the controversy of Mark Penn meeting with the Colombians will affect her campaign. (Personally, I don’t think it will either, more so because Penn had already caused her campaign stress by some of the inane comments he made. Getting rid of him should have a positive effect on her campaign. Whether that will translate to more votes is anyone’s guess)
• “President” Bush may skip the opening ceremony of the Olympics…
• During yesterday’s testimony by Petraeus and Crocker, each of the presidential candidates had their chance to snare a soundbite for the campaign, with Sen. McCain saying that success in Iraq was “within reach.” Sen. Obama called the invasion of Iraq a “massive strategic blunder” and Sen. Clinton said that staying in Iraq was irresponsible.” (Okay… and what will YOU do about it?)
• Think you heard the last of CostumeGate, think again. It just won’t go away…
• If you read one poll, Obama is gaining on Clinton in Pennsylvania. If you read another, Clinton is maintaining a sizeable lead. If you read another one, you see that the two of them are neck and neck in an important (and by important I mean completely superfluous) poll in Mexico… wait, what?
• With three potential commissioners awaiting Senate confirmation, the six-seat FEC is down to two functioning members, essentially making the commission worthless and un-functional. (But it’s not like we need it during campaign season or anything…)
• And have we mentioned? That CNN’s Wolf Blitzer is asking a question that’s on the minds of many Americans? In a CNN.com column, Blitzer asks if “Iraqis (are) playing U.S. taxpayers for 'suckers'?” by having the US pay for new roads, bridges, schools and hospitals while Iraq has oil exports that are generating obscene sums of money, $56.4 billion this year alone. So to recap, the US is still paying to make roads, schools, hospitals and infrastructure improvements in Iraq despite them sitting on a very handsome nest egg… but the Bush(whacked) Administration – along with other republicans – refuse to connect the dots of the costs of our occupation in Iraq to the struggling – read: recession – economy. Wow, where do I get some of what they’re smoking?