Quote du Jour: Sean McCormack

from today's State Department briefing

We've got seven months -- or six months left, 193 days, I think -- something like that. Not that I'm counting.

We're not counting, either, Sean.

On the Road to Nowhere

Poor Ted Stevens. He had it so good for so long.

My VP Pool

Guessing VPs and harassing contenders with pointless, repetitive questions and formulaic jokes on the subject has become the cable news talk shows' favorite pastime, so I may as well get in on the fun.
After my last two posts, I can't really claim to be blogging this election with any modicum of seriousness, so why not?

So, before McCain announces, in a vain attempt to steal Obama's overseas thunder:

McCain:
1) Jindal
Advantages: Young; energizes socially conservative base; not very tall; not white.
Disadvantages: Appeal with social conservatives may turn off independents.
2) Pawlenty
Advantages: Young; reinforces McCain's appeal to independents.
Disadvantages: Not from the South, where McCain needs the most help.
3) Romney
Advantages: Energizes Wall Street crowd; would pacify Rush Limbaugh.
Disadvantages: Too tall next to McCain; very white; not from the South.

Obama:
1) Bayh
Advantages: A peace offering to Clinton's people; experienced; centrist; wants it.
Disadvantages: No geographical advantage; just a bit too ambitious, perhaps.
2) Webb
Advantages: Military experience!; used to be a Republican; could deliver Virginia.
Disadvantages: Seems to prefer a Cabinet job that may be going to Reed or Hagel.
3) Richardson
Advantages: Hispanic vote; Western vote; amazing resume in all the right areas.
Disadvantages: May turn off some Clinton people; may drive racists to the polls.

Another one of those botched German-English translations?

Jelly doughnuts aside, it happened with Maliki, but then there was a third language involved there.
No, I'm guessing Angela knew exactly what she was saying ;)

Asked at a news conference on Wednesday what she thought of Obama, Merkel responded: "I would say that he is well-equipped -- physically, mentally and politically."

And apparently, Dubya's grand tradition of banal workplace sexual harassment of fellow world leaders may well continue into the next administration, if she has her way:

"That's not really up to me," she joked. "But I wouldn't resist."

However, she's retained enough sense of her gravitas as a chancellor to end on a coy note regarding Obama's Berlin speech:

"Maybe I'll turn on the television."

I bet she will.

But then, so will we all (OK, most of us, anyway.)

He's No Jelly Doughnut

Obama's speech in Berlin (the Big Three may as well admit this is why they came along, not for that "historic" Middle East leg of the itinerary.)
But I don't blame them. This is what we've all been looking forward to, a (would-be, soon-to-be, we hope) president we can be proud of, touching down on the Continent, where our old friends have been so disapproving of us lately. I can't imagine why.
And, no, Kennedy never really said that, either.

Test Your News IQ

from Pew Research Center:

Fun; just 12 questions. But, no, I didn't get a perfect score :(
Didn't do too bad, though.

She's done it her way.

Two very different kinds of performers, both in their 80s.
Tenacity doesn't begin to describe it.
As a woman no longer in the 25-34 yr. old marketing demographic, I am duly inspired.
Not that I can dance, or have a desire to professionally disrobe, but that's beside the point.
Death Valley Junction Dancer
Tempest Storm

The Lion Returns: Ted Kennedy's Medicare Vote

Genuinely moving, bipartisan moments like this are rare in the Senate.
And the vote was more than symbolic. It carried enough weight to convince eight Republicans to change their votes and pass the bill.

Christopher Hitchens Gets Waterboarded

from Vanity Fair:
Believe Me, It's Torture

I apply the Abraham Lincoln test for moral casuistry: “If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.” Well, then, if waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture.

More from Zimbabwe's Sokwanele blog

Enough with the patronizing either/or, says this understandably highly annoyed blogger.

I love seeing dichotomies smashed.