Politics and other nightmares

The Indianapolis Star's Matthew Tully finds an unlikely moderate hero in Speaker of the House Pat Bauer:

I don't think much of Arnold Schwarzenegger's "creative centrism" (see earlier post), but I caught him on ABC's "This Week" yesterday, and he made an intriguing point: Independents are becoming more numerous and therefore more important to the political process. They will likely play a big role in the 2008 presidential race.

Nothing beats stupid like drunk and stupid:

In 1920, the story goes, movers and shakers at the Republican National Convention had a private meeting in a room on the eighth floor of the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago to choose Warren G. Harding as the party's nominee. As the meeting ended and the men came drifting out of the room, so did a cloud of cigar smoke. The Associated Press dispatch said this: "Harding of Ohio was chosen by a group of men in a smoke-filled room." Thus was a political cliche born.

Now that it's almost time to say "Vaya con Dios" to Fidel Castro, will Hugo Chavez become the darling of some of this country's leftist "elected dictator" worshipers? With remarks like this, it's almost a sure bet:

His right hand raised, Chavez declared: "Fatherland, socialism or death — I swear it," invoking the Cuban leader's famous call to arms.

President Bush has now admitted making a mistake, which should satisfy the No. 1 complaint of his critics. Now, as soon as he repeats the admission on Oprah's show, we can all get on with our lives. Well, except for the war and all.

There's a promo on TV right now for a new sitcom that includes one of the characters saying something like this: "My girlfriend wanted a cat, and I didn't, so we compromised. We got a cat." That rather lame humor does illustrate a valuable point: Sometime there is no such thing as a compromise. There is no way to reconcile getting a cat or not getting a cat -- somebody has to give in. Sometimes there can be the illusion of a compromise -- getting a dog, for example.

Joe Biden is getting into the presidential race, apparently having discovered a qualification for the office no other candidate can possibly match:

"I'm going to be Joe Biden, and I'm going to try to be the best Biden I can be," he said. "If I can, I got a shot. If I can't, I lose."

Almighty Bowl of Lettuce, I come before you today humbled by the magnitude of the responsbilities of doing this blog. May you help me, great Bowl of Lettuce, to realize that those who have been given the greatest responsibility need the greatest guidance. I pray that you show me what is good and what is required of me. I pray for your insight, oh wise and powerful Bowl of Lettuce, your compassion and your strength. Amen.

Barney Frank is the new chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, which makes him one of the most poweful members of Congress when it comes to economic policy. And he says this: