Category Archives: Political Commentary

On The State Of The Union

Or rather, on the speech about it, I agree with George Will (and Bryan Preston):

Between Jefferson and Woodrow Wilson, no one delivered this in person. They sent the report to Congress in writing. But, now we’ve turned this into this panorama. In which an interminable speech, every president, regardless of party — tries to stroke every erogenous zone in the electorate and it becomes a political pep rally, to use the phrase of Chief Justice [John] Roberts last year. If it’s going to be a pep rally with the president’s supporters of whatever party standing up and bringing approval and histrionic pouting on the part of the other, then it’s no place for the judiciary, no place for the uniformed military, and no place for non-adolescent legislators.

I wonder what the reaction would be if the president didn’t make the speech? Not that this president would ever pass up an opportunity to make a speech, of course. It’s his only area of semi-competence.

[Update a few minutes later]

SOTU Prom Night:

The Republicans who agreed to take part in this are like hacky sacks: easy to kick around and they get played by liberals.

I was never into proms myself, but I can see how a politician would be desperate if he couldn’t get a date.

Crime Scene Investigation

Tucson:

Cue opening credit sequence

THE WHO
BRAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!

Fast-paced action montage of CSI team shaking test tubes, spellchecking, studying tea bags under microscope, arresting cactus

THE WHO
We won’t get fooled again!

CSI Headquarters. Behind a two-way mirror, Krugman and Matthews watch as the suspect is interrogated by detectives Olbermann and Maddow.

OLBERMANN
Out with it, scumbag! Who are you working with? We know you’re hiding something – or somebody! At long last, have you no shame, sir?! Have you no decency?

DREAMBRAIN
Riddle me this, Batman. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? That’s for me to know, but what am I? Ha hah! Heee! Ho hee! Pbblltth!

Olbermann jumps up angrily from chair, Maddow restrains him.

MADDOW
Look, pal. Olbermann here, he goes just a little crazy kookoo sometimes. You should see him when he goes full Special Commentary. But you can trust me. I’m your friend. I’ll take care of you, see? Here, have a nice hot cup of tea…

Dreambrain knocks the tea from the table

DREAMBRAIN
You’re trying to control my grammar! I have a constitutional right to saxophones!

MATTHEWS (on intercom)
Take five, detectives. His rightwing gibberish isn’t getting us anywhere.

KRUGMAN
Have the results gotten back from the toxicology lab yet?

MATTHEWS
Got ’em right here. Weed… acid… psilocybin… salvia… Red Bull… but so far a negative on tea. And transfats.

I don’t think it has as much potential as the other franchises.