Just two hours to go before Dubyanocchio lays his State of the Union No. 3 on us. If you’re wise, you’ll listen to that man rather than watch him because it’s better to throw a shoe and wreck your radio than it is to smash the television.
Despite the jobless recovery, despite that most Americans don’t feel safer from terrorism than they did two years ago, despite that 44 million Americans still don’t have health insurance, despite that the U.S. still doesn’t have a viable energy plan, despite the fact we still haven’t gotten the independent report on 9-11, despite that the investigators still haven’t told us who outed Valerie Plame, despite that 500 Americans (and literally uncounted numbers of Iraqis) have been killed in the continuing war in Iraq … despite, despite, despite - we’re going to hear from that man a lot of GOP triumphalism tonight. Saddam’s caught, Qaddafi’s yielded, et cetera, et cetera.
I’ll be tempted to violate my advice above and turn on the tube. Because I’d like to see how many Democrats (and how often) give that man more than pro forma applause.
I don’t mean to be too harsh. But there are times when I’d like to see them sitting on their hands. Frankly, I’d like to see them booing on occasion, but that’s too much to hope for even though this will be that man’s first campaign speech of 2004. Congressional Democrats should remember tonight that they are the Opposition party and that all the pomp and hoopla attending this formal affair is electioneering by that man on the taxpayers’ dime.
For those of you who would like to forget the beginning of that man’s speech by the time we reach the end, a couple of drinking games may help:
Here are excerpts from
Will Durst’s:
Rules of the Game:
1. Whenever George W mentions the liberation of the freedom-loivng Iraqi people, the last person to grab his throat in a choking motion has to drink four shots of beer...
4. Whenever George W metnions the phrase "sanctity of marriage," take a shot of beer. The first time this happens, the last person to finish has to drink two more shots of beer and do the dishes during the Democratic Response...
7. If Vice President Dick Cheney or First Lady Laura bush are caught on camera not paying attention and talking to somebody else while Puppet-Boy is still speaking, drink a whole beer.
Here are excerpts from a more “official” version:
[Upon mention of:]
Libya or Qaddafi … 1 drink...
Any reference to the average family of 4 …2 drinks...
Aliens (as reference to immigrants) …. 1 drink...
Aliens (as reference to extraterrestrials) …Look wistfully towards the heavens; then finish your drink...
Anything in Spanish (cualquiera cosa en español) …1 tequila shot, or 1 gulp of cerveza