I came home early afternoon today in a fine mellow mood after a concert by the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and made the mistake of checking CNN and MSNBC on line to get the Obama press conference news. What a mistake!

Just a quickie -- my 87 y.o. sister called to say how "sorry" she feels for Hillary. I was polite. My real thought is this: No tears for Hillary. If I ever heard a strong, determined and really out-of-touch speech it was that by Hillary tonight. It was well-written, beautifully delivered, and so self-preoccupied as to be almost pathological. Somehow, she just does not 'get it.' I wonder why? She's very smart, very able and accomplished, and I truly wish Obama had her ear for language and skill in delivery. As a technical speaker, Hillary far outshines him, much of the time if not always. But as to appropriate content: No thanks, dear! If you want to negotiate for the Vice Presidency, you should do so in private. And you should lock Bill in his office. Ucksville!
jim
sfe

"The Teapot Dome Scandal/How Big Oil Bought the White House and Tried to Steal the Country," is a new history of that event and era by Laton McCartney, from Random House. I recommend it to this forum strongly. As you read this book, you will find many moments of deja vu when you think you are reading about Cheney-Bush years. I read this 351-page book in one day. I could not put it down, though I was a little sick at the end. How did oil buy the White House? The way they still do: by electing their own man and coming up with the money to pay for him. Read on....

I printed out the Wright Press Club speech -- all twenty pages of it -- and read it thoroughly.  The first half is exactly what he said on Moyers; the second half, the Q. and A., is where he leaves his text and gets into trouble. I agree it was the wrong speech and the wrong timing for this speaker and this audience. But -- what is all the fuss about?  There is hardly anything there I can disagree with, and I am sure I'm one of the more conservative memebers of this room. [For those of you who wish, you can put me down as a Mid-Missouri Socialist; you know, the greatest good for the greatest number of people -- like, everyone is entitled to one good shot of Jack Daniels, daily!] Let me say, the following is in part in response to Bob 'Oreo' Herbert's column op-ed in the NYT this morning. Take a look at it. It's right and wrong. Both.

At first I was very worried. I thought it a big mistake
to bring the Rev Mr Wright up again -- and the Friday
evening public television program Washington Week seemed
to second my feelings, one of their commentators saying
it was a political blunder to remind America of it all.
Not only that, Mr Wright is speaking at the National Press
Club Monday. So what is going on?

What is happening to Keith Olbermann? In my estimation, the firebrand
pontificator of MSNBC is transmogrifying into a demogogue who, for one
dollar more than he's now being paid, would easily switch over
to Limbaugh's Land of Lost Souls.  Damned shame!

"If you don't have three solid paragraphs....." So, according to the rules I should be posting this in an Open Thread. I cannot find an open thread that is suitable, and I think my subject is more important than that. I am deliberately ignoring the rule this one time, and I realize it may not fly.
 Here goes -- Did you Watch Al Gore Tonight on 60 Minutes?

Just a quickie here that I hope will result in some
constructive response:
  Calculate the number of electoral votes represented
by the states Clinton has thus far won, and do the same
for Obama.  The result will be the number that counts most.
  Obviously, you will find Sen Clinton is well ahead of
Obama in electoral votes as represented by the states she
has won as a primary candidate. There is a very strong
message there.
  After all that was done and said last night, and comments
by Hillary and Obama this morning, I see emerging a very
likely Hillary/Obama ticket for November -- and rather soon.
Of course they are both aware of the negative costs of a
prolonged fight running into June. They are smart people.
Are we? <grin>
What do you think folks?  Will it fly?  Will it win?
Hell yes! I hope John McCain has a long and happy retirement
in Arizona.
MrMr/SFe

This is a question, not a Diary. Bear with me,
please -- it is a question worth asking and thinking
about. I cannot figure out what is the meaning of
the 'approval' of Koss posters -- we apporove, the
World rejects. It is quite a phenomemon -- read on,
if you will, and discuss the question.

The New York Times' lead editorial Sunday, 12.23, is one of the greatest pieces of chicanery displayed on a serious editorial page that I have seen in a long time. It is utterly anachronistic and mis-leading. "Trade and Prosperity" is the title, and I don't think they cleared it with the house economist (Krugman) before publishing.  In fact, I am awaiting his response, which may have to take an indirect form, if the Opinion Editors allow it at all. See what you think:

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger, professor of law, distinguished legal scholar, former executive of Univ.of Michigan (solid mid-west values), and Dartmouth, made it very clear today he
will claim the Replican, er, Republican Presidential Nomination.
  When you think about it.....

Well, excuuuuuse me, but I gotta bring up something about the sad matter of the nine firefighters lost in South Carolina. This is intended in no way to disrespect those nine good men, and I feel very sad for them and their families and communities.  But know what, there is a little more to what we saw demonstrated in the news today about memorial services, funerals, etc. for fallen heros.  
   Read on:

For a long, long time so many Americans have been calling for removal of American troops from Iraq and reduction of American involvement there to a very low level, 'minimum necessary. Yet -- nothing has happened! Is it just beccause of one little man, W? No....
Here is why:

While Rep. Hastert was accusing Democrats of planning to go soft on terrorist groups, the eloquent Keith Olbermann was on MSNBC delivering a compelling and emotional speech on national ethics, and Bush's wounding of legal process - a good job, if heavy handed and a bit over-emotive. At about the same time CSpan was giving us Bill Clinton speaking on his current favored topic The Common Good -- and what a step up in quality it was!

I am not sure this is really a proper diary entry, but I have a serious question: Can Joe Lieberman Really Win in CT?
I mean, is he likely to? Several postings today, responsible seeming ones, suggested J. L. will win the CT seat again.
     If he does, and if the race for Senate control is very close, and a befuddled, bewitched, bothered and bewildered Joe has the swing vote - God Help Us!!! He will use it mercilessly for his own advantage, and Bush will sit back and laugh. If the CT powers really think Lamont can't take the seat from the dis-credited J. L., then it's Emergency
Time. We got 30-days to get all the big guns into CT, all the money possible and whatever else it takes. What does this august kos community really think on this matter?
mrmyster/sfe

Nora Ephron, in a current vivid posting on Huffington, unloads on W. J. Clinton's Fox appearance, and is puzzled the retired President let himself be "sandbagged."

This will be quick: All hands on deck please, to read Joan Didion's revelations about V. P. Cheney [NYReviewBooks, the Oct 5 issue]. She's got the goods, big time.

Tim Russert was not at his best Sunday morning on
Meet the Press. He seemed to concentrate on old
material - 1974 for Jim Webb, 1980s for Geo. Allen.
This put both VA senatorial candidates on the defensive
and that is never interesting or news-making.