Observations

Today, the sixth day of national mourning of the passing of former President Ford, the emotional and physical exhaustion was showing on the family. Just think of having to grieve the passing of a loved one in front of the world. Three public ceremonies, three states and six days later found Betty Ford being pushed in a wheelchair and the children and grandchildren showing more tears than the previous days. I kept thinking, just let it be over and let them all rest.

The service at the Gerald R. Ford presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan was the final resting stop for the president. I saw just a little of it on C-Span this afternoon. I did see a bit of Donald Rumsfeld's eulogy and it was quite touching. He broke a little news with the acknowledgement that there will be an announcement next month that the U.S. Navy will christen an aircraft carrier the USS Gerald Ford. He and his wife visited the Fords just after Thanksgiving and Rumsfeld presented Ford with a baseball style cap with the carrier's name on it. That was a nice story.

Jimma Carter, disgraced former President, did a eulogy, too. I was amused to see him and Rosalynn standing between the Cheney's and the Rumfelds's given his screeds against the Bush administration here at home and abroad. I hope he was as uncomfortable as humanly possible. He must have felt like the skunk at the garden party.

Rumsfeld went through some of Ford's accomplishments in the 2 short years as President and the fact that it was Ford who laid the groundwork for the Camp David Accord, for which Carter takes full credit. It's the only positive that Carter has to hold on to from his days in the White House.

I see Oprah opened her girls school in South Africa. It's good, I suppose. I just can't help but be disappointed that she isn't using her billions to rebuild Mississippi and develop leadership schools there. They are just as sorely needed, alas less glamorous than hobnobbing with her hero, Nelson Mandela. As a daughter of Mississippi she could do lots there, I believe, to encourage and train the upcoming generation.

Her money, her choice.

I saw a clip of Cindy Sheehan and her posse interrupting the press conference of the Dems to announce their plans for pushing through some domestic policy ideas. Rahm Emmanuel didn't get to state the talking points as he was interrupted by Cindy. She shut them down and they retreated until a later hour. Seems Cindy and the gang expect the Dems to produce the anti-war legislation they voted Democratic over. It'll be interesting to watch Pelosi and her anti-war screeds now that she is the leader. Her pal Cindy is expecting big results. Payback is hell.

You know, the whole 100 hours plan that Pelosi concocted pre-election to make voters think they'll be so different than the Republicans? Well, that didn't take long for it all to fall apart. She's made some poor decisions for leadership positions, using the same old men and the same old corruption clouds over their heads, and now she is saying she doesn't feel the need to consult with Republicans. OK. Enjoy it while you can. Just don't claim to be a 'reformer' of ethics or a good steward of domestic policy. Same old, same old.

Obama was a pothead and did cocaine until the age of 22, as the news report goes today. I didn't read his first book, his memoir written in his early 30's, so I didn't know. I don't care. It'll cause him grief as he runs for president and will give Hillary's slime machine lots of fodder to lambast him but I think the public has been numbed to that kind of revelation. I do want to see how he reacts once he announces his candidacy and has to answer tough questions. He coasted to election for his Senate seat after his Republican opponent was all but run out of town over scandal so he hasn't really had to run a rough campaign. He's an empty suit from my viewpoint. The American public fawning all over him may not realize his far left voting record. Or maybe they do. Hillary will run to his right, the same as Bill did to get elected, and it will be interesting.