Apology Accepted

Right on cue, former Senator Bob Kerrey, now President of the New School in NYC, has issued a letter of apology to Barack Obama for remarks made during his endorsement of Hillary Clinton earlier in the week. I'm telling you, it's like clockwork with her campaign. Except for the occasional monkey wrench tossed in when Bill is allowed to stump of her.

"What I found myself getting into in Iowa - and it was my own fault- it was the wrong moment to do it and it was insulting, "Kerrey told the AP. "I meant no disrespect at all." As soon as he sent off the letter to Obama, he picked up the phone and dialed the AP so everyone could know the news. What's the sense of apologizing if it's not publicly displayed, huh? Keeps the story going a little longer, the references to his middle name, his father and grandmother's religion, his history as a multiracial man living in Indonesia, etc. Yeah, he's a piece of work, that Bob Kerrey. Those Clinton hatchetmen coached him well.

Apologies used to mean something, back in the day. In today's dialogue, it's all about the show. Just say anything you want to say in public and if someone calls you on it, just issue a half-assed apology. While you are doing it, be sure to throw the blame on the person questioning the remark. Say something like, I apologize if you were offended. I apologize if you misunderstood the remark. With everyone going blah, blah, blah in front of cameras, 24/7, stuff is bound to happen. What happens is the daily issuance of 'apologies', especially in the political arena, and they end up meaning nothing at all. The thoughtless statement has been made and is out there and then the person making the remark is given kudos for the apology. It's a two-fer. And, yeah, they know exactly how to play it for all it's worth. Especially with such a willing press.

The Congressional Dems are holding a conference call with the press this afternoon. The purpose? To discuss the record of Senator Obama from his days in the Illinois state legislature. Yes, you read that right. Back when he was an Illinois State Senator. It's all about the uncovering of his penchant of voting 'present' instead of a straight yes or no. Turns out he voted like that over a hundred times and it looks a bit odd. He says it was how business was done in the Illinois state politics and it indicates he would support the resolution or bill if it was tweaked or re-written. Whatever. I don't care about any of that. I do care about his votes in the U.S. Senate and present day wrangling.

As the official agent of change in this election, on the side of the Dems, Obama has promised to be a voice of reason in today's contentious political atmosphere. He promises to get Dems and Republicans to work together and do good things up there on Capitol Hill. There is one problem with that reasoning: He is definitely a part of the partisanship on the Hill today. His votes are lined up with the far left and the defeatist agenda, always and predictably, and he is fond of verbal bashes to the current administration. The President isn't in the race or is his VP so it's gratuitous bashing. No one thinks a liberal Dem is going to support domestic or foreign policy as a conservative Republican has done. He should like Bush, actually, for all the big spending he has done since taking office.

During the voting process of the Supreme Court nominees, it is common procedure that a president gets his nominee as long as nothing criminal is present in the nominee's background. Republicans voted unanimously for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is the polar opposite of Republican thoughts on judicial decisions. It was the right thing to do. The Dems now, though, completely consumed with Bush Derangement Syndrome and beholding to the far left wackos, now consistently vote against judicial nominees, just because they feel like it. The nominations of Sam Alito and John Roberts proved that. Both rated with stellar remarks from the ABA, no conservative organization, and stellar careers, but politics ruled. And Obama was a good little liberal voice and voted against both of them.

So much for the agent of change. It takes more than a smooth voice and a huggy, feel good attitude.

Senator Harry Reid, the creepy voiced Senate Majority Leader has announced that he will employ the same tactic he pulled during the Thanksgiving recess during the Christmas recess. He'll stop any recess appointments by President Bush by sending over Senator Jim Webb or someone like him who lives close by to gavel in the Senate for a few minutes every few days or so and technically keep the Senate in session. Again, Republicans didn't throw those hissy fits as the majority party. The one time Newt shut down the government he suffered for that ill thought out decision. Senator Reid, you can rest assured, will be applauded in the press for his tactics. Not by the American voter, but by the press and that's all he cares about right now.

Time Magazine has named Putin as the Person of the Year. Nice. Where Russia was once on the way to freedom and prosperity, slowly but surely, Putin has shut all that down. He arrests journalists, poisons political opponents, makes himself Prime Minister after he learned he can't be President again and picked his successor. Yeah, let's recognize all those accomplishments. Not to mention supplying Iran with a year's worth of enriched uranium. Go, Putin! Yeah.

And on the heels of that, Time Magazine announced they will no longer employ conservative columnists Charles Krauthammer and William Kristol. So, with Time's own little method of imprisoning journalists, they have eliminated the conservative voice in their magazine. Their subscriptions continue to sink but I guess they think only liberals read their rag.

I think Krauthammer and Kristol deserve an apology.