Who for Vice President?

I am watching this discussion of HRC snagging the VP slot with disbelief. Why in the world would Barack want Bill Clinton, who has clearly lost his bearings, to be looking over his shoulder in the White House? Why do some people think that Hillary and Bill could successfully get through the vetting process, considering their dubious financial dealings and Bill's apparent inability to stop philandering?

The "pundits" are now talking ahout the VP being chosen on the basis of geography, constituency, and military experience. None of these is relative. We need a VP who has the know-how to be President, should it become necessary, someone who can give Obama invaluable advice on foreign relations, which differs from defense issues. For defense, we have the generals and the Joint Chiefs. That's their job.

If it were up to me, I'd go for Joe Biden, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He's smart; he's honest; he's principled; he is experienced and wise in the ways of the world. And he's been an staunch supporter of Israel.

And while I'm thinking about the shortsightedness of the media, hasn't it occurred to anyone else that Caroline Kennedy was selected, not only for her early endorsement and work in the campaign, but also because she can go to Ted Kennedy for confidential, and quintessential, advice?

And while I'm on that topic, don't forget to say a little prayer for Senator Kennedy. We North Carolinians are proud that he chose one of our wonderful medical institutions for his care! (He's ten minutes down the road from me.)

I'm still trying to get it into my head that Barack is going to be our next President. The mind boggles.

Back to business

I've suspended blogging for a whole year, while I fought a pitched battle with cancer. I'm in remission now, and ready to start recording random thoughts again. Still, mostly about politics.

That said, I'd like to share with you the text (well, most of the text) of a note to a NC super-delegate whom I know fairly well.

"As smart and as determined as Hillary Clinton is, it pains me to say that she is, in my considered opinion, dishonest. The Bosnia incident is only one example; she knew she was lying for political advantage (one doesn't forget whether or not one is under sniper fire). She "fessed up" only after video showing her and Chelsea strolling along, in perfect safety, surfaced.

More distressing to me is her position on this ostensible gas tax holiday. Saving families somewhere between $18 and $30 over the course of the summer is a lovely idea. But it's not lovely to contemplate the interruption of critical work on our disintegrating roads and bridges and the dire effect this will have on construction workers. Mrs. Clinton has tried to justify her position, contradicted by every expert in the field, by pretending that the tax losses can be covered by windfall profits taxes on US oil companies. She knows perfectly well that the passage of such a tax law through Congress will be a long and contentious process and that the chances she can deliver on this promise are slim indeed. There is also wide speculation that oil companies will simply raise their prices in response to the tax holiday and that lower gas prices will motivate people to drive more, thus driving up demand and prices.

Barack Obama, to his credit, has not signed on to this fantasy, pointing out the serious economic consequences of a gas tax "holiday" and has proposed a $1000 tax credit to help people through hard times. More important, he stresses sensible, long term, innovative solutions to our energy problems. His is a complex message that addresses a complex situation. It is a message that many people do not want to hear. But it is the only honest and thoughtful response.


The Washington Post | May 01, 2008

Ms. Clinton proposes a windfall profits tax on U.S. oil companies to recapture the revenue forfeited by her proposal. Similar ideas have failed in the Senate because of oil-state objections; this one undoubtedly would, too. We have to agree with Sen. Barack Obama, the only candidate who has refused to play this game. "It's not an idea to get you through the summer," he said. "It's an idea to get them through an election." His opponents no doubt hope that Mr. Obama's stand will prove to be political suicide. We think it qualifies as political courage.

Mrs. Clinton's exploitation of the rising price of oil is nothing more than political pandering of the worst sort. We deserve better from the flag bearer of the Democratic party.

I have another concern about the prospect of Hillary Clinton as President, and it is one which is not "politically correct" and - in part - offends my principles as a feminist. I'm sure you are aware of her widely publicized statement that we can "obliterate" Iran.

The International Herald Tribune

TEHRAN: Iran has lodged a formal protest at the United Nations about comments by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton that the United States would "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked Israel with nuclear weapons, the state-run IRNA news agency reported Thursday.

However much Mrs. Clinton wants to emphasize her commitment to Israel, this remark is intemperate, inflammatory, and unwise.. The delicacy of our relationship with Iran and its obviously insane, yet dangerous, leader presents a situation that will require the utmost in diplomacy. The hard reality of our world ia that the Middle East will continue to ba a tinderbox, and engaging in dialog in this part of the world will require a calm disposition, wisdom and patience. This is not the time for a Presidential candidate to be perceived as a "fighter." And Hillary is not Golda Meir, who knew when to be tough and when to be sensibly restrained.

Added to Mrs. Clinton's personality is the simple fact that she is female. In the parts of the world that are of greatest concern to the security of the US, women are - sad to say - not taken seriously. This is true, not only in Iraq, but also in the oil emirates and other MidEast countries. Leaving the delicate balance of our international relations to Mrs. Clinton, who will be widely perceived as shrill, combative, and - in the end - inconsequential, is sheer folly.

What we need now is a thoughtful and courageous peacemaker, with a calm and dignified disposition, and Senator Obama has these qualities in abundance. Obama thinks before he speaks, and when he speaks, it's with a broad personal and intellectual perspective. I agree with the Washington Post, which says:

In campaign appearances, Obama regularly mentions his time living and attending school in Indonesia, and the fact that his paternal grandfather, a Kenyan farmer, was a Muslim. Obama invokes these facts as part of his case that he is prepared to handle foreign policy, despite having been in the Senate for only three years, and that he would literally bring a new face to parts of the world where the United States is not popular.

The Democratic party could do no better than to nominate Barack Obama as its candidate for president."

Southern hair and John Edwards

By now, Anne Coulter's idiotic comment about John Edwards has probably been blogged to death. But I think I know what, outside of her general hatred for liberals, might have prompted such an assumption. It's his hair.

Men in the South, particularly the upscale ones (lawyers and such), all have the same haircut. It's parted on one side or the other, fairly short except on the top which sweeps across the skull and skims the forehead. There are neat little sideburns that mysteriously merge into the overall style. It always looks exactly the same. I think guys like Edwards adopt this haircut at puberty and go, as they say down here, "to the arms of Jesus" with the same style. It often looks like it's been treated to a liberal dose of hairspray, although I have no idea if it actually is kept in place by something with chemicals in it.

The haircut is so "pretty" that it prompted this spoof, starring Edwards in a Breck shampoo ad, so I'm clearly not the first person to notice this.

If Ann Coulter finds John Edwards effeminate, she's never seen him walk up the stairs onto a stage wearing jeans. Trust me, this is one sexy guy.

Ann Coulter has nice neat hair too. I guess that's the only positive thing I can say about her.

The Chapel Hill phenomenon

I went to see the Tarheels play (basketball, of course) last Thursday. On Saturday I went to what was being billed as the John Edwards " homecoming rally," which was held in the town common of one of the planned communities hereabouts. About 5000 of the most cooperative, pleasant, and patient people you can imagine turned out for this, and waited a good two hours before Edwards and his merry clan showed up. He was wearing jeans, of course, like everyone else. But I'll tell ya', this guy looks better in jeans than any model in a Levi's commercial.

He's an impressive guy, and so is his message. He's talking about restoring America's moral fiber, and encouraging everyone to take part in that process, starting right now. One can't help but remember JFK's message not to ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

But here's what really struck me. This man and his famiy had been up since 6 am, travelled to South Carolina to a rally, and then come back to their "home town." And when he was done with his "speech," he came down from the stage and stayed for another hour and a half, talking to anyone who wanted to speak to him, shaking hands, autographing posters, and having animated conversations with little kids, who were utterly thrilled that they'd met the man who might someday be President. His kids (the two little ones) were out in back of the stage, rolling around on the grass under the watchful eyes of their older sister and what appeared to be a few of her friends. They eventually all piled into an SUV and went home.

Now I know that a certain amount of this handshaking and baby-kissing stuff comes along with any political campaign, but this was special -- personal, heartfelt, utterly without pretension, really remarkable to see.

I'm going to work on his campaign. It helps, of course, that the headquarters is about ten minutes down the road, just like everything else in Chapel Hill.