Now that Russ Feingold bowed out of the '08 presidential race, one blogger added more support for a Gore/Sebelius ticket. Sebelius? Well, not that I didn't say "huh," but she sounds pretty good. Yes ... Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas (a TN/KS ticket ... for Democrats), who is pro-choice, a hunter (shoot, is any major Democrat not one these days?) but not extreme (vetoed concealed carry law), against an anti-gay marriage amendment (regular old law against it enough for her, thank you), and was even talked about as a veep choice in '04.
[I recently received an email -- ah that little donation in '04 -- that John Edwards is coming to town. Apparently, not wanting his wife to upstage him too much, he wrote another book, and will be at a local bookstore to promote it. I will try to get there, since it is free and all. Don't think that digital picture with you will be necessary though, John ... that is what photoshop is for.]
Meanwhile, Glenn Greenwald uses the announcement as an impetus for an angry/passionate slam against "conventional wisdom." A bit over the top, perhaps,* but more power to him. I like the way he talks:
All of that combines to produce a worldview that is as inaccurate as it is bereft of integrity and principle. The excitement over new politicians like Jim Webb and Jon Tester -- and the passion inspired by Russ Feingold and even Howard Dean -- has nothing to do with long-standing and increasingly obsolete liberal/conservative stereotypes (the only prism through which the media can analyze the election results, which is why they are so confused). Instead, the excitement is due to a widespread hunger for people who are outside of and immune to the entire, soul-less Beltway machinery -- a system which, in every aspect, is broken and empty at its core.
Glenn Greenwald speaks truth to power while giving examples why he has so little respect for the other side. He does his homework. Since I honestly don't spend my time reading the true believer right, this is useful, given it provides me some assurance that I am not missing much. It is like Media Matters -- he does the hard work dealing with the muck, so we don't have to. Anyway, some might say that Russ did do a bit of grandstanding and such, but well, it's like the stupid "hey, Democrats, be nice now" warning out there now -- oh grow up! He is a politician, he is not going to be perfect in that respect. But, overall, RS (as well as some opposite numbers we don't like) appears to act from conviction.
[Hopefully, some of the new crowd will as well. On that subject, look here for some concerns for the senior senator from New York, who honestly I don't like too much either. He's fairly good on some issues -- including on the attack -- but I find him too sanctimonious, even when I agree with his overall message. If the grassroots are wary too, well, trouble there.]
Two last things -- both Shays (Metro article) and Chafee (personal editorial) have extended coverage in today's NYT. One providing a positive account of why he won, the other a basic acceptance that his loss is good for the country overall -- one that needed change of control in the Congress. Rep. Shays can be a nice little maverick (in a fairly good way, more so than phony McCain) with the knowledge his overall centrist policies actually are honored by the leadership! And, Chafee knows that his sort of New England Republicanism would simply not be carried out by a Republican Senate Caucus that skewers conservative Southern.
Nice win btw by the Jets -- newbie coach came back to his own haunts (NE) and won the day -- even if a quick score and an end of the game drive (just defended well enough) made it a bit too interesting. 2 for 2 for NY?
Update: No. They got more hurt, but the true turning point of the game in the 4Q -- where the QB often steps up -- was a stupid field goal attempt that led to an even more ridiculous in effect clinching score. Also, the Bears turnaround started at the end of the First Half when the hungry Giants D suddenly decided to go dormant one play too early, when even a bad D should have made a pro forma stop. So, sorry, maybe next loss can be blamed on injuries, but this one came in significant part on lousy judgment. Aggravating.
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* "The Beltway pundit class and the premises which generate conventional Washington wisdom are corrupt to their core and always wrong." Well, not quite, Glenn.