Republican Rocky is Missing in Action

How are Mickey and Adrian going to knock Apollo Greed off his throne on K Street? Mickey's too old and can't raise his arms above his shoulders. Adrian can be prettied up, but she lacks the fighting experience and muscle to deal with Greed. Apollo's strength grew under eight years of Bush provided steroids.

"Mickey/Adrian '08," the Republican "Rocky Less" ticket, missing the necessary strength, guile and heart...

He Shall Be....

McCain
(Sung to the tune of Levon by Elton John & Bernie Taupin)

McCain wears his war wounds like a crown
He calls his savior Jesus
'cause he needs the name
And he attends the conservative church in town

McCain, McCain likes his money
He makes a lot they say
Spend his days counting
In luxury homes by the waterway

He was born a piper to a rank on a Christmas day
When the New York Times said God is dead
Yet another war's begun
Bristol Palin has a son today

And he shall be Levi
And he shall be a good man
And he shall be Levi
In tradition with the family plan
And he shall be Levi
And he shall be a good man
He shall be Levi

Mrs. McCain sells frosty brews in town
Her family business thrives
Jesus pours beers all day
Sits on the bar stool watching them foam
And Jesus, he wants to run the country
Leaving McCain far behind
Take the Christian Capital and go legislating
While McCain, McCain slowly dies

Palin the Pellet for McCain's Christian Conservative Lever

John McCain turned disdain for his Presidential candidacy into strong support with his selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate. Tony Perkins, James Dobson, and Richard Land came out strong for Palin. The New York Times reported:

“I am now more confident about a John McCain presidency than I am about a George Bush presidency,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. “The campaign has courted conservatives aggressively, and it has turned around remarkably in just the last few weeks.”

...On Friday, Dr. James Dobson said the Palin selection had persuaded him to endorse Mr. McCain. Dr. Dobson said in a statement that the nomination “gives us confidence he will keep his pledges to voters regarding the kinds of justices he would nominate to the Supreme Court.”

In Minneapolis, “it was as if the whole Republican convention had started drinking Red Bull," said Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, who added that when the McCain campaign had sought his input weeks before he had suggested picking Ms. Palin.

And that, my friends, is change conservative Christians can believe in. What does that leave the rest of us? Head hanging, yet again...

Sarah Palin & Fran Townsend: Republican Strong Women Not Supremely Competent

Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin is marketed as an energy expert. Another supremely competent Republican supermom, Frances Townsend, knows risk management "inside and out".

How would you feel if an energy wonk missed the size of the Exxon Valdez spill by 10.79 million gallons? Would you be disappointed if a risk manager failed to mention the hospital with the largest patient death toll after a record hurricane? Sarah and Fran did just that.

Sarah Palin cited the 11,000 gallons of fuel emptied into Prince William Sound by the Exxon Valdez in her CSPAN-Washington Journal interview. The Valdez spilled 10.8 million gallons of crude, covering 11,000 square miles of ocean. Frances Townsend omitted any mention of LifeCare Hospital and its 24 patient deaths post Katrina. Why would these supremely competent women minimize or outright omit key information?

Palin's is a proponent for more domestic drilling. It helps to gloss over major human misadventures in finding and moving oil. Her characterization of the Valdez spill as 11,000 gallons calls into question her ANWR footprint estimation of 2,000 acres. If Sarah is way off on the Valdez spill size, why would her ANWR drilling estimate be accurate?

When Katrina struck, Townsend worked just blocks up Pennsylvania Avenue from LifeCare's owner, The Carlyle Group. The politically connected private equity underwriter specializes in buying companies, later selling them for a profit. The last decade Uncle Sam has been a major customer for numerous Carlyle affiliates.

I can see LifeCare's risk manager wanting the federal Lessons Learned report to be silent on their patient deaths. I'm confused as to why Fran and the Bush White House felt likewise. No one answered my queries as to why Fran made this basic risk management error. Supermoms making super mistakes, or covering for their super friends?

Palin's 2,000 Acres vs. 11,000 Gallons

Maria Bartiromo called Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin an energy expert on this morning's Meet the Press. The CNBC business reporter cited energy as Palin's "sweet spot", saying she was impressed with her knowledge.

Maria found her argument for drilling in Alaska National Wildlife Reserve compelling. It would only impact 2,000 acres out of 2 million. So what's Sarah's track record on representing Alaska oil accurately?

Her February interview on CSPAN's Washington Journal showed a large chink in her energy armour.

Governor Palin (at the 4:00 minute mark): A drunken captain that ran the ExxonValdez ship into Bligh Reef and spilled 11,000 gallons of fuel

Wrong! The ExxonValdez spilled 10.8 million gallons of crude oil, eventually covering 11,000 square miles of ocean. The energy expert missed the size of the spill by 10.79 million gallons. She also called it fuel vs. crude oil.

Was it an intentional dodge to minimize attention to human misadventures in moving oil around our planet? If so, what does that imply about her "only 2,000 acres" on ANWR?

Let's Hope for Lessons Learned

Barack Obama expressed hope Saturday that the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina three years ago would help to protect the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Gustav this time. Gustav is now a Category 4 storm with 145 mph winds. His running mate, Joe Biden, urged people to pray that the levees in New Orleans hold. (from AP & Weather Channel reports)

And, those lessons learned? The White House investigative report didn't state who was responsible for evacuating hospital and nursing home patients. Nor did it identify how responsible parties performed their duties. It did declare the event, "an unprecedented disaster". That also covers the White House response.

But author, Fran Townsend, omitted the hospital with the highest patient death toll. LifeCare's twenty four deaths warranted not one mention in the White House tome. I'm sure The Carlyle Group appreciated Fran's oversight. They purchased LifeCare just weeks before landfall.

Bush Wants War on "Affiliated Organizations"

The Bush administration wants Congress to renew its declaration of war on al Qaeda and its affiliates. It requested the legislative branch "acknowledge again and explicitly that this nation remains engaged in an armed conflict with Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and associated organizations, who have already proclaimed themselves at war with us and who are dedicated to the slaughter of Americans.”

This declaration is the linchpin for the many Bush policies that push the boundaries of legality. Rightfully so, some members of Congress are worried about George W.'s motivation with this redeclaration of war. My guess is Bush wants to twist those "associated organizations" in the direction of "Bomb, bomb, bomb" Iran.

As for al Qaeda they must be busy reaffirming all their war declarations. They have eight official wars and three denouncements.

U.S.
Britain
Israel
India
Pakistan
Iraq
Afghanistan
Somalia
Egypt (D)
Jordan (D)
Saudi Arabia (D)

Those 11 countries have 1.8 billion people. That means each terrorist must subdue millions of citizens. Unless they subdue themselves first.