Steve Clawson

Why Do Conservatives Hate America?

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:16:00 GMT

I ask the question facetiously of course but almost wonder if there isn't a grain of truth to it, at least by some on the right-wing fringe. It's based on the reaction to Chicago's failed bid to win the 2016 Olympics.

Some big-name conservatives took delight with Chicago being knocked out in the first round. They were thrilled President Obama's personal pitch had fallen short in Copenhagen.

The Drudge Report blared the headline "The Ego Has Landed." The National Review Online called it an "embarrassment for Obama." Glenn Beck called the news "so sweeeeet" and Rush Limbaugh declared it "the worst day of his presidency." To top it all off, a gathering of the conservative group Americans For Prosperity applauded Chicago's loss.

Really folks? Cheering because an American city didn't win? Rush, are you serious or are you back taking drugs again? I'm sure when President Obama calls the family of a fallen soldier that must seem like the worst day of his presidency. Losing a competition for a sporting event doesn't even come close.

Of course not all conservatives acted like idiots. One of my favorites, Joe Scarborough of MSNBC penned a classy, thoughtful piece on the Obama effort and the current political climate. It's worth your time to read it: www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-scarborough/thank-you-mr-president_b_308022.html

The glee by some in the conservative community strikes me as un-American. We may have our differences, but aren't we all Americans first? I'm proud of my country and always want us to succeed on the world stage. Losing the Olympic bid in 2016 is disappointing, but it's not the end of the world.

Rio de Janeiro deserves a hearty congratulations for being selected as the first South American country to host the games. Brazil will do a great job and this should be point of pride for the country.

While Chicago lost the 2016 bid, the United States is likely in a strong position to win the 2020 games. By that time, it will have been 24 years since Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympics. North America should be considered a front-runner given that Asia (Beijing) hosted the games in 2008, Europe (London) is in 2012 and South America in 2016.

Personally, I'm not even a big Olympics fan but I recognize the importance and stature the games bring to the host city. President Obama was absolutely right to make the quick trip to Copenhagen. After returning to the White House, Obama said "I believe it's always a worthwhile endeavor to promote and boost the United States of America and invite the world to come see what we're all about."

How could any American disagree that?

A Defining Moment: Obama's Speech

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:17:00 GMT

A Defining Moment:

Mark it down. September 9, 2009 will turn out be a defining day in the presidency of Barack Obama. The man known for his excellent oratory skills delivered one of the finest speeches ever by an American president.

During his address to a joint session of Congress on health care reform, President Obama laid out a clear vision of his plan. He was strong and decisive.

After a hot August filled with partisan rhetoric and distortions, an adult finally stood up and showed leadership, common sense and strong convictions. When the history is written, this will be the night Obama won the health care debate.

Ironically, the battle has been sandwiched between two unscripted events in the past few weeks.

President Obama held a prime time news conference in late July that was designed to move health care forward as Congress prepared to adjourn for the August recess. But a last minute question derailed the process and forced Obama off his gameplan.

His comment that Cambridge, Massachusetts police "acted stupidly" in the arrest of Professor Louis Henry Gates, put Obama on the defensive. No one paid any attention to what he had said about health care during the news conference. Instead Obama was forced to do a mea culpa and talked about turning the incident into a "teachable moment." It was a critical mistake that cost him dearly.

Fast forward to the President's speech to Congress. Obama was at his finest during the address. It may be the best speech he's ever delivered. Polls immediately afterwards showed he was successful in shifting opinion.

Any hope Republicans had in stopping health care reform died with two words--"You lie." South Carolina G.O.P. Congressman Joe Wilson shouted those two lethal words at President Obama leaving the other members shocked and disgusted. Wilson apologized a short time later for his unprofessional outburst. But the damage has been done.

Now the focus on the Republicans will not be their opposition to Obama's health care plan. Instead, they'll have to spend days retreating from a stunning moment that played out before a national television audience. After a summer of heated debate, it all came to a head with two words "You lie." It leaves the opposition without respect and the American people disgusted.

Tonight was a defining moment. The American people saw Obama demonstrating real leadership and the courage of his convictions. And the opposition was reduced to name calling. Let's hope this incident becomes the second "teachable moment" of the past few weeks. Now that would really be change we can believe in.

Random Thoughts on a Labor Day Weekend

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:45:00 GMT

Random Thoughts on a Labor Day Weekend

School Daze:

I hope the right wing nuts who have been blasting President Obama for his Back to School speech feel stupid now. The White House released a transcript of his remarks. Let's see--he wants kids to stay in school, study, listen to their parents and teachers and follow their dreams.

So what part of that are we supposed to be against? It's an inspiring speech and delivers the type of message students (and adults for that matter) should hear more often. Here's a link to the text: http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

I wish I had heard something like this growing up. Instead I remember President Nixon telling us "People have got to know whether or not their president's a crook. Well, I'm not a crook."

Countdown to Jay's Return:

Less than a week to go before Jay Leno returns to late night television. For me and millions of his fans it's been a long summer without his nightly monologues. Time magazine has a great feature on Leno and the new show. http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1920038,00.html

Two things seem certain. Jay's reputation for being a hard worker and willing to do what it takes to succeed lives on. His show may be the most anticipated of the new season. The other thing that is certain is the uncertainty of how it will impact television.

It's expected the show will be a success given Leno's following. But how will it impact the other late night shows it goes up against? Will it provide a boost for Conan O'Brien or will it take away from the Tonight Show? As they say in TV, stay tuned.

Observations from a college football junkie:

Labor Day weekend is great if you're a college football fan. Five straight days of games and yes I watched as many of them as I could. Here are some initial observations from the weekend that was:

The top of the Mountain West Conference is good. BYU knocked off Oklahoma, Colorado State defeated Colorado in Boulder, Utah rolled as expected. The difference between The Mountain and other conferences is the bottom teams are not very good and the upper tier teams don't have the depth traditional powers have. But in a one game situation, the teams can compete with anyone.
The Atlantic Coast Conference is bad. William & Mary beat Virginia, Richmond defeats Duke and Baylor upsets Wake Forest. All those teams lost at home. Maryland traveled west and got whacked at California and N.C. State and Virginia Tech both lose to SEC teams. If this keeps going, the BCS should take away the ACC automatic bid and give it to The Mountain.
RichRod deserves some credit. Michigan routed Western Michigan Saturday 31-7. It was the most impressive, complete performance from the Wolverines I've seen in a long time. It's the best win for Big Blue since Lloyd Carr defeated Florida in the Capital One Bowl. The team played hard and looked good coming off the most difficult week in recent Michigan football history. The rest of the season just got more interesting in Ann Arbor. Memo to Rich Rodriguez..remember Bo Schembechler's famous mantra "Those who stay will be champions."
ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit and Mark May are two of the best in the best business when it comes to talking college football. I never get tired of hearing what they have to say.
Brian Griese on the call of the Cincinnati-Rutgers game sounds a lot like his dad Bob.
I'm already sick of that new Kenny Chesney song ESPN is using for college football. Enough of the country music for football already!
Oregon made the right called suspending LaGarrette Blount for the season. The sucker punch he threw at the end of the Boise State game and his meltdown afterwards was ridiculous. There's no way he deserved to play for the Ducks the rest of this year.

Observations from a Pro Football fan:

The NFL season kicks off on Thursday. Here's my prediction for how the teams will finish. Houston winning the AFC South is the my riskiest prediction. New England winning the AFC East if my sure thing, followed by San Diego in the West.

As for Arizona finishing third in the west, I believe in the Super Bowl jinx, hangover or whatever you want to call it. The NFC West is better division this year. Philly and the NY Giants were a coin flip in the east.

And the reason I picked Baltimore over Pittsburgh? Ray Rice is one of my fantasy backs and I have the Ravens defense. Finally, I'm picking New England to beat Green Bay in the Super Bowl. In Tom we trust!

AFC East	AFC North	AFC South	AFC West
1. New England	1. Baltimore	1. Houston	1. San Diego
2. Miami	2. Pittsburgh	2. Indianapolis	2. Oakland
3. NY Jets	3. Cincinnati	3. Tennessee	3. Denver
4. Buffalo	4. Cleveland	4. Jacksonville	4. Kansas City
NFC East	NFC North	NFC South	NFC West
1. Philadelphia	1. Green Bay	1. New Orleans	1. Seattle
2. NY Giants	2. Chicago	2. Atlanta	2. San Francisco
3. Dallas	3. Minnesota	3. Carolina	3. Arizona
4. Washington	4. Detroit	4. Tampa Bay	4. St. Louis

Random Thoughts

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:33:00 GMT

"Un" Healthy Debate

There's been a disturbing trend around the country at recent town halls focused on health care reform. A good and robust debate should occur on changes to a system that will impact every American. But what has been happening is NOT a good thing.

Unruly mobs egged on by right-wing radicals on the radio have turned what should be a civilized forum into a shouting match where security for those attending has been threatened. As an American, you have a right to speak your mind, you don't have the right to create a situation that puts everyone around you in danger.

Even worse are the people who are trying to compare President Obama to Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Words can not describe how disgusting this is. To compare Obama to Hitler is repulsive and demonstrates unbelievable ignorance on the part of those doing it. To the responsible voices who are opposed to health care reform, it's time for you to stand up and tell them to shut up. To remain silent suggests you approve of tactics that have no place in this discussion.

Viva Sotomayor!

Congratulations to the newest associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. By all accounts, Sonia Sotomayor is well qualified and an excellent choice. Nine Republicans voted for her, but not Arizona's two senators Jon Kyl's no vote is not a surprise since he has decided to represent the Republican Party in the Senate instead of the people of Arizona.

John McCain's vote was a disappointment. In a statement on the Senate floor August 3rd, McCain stated "There is no doubt that Judge Sotomayor has the professional background and qualifications that one hopes for in a Supreme Court nominee."

So even though McCain admitted Sotomayor is qualified to be a Supreme Court justice, he decided that's not good enough. This from the same guy who tried to convince us that Sarah Palin had the experience and qualifications to become president should something happen to him. Enough said.

Bill Clinton--Nobody Does It Better

Former President Bill Clinton once again demonstrated his remarkable political skills during his quick trip to North Korea that resulted in the freeing of two American journalists. There are very few people who could have pulled off what he accomplished. More than eight years after leaving the White House, his presence on the global stage remains enormous.

At the welcome home ceremony, Clinton didn't say a word. He didn't have to. His presence said it all. While he has not spoken publicly about the details of the trip, he did tell the New York Times:

"My job was to do one thing, which I was profoundly honored to do, as an American, and as a father: I wanted those young women to be able to come home. Anything I say beyond that could inadvertently affect the decisions and moods either here or in North Korea, or the attitudes of our allies, and I have no business doing that. I'm not a policy maker anymore."

Bill Clinton--nobody does it better.

Paging Donald Trump!

"The Donald" needs to make a quick visit to Arizona's state capitol and say to the people running the legislature "You're fired!" Even though that won't happen, hopefully Arizona voters will say it in November 2010, especially to those in the majority. If you've been following the crisis at the capitol, you should realize by now that something needs to change. The ongoing circus under the Copper Dome is an embarrassment for Arizona and reveals an amazing lack of leadership. It's a situation that can't continue. Remember this when you head to the polls next year.

Fromme Freedom

It's been announced that Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme is set to be released from a federal prison this month. Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, has been behind bars after attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975.

Just a random thought on this. Why? Certain crimes call for a life sentence with no chance of parole. It seems like attempting to kill a President of the United States should be one of them.

Counting Down To Jay's Return

As someone anxiously awaiting the return of Jay Leno, I was interested to read about his plans for the new show that debuts September 14th: http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/08/jay-leno-tca-panel.html

During at appearance at the TV critics press tour this week in Hollywood, someone mentioned he seemed more confident than he has in the past. When asked what had changed, Leno replied "I'm rich now."

A Rare Misstep For Obama; And That's The Way It Is; Where Have All The Big Ideas Gone? Attention Carrie Prejean

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:47:00 GMT

A Rare Misstep For Obama

At his prime time news conference this week, President Barack Obama was asked about the arrest of Louis Gates in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Obama stated police had "acted stupidly." It's a comment he now regrets as he should. But give him credit for owning up to the mistake and taking steps to rectify the situation quickly.
It was a rare misstep for Obama because he's not known for making this kind of a mistake. It's even worse because it deflected attention from the real purpose of his news conference--health care reform.

Let's hope the incident in Cambridge is a "teachable moment." Racial profiling is a serious issue whether it occurred in this case or not.

A couple of quick points on the Gates arrest. It's interesting to note the charges were quickly dropped which indicates he never should have been arrested in the first place. And a lot of the people who criticized Obama for his remarks are the same people who own guns and will do whatever it takes to protect their homes. Ask yourself one question, how do you think you would have reacted if you were in the same situation as Gates?

And That's The Way It Is:

America lost a true a giant in the world of journalism with the passing of Walter Cronkite. He set the standard for modern day broadcasting. For a half-century Cronkite's life was intertwined with the biggest news stories of the 20th century. From the tearful announcement of President Kennedy's death to the youthful exuberance of the first men on the moon, Cronkite was the person American's turned to in times of tragedy and triumph. Cronkite was a pioneer in his own right as television made its way onto the American landscape. Although it's been nearly 30 years since Walter Cronkite sat behind the anchor desk at CBS, he remained a visible, vibrant part of journalism. Anyone who has ever worked in news will miss "Uncle Walter" and that's the way it is. Good-bye Walter and thanks for the memories.

Where Have All The Big Ideas Gone?

We've just celebrated the 40th anniversary of man walking on the moon for the first time. When President Kennedy first proposed the mission, no one knew whether the U.S. could meet the goal, but one thing was certain, if anyone could do it, America could. Where has that can-do spirit gone to in this country? Big ideas and lofty goals have been replaced by talking points of let's cut taxes and reduce the size of government. Just imagine if that mind set had been in place when projects like the Hoover Dam or the federal highway Interstate system had been proposed. Where would this country be today if naysayers had killed those projects by saying the country couldn't afford them?

The lack of "big ideas" to move this country forward is disappointing. Here in Arizona, on a smaller scale, we've seen a couple of major projects that were highly criticized at the time they were proposed. But today, you can see the benefits of the Tempe Town Lake and the light rail system. Even though we're in a tough shape economically today, the U.S. will come out of it as we also do. Let's hope we get a new crop of visionary leaders to replace those who just say no to everything.

The Late Shifting

As you probably know, I'm a big Jay Leno fan and am anxiously awaiting his return to TV in September. Since Conan took over The Tonight Show on June 1st, some interesting things have been happening. For the past four weeks, ABC's Nightline has won the late night time slot. The show likely got a boost because of the Michael Jackson story. But what may be more troubling for NBC is that David Letterman has beaten Conan two straight weeks. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/23/nightline-wins-4th-week-i_n_243916.html

The older baby boomer viewers who left The Tonight Show when Jay departed and now seem to be watching Letterman. After the change, NBC touted Conan was doing much better than Jay in the younger demo, but that appears to changing now too. NBC can't be happy with this headline "Conan Continues to Hemorrhage Viewers of All Ages." http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/07/conan_and_dave.html

I'll be the first to admit, it's still early to say how all of this will play out. Conan could turn out to be a genius move for NBC that will pay dividends for a long time to come. But my hunch is, at least in the short term, NBC will regret the departure of Jay from The Tonight Show. That's one reason, the network hedged its bet and kept Leno in the NBC fold. By the way, a new website just launched for Jay's new show this week:
http://www.thejaylenoshow.com/

Attention Carrie Prejean: You're 15 Minutes Of Fame Are Over!

Former Miss California USA beauty queen Carrie Prejean just won't go away. It isn't her surgically enhanced body that gets her in trouble, it's her mouth. For some reason, she was invited to sing at the Del Mar racetrack this week in California. Maybe it was to make the horses run faster because after Carrie's performance they probably were looking to get out of there as quickly as possible. One can only wonder what Simon Cowell would have said after hearing this:

http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/25/prejean-attempts-to-carrie-a-tune/

Happy Anniversary America–and to me too!

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:48:00 GMT

     As the United States of America celebrates its 233rd birthday, I mark a personal anniversary. It was 20 years ago I left the only life I had ever known in Flint, Michigan.

    I had just recently been fired from my radio job. It was actually a group firing as the new owner of the station sent everyone packing when he took over, but hey that’s the nature of the business. It’s been said you haven’t been in broadcasting unless you’ve been fired. This meant I had finally made it.

     Even as a kid, I had always wanted to move west, specifically Los Angeles, so I started laying the groundwork to leave. On the morning of July 4th, 1989, my Pontiac Grand Am was loaded with as many personal possessions as I could pack in it and I began driving west. I had about a thousand dollars to my name and I didn’t know anyone, but I was determined to make it work.

     About 36 hours after leaving Flint, I found myself in hot, sunny Phoenix, Arizona. I spent a few days here and interviewed for a job at KTAR that I didn’t get. Even though I wasn’t hired, it paved the way for my future employment at the station.

     The next three weeks were spent on the road splitting time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. I crashed on the floor of a friend’s house in Vegas who was doing morning radio there. I rented a cheap summer dorm room at UCLA for a place to live while I scoped out my beloved L.A.

     Late in July, I made the decision, Phoenix would provide me with the best opportunity to restart my life. I rented an apartment, got a couple of starter-type jobs and began anew in Arizona.

     Looking back over the past 20 years, it’s been an incredible journey. There have been highs and lows during this time as you would expect, but overall the decision to move to Arizona was the best thing I’ve ever done.

     I’ve accomplished things I never thought possible. I’ve met incredible people. I’ve made some mistakes and like the Frank Sinatra song “My Way” says “Regrets I’ve had a few”. But I realize all the good times and bad decisions make for this thing called life. An American life. And nowhere but in the greatest county in the history of the world could this happen.

     Happy 4th of July America!

MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS

Thu, 21 May 2009 17:10:00 GMT

Giving Credit Where Credit's Due

Congress this week passed a credit card reform bill which was overwhelmingly approved by both the House and Senate. It's always interesting to look at these high profile pieces of legislation to see how your elected officials voted on them. Among Arizona's lawmakers, Senator Jon Kyl and Congressman Trent Franks, Jeff Flake and John Shadegg all voted against the bill. Everyone else from Arizona including Senator John McCain voted for it.

It's a pretty simple piece of legislation designed to reign in the credit card industry. It actually didn't go far enough, but it's a start. Makes you wonder why Kyl, Franks, Flake and Shadegg all decided to side with the credit card industry while telling the Arizona voters they're elected to protect to basically go to hell. Apparently they approve of the shady practices of the industry. Keep that in mind the next time they're up for reelection. You need to reject them like a denied credit card.

Beck Beatdown

ABC's "The View" had another memorable moment Wednesday. Glenn Beck was the scheduled guest, but the interview didn't go anything like he probably thought it would. He caught it from both Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters for lying about them during a recent train trip to Washington. They exposed Beck for the empty suit he is.

Below are links to the two segments. The first deals with his lying which prompted Whoopi to call Beck "a lying sack of dog mess." Check out the second segment beginning around the 2:49 mark when Walters asks him about his personal convictions and mentions he's know for crying. Memo to Glenn: Don't get Babs pissed because she schooled you dude!

Click Here

Revisionist History Hannity Style

Fox lip flapper Sean Hannity got beat down himself this week in an interview with former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. In talking about President Obama, Ventura started to say he had inherited a mess from former President George W. Bush. Hannity interrupted to say Bush inherited a recession when he became President. Note to Sean--the recession officially started in March 2001. Guess who was in the White House then? But the amazing part was when Hannity continued and stated Bush inherited "the negative impact of 9/11" Really Sean? You mean Bush wasn't President when the terrorist attacks occurred, he came afterwards? You can check it out for yourself...the comment starts around the 2:19 mark of the video.

Click Here

Remembering Dom DeLuise

I came across this item on the website for the late Johnny Carson ( www.johnnycarson.com). There's a tribute to Dom DeLuise who died earlier this month. According to the website, DeLuise was a regular guest on the show appearing over 45 times on The Tonight Show. Here's a link to a classic moment with Carson that is sure to make you laugh out loud.

Click Here

House of Cards

Las Vegas Sports Consultants has just released its list of over/under win totals for NFL teams for the upcoming season. The line on the Arizona Cardinals is 9 1/2 games. Sounds about right, but beware the Super Bowl jinx. The recent trend has been the team that loses the Super Bowl fails to make the playoffs the following year.

Click Here

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:53:00 GMT

Tortured Logic

The United States has engaged in torture. That's the only conclusion that can be drawn from documents detailing the so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" of terror detainees. The information paints a dark and disturbing chapter in American history.

As Americans we should be setting the standard for the rest of the world. With these sad and disturbing revelations, we are doing the very things we have decried and fought against throughout our history.

The torture techniques are a violation of the Geneva convention. If law enforcement tried to use waterboarding and the like on criminal suspects, courts would deem it cruel and unusual punishment.

President Obama needs to stop trying to straddle the fence on this issue and authorize a full scale investigation. While I understand why he wants to look forward, to ignore this ugly chapter is wrong. This is not a witch hunt as some have described it nor would it turn the United States into a banana republic others have suggested. Instead, it would prove to the rest of the world the United States is a country of laws and we're willing to publicly admit our mistakes and hold people accountable.

Some have tried to argue the torture techniques worked and have protected U.S. citizens. Check out
this Newsweek interview with an FBI agent who was involved with getting information from Abu Zubaydah. You be the judge of what was more successful. http://www.newsweek.com/id/195089

As an outraged Sheppard Smith on Fox News recently said "We are America. We do not fucking torture!" You can watch his rant here:

Grading Obama

President Obama is about to mark his first 100 days in the White House. It's a popular thing for pundits to weigh in on how it's doing, so here's my take. Overall, I'd give him a grade of a B+ so far. He deserves credit for getting his economic proposal through Congress, for restoring confidence in America and for having an aggressive agenda. For the most part, he's done exactly what he said he was going to do...close Gitmo, begin to end the Iraq war, rescind stem cell restrictions, etc. He's had a few stumbles along the way too like the tax problems of his cabinet selections.

Overall, Obama is off to a successful start. He's a man who inspires confidence and hope. It's refreshing to see someone in the Oval Office who has done his homework. For the first time in five years, a new poll shows more Americans feel the country is on the right track, than the wrong track. That's a direct reflection of the change Obama has brought. Here's hoping he can continue to move the country forward.

Now that it's over, here's the real truth

There was an interesting get together at the University of Delaware this past week. Steve Schmidt who ran John McCain's presidential campaign sat down with his Obama counterpart David Plouffe to look back on last year's race. Forget what they said during the campaign last year, both finally admitted the race was over long before the November vote. McCain had no chance to win after the collapse of Lehman brothers. How toxic were Bush and Cheney? Schmidt said he expected the McCain campaign to be down by 25 points after the first night of the GOP convention when the spotlight was on the Prez and Veep. Here's a link to their discussion:

"Maverick" Meghan McCain

At the rate she's going, Meghan McCain is going to replace her father as the McCain the media loves to interview. She's been en fuego lately. Last week at a gathering of the Log Cabin Republicans, a pro-gay GOP group (stop laughing now), Meghan said the old-guard Republicans are "scared shitless" of the future.
Then as a guest co-host on The View this week, she told Karl Rove and Dick Cheney to "go away." If the Republican leadership is smart, they'll listen to her. She represents the future for the GOP, not people like Cheney and Newt Gingrich. Although her dad admits he doesn't always see eye-to-eye with his outspoken daughter, you can bet Senator John McCain is proud of her for carrying the family reputation of being mavericks.

For more information and a transcription of Meghan's speech to the Log Cabin Republicans click here:

To see Meghan McCain's comment's on The View, click here:

Good-bye Pontiac

The end is near for Pontiac. GM is going to pull the plug on the car brand. It's a sad day for those of us who have ever owned Pontiac's. I once owned three Grand Am's in a row. It was a great car. The Pontiac GTO is legendary and the Trans Am is great of American automobile history. Remember it in the movie Smokey and the Bandit? Maybe it's a sign of getting sentimental about seeing things you grew up with go away, but it's really sad to see what is happening with the once proud American automobile industry.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:46:00 GMT

As the week winds down, here are a few random thoughts on items making headlines.

You gotta love this latest item from Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. During a meeting with Florida Republicans, he urged the Sunshine State GOP to send delegates who "look like Florida" to the next Republican convention. His quote was "Could you help a brother out? No more national conventions with 36 people of color in the room." At least he recognizes the GOP has an image problem. Next I expect him to say "And no more running an old white guy for President anymore."

I get a chuckle out of the right wing noise machine going after President Obama for being open to dialogue with countries like Cuba and Iran. Of course they're right. Just think what would happened if Richard Nixon had met Chairman Mao Tse-Tung in China in 1972. Or even worse what would have happened if Ronald Reagan sat down with Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980's after calling the Soviet Union "The Evil Empire." Can you imagine the terrible things that would have happened as a result?

Of course I'm being facetious. Nixon's visit to China was a major turning point in world history. And Reagan and Gorby both deserve credit for helping to end the Cold War. The world is a different place because Nixon and Reagan recognized the importance of creating change through discussion.

Compare that to the U.S. policy toward Cuba for the last 50 years. After imposing the embargo and breaking off relations, Fidel Castro only became a stronger, more dominant leader. Remember, talking doesn't mean appeasement, it's just another option to possible change.

I do! It's been amazing to watch the progress of gay marriage over the past few days. Last week, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously same-sex couples had the right to marry. Iowa becomes the first Midwestern state to approve gay nuptials. The legislature in Vermont passed a same-sex marriage bill only to have it vetoed by the Governor. Amazingly, a few lawmakers changed their minds and provided the necessary margin to override the Governor's veto legalizing same-sex marriage in the state that gave us civil unions a decade ago. In New York, Governor Paterson plans to introduce a similar bill to legalize gay marriage. The same is true in Washington, DC. Look for a ruling in a couple of months from the California Supreme Court on the legality of Prop 8. Even if the justices don't overturn the constitutional amendment, it will likely be repealed by voters in the 2010 election. Attitudes are rapidly changing on this. Within ten years, it won't even be an issue anymore in most places, except for perhaps the Deep South.

Yeah Jay! This week Jay Leno performed twice in Michigan for free to entertain people who have lost their jobs. I've always been a big fan of Leno. His nightly monologues on The Tonight Show never fail to make me laugh. Even though he's a big star, Jay remains just an average guy. Forget the Hollywood parties and high fashion. Jay is most comfortable in jeans, eating a burger working on his many cars. His trip to metro Detroit this week demonstrated his common man appeal. Jay's shows will long be remembered by the blue collar workers in Michigan. And just for laughs, here's one of the jokes he told. "Barack Obama’s first official act as president, closing Guantánamo Bay. That’s when you know the economy is in bad shape, when even terrorists are losing their homes.”

If you're filling out your American Idol brackets now that March Madness is over, it should be Danny Gokey versus Adam Lambert for the title. Still not sure who will actually win it. Regardless, both should have good careers after the competition is over.

Here's an interesting tidbit about former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson. I was watching some of the Giants-Brewers game this week on the free MLB preview on DirecTV. The roving reporter mentioned the Giants have pledged to become the greenest team in major league baseball this season. Then she added Johnson is now riding a bike to the ballpark. Apparently The Big Unit lives close to the
AT&T Park and it's quick and easy for him to pedal to work.

Two weekends to go before the NFL Draft and the annual fix of Mel Kiper Jr. Yes, I admit it. I'm a big NFL draft guy and wind up watching a lot of it over the two days. The Detroit Lions are on the clock. How will they screw it up this year without GM Matt Millen to do the honors?

Random Thoughts

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:31:00 GMT

Here are two words of advice for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich who was indicted this week on 19 counts. Go away!

Hey Arizona--How's it feel to be turned down by Tim Floyd? You're the U of A. Lute Olsen built it into one the premier basketball schools in the country over the last quarter century. The 'Zona job is one of the really good ones in college b-ball. You should easily be able to get a top coach. And make sure you do. It would be a shame to the see the program slide into mediocrity. Sorry Sun Devil fans, but a strong U of A program is good for college basketball.

It's amazing how quickly my interest in the NCAA basketball tournament dies after my March Madness brackets go up in flames. I'm now officially ready for football to start again.

Don't know if you've been following the soap opera in Denver but the messy divorce between the Broncos and Jay Cutler is officially over. With the trade to Chicago, Cutler makes the Bears a much better team. As for Denver, with some of the most loyal fans in the NFL, it's now a future with either Chris Simms or Kyle Orton at QB. I wonder if John Elway has any football left in him? Could be an interesting season in the Mile High City.

Did you see disgraced quarterback Michael Vick has a lined up $10 an hour construction job once he's released from prison in a couple of months? How ironic would be if Vick has to build doghouses for a living now?

Saw the trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen's new movie coming out this summer. The preview looks like the Borat star will have another hit on his hand. You can check out "Bruno" here: (in our Viral Videos section)

Did you see the video of Queen Elizabeth meeting with the Obama's at Buckingham Palace this week? Besides the obvious height advantage the Obama's had there was another thing I noticed. Why does the Queen walk around with a small purse hanging from her left arm? It's not like she needs to carry money to get a Coke out of a vending machine. Is she worried she won't have her ID and no one will recognize her if she needs to write a check? I don't get it. And since she is the Queen, doesn't she have someone to do that job for her? Just thinking.

Speaking of the Obama's visit to Great Britain, as an American you had to be proud of their performance on the world stage. The First Lady's visit to a school was inspiring and it showed the impact Michelle is having around the world. Her husband had a pretty good week too from representing the U.S and helping to restore our image around the globe. Oh yeah, and there was that little matter of resolving a dispute between the leaders of France and China. As the British would say, jolly good show Mr. President. Well done.