9-11

The day snuck up on me. Today, on Talk of the Nation, the question was if we talk about the day too much or not enough. I would say it depends who you talk to. Republicans seem to wave that bloody shirt more than anyone. The rest of us talk about it in much more muted terms--about tragedy and fear, and impact.

I have had a running thought in my head about what I would do if I ever got the chance to meet and really talk to Bush. What would I say? What would I not say? Lately, the thought is that I would ask him why he decided to allow Karl Rove and other Republicans to politicize 9-11, and why he did it himself. Of all the things this administration has done, I think that is the one that seems so unforgivable--to take a national tragedy and turn it into political fodder and a weapon against other Americans. I am not sure I will ever understand that.

Speaking of Bush, I had another famous-person dream last night. I was hanging out with family and ran into Neil Young. He kept singing "Let's Impeach the President" much to the annoyance of nearby family (not sure who the family was, but they were related). Toward the end of the dream, he was going to help me write a song, but that never happened. Dammit.

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Some evidence that the media is souring on McCain and starting to actually call him on his lies. According to several observers, McCain's willingness to lie is more egregious than any in recent memory. Joe Klein certainly thinks McCain has stooped into slime territory. Josh Marshall echoes that

All politicians stretch the truth, massage it into the best fit with their message. But, let's face it, John McCain is running a campaign almost entirely based on straight up lies. Not just exaggerations or half truths but the sort of straight up, up-is-down mind-blowers we've become so accustomed to from the current occupants of the White House.

That does seem to be the lesson learned from Bush's years. When someone points out you lied, just keep lying. Never back down, even when you are clearly and demonstrably lying.

Whatever honor McCain had serving his country, he has sold to Karl Rove to be the next President. "Heck of a job."

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One other thing that is very disturbing and seemed to go under the radar for most Americans was the very strong police response to protests during the conventions. Understandable that they are concerned about security during such events, but the responses to leftist protests seem over the top. Check out this photographic journalist's report from the conventions. The pictures are pretty impressive. And disturbing.