Heard Here First: Jindal - Palin 2012

My Mardi Gras evening was spent discussing Leonard Peltier at Gone Wired Cafe.  Must say, Colleen's got the cafe nice and comfy with the new seating configuration.  It's gotten even better to relax, drink your choice of brown water (coffee or tea, that is), and have a good chat about current issues, if not surfing or tweeting on The Internets.

I scampered home just in time to catch President Obama's address to Congress.  It was easy to tell that partisanship is still hanging thickly over the institution.  Numerous times the Republicans were real slow -- almost grudgingly slow -- at rising from their seats to applaud specific points from the president. There were outright catcalls in when the elimination of earmarks was mentioned.  Overall, the speech did not break new ground in the President's plan for the country.  Incredibly, the television showed some members of Congress jockeying to get the autograph from the President as he exited the Chamber.

I thought the night was over until - gaak! - Bobby Jindal came on the tube to give a rebuttal.  Contrary to the positive-spin build-up for Jindal on NPR today, his presentation and appearance was, well, less than positive.  While he basically espoused the tired Republican mantra "tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts," all I heard was "deficits, deficits, deficits." (Spend-and-borrow Republicans don't change, do they?)

I got the impression that Jindal is truly the standard-bearer of the Republican opposition.  My immediate tweet reaction was three side fist pumps and shouts of "Yesh! Yesh! Yesh!"  I immediately imagined a Jindal - Palin ticket in 2012.  They'd deserve each other and represent the Republicans well.  Do the Republicans have a political training academy 

to churn out these types of hapless "leaders"?  If so, I'd like to donate to it.

I was so inspired, I created what I hope is the first rendition of a Jindal - Palin '12 bumper sticker.  Feel free to print it and paste it on the bumper of your car.  It may not stimulate the economy, but it might stimulate some knowing smiles.

-- Rico Thomas Rico

Jindal - Palin '12 Bumper Sticker

            

U.S. Senator Sarah Palin Returns to Nieman Marcus?

The Alaska U.S. Senate vote count is still a toss-up. Press reports at this hour have Democrat Mark Begich ahead of convicted felon Republican Ted Stevens by four votes with more ballots to be counted. I am making the prediction that if Alaska voters indeed re-elect the convicted felon, Stevens will exhaust his appeals in 2009 and ultimately be removed from office by his colleagues in the Senate. That scenario will lead to a special election in which Sarah Palin will run and probably win the Senate seat.

If this plays out, Palin will need to loot Nieman Marcus again in preparation for her move to Washington. The whole story would be an economic stimulus package for the retail sector combined with a sitcom, "The Wasilla Hillbillies Go to Washington." Maybe Tina Fey could star?

-- Rico Thomas Rico

U.S. Senator Sarah Palin?

For Whom the Bellweather Tolls

I have 'em - you have 'em.

They are "Bellweather" Friends. They are friends who are a fair measure of which way the casual political observer is going to vote this election year. These are the people who are not hardcore politicos who read 5 newspapers a day like some of us. They are the above average undecided voter who generally catch the drift of political messages and images and actually can be swayed by the messages.

I've been avoiding one such friend because of my experience in 2004. During that presidential election -- the Bush vs. John Kerry election -- my friend was clearly sauced on Swift Boat advertising and would say "John Kerry scares me; I don't know why but he just scares me."

I'd respond to my friend by saying "If Kerry scares you, Bush must be a heart attack." Still, in spite of his best interests, my Bellweather Friend voted for Bush.

So this year I didn't know which way my Bellweather Friend was leaning until he sent me the image shown below via email. It told me a lot. Soon after receiving this image, McCain-Palin cut-and-ran out of Michigan. Their polling must have been telling them for whom the bellweather was tolling.

-- Rico Thomas Rico

If the Candidates

Were Phones: