I hate the fact that I even have to type their last names again but I cannot write about the Dem. Convention without typing “Clinton.” I am sick of, exhausted and furious with Hillary and Bill and their supporters. McCain is using Hillary’s words against Obama and you’re an idiot if you don’t think Hillary knew that during the primary. Gov. Rendell today comparing Obama to Adlai Stevenson… as someone “you can’t get to know,” makes my blood boil. The media feeds the Clinton madness but the Clinton surrogates and the Clintons themselves are to blame. Never in the history of primary elections has it taken so long for a candidate to lose. My fervent wish is that a young, vibrant Democrat will run against Hillary Clinton in the New York Senate primary and put her along with Bill out of politics forever. Their behavior is despicable. Hillary hasn’t spoken yet tonight but I don’t hold out much hope. I’m too worn out with her to care. And Bill’s speech tomorrow night, it will be petulant and selfish, you hide and watch. And if I’m wrong, I’ll say so… As for the talking heads and the corporations who sign their paychecks, all I can say is thank goodness for C-Span.

THIS CONVENTION IS ABOUT the OBAMAS — Never in all my years have I witnessed a more magnificent speech by a Presidential candidate’s spouse than the one Michelle gave last night. BARACK and MICHELLE OBAMA are transforming American politics and if Barack can manage to win in November, in spite of his own party and in spite of the media bias and in spite of the litany of lies told about him on a daily basis, he will transform America too.

I’m nervous as a whore in church, waiting for Obama to announce his VP. What if it is Caroline Kennedy? I can see it. But I don’t know. Biden I want, please not Bayh.

We’ll know soon. It is now 5 p.m. PDT.
**********
It is now 5:55 p.m. PDT. Not Hillary Clinton. No No No. Bill was just trashing Obama today in Texas and Hillary’s support for Obama is similar to drinking a cup of cold coffee. You still get the caffeine buzz but you want the coffee to be hot, dammit, hot hot hot.

**********  It is now 9:35 p.m. PDT.  It’s Biden.  Gotta be.  Obama is a master at political theatre.  I think Biden will be too.  Bring it on, make news, take names. 

*****  I’m Biden my time for Biden  *****    

When did being wise, being thoughtful, being intellectual, become unacceptable in this country?  When did making well-reasoned and concise points become a reason to criticize someone running for President of the United States?  I am exhausted by the dumbing down of the public discourse. 

Stay the course, Mr. Obama.  It’s not worth winning if you have to wallow in the shit infested mud with the likes of Mr. McCain and the right wing attack machine.  I mean it.  I’d like to live long enough to see a smart person win the Presidency, a smart person who is not self-destructive, but if I don’t, I can live and die with that.  If my fellow citizens are as stupid as I hope they aren’t (oh yeah, I’m an “elitist” now) then they deserve the President they get.  Here’s the thing:  my maternal grandparents were not “educated” people, they were Virginia mountain people, but they never missed an election.  They discussed politics with me far more rationally than most of the “talking heads” discuss politics today, 24/7.  It is dumb to be smart, it is smart to be dumb.  There, I can be a talking head now.  I can get a job at the New York Times.  My applications are in the mail.    

Bob, Cathy, Jerry, Jean, Jerry, Patrick, Julie, Drew, Bruce, Puma, Carole, Luke, David. 

A celebration

an affirmation

of survival

laughter

sex

tears

family

love. 

Check out the July 28 online issue of THE NEW YORKER for the article by Jonah Lehrer, under Annals of Science, The Eureka Hunt, Why do good ideas come to us when they do?  Here’s a passage from the article that spoke to me:  “One of the surprising lessons of this research is that trying to force an insight can actually prevent the insight.  While it’s commonly assumed that the best way to solve a difficult problem is to focus, minimize distractions, and pay attention only to the relevant details, this clenched state of mind may inhibit the sort of creative connections that lead to sudden breakthroughs.”  

Is it possible for McCain and his advisors to whine any louder about his press coverage?  We’ve had 8 years of the Main Stream Media (MSM) licking the boots of Bush and his Administration.  The MSM has destroyed itself and its reputation as a result.  Now, here come McCain and the Repubs, crying and babbling about how much coverage Obama is getting on his one week trip overseas.  Excuse the hell out of me…  The MSM has rubber-stamped Bush’s policies for 8 years, the Democrats have rolled over like anesthesized sheep, both barely making a sound as Bush has gotten his whiney way for 2 terms BUT oh no!, we have a candidate, Obama, who is smart and engaging and is being proven right at every turn and OH NO, too much coverage of him.  And when McCain is covered, he invariably forgets, misspeaks, or lies so he should be grateful.  And OH NO, where is the fairness in this, Fox News cries, McCain cries?  Fairness?  Yeah, right.  Fairness is a word that no longer lives up to the musical sound it makes as it rolls off the lips.  Fairness is being relegated to the weak and stupid, the uninformed among us.  Fairness has become a prissy word, it’s no longer hip, no longer mouthed unless out of desperation. 

One of the reasons I respect Obama, and trust him, and support him, is because he doesn’t whine.  He always takes the high road.  He doesn’t need to placate his ego by ripping people to shreds.  (I still don’t get the Hillraisers who blame him for her MSM coverage.)  He is who he is.  And he has had a lot of MSM coverage.  And Blog coverage.  And I’d say more than 1/2 of it has been negative or something I’ve detected recently, “worried coverage,” I call it.  I hear these talking-brainless heads express concern that “he could” say the wrong thing, that ”he might” fall down, as in trip over a cord, that ”he without doubt” will not be well-received by someone or a crowd on his trip.  Surely.  I laugh, what else to do?  Who are these people?  While they fret Obama carries on, moves on, cool as a sea breeze.   

A quick word about the state of the Prez race.  I’m not surprised Obama is losing independent voters in the latest polls.  Changing his position dramatically on the Fisa Bill was shocking and disappointing to me.  Shifting his stance from a willingness to filibuster the immunity given to telecoms in the Fisa Bill to supporting the bill with a “yes” vote is a big shift.  He is paying the price.  I still support him full throttle, don’t get me wrong.  But the Fisa Bill reversal and to a similar degree, the faith-based speech he gave, pisses me off.  On the one hand, he’s no longer the rock star, do no wrong — shining candidate.  He’s fallible now and more of a politician.  On the other hand, that could be a good thing.  I’m just not certain.  I worry that cynicism is winning out in the Prez race and I hoped that wouldn’t happen this time.  I may be naive.  I may have put too much of my personal fuel for change into my idea, my vision of Obama — because I am so sick and tired and worn out from the past 7 1/2 years of Bush II and before that, the 4 years of Bush I and before that, 8 years of Reagan.  I’m impatient.  I’m ready for change on a massive scale.  I guess that’s why I’m a writer and not a politician…       

Luke and I are getting married on August 9 at 4 p.m.  Carole is officiating.  We decided on a theme for the guests and ourselves.  The theme?  California Hippie Chic.  Think about it.  It works.   

Luke and I went to the Marriage Office this morning in downtown San Diego.  There are countless Marriage Offices in San Diego County.  The woman who processed our marriage paperwork told me that on July 1, the first day it was legal for same-gender couples to marry in California, more than 300 of them bought marriage licenses at the downtown San Diego office.  And on average, she said, 70 same-gender couples per day buy marriage licenses and/or get married in the downtown Marriage Office.  I started doing the math, scanning all the offices in San Diego County, all the offices in all the counties of California, and when I factored in the cost of a marriage license, 50 bucks, it hit me — the gay folk who are getting married might pull Ca Lee Forn ya out of debt.  Could happen…   

8^^9>>4

1~2~6~5

My brother is the new mayor of Salem.  And his birthday is in two days.  I’m proud and excited.  Congratulations, Randy.