Hillary's win in California on the strength of the Latino vote led me to believe Barack would have a tough time of it. I was wrong. The more the American people are exposed to this man, the higher his poll numbers. Even the Democratic superdelegates once pledged to Clinton & Clinton are defecting to Barack. Basically, Hillary has to run the table in the last three big primaries left on the schedule (Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania). In a word, ain't gonna happen short of a Barack "Gennifer Flowers" moment.
So I'm tired of this primary thing already. Let's move on to the main event. In the red corner stands the crusty old vet, hero of Hanoi, Don Juan McCain. The Iseman Cometh! Sorry, couldn't resist. So Juan either pals up with a stiff neocon white guy (I'm looking at you Fred Thompson) or a brain dead Christian evangelist. Huckabee actually has charisma but no way the established money interests that run the Republican crime family allow Huckster on the ticket. The only interesting VP candidate out there on the right with any potential to show well on TV is Condi Rice. If I were the neocon Big Kahuna, I'd be promising Condi whatever treasure she desires to do them this one favor and stand on the stage with Juan McCain. Help us Obi Wan Condi, you're our only hope.
And in the blue corner, out of Chicago by way of Honolulu and Jakarta, stands the slayer of Hillary Clinton. Give it up for Baaarrraaaccckkk OOOObbbaaammaa (I can hear Michael Buffer doing it up proud). Those people in the red corner have to be shiting their pants. But who is Barack's tag-team partner? It obviously ain't gonna be Hillary. She's got higher negative poll numbers than Fidel Castro. Johnny Edwards is a pretty young man who says the right things ... but I don't like him. I can't sense any substance behind the dude. And then there's that rumor Edwards' mistress is pregnant with his child while his wife dies of cancer. Kind of a problem for a vice-presidential candidate, no? Shoot higher Barack. What's Barack weak spot? National security experience. Ergo, it makes sense to choose someone who has worn a uniform in our nation's military (preferably one with a few stars on the shoulder). There's Wesley Clark, the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. But he's from Arkansas. Just say no to Arkansas. An intriguing prospect is Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, the highly decorated former Marine who was Ronald Reagan's Secretary of the Navy. Would this guy take the job? I'm not sure. He's a life-long Republican who switched parties in disgust over the Iraq War. Webb's also a big NRA gangsta so that issue alone might be a deal buster. You can only stretch a reconstituted elephant so far.
But what about this elephant: Colin Powell? He's got the dream resume: Vietnam veteran, National Security Advisor, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State. No individual living has a better national security resume. And Colin Powell is liberal on social issues as his speeches leading up to his aborted presidential bid in 1999 revealed. The perfect running mate for Obama, no?
But there is one huge dark cloud haning over Colin Powell: his February 5, 2003 speech to the United Nations selling the world on the necessity of invading Iraq to disarm it of WMDs. We all know now that Powell's presentation was pure garbage. According to Colin, he was sold up the river by the CIA and he's bitter about it.
Colin said in 2007 that he may indeed support Obama in his presidential bid and did not rule out taking a position in an Obama cabinet. However, he did rule out running for elective office (meaning no VP). Here are my thoughts on the issue: Colin Powell, you owe your country big time. Your blunder in recycling lame intelligence to the UN effectively torpedoed any chance the anti-war forces possessed of marshaling opposition to the Iraq invasion. Blood is on your hands Colin and, regardless of your personal wishes to fade off into the sunset, your duty is to do all within your power to make it right. We can't raise from the dead the thousands of Iraqis and Americans who are casualties of this war but we can elect rational humans to office and bring the troops home. This is your chance at redemption Colin. So do you go to your grave stained as a W Bush enabler or do you re-enter the fight on the side of justice? It should be an easy decision for any man of conscience and integrity.
Hillary's win in California on the strength of the Latino vote led me to believe Barack would have a tough time of it. I was wrong. The more the American people are exposed to this man, the higher his poll numbers. Even the Democratic superdelegates once pledged to Clinton & Clinton are defecting to Barack. Basically, Hillary has to run the table in the last three big primaries left on the schedule (Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania). In a word, ain't gonna happen short of a Barack "Gennifer Flowers" moment.
