Young Man, Old Thoughts...

Andrew Meyer whose antics at a John Kerry speech at U-Florida got his ass tasered and a honored spot on Youtube, managed to avoid charges so the AP reports.
As some who has had to suffer thru a lot of disruptions at politics events down thru the years, I can't muster up a lot of sympathy for Mister Meyer. His letter of "apology" to the police and the school struck me as a sury mealy mouthed exercise that was no doubt extracted with great effort from Meyer by the family lawyer.
It is notable in the above article that nowhere does he apologize to Senator Kerry for his outburst.
No..what interests me is that Meyer goes further to decry and bemoan the current political polarization in the country...he opines:

"All of this is false division. We are one people, and once people can forget their differences, we can all start to focus on the issues that truly matter,"

My Ghod how stupid to they take em' at the University of Florida??

Let me first state that there is no such thing as a "false division" in politics, not these days.
Deadly serious things are under debate every day in this country between the right and the left all of them directly affecting holy young fools like Andrew Meyer who does NOT seem to realize his may be the first generation in the country to have less freedom than their predecessors.
And yet young Meyer prattles on about forgetting our differences and "focusing on the things that really matter" like he was Chris Matthews or some other empty headed cable babbler.
Young Andrew, I DO apologize, it isn't your fault that you were born into an era of discord and partisanship. But let me warn you, a new age of bipartisanship won't dawn in your lifetime.
Moreover, people like me can't "forget our differences" with opponents who are casually fantasizing about an end to the two party system and democracy as we know it.
If you don't believe me, then let me cordially invite to pull a similar stunt at a Dick Cheney appearance, you'll be lucky enough to survive and wake up in a cage at Guantanamo Bay.
THEN maybe you'll rethink all this nonsense about "forgetting our differences".

Paul Krugman....

makes a lot of sense today.

I would only had that the iron law of unintended consequences is a much favored thing when it comes to US neo-conservatives and their proposed middle east policy.

By that I mean, that a botched war in Iraq was enough to destroy George Bush Jr, but if these guys botch a war with Iran (and they will), the resulting oil shock will be more than enough to destroy the GOP once and for all.

I hope I'm wrong about this, only because I'd rather not pay $10 a gallon at the pump or go back to Dick Nixon's odd-even day gas rationing system.

"Size is Destiny"

opined my late Uncle Peewee, an opinion obviously shared by the Murphy for Senate Campaign who have gotten themselves a huge-ass sign on Summer Street extolling their candidate's merits.
Exactly why Murphy continues to expend vital resources on Arlington, home turf of his main rival state rep Jim Marzilli remains a mystery. You'd think Murphy would skip all the effort and concentrate on grabbing off Billerica and doing some business in Woburn. Then again, some long time local opponents of rep. Marzilli are backing him so possibly all this hoopla in Arlington is for their benefit.

Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo...

way down in the polls and desperate for attention like a needy five year old wants to wager his presidential candidacy on a World Series victory by the Colorado Rockies. If they lose he drops out of the race.
He wants former Massachusetts Viceroy Mitt Romney to make a likewise wager on the Red Sox.

Geeee...yuh think Mitt will take any of that action?

The HELL he will, not when he still has tens of millions of dollars out of his son's inheritance to burn thru.

Such is the equivalent of the "silly season" in the realm of presidential politics, soon enough it all turns deadly serious.

Anyhow, Humble Elias is going on a brief vacation, I'll be back soon, til then, tawk amongst yerselves.

Overheard in the Living Room of Elias Nugator Sr.

(Age 86 recipient of two Purple Hearts and a politely worded thank-you note from Harry S. Truman).

"Th' Colorado Rockies...they got black shirts...black shirts, My Ghod their a buncha BLACKSHIRTS!! God-damned Fascist Squadristi I knew try fer a comeback someday!!"

At this point in the conversation he bids me to "Tell Senator Kennedy" as the old man is under the charming misapprehension that Edward Maximus and I are somehow best pals.
I do nothing to dissuade, 86 is 86 and he could just as easily insist I call General Omar Bradley with the news, so one must be grateful for small things.

Handicapping the 4th Middlesex state senate special election...

(Hey if Steve Stark can do this, then so can Humble Elias, the only difference is, I won't write the same thing time after time!)

Anyhow, I gathered these impressions from last night's Arlington Town Democratic Çommittee candidate's debate, a interesting and suggestive affair despite the lack of any mix-em'-up.

Kenneth Donnelly: The retired Lexington firefighter is a relative newcomer to politics in the district, and it shows, he seems nervous and needs to dial down a bit and use his "indoor voice" for gatherings such as this. He repeats endlessly his plan to offer 40% of all state revenue as local aid to bail out the cities and towns once and for all. He plans to gin-up that 40% via casino gambling. He is on less solid ground when he gets off this topic, softball queries about global warming seem to slip right past him sans a swing. He must have said "I agree with Pat" three times over the course of a ninety minute debate.

State Representative Charles Murphy (Burlington): Polished, urbane, even occasionally witty, Murphy is big shiny Irishman whose style is very familiar to me as a longtime follower of State politics. With a Dick Cavett-like earnest-ness He compulsively dropped the names of local supporters of his candidacy all through-out the night trying to build up his image as the best Burlington-based friend Arlington has ever had. For all that I doubt Murphy could find Arlington on a map prior to Bob Havern's resignation some two months ago, if he gets elected to the seat, one doubts he will ever trouble himself with the town ever again save to hand out a few baubles to his friends.

State Representative Patrick Natale (Woburn): Earnest, geeky, new to the game but for all that a bit of a waffler on issues like casino gambling and reproductive rights among others. He made heavy use of qualifiers last night to string out his positions on the issues. He seemed likable enough but it is clear he is swimming in very deep waters with a very short resume.

Representative James Marzilli (Arlington) Marzilli is the policy grind of the bunch, he was a well thought out policy in mind from local aid for law enforcement down to what wildflowers to plant on the lane dividers on Mystic Street. He has some notable accomplishments that directly and positively impact the communities he seeks to represent in the state senate, he needs to keep harping on them relentlessly. Like Murphy he is polished, urbane and witty, but then the state legislature is tremendous education in the art of presentation.

Overall, this is a Murphy versus Marzilli fight, with Pat Natale doing some business in Woburn and Donnelly attempting to play the spoiler in Arlington where the heavy democratic turn out tends to overwhelm the district. Why Donnelly is even in this race is a mystery, as a candidate he seems better suited to blitzkreig an open state rep's seat (which might be happening if Marzilli is nominated & wins the special election), but as a senate candidate he comes out of nowhere and has lot of ground to cover in a very short space of time.
I think Natale will fade in the stretch if he keeps coming on like a likable waffler as he did last night, although he will do well in Woburn on election day depending on the breaks.
As for Charles Murphy, he is coming on like a big shiny Irish pol with his Marine Corps bona fides and nice pleasant rictus. As evidenced last night he has plenty of Burlington based volunteers, but then again that is his problem, Burlington turn out wise doesn't have the footprint of other communities in the district. For Murphy to prevail he has to turn out every last democrat, donkey and dog in Burlington and play big in Billerica and Lexington and then come in a hard second somewhere else. That seems like a tall order, smile or no smile.
For Jim Marzilli the story is somewhat the same, turn out Arlington in big numbers, carry Lexington and pick off what you can in Billerica and in the sundry bastions of your opponents. His game plan is complicated by Donnelly's candidacy (much backed by local pols who are longtime Marzilli opponents) and by Murphy's showy bid to grab off a piece of the action in Arlington. That having been said, in seventeen years as Arlington's state rep, Marzilli has beaten back four strong primary challenges and at least two strongly contested general elections (in democrat heavy Massachusetts this constitutes a nigh Napoleonic talent for the big fight)...so his ground game will be strong and competitive.

Chimes at Midnight Guide to Casino Gambling in the 4th Middlesex special state senate election:

(Per tonight's Arlington Town Democratic Committee debate)

Representative Patrick DiNatale: Leans towards the Governor's plan with many qualifiers on a wait-n-see attitude.

Representative Charles Murphy: Pro casino gambling.

Representative James Marzilli: Anti casino gambling.

Kenneth Donnelly: Pro casino gambling.

When I hear from the presumptive GOP nominee for the above office, I'll let y'all know.