Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Following-Up


“Where’ve you been?” my son asked.
He's working a schedule that is 180-degrees opposite mine.

I am an early riser, he’s a night-owl. Often we see each other as I am leaving for work and he is still up, winding down from his job at a local TV station.

“You haven’t posted to your blog for, like, a week,” he complained.

It’s been a busy few days.
You know how it is when you go out of town for even a day—your desk is piled high, your e-mail in-box constipated beyond belief. It takes two days to prepare and recover for every one day you’re away. I was gone for four days.

Lot’s have happened in the interim…and I’ve had plenty of things to think and write about for you here…just not enough time. I refuse to allow someone else to “ghost” my thoughts. This is the real thing here.

While I’ve been away…

Tom Delay has decided to cede his seat in Congress. Too much heat in the kitchen on Capitol Hill, and too many chainsaws to juggle at home. I understand. The real reason is this: He’s no longer effective because his credibility is shot. The opposition that set out to tar and feather him succeeded, just as the opposition has done with other politicians. Such is the nature of politics, regardless of your political persuasion.

I am disappointed for Texas and for Delay’s district for the loss of traction in Washington. Right or wrong, it was good to have a man from around here at that level of power in DC. Now that connection has been neutered. The shame of this is the loss of our voice in the process.
I call it opportunity squandered.

There are other things that have occupied our attentions…

Katie Couric is moving from ABC to CBS. Lots of hoopla over that, and while I don’t want to take away from Ms. Couric’s well deserved success, I am a little leary—and very weary—of the news becoming the news. If memory serves, did not Dan Rather decide to leave because he’d become the news (as a result of poor editorial judgement on that bogus memo?)

There’s a movie trailer for the new film about 9/11, called “United-93.” Some movie theater chain pulled the trailer because it was upsetting theater patrons.

Shame on them. The movie should be requied viewing so long as we have troops in foreign lands fighting against terrorism and the regimes that support it. Follow this link and watch the trailer for yourself.

I hope they show it during the punishment phase of Zacarias Moussaoui's trial.

Freshly returned from Washington, I am amazed that a member of Congress has had the audacity to a.) try to enter a government building without going through security without wearing her congressional badge, and b.) blame her poor judgment on alleged racial bias. Note to Georgia Democratic Rep. Cynthia Watkins: Stupidity apparently does not discriminate when it strikes. Watkins has had the good grace to apologize for the fracas.

Finally, I am driving a new car.
Please don’t tell White Fang, my paid-for 15-year-old go-to-work car. Toyota has asked me to test drive a few of their models as an “influential member of the Media.” I am only happy to oblige and do my part as a hard-working, real Radio talk show host person.

My first assignment: A 2006 Lexus IS350. Mica Red, with the works. Took me ten minutes to figure how to start the thing.

White Fang may be jealous for a week.
Watch this space for my detailed report, and I'll see you in the morning on the Radio.

3 comments:

Gary Sartori said...

Brent, just saw your blog on Delay, and I for one, am glad he is out of Washington. he was as corrupt as they come. Handing out tobacco checks on the floor, being a lap dog for Jack Abramoff, (How can he say he never knew him??), being indicted by Ronnie Earle, not mention the way he used his bully tactics to get things done. I had no respect for this man.

As for Mc.Kinney, I hope she gets prosecuted. She should know better, as a member of Congress, not to strike a Capitol Hill cop, and then blame him, and on top of thet, play the race card. Both Delay and Mc.Kinney are prime examples of Washington stupidity.

Brent Clanton said...

Gary--

After reading your profile, I am not surprised by your response. You HATE Republicans? You love proving conservatives wrong? Well, no one is perfect, including you and me. Funny thing, the older you get, the more conservative you will become. Hide and watch.

Ronnie Earle is no better than DeLay or Abramoff, he's just working for the other side.

Here's the real troubling part of all this, Gary: Who fills the void left by DeLay's departure? Not who's elected to serve his district, but what personality moves up the food chain politically?

One thing you can count on, my Connecticut friend, this time around it was one of those depised Republicans caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The next time it will be an equally despised member of the party who's values you espouse.

The point being, it's all a cycle, a pendulum of power and influence, waxing and waning between on political pole or another. Careful how you couch yourself, else you be swept up in the tide.

Washington stupidity is an equal-opportunity offender, and does not discriminate between Republicans and Democrats.

Gary Sartori said...

Brent, I don't hate ALL Republicans. I just hate the ones who call others evil, and have no morals, yet later, they are caught being that way. I have voted for Republicans before. I voted for Nancy Johnson, and in fact, voted for Reagan in 1984. all I'm saying is that Delay got what he deserved. I think he'll look good in an orange jumpsuit with black numbers across his chest. He was an arrogant fool, who needed to be taken down several pegs.