911 Eight Years Later

Its been eight years since the 911 attacks that gripped the nation. The President and First Lady braved the cool fall weather and the rain (much of the time without umbrellas) to honor the fallen and support the families that they left behind.

I still marvel that people could unleash such violence on other people. Anytime that happens I am deeply saddened. What is more remarkable is the courage displayed by people in crisis. One of the stories I recall was the security guard who led three separate groups of strangers down the stairs to safety. Four times he charged up into a building on fire until it finally collapsed on top of him.

September 11 was declared a National Day of Service by executive order of President Obama. (Not a bad day's work for someone who conservative extremists have branded an un-American, communist, socialist, fascist, terrorist, liar ugh?)

Let us live up to the challenge to do something today that in some small way honors the examples of love and sacrifice that shown through the rubble of that national catastrophe.

God bless the President. God bless the United States of America.

Buttons and Bows

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis inspired women around the world to adopt the pill box hat and super sized sun glasses in the sixties. And unless I miss my guess sparkling brooches and over sized bows will be showcased on the runways of New York's Fashion Week in 2009. The First Lady (pictured above) attending the joint session of Congress last night has been wearing voluminous bows regularly, since her tour of Europe in the Spring. Mrs. Obama is almost single handily elevating the status of accessories.

Normally Mrs. Obama chooses big bows in black and white or black on black. Last night she was the fairest of them all in a coral colored frock that featured detailed handiwork that would have made Coco Channel light headed. As if the bow covered pleats, brilliant brooch, abrupt sleeves and stiff skirt were not eye catching enough, just behold all the drama in the back. Mrs. Obama is fashion forward and fearlessly so.

Contact Your Local Blue Dog

Here's a list of blue dogs who need to be pressured into supporting a public option. Which is NOT the same thing as government take over. During the campaign season, politicians ask volunteers to call and cajole people into voting for them. They even have computerized calling systems called robocalls. We need to call them and insist that they support legislation that speaks directly to the character of our country.

Jason Altmire (PA-4)
Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
Joe Baca (CA-43)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Melissa Bean (IL-8)
Marion Berry (AR-1)
Sanford Bishop (GA-2)
Dan Boren (OK-2)
Leonard Boswell (IA-3)
Allen Boyd (FL-2)
Bobby Bright (AL-2)
Dennis Cardoza (CA-18)
Christopher Carney (PA-10)
Ben Chandler (KY-6)
Travis Childers (MS-1)
Jim Cooper (TN-5)
Jim Costa (CA-20)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3)
Lincoln Davis (TN-4)
Joe Donnelly (IN-2)
Brad Ellsworth (IN-8)
Bill Foster (IL-14)
Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8)
Bart Gordon (TN-6)
Parker Griffith (AL-5)
Jane Harman (CA-36)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration
Baron Hill (IN-9), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy
Tim Holden (PA-17)
Frank Kratovil (MD-1)
Jim Marshall (GA-8)
Jim Matheson (UT-2)
Mike McIntyre (NC-7)
Charlie Melancon (LA-3), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications
Mike Michaud (ME-2)
Walt Minnick (ID-1)
Dennis Moore (KS-3)
Patrick Murphy (PA-8)
Glenn Nye (VA-2)
Collin Peterson (MN-7)
Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL)
Mike Ross (AR-4)
John Salazar (CO-3)
Loretta Sanchez (CA-47)
Adam Schiff (CA-29)
David Scott (GA-13)
Heath Shuler (NC-11), Blue Dog Whip
Zack Space (OH-18)
John Tanner (TN-8)
Gene Taylor (MS-4)
Mike Thompson (CA-1)
Charlie Wilson (OH-6)

Rep. Joe Wilson - Unplugged

I was feeling badly for Republicans who seemed to have been invited to something akin to a Democratic pep rally. Republicans looked as uncomfortable as turkeys invited to Thanksgiving dinner. And rightly so, cause they got served. But then the "gentleman" from South Carolina called the President of the United States a liar from the well of that distinguished chamber. At that moment my sympathy vanished. That's when I remembered that health care reform is not the real problem. For many conservatives the election of Pres. Obama in November is the real source of the contention; and they simply will not support his presidency. The open hostility was not "you are telling a lie", in that in that it called into question the correctness of his information. It was both personal and angry. It was also erroneous, but apparently that is beside the point.

Rep. Wilson may have inadvertently united the fractured Democratic party tonight more than he knows. I am confident, now more than ever, that substantial health care reform will pass this year. If possible, by Democrats and Republicans sitting down and breaking bread together. If not, then I suspect Democrats will shove that bread right down the Republicans angry throats.

In Memoriam

Senator Edward Moore Kennedy (1932-2009) will be formally remembered today. All kinds of tributes have been rendered since his passing this week. I'm not going to repeat all his accolades and his failures here. But I would be remiss if I did not mention an aspect of his legacy that pulls at me personally. When I think of Sen. Kennedy I can not help but think of hope; and the phrase that comes to mind is "what a difference a day makes".

Sen. Kennedy was a deeply flawed man. But to be honest that's how I like my heroes. People who are too good and too close to perfection seem beyond me. He was the spoiled youngest child of a privileged family. He got expelled from Harvard for cheating. Then there was that business at Chappaquidick. Quite frankly Sen. Kennedy behaved like an ass to Jimmy Carter when Carter defeated him for the Democratic nomination for president in the 80's. He was a party boy of privilege trying to find his way. He rather awkwardly tried to fill some very big shoes. Many people would have given in to riotous living and gotten comfortable with being the black sheep of the family. They would have wrapped themselves in the familiar cloak of mediocrity and lived there lives in the shadows, with regrets about all the promises of life left unfulfilled. But not Ted Kennedy.

One day he looked destined to history's ashe can and the next he set his purpose on things higher than himself. And the next day he was on the right path. He didn't wallow in his failures. He looked around saw wrong and put his energy into righting those wrongs. He was not a hypocrite. He was human. Recognizing his on humanity, he tried to do more good than bad. And really that's what we all should expect of one another.

Senator Kennedy will be remembered as a friend to the poor and the under served. He will be remembered as a first rate legislator. He will be remembered as a family man and a lover of dogs and sailing. He will be remembered fondly because one day he decided to dedicate himself to what he believed passionately. One day he took stock of his life and decided to embrace his best self in order serve the public good.

Thank you Senator Kennedy.

Oh Boy!

Caster Semenya (pictured here) is at the center of a 21st century international battle of the sexes. Her own. You see, the International Amateur Athletic Federation is questioning the gender of this world champion women's track star. Semenya won the women's 800 meter race last week with an astounding time of 1 minute 55.45 seconds. The 18 year old athlete's drastically improved time, deep voice and less than feminine features drew the attention of IAAF officials. They are launching and investigation to determine "her" gender. The results will take two weeks.

Maybe I skipped some crucial biology lectures in college. It takes two weeks to determine if a person is male of female? So you can't tell just by looking? Wow. I may have prematurely and possibly erroneously judged some folks. Seriously, I'm a little nervous.

Turns out that the IAAF is not accusing Semenya, the coach, or the family of any intentional wrong doing. They believe that she may appear to be a woman physically but may have sufficient genetic chromosomes to physiologically be a man, at some microscopic level. If Semenya turns out to be more man than woman, she...I mean he could be disqualified from competing in the Olympics.

The South African government is outraged. Some supporters are accusing the IAAF of both sexism and racism because the second place winner (the young lady Semenya beat the brakes off of) is European.

The family says Semenya is a girl. The IAAF alleges that Semenya is a boy. Speculation may abound for years to come even after the test results come back. I don't know what Semenya's gender is. I do know that male or female, that body is sick. And a 1 minute 55.45 second 800 meter run is fast, no matter who you are.

This Blood's For You

I'm a fan of the HBO original series True Blood. If you're a fan too, you might be interested to know that coming soon to a store near you is tru blood the beverage. Soon fans can enjoy the experience of drinking blood orange soda pacakaged as the blood substitute from the show. If you want to get some in time for the season finale you can order it on line @ http://www.trubeverage.com/ before September 10th. A pack of four will run you about sixteen bucks. A case of twenty four is ninety-six dollars.

For those who like a drink with a little more bite, professional and amateur bartenders are busy experimenting with new cocktails that feature tru blood as the chaser. Tru blood cocktails may prove to be a little tricky from a commercial stand point. Afterall, part of the appeal of the beverage is the bottle itself.

My first impression was that the launch of tru blood was a piece of brilliant marketing. But when I think about it, there are a lot of weirdos for whom drinking faux blood might have some unintended consequences. Will the sale of tru blood be a hit or a disaster? Who can say for sure? But my prediction is that vodka and tru blood will be the drink of choice at any good Halloween party this year.