POLITICS: Senator (gulp) Blunt?

A terrifying political rumor courtesy of Wonkette, here.

Now I’m certainly no fan of Missouri’s ODB---Old Drunk Bond, but damn, members of the Blunt crime family in the House and the Senate? For you Sopranos & Andy Griffith Show fans unfamiliar with Missouri politics, imagine if you will a Barney Fife version of Christopher Moltisanti running around the halls of the Senate desperately trying to pull off the Tony Soprano-like bidding of despicable family boss Congressman Roy Blunt. Terrifying...

MUSIC: James Brown, RIP

Say it loud y'all: Rest in peace, Godfather...

POLITICS: Ask Bill

"Barack Obama is the white Bill Clinton..."—Newsweek’s Howard Fineman.

I’ve definitely jumped up on that Obama '08 bandwagon. I’ve been following him, doing the research, and even at this earliest of stages think he’s the best hope for the country and the world. Feel free to knock me all you want for it and please be sure to tell me "I told you so" if Obama falters in some big way somewhere down the road, but I’m choosing here and now to take a stand with the brotha. I believe he has the intellectual goods for the job, and will only get better the deeper he digs into the game—as will his overall appeal to the American public.

If you take the time to look beyond the mainstream media’s "Obamamania" coverage and delve into what the guy has actually been saying and doing, it’s clear he’s already about ten moves ahead of where he’s perceived to be on the 2008 presidential campaign chess board. I can most definitely get behind his emerging campaign theme of "It’s time to turn the page...", i.e., time for the Baby Boomers who have been "leading" this country while simultaneously dividing it by fighting amongst themselves since 1968, and let some new blood in to do the popcorn and step up and lead. Look at the field, folks. Could there be a more dismal pack of potential candidates on both sides in ‘08? Do you really think any of them stand a chance at restoring America’s dignity and image with the rest of the world, 99.9% of which currently hates our guts? Doesn’t look good, does it? With pickings this slim I’m definitely willing to bet the house and roll the dice on Obama.

If the world is this fucked up in 2006, you can bet it’s going to be twice as fucked by 2008. Whoever follows Bush into the office of president is going to need a ton of help. Obama’s so-called lack of experience at this point is viewed as his only, yet potentially defeating weakness as a candidate. I disagree with it, but fair enough, I get why it’s a worry. And the GOP has only just begun to exploit this, so yeah, it’s definitely a concern. Therefore the importance of whom Obama puts around him as his team is probably of greater magnitude than choices made for respective teams by other Democrats in the race. Which is why I’m throwing out the following proposal to Obama: Ask Bill.

Reports in the media have all in Hilaryland currently freaking out over "Obamamania." And why wouldn’t they be? I’m willing to go out on a limb here and bet that the one person in the world freaked out the most by "Obamamania" is none other than Bill Clinton. How hard this must be for him to watch the hottest party in the world right now from the lonely distance of his television screen. You don’t think he’d rather be at Obama’s side at this minute, serving him as #1 adviser and big brother, smack dab in the middle of all that white hot media action? You bet it’s driving him crazy to be missing out on all that fun. So Obama: Ask Bill.

I think Obama should sit down right now and cut the following deal with the Clintons:

A) Get Hilary to drop out of the race in exchange for the role of Senate Majority Leader. I’m not the first to say she can’t win the ‘08 election, and that she can be a far more powerful and effective leader over the next 30 years if she does it from the Senate.
B) Have Bill run with you as your choice for vice-president, and yes, announce it this early---like NOW!

A real crazy thought, eh? Of course this would never happen in a million years, but think what it might mean to the country and the rest of the world. As I said earlier, things are so fucked up it’s going to take more than one great mind and leader in the room, so I’m offering up the team of Obama and Bill Clinton because we all know they’re not only the two smartest kids in class, but they also both posses the all-important charisma and sex appeal that’s needed to lead and inspire at this most bizarre and dangerous moment in history. Cheney has changed the role of the vice-president in such a major way at least for now and possibly forever, so why not take it to the next level by putting an ex-president in the job who has proven himself time and time again and is overwhelmingly popular with the American public to boot?

Would the hard right of the GOP and their media echo chamber salivate over the chance of running against an Obama-Clinton ticket? You bet they would, to which I say bring it on! Do you think a crazy old man like John McCain, who by the way is looking older and crazier and more like the Slim Pickens character in Dr.Strangelove with each passing day, actually stands a chance against the sheer, uh, virility of Obama-Clinton? Again I say bring it on.

McCain is clearly on the road to overplaying his ‘08 hand. Already desperate enough this early in the game to hire the diabolical Terry Nelson in the role of his Karl Rove, McCain looks to play the GOP fear card to the max yet again and sell himself as not only a wiser and competent version of Bush, but also as an even bigger hard ass to the rest of the world than Bush. Good luck with that, senator. Like I said, he’ll continue to look older and crazier and ultimately less and less appealing to voters with each passing day. A Democratic candidate can beat McCain, but that candidate sure isn’t Hilary.

A world this fucked up needs some big and bold out of the box thinking, and what could be more out of the box than Obama-Clinton? But when you take a few minutes and seriously examine all of the various ramifications and potential for greatness that an Obama-Clinton administration could bring, just how crazy would it’s reality really be?

TELEVISION: Joseph Barbera, RIP

Thank you for the yabba-dabba-doo time, Mr. Barbera.

TELEVISION: The Wire

The just-completed fourth season of HBO’s The Wire was quite possibly the closest a televison drama has ever come on every level to a perfect season. And once again the show will probably not see a single nomination in any category come Emmy time. To the uninitiated, you really owe it to yourself to check this show out. The first three seasons are on dvd---probably the best way to dive in headfirst. A cop show is the last thing The Wire is...

And as a lifelong Paul Weller fanatic, it was great to hear his excellent cover of Dr. John’s "Walk On Gilded Splinters" playing to chilling dramatic effect over the final scenes of the season finale.

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel t-shirts

Finn's Motel t-shirts make great stocking stuffers and can be found at finnsmotel.com. Ho! Ho! Ho!

MUSIC: Ahmet Ertegun RIP

The eternal thanks we owe this man...

STEVE ROCK: Upcoming Finn's Motel Show

Finn's Motel play our final show of 2006 next Thursday, December 21 at Off Broadway.

The Wormwood Scrubs play first at 9pm, then us, and then The Rugs from Springfield, MO close out the show. Hope to see you there...

POLITICS: Obama Fever...

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