During his defeat of the Clinton Machine in the primary, Barack Obama proved he could take a punch. The Britney/Paris ad doesn't even count as a solid left jab in this bout. If anything it looks like one of those wild left hooks opponents like Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and George Foreman threw at Muhammad Ali in desperate attempts to knock the Champ out with one vicious blow. The problem was Ali merely moved his head back an inch or two, the blow missed by that much and his opponents were often left wide open to counter punches. Barack doesn't even have to move his head for this powder-puff of an attack ad. The aspect that most troubles me about the ad is the fact that McCain has shown that he is willing to drench two innocent bystanders (Britney and Paris) in his filthy political vomit. Barack's in the ring, he's fair game. The two women whom McCain essentially humiliated are not. Regardless of what one may think of the twosome, neither of whom has made any political comments that I am aware of, they are human beings, American citizens, apolitical civilians. The callous vulgarity McCain has displayed by airing this ad, the complete indifference regarding how Paris and Britney--real people!-may feel being used as exemplars of Nothingness, that disregard for these two innocent bystanders (in the political realm) exposes what McCain, his campaign organization leadership and Republicans, in general are. I loathe frivolous lawsuits, but it sure would be sweet if Brit and Paris could launch a defamation suit against the holier-than-thou McCain campaign. {Late News: It turns out both Paris' father, Rick, and her grandfather, Barron Hilton, are McCain contributors. Reports are that Barron Hilton personally has contacted the McCain campaign to express his outrage at their use and mockery of his grand-daughter in the ad. This one ain't over.]

No Text Required.

A new part time job that keeps me on the road for most of the day has allowed me to listen to talk radio more than I have ever done so in the past.

Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage...they're my new over-the-road companions.

Limbaugh is certainly glib, and churlishly humorous at times. Savage dwarfs the other two in terms of education and knowledge on apolitical subjects, but is the most histrionic and crude of the threesome. Hannity is merely a bore, neither glib nor intelligent, humorless and uncreative in his monologues.

Of course, they all support McCain.

But none of them talks much about old John. Rather, 95% of their political words are focused on Barack.

They reach and reach, search and search, to find some flaw, some stutter in his speech, some miscue in an otherwise brilliant speech or interview---anything, regardless of its obvious triviality, to slam the President-Elect.

There's no need to chronicle the litany of snide remarks, half-truths and poignantly innocuous comments these guys utter.

What interests me is the fact that they literally cannot put together a coherent positive commentary on their nominee, John McCain. He remains, even in this coven of right-wing supporters, invisible, just as he is in the general media.

For the talk radio hosts, it's spring training. They are sharpening their skills in anticipation of Obama's election. They no more believe the polls showing a close race than do most of the public.

The Republicans are about to nominate The Invisible Man as their candidate, while the Dems are about to nominate Superman.

Limbaugh & Co. know that.

Below is link to an article in today's NYTimes on the titled subject.

I found it interesting, so most of you probably won't, of course.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/us/politics/30law.html?_r=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

Below is link to an article in today's NYTimes on the titled subject.

I found it interesting, so most of you probably won't, of course.