Six-Foot Four Inches, an eighth of a ton, lump-jawed, glowering, menacing and with a hint of elfin twinkle in the eyes. Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson is on the job. Sticking it to the Republicans as no one else has been able or willing to do in recent memory. On the floor of the House using charts on an easel, Republican Style, accusing the Republican Health Care Reform Obstructionists of negligent homicide in the deaths of over 40,000 Americans per year who would be alive if only they had been covered by Health Insurance. He must have hit a very healthy nerve because oh how the little piggies did squeal! Rep. Tom Price of "Geowjiah" proclaimed an apology was due the People's House for such a vicious and undeserved attack; likening it to his Republican colleague's outburst at President Obama, for which HE apologized... Actually he didn't. Rep. Joe Wilson apologized over the phone in a private call to a White House Staffer, not to President Obama, and never apologized to his Congressional Colleagues for embarrassing them and the Body for his rude and unprecedented outburst in the midst of a live broadcast, prime time, during a Presidential Speech to a Joint Session of Congress. Rep. Grayson's comments were broadcast only by C-Span, around midnight, to, essentially no one, except EXTREME political junkies and insomniacs. 

 The Right-Wing Echo Chamber picked up the banner and ran with it labeling Grayson's  presentation "unprecedented" and "groundless". Interesting charges considering several Republicans had recently accused non-existent "Death Panels"  and "Medical Rationing" within the Democratic Reform Plans would result in seniors and others being essentially sent to an early grave. Grayson also cited as the source of his statistics a recently released Harvard Study, not a Health Insurance Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (Lewan Group) organization. Appearing again on the House floor in response to the demand for an apology, Grayson promptly poked his finger into the OTHER Republican eye by apologizing, not to the House, bu healthcare for all Americans, thereby allowing untold thousands of unnecessary deaths.

 It is worth noting that Grayson, a first-term congressman from Orlando, Florida (somehow fittingly, home to Disney World) is a Harvard educated Attorney, a successful businessman and one of the wealthiest men in either Body of Congress; having acquired a net worth of over 31 Million Dollars WITHOUT the assistance of Congressional connections. 

 Having lived at death's door throughout his childhood, needing continuous medical care, Grayson has learned the difference between genuine concerns and unfounded fear. He attributes his survival to adulthood to the health insurance provided his family during those early years through his father's union membership at the workplace. 

 With a backstory like his, an impeccable set of credentials and total financial freedom from a need for special interest dollars, Grayson is looking more and more like the Republican's worst nightmare. Did I forget to mention, he also seems impervious to  the disapproval of his peers?

 The Cherry on Top is the fact that Grayson is chock full of charisma. A totally likable "Bull in the China Shop" with a toothy grin and a ready wit. Light years distant from Senate Leader Reid, who propounds with all the enthusiasm of a man desperately fighting sleep; or House Mom Pelosi, whose diffident chirping is barely audible over the hum of camcorders.

 Whether Grayson turns out to be a flash in the pan or a guiding light is a story yet to be told but either way, I'm glad I was around to witness one of the very first chapters.

How does the job of Chauffeur to the Mayor of New York City Qualify one to be Police Commissioner of the Premier Police Department of the World? Despite the imagined outcries from our West Coast, the New York City Police Department is certainly the oldest Police Department in the Country, fielding the very first professionally paid police officers on American Soil. Now serving a population of 8.3 Million, its 30,000 strong employees struggle daily to keep the peace and pursue criminals in the  most densely populated city in the Country. 

So what qualifies a high school drop out Police Officer serving as the Mayor's Driver, for a job which has been held by fewer men than have occupied the White House? Were his driving skills really THAT good? I guess you'd have to ask the man who made that choice, Rudy Giuliani. Yup, Rudy jumped his driver, Bernie Kerik, over thousands of senior staff in that Organization to occupy the top spot. Why? Only Rudy knows the answer, but I can guess...I'm guessing Rudy did it for the same reason George Bush put Alberto Gonzales in as White House Lawyer and then Attorney General. I'm guessing he did it for the same reason GW put Harriet Miers in Gonzo's vacated office and then TRIED to install her on the highest Court in the Land... I'm guessing Rudy did it because Bernie had proven his PERSONAL loyalty over all other considerations. Personal loyalty to Rudy Giuliani over his Oath as a Sworn Officer of the Law, personal loyalty over ALL other considerations, legal, ethical and moral. This level of personal trust isn't granted, it is earned. It can be earned by one great effort or hundreds of little decisions and actions over years, which cumulatively amount to absolute trust in knowing how any situation will be approached by another person. Indiscretions must be not only overlooked, but enabled, AND kept in complete confidence. When one achieves this status in a hierarchy he is sometimes known as a "made man". Usually by the time this status is acquired, both the boss and the subordinate have participated jointly in enough crimes, misdemeanors or petty offenses to make their futures codependent. This is the glue that binds relationships like this together: mutual advancement, mutual preservation. They own each other in a very real way. They have hitched their wagons together and will rise or fall; but together. 

Relationships like this exist all over the government and business world. They can dissolve without harm to either party and often do. The problem arises when one of the parties becomes sorely aggrieved. Gonzo is unhappy, I'm sure. He left a high and secure position as a member of the Texas Supreme Court (Courtesy of George Bush) to take higher positions with this Mentor. He now drives himself to work every day (no more chauffeured limousines) to his job as a Guidance Counselor at a Technical College in Bumfuk Texas. Gonzo's driver when he was Attorney General probably makes more money than he does now. He is, I'm sure, aggrieved, but not desperate enough or scared enough, or angry enough, to talk. 

Bernie Kerick, on the other hand, hasn't even SEEN a limousine in a while, and his future is not bright. He is facing a lot of time behind bars and is currently getting a taste of his future life. His bail has been revoked and he is the first ever New York City Police Commissioner to occupy space on the wrong side of the bars. For a man who has become accustomed to the finer things of life, this is not good. Indeed, Bernie is terribly aggrieved at this point. He has appealed his bond revocation and resultant incarceration pending trial (for several Felonies) but the Appellate Judge has upheld the revocation pending his hearing. Not good.

Bernie has a lot of time on his hands now to consider his fate, his chances, his options. He knows a lot. He learned a lot as Chauffeur, Bodyguard, and confidant to the Mayor. Bernie has involved himself in enough alleged wrongdoing to convince a Judge that he should be charged with and tried for Felonies, AND cannot even be trusted with his freedom pending and during trial. Suddenly, delay doesn't seem to be such a desirable legal tactic.

 Could Rudy have been THAT wrong about his driver? Rudy not only vaulted Bernie over thousands of more qualified personnel to appoint him Police Commissioner, he was responsible for having Bernie appointed Sub-Viceroy to Iraq (right below L. Paul Bremer) by G.W. Bush. Beyond that, Rudy had put put his former driver forward as the nominee to head our Nation's first Department of Homeland Security. Ironically, it was the obligatory FBI background investigation for that position which led to Bernie's downfall...Got to be careful what you want!

My guess is Rudy wasn't wrong about his former driver. My guess it Rudy knew all along that Bernie was an unprincipled liar, cheat and thief. My guess is they were involved in a lot of lying, cheating and thieving together. My guess is that's how Bernie got his chops; his "made" status. My guess is Bernie is wondering how much that knowledge is worth to the FBI and the Justice Department... A Justice Department under a DEMOCRATIC Administration. My guess is Rudy isn't sleeping too well lately, Bremer either.