Monthly Archives: January 2004

A Balmy Walk Through the Beaux Arts Festival

Posted on January 17, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

We spent a good chunk of the day at the Beaux Arts Festival of Art, which is sort of lke a very high class arts and crafts show with a small sprinkling of fine art, and is held annually on the campus, a good five minutes walk from our house.

The children were delighted that the marble-selling man was there again, and also the pirate captain with the demonstration of ancient nautical gear and games.

Caroline (and therefore I) took a keen interest in the many very elegant displays of jewelry.

It was a beautiful day, although we were mostly a little overdressed as the radio falsely claimed it would be cool instead of balmy.

Hard to believe it's January and it's cold in much of the country.

Posted in Miami, Personal | Comments Off on A Balmy Walk Through the Beaux Arts Festival

Dave Barry Sinks His Teeth Into the Primaries

Posted on January 17, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

Dave Barry, Miami's answer to either Will Rogers or what happens when you cross a journalist with a basoon, is reporting from Iowa. Most of the article is about meat and vegtables, especially the ambulatory carrot, but some of it has Barry's inimitable political summaries. Often, after all, comedians have a better grasp on reality than pundits. (Especially if they're the Miami Herald's pundits….)

But the biggest applause came when Howard Dean, the feisty little Surgemeister himself, surged into the room and fired up the crowd by biting the head off a live puppy.

Not really! I'm making a little joke about Dean's reputation for having a temper. In fact, it was a squirrel.

NO KIND WORDS

Ha ha! But seriously, Dean did express anger at George W. Bush, as well as Washington insiders and special interest groups. In covering five national campaigns, I have yet to hear a presidential contender say a single kind word about Washington insiders or special interest groups. Every last contender swears he's going to stomp these people like ants. Yet, incredibly, Washington remains infested with them.

By the way, did I say “basoon”? I meant “baboon”. Or maybe I meant “clown”. Or something.

And then there's what has to be the worst pun of the campaign:

Continue reading →

Posted in Completely Different, Politics: US | Comments Off on Dave Barry Sinks His Teeth Into the Primaries

‘A Uniter Not A Divider’ or Rather, Just A Liar

Posted on January 17, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

Bush Bypasses Senate On Judge. A sign that things will get worse, and worse, as the junta pulls out every stop to consolidate its power.

Jack Balkin weighs in. And even a Volokh conspirator isn't proud of this one.

Posted in Politics: US | 1 Comment

Harris Out of Senate Race, Alas

Posted on January 16, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

A Harris candidacy would have been a gift to Democrats. Gotta hand it to Rove and Co., they run a tight ship: ABCNEWS.com : Source: Rep. Harris Won't Run for Senate.

'course sometimes the arm twisting does go a bit overboard , but why worry when the prosecutors in Main Justice are not looking to cause trouble unless forced.

Posted in Florida | 1 Comment

Mark Your Calendar: Hutton Report Due Jan. 28

Posted on January 16, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

Date set for Hutton report. Due Jan 28. The Hutton report is the one that will speak to what role Tony Blair and his administration had in the death of David Kelly (much more like “Vince Foster” than the real Vince Foster….) and is also expected to go into the issue of the extent to which Blair and his crew went beyond the evidence to support their claim that it was necessary to invade Iraq.

Meanwhile, it seems Tony Blair is not very popular in Spain. Here's what Jose Bono, one of the three most powerful figures in the opposition Socialist Party said about him when he wasn't aware a camera was recording…

“Blair? He's a complete dickhead (un gilipollas integral). He's an imbecile.”

Posted in UK | Comments Off on Mark Your Calendar: Hutton Report Due Jan. 28

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Dept: Cheney Predicts Decades of War

Posted on January 16, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

Cheney's grim vision: decades of war / Vice president says Bush policy aimed at long-term world threat

Oh heck. It's too depressing to contemplate just how awful this administration is. Even the politics of this elude me. Do they think that because polls right now show the incumbents as being more trusted on defense issues that the scarier the make the world sound the more votes (and Haliburtondollars) they get? Or is this honest belief? And which is worse?

I remember Bush's first post-9/11 speech, which I also saw in a hotel room, just as I'm in one now reading this. It was very upsetting. I was imagining my children being drafted and killed for his campaign against an ism. This sounds like the more intellectual version of the same thing. But now I'm more angry than upset.

Give me Dean, Clark, Edwards, even Kerry (uninspiring). Heck even Gephardt (unelectable) or Lieberman (unprincipled). Anything.

Posted in Politics: International | 1 Comment