The Edge of Reason

Oklahoma Republicans seem to have gotten it half right in last week's primaries. While, Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin is spineless, she at least has some experience outside of city hall.
Mick Cornett, a former broadcast journalist turned councilman turned Mayor was too inexperienced politically to play with the big boys in D.C. And he got whooped in the primary, to put it politely.
The candidate that would have likely done Oklahoma the most good in the job was Denise Bode -- not exactly the paragon of civility most days, but the woman has experience in Washington. But Bode came in third to Mick.
I hope we hear more substance from Fallin in the general election campaign. Her "Faith, Family and Freedom" slogan sounds trite and doesn't get to the heart of issues that impact Oklahomans.
Not that there's much concern that she'll win. "Dr." Hunter's too busy with his practice to get his buns to a local political talk show that airs on Sunday mornings. If he's too busy to "run" for the office, how does he expect to do the job once elected to the 5th Congressional District. I don't even know what the man looks like! Do you?

In the Todd Hiett and Scott Pruitt race, GOP voters might as well have shot themselves in the foot, or maybe that's the head.
Seriously, Hiett? The man proved to be nothing more than a puppet once he took over as Speaker of the House with so many hands up his backside, he had one puppeteer talking for him and another moving his head.
He talked a good game before he became Speaker, and once there it all fell apart.
I doubt seriously if he'd be much different in the Lt. Gov.'s office.
Pruitt had a much more solid chance of beating Democrat Jari Askins in the general election. And the GOP might do well not to underestimate Askins. Don't let the matronly, school-marm look fool you, she's an intelligent, astute politician.

It's definitely going to be an interesting election season in Oklahoma. The Gov.'s already got his feel good commercials on the air, and if Istook comes out criticizing Oklahoma...well, he's just gonna make folks feel bad.

By the way, has anyone noticed that Brad Henry looks a lot like Glenn Beck?

Yeah, I know it's been a while. But sometimes things happen and I just can't keep the old mouth shut.

Dubya's pulled a fast one. Gas is going up. So what does he do? Well, hell. We're not gonna punish those oil companies that are having record profits now are we?

Heck no. We're gonna be nice to 'em. Gonna relax environmental standards so that they don't have to work so hard to get that oil out of the ground.

I smell bull dung, and lots of it.

Anybody in Oklahoma notice how the state's largest newspaper has brushed over Istook's connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal?

Hmmm...you think maybe they are already planning to endorse him for Governor? Nah, that couldn't be...it's an "unbiased" newspaper. Wait, I hear someone at CJR saying something about "worst newspaper in America."

That explains it.

Because they won't and should, I'm making the following resolutions:

George W. Bush:

Tell the truth.

Tom DeLay:

Tell the truth, and resign, or at least have the decency not to run again.

Texas candidate for governor: Kinky Friedman:

Take this campaign seriously.

OK Speaker of the House: Todd Hiett:

Cut the puppet strings, and act like a true representative of the people.

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt:

Quit screwing the residents -- young and old -- of Missouri over, and quit lining the pockets of my corporate buddies.

Democrats:

Move to the center, and represent what the people of the party really think. (See below regarding Carville and Dean.)

Republicans:

Quit acting like we're crazy fanatics, and shut the likes of Hannity and Coulter up as representatives of this party.

There's so many more, but this will have to do for now.

"So did you say you wanted a black or gold jersey?"

"I think black. Sometimes the gold looks too yellow."

"Ok, so I'll mail it in a few days. What are you doing for Christmas?"

"I think we're going to go to London sightseeing..."

Pretty boring, huh? That was basically the extent of my last overseas conversation. Do you think Dubyah thinks I'm a terrorist?

Today, "House lawmakers opened the way for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and approved $29 billion for hurricane relief during an all-night session Monday bringing their legislative year to a close."

It was a bit hard for a lot of lawmakers to vote against this measure. Attaching it to a major defense spending bill that included the hurricane relief amendment was pure political genius. Is it any wonder the GOP took over government a few years ago?

Vote against it, and during your next campaign your opponents can say you voted against the war -- it will be done, just watch. Vote against it and your opponents can say you voted against hurricane relief.

Again, the Dems were asleep at the wheel and America and future generations lose.

Let me first say, I'm likely going to vote for Patricia Presley for the 5th Congressional seat. Why? Because I want a woman to win. A woman has not served in Congress from Oklahoma since Alice M. Robertson of Muskogee, a Republican, was elected in 1920. She was the country's second congresswoman and the first to preside over a session of the U.S. House.

I personally like Mary Fallin, she a nice lady. But she doesn't have enough substance and enough of a backbone to stand up to the men in her own party in this state, and she'll never be a powerhouse in Washington. Denise Bode -- well, she's just not an option for any office -- mean, vindictive, self-serving. So Patty it is.

But I have to wonder what the heck possessed her to do this? I certainly hope she's not been charmed by the Democrats (who indeed charmed her enough to get her to switch parties recently) into thinking that this is going to be a cake walk.

It's going to get ugly. Presley has run mostly unopposed, particularly in 2004, despite the "bail-bond scandal" in her department. Just because she skated there, surely she knows that's going to be a campaign issue -- a big issue -- in the upcoming race. She'll win the primary and nomination for the Democrats. But the GOP is gonna be gunning for her because (gasp here) she dared to change parties.

If Bode gets the GOP nomination, I'm not sure Presley has what it takes to fight against her. Bode fights like an alley cat. Just ask Drew Edmondson, who won, but limped away with more than just a few scratches on him after his last go round with Bode.

And then there's the money. Presley's gonna need a lot of it. So here's hoping the Democrats dig deep, otherwise she won't have a chance.