I'm probably restating what some have already said here, but let's not go too far down this road of "McCain is an acceptable Republican". Despite his breaking with the Bush people on some notable issues, he is as hard right as any other GOP member. He's just not a foaming at the mouth religious conservative. Besides, America needs more than just "acceptable" right now. We need something completely other than what we've seen so far from either party. Hilary Clinton (assuming she runs, and that's by no means certain) is too moderate and trying to please the religious mad dogs.

Condi Rice (assuming she runs, which I pray she doesn't) is nothing more than a Presidential ass-kisser. The other Republicans who want the job are too much in the Bush mold. Just what we need: more incompetent, bullheaded, sociopathic "leadership". There is quite possibly a Democrat or a progressive independent who thinks he or she can do a better job than what we've seen so far. Someone who actually understands what having a moral center means. Someone who will actually propose policies that are right and fair for this country, not just politically palatable or worse, self-serving. Someone who actually "gets" integrity and compassion and courage of convictions. Bush and the Republicans have made a mockery of those things we call "values" the last 5 years, making the electorate ever more cynical. Whoever that person is, I hope they trot him or her out soon. Beyond all these things we need hope to survive two more years of Bush. John McCain just looks like hope.

He isn't actually. He may be better than George Bush, but almost anyone would be, and we deserve better than a marginal improvement.

Eugenics may be done as a practice, but the tendency towards extremism that spawned the practice are very much with us. What I see over the last 100 years or so of our history is this reaching for balance and sanity. We've done it in fits and starts. One step forward, two steps back. Going too far the other way before swinging back to some kind of middle ground that makes sense. We're not close to done with this process.

One example of going too far the other way is that these "sexually insatiable moronic women" are no longer sterilized but worshiped. Who didn't cringe at the idea of Britney Spears reproducing? Who but the lunatic fringe in this country thinks giving birth to Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell was a good idea? The point being that we always seem to be reaching for extremes in this country and this is the first time that modern progressives are calling for something balanced and sensible. Sensible being that no matter how much I may personally object to the existence of Robertson or Falwell, THE LAW says I can't have my own personal preference holding sway here. We have the right to our choices as long as they don't hurt anyone else. So Britney Spears can reproduce and Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and Ann Coulter can spew their elitist, separatist vomit, and I can change the station on the radio or not pick up People magazine. Except that Robertson and Falwell are spewing rhetoric that is dangerous and even harmful. My preference is that they be bound and gagged and shipped off to a desert where no one can hear them.

But that's just me. We don't do that any more than we sterilize "sexually insatiable women" anymore. Just like we don't hide people who we think are terrorists in secret places and torture them into confessing that they are terrorists (whether they actualy are or not). We can't do that anymore. Right?

Right?

Two great spirits have passed from the earth.

Christopher Reeve, who I always knew would get out of that chair like Superman would have.

He's out now.

Dana Reeve, his love and his wife, who breathes free and fully, having shed the limitations of physical form.

I mourn their passing. Not for them, but for myself. I can't help thinking that the world is a little less bright, a little less warm, a little less good now that they aren't here. I never knew them personally; only through the media. But I knew they were making a difference just by being here. Now they're gone.

Now the world feels just a little harsher.

So I mourn for the world that they leave behind. For the children who've now lost their parents.

For all of us.

I'm thinking about the Emperor of the Dark Side in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

"Everything has happened as I have foreseen"

You had to know that sooner or later, the Republicans were going to run out the rope, and now they have enough of it to hang themselves. Wow.

Who knew John McCain knew Jack?

So much for that presidential bid.

As for the current president...well....

We may see him go from "lame duck" to "cooked goose" here pretty quick.

A 34% approval rating means that only the lunatic fringe supports him now. Maybe one or two more.

Hard to imagine one person could piss off so many people.

It took long enough and we're gonna have one hell of a mess to fix, but...at least the truth is out. Nothing can stop that now. It's about damned time.

Watch that house of cards come tumbling down.

If Sec. Rumsfeld's plan holds any water, there should be a big smoking hole in the ground where Iraq used to be by about...November. Whatever is left of the combatants will be fighting it out to see who controls which portion of the crater and there'll be fewer US troops on the ground and more US troops in body bags or carrying parts of themselves in bags as they're sent home.

Hey that's a "draw down" plan I can live with.

Can't imagine why no one else wants to sign on.