I missed Rumsfeld's senile ramblings, but am not surprised. In Rummy world, what happened yesterday no longer exists. I think such lack of recognition, let alone remorse, is the penultimate definition of a sociopath.

Still, I missed it as I was too shocked and awed by Marine Corp General Peter Pace's admission that he had not considered Iraq would slide into civil war last summer. I served in the military and last I checked, if you wanted to be a general it meant spending a long time in the military, studying all things military. General Pace must have been in uniform during Desert Storm I when a strong reason for not taking out Saddam was risk of civil war, must have been in uniform, if not the field when George H.W. urged the oppressed minorities to rise up against Saddam and his Sunni Baathist regime, must have been polishing his brass when Bush, then Clinton ordered military operations to create no fly zones to indefinitely freeze a civil bloodbath between Sunnis, Kurds and Shiites.

If he missed all that, he could have checked out the military strategy articles, like this one from October, 2003:

http//www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/20031029

There are many more such warnings, all the way up to the summer of 2005. I don't know about the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but I would send my remaining reserves to find the author of that article and tell him there is an opening for General of the Marine Corp.

You know, I was all for supporting Lamont. It wasn't just because Lieberman went beyond supporting the war to actually becoming one of its biggest cheerleaders. It isn't even the fact that he actually believes and will believe that Bush and Co. are prosecuting it the right way (though that enough is reason to get him out of office and the hot sun). It was because I heard Lamont and read his positions and he actually supports my views; not just on the war, though that enough would do the trick, but on energy, health care, my rights, my women friend's rights and my son's rights and hopes for the future. Lamont gets it. Joementum kept sounding so much like he didn't have a clue that I wondered did he even bother to read anything other than Rove's and his sponsor's press releases. Is it possible a person with a position of such esteem as senator of the United States would not pursue knowledge and awareness of what may really be going on, but rely on the word of those who hand him the money and say "What do you care what others may think. They aren't here at your dinner with check in hand."

Still, after watching, hearing and reading such virulent attacks on Lamont and support of Joe, especially by people who would gladly see him replaced by a real Republican and, whose kind words for him in 2000 and well into 2001 were "Loserman" I have to wonder if my once thought balanced and reasonable consideration of this debate must be wrong.

I have children and I've worked in the public service industry. One thing I've learned is that the person who screams hysterically must have a real grievance and obviously cares more about the issue than me. When my son doesn't own up to shaving the cat while I was away, but screams how someone broke in and did it to get in trouble, well who am I to question my own son.

And these are real talking heads on real networks with real people who make real decisions to assure me they know what they are talking about before letting them on air. I mean I would have normally thought Ann Coulter was a psychopath with some delusional disorder if I'd heard her ranting on the corner of 33rd and 3rd, but hell she was on Fox, MSNBC and CNN. She must know what she is talking about, and definitely anyone who writes on the NYT against Lamont must really be pointing out someone is more communist than they are.

As much as I am a true believer in priniciples and America and freedom. I do believe in God and waive my flag proudly on the fourth of July.

But, I'm so afraid of the terrorists.

I once wanted to protest Vietnam and thought maybe the coups we sponsored against Iran, Guatamala and the violence we visited on Nicaragua and El Salvador were not really democratic, but I couldn't protest because I was just so afraid of the communists.

I thought life would finally be peaceful, patriotic and free, how we could hate the Russions now.

But now I'm so afraid of the Islamic terrorists.

I would like to vote against Loserman, but all those pundits and smarter than me writers must be right. If I vote against him I'm not really standing up against sycophantic corrupt panty waists who kiss the lips of power mad yahoos. I'm voting against but a true flag wrapping patriot, the only Democratic that isn't an anti-semite. How could I have known.

I'm having a hard enough time thinking of how to explain to my Jewish son, Joshua, that I secretly hate him and his race. Please don't ask me to go to the polls and show me for the America hating anti-semite I really am.

(After I vote, I'm writing Dear Cary)

I could ignore the pundits and think for myself, but really what are they good for than to tell me how to think. I would do that myself, but I have debts to pay and so much money I need to make to be a true American.

The Hummer I drive from Greenwich to NYC doesn't pay for itself.